Help me escape California - what's the best alternative? (credit, universities)

[answerandcityguy]

Essential Criteria:

-almost no snow or no snow (like max 1 snow day a year, or couple of inches)
-a fairly robust/resourceful place (good medical services, universities, diverse economy)
-at least somewhat youthful and intellectual in feel (doesn't need to be liberal, but somewhere at least considers itself cultured)
-cheaper/less crowded/less materialistic (seems like anywhere would be better off than CA in this category)

Hoping for something a little outside of the box, but still a sizable/well known place, but not somewhere that's ultra popular/predictable for a Californian to relocate to, like Austin

[Count David]

Originally Posted by answerandcityguy

Essential Criteria:

-almost no snow or no snow (like max 1 snow day a year, or couple of inches)
-a fairly robust/resourceful place (good medical services, universities, diverse economy)
-at least somewhat youthful and intellectual in feel (doesn't need to be liberal, but somewhere at least considers itself cultured)
-cheaper/less crowded/less materialistic (seems like anywhere would be better off than CA in this category)

Hoping for something a little outside of the box, but still a sizable/well known place, but not somewhere that's ultra popular/predictable for a Californian to relocate to, like Austin

Outside of the box and no snow will be hard. No snow will have Californians, unless it's a not-robust part of the South.

You have to be completely out of CA? There's plenty of the state that isn't quite how you describe.

Tempe, AZ is a decent recommendation IMO, but it's not outside of the box, and you will have CA'ians everywhere. Tucson?

Las Cruces, NM or El Paso, TX almost fit (kinda dragging on the cultured bit though).

I don't know TX nor the snow-free part of the south enough to be able to recommend anywhere.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by answerandcityguy

Essential Criteria:

-almost no snow or no snow (like max 1 snow day a year, or couple of inches)
-a fairly robust/resourceful place (good medical services, universities, diverse economy)
-at least somewhat youthful and intellectual in feel (doesn't need to be liberal, but somewhere at least considers itself cultured)
-cheaper/less crowded/less materialistic (seems like anywhere would be better off than CA in this category)

Hoping for something a little outside of the box, but still a sizable/well known place, but not somewhere that's ultra popular/predictable for a Californian to relocate to, like Austin

A good alternative to California?

The Atlanta Region


Some Helpful Information and Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ta?wprov=sfti1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_metropolitan_area

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta

How Georgia Became the Hollywood of the South | Time

https://www.theringer.com/pop-cultur...dit-south-week

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterf..._North_Georgia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Georgia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_industry_in_Georgia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmo...tic_Megaregion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_85

TIME Magazine: The American South | Time

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/01/atla...ilm-mecca.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozNvM45yKWw

[Jay F]

How about San Antonio? It fits a lot of your criteria. Yes it's close to Austin but it's not as trendy.