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I want LOW humidity (currently live in Baltimore area) area with mountain views but do worry about the climate and water scarcity in drier areas. I am liberal and live in a conservative county and I have conservative friends and family but need some balance. I am a bit of a foodie but beyond that hiking, biking and being outdoors is the way to go. I have often thought about New Mexico, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Colorado but I think the major cities can be quite pricey. Maybe a suburb or rural area within an hour of one of the major cities? I am not sure about home costs because it would all depend on jobs and would love to step back from the 'rat race' so something under $250k I guess but less would be better and could get a 2-3br home.
I live about 15 miles north of Albuquerque in a sparsely developed area of Rio Rancho (3rd largest city in NM). I love living in the high desert but I can be in the mountains in about 45 minutes and I see five mountain ranges from my house. Humidity is single digits many days and the sun shines every day. It is a near perfect four season climate. Your house budget seems reasonable.
It is not for everybody. The desert is vastly different from the eastern seaboard and some people can't embrace the change. This is the land of manana and somewhat slow paced. Diversity is our thing with a mix of cultures and multiple languages. NM is a blue state but with conservative (and libertarian) threads running through the fabric.
Haywood County and Madison County outside of Asheville, NC could be an option. The whole area is just gorgeous. Asheville itself is a bit expensive, but Haywood and Madison are a good bit more affordable. Asheville is pretty liberal and those 2 counties are conservative, but there's good balance in the metro as a whole. My wife and I are conservative and day trip to Asheville very often. The whole area has a great vibe. People of different beliefs are friendly and get along quite well. Very refreshing to experience. Good luck wherever you land!
I live in SLC and I’m also Liberal, it’s quite liberal in SLC especially compared to the surrounding areas. The mountains here are amazing, whenever I’m traveling I can’t wait to come home. For outdoor recreation there are very few places that even come close to SLC. I don’t think you’re going to find a house here for $250k, possibly a fixer upper in a less desirable neighborhood. I’d consider Ogden, it’s about 40 minutes from downtown SLC, homes are definitely cheaper there. I really enjoy Ogden and would consider living there at some point.
A possible sleeper is Plattsburgh NY, which is an hour south of Montreal, close to the Adirondack and Green Mountains, as well as a steady economy. It also had a mayor not too long ago that was openly gay and has 2 and 4 year colleges within the city. It also has its own muncipal beach on Lake Champlain. //www.city-data.com/forum/new-y...secret-ny.html
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