Looking for my new home! (dorm, job market, school)
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I'm a 21 year old soon to be college graduate (next April, but I think now is about where I should be figuring out where I want to live since I can't stay in a dorm anymore, right?) living in Riverside County, California. I'm curious to see where some of you would recommend for me to live, as I'm looking to branch out of SoCal where I was raised.
My parents plan on moving to Tennessee within the next few months (they also live in SoCal) so staying in SoCal is simply not an option for me, even if I wanted to.
Things that are really important for me:
I don't want to live in a major city (see: NYC, Boston, Los Angeles, etc.) but suburbs of a smaller city is fine (Fort Collins, Minneapolis, places like that). A more rural area is also fine as long as it's ~30 minutes away from a city where I would be able to find a job.
Environmentally conscious/focused. Good places to hike, state parks, dog friendly.
Reasonable job market. My degree is in Environmental Science, I have a planning certificate, and I've done 3 internships, so I'm reasonably competitive in the job market, though I'd like to not have to struggle *too much* to find a decent job. I also plan on getting a Master's, but a school being local isn't a huge deal as I'll probably end up doing it part time online.
Politically moderate. I'd prefer it to not be super leaning one way or the other, as I've seen the woes of places that are super polarized.
Younger dating scene.
Low amounts of traffic preferable, but if I found a perfect area, traffic isn't a deal breaker. I've dealt with it for 5 years now and I can deal with it for more if I have to I guess. :P
Climate: I'm really not sure about this one. The cold doesn't bother me too much (I've been in Colorado in the winter, Yosemite, etc.) but I'm not sure where my breaking point is. I hate hate hate the heat, so nowhere like Arizona or SoCal levels of hot in the summer. I'd prefer no straight weeks of 100+ degrees.
If anyone has any recommendations that'd be amazing!! Thanks so much. My budget is unknown at the moment, but let's just go with general areas of states that I can visit and then figure out an area in my budget. I'll probably end up living in TN with my parents for a bit while I make some money and figure budget out.
Minnesota is a great choice with lots of opportunities. The Cities will have the most, but other smaller cities in the state (e.g. Duluth, Rochester) are good for jobs. You will get used to the cold if you let yourself. Find a job before moving is my biggest recommendation.
Minnesota is a great choice with lots of opportunities. The Cities will have the most, but other smaller cities in the state (e.g. Duluth, Rochester) are good for jobs. You will get used to the cold if you let yourself. Find a job before moving is my biggest recommendation.
I will look into MN. And I will definitely find a job first! That is my major requirement, which is why I'm starting to apply now so I can hopefully have something lined up somewhere before April.
I'm the kind of person where if I'm going to live in the cold I'll need to really embrace it and do fun winter activities. Is MN the kind of state that encourages this?
I will look into MN. And I will definitely find a job first! That is my major requirement, which is why I'm starting to apply now so I can hopefully have something lined up somewhere before April.
I'm the kind of person where if I'm going to live in the cold I'll need to really embrace it and do fun winter activities. Is MN the kind of state that encourages this?
Thanks!
Yes, especially in the northern part of the state. Duluth really lives it well in my opinion. You really have to or else you will go mad. There are ski and snow shoeing trails all over the place. Most of the parks are flooded to create ice skating rinks. People ice fish. Snowmobiling is a thing although the UP of Michigan is sort of the regional king of that.
Winter is very long here and even those of us who love winter are ready for summer by April.
I was going to suggest Knoxville, TN until you mentioned that TN wasn't on your radar, lol. Knoxville seems to fit the bill really well. Some of the suburban areas of Minneapolis or Charlotte would be good. Both have good economies and cost of living isn't bad (especially in Charlotte). The Minneapolis area leans left, but isn't extreme. The Charlotte metro area is pretty down the middle politically. Outdoor activities are good in the Charlotte area and their 4-season climate is pretty moderate. Good luck in your search.
Maybe not the first blip on your radar but you might want to consider Richmond VA. It's a young/thriving city of 225K that's a nice mix of historic and modern, as well as providing a steady "buzz" as state capital and college town with Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond (among others). It's politically moderate leaning slightly left, not traffic clogged, offers lots of outdoor activities in/around the area (locally the James River for instance, plus just 90 minutes to the the Blue Ridge Mountains or the coast), a moderate four season climate with a pretty even split of seasons...plus close proximity to TN and your parents, but not TOO close. : )
I think there was a similar thread to this one made not too long ago, but I would consider an area like the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area. It is a steadily growing area that is in close proximity to the Adirondack, Catskill, Green, Taconic and Berkshire Mountains. It has a solid economy, 4 seasons and if you want to go to a bigger area, Boston and NYC are only about 2/2 and a half hours away.
I already mentioned in the other thread that Syracuse, about 2 hours to the west, has SUNY-ESF, which is arguably the best college/university in the country for your field/major. It also has companies such as O'Brien & Gere, Bluepoint, GHD and Environmental Design & Research, among others, in the area. Small, walkable, suburban/exurban villages such as Baldwinsville, Liverpool, Manlius, Fayetteville, Skaneateles(if you have that kind of $), Marcellus and even North Syracuse would offer close proximity to the city and to rural areas. You also wouldn't be too far from Ithaca, which has more of a "liberal", environmentally conscious vibe(within an hour, if that). Can get to the Adirondacks and the 1000 Islands Region within an hour and a half, you are minutes from Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and other likes(Oneida, Cross, etc./some with beaches), there are about 7 ski areas within minutes, there are plenty of parks and it is pretty much a straight shot down I-81 to the parents.
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My budget is unknown at the moment, but let's just go with general areas of states that I can visit and then figure out an area in my budget. I'll probably end up living in TN with my parents for a bit while I make some money and figure budget out.
