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I have been considering different places to move to, and I am hoping that I can get some ideas on where I should look. First, a little about me..
I am a single guy in his 20's, currently living in northern Michigan. I am a few short months away from graduating with a degree in Information Technology. I currently work random side jobs (mainly automotive related), as the job market here is not fantastic. It works for now, but it just is not feasible for the long term. There is no real IT type of jobs around here, and if there are, they pay minimum wage or just a little above minimum wage. When I decide I am ready to start a family, I do not want to be trapped in an economically depressed area like I am now.
I have spent all of my life in Michigan, having grown up near Ann Arbor. I spend a lot of my free time in the UP exploring, hiking, camping, waterfall hunting, etc. I enjoy the outdoors quite a bit. I am always going places and doing things, while the majority of my peers are already married with kids and a house. I just could never get myself to settle down enough, especially in a place that experiences winter for a solid 6 months of the year. While I do enjoy all that Michigan offers, I feel like I am ready to make a change and see new things.
I have been looking at cities west of here that have a lower unemployment rate and a decent IT scene. Some cities I have been looking at include Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, Denver, Fargo, Minneapolis, Souix Falls, and a few others. Of all these places, Denver seems like the most fun just because of the nearby rocky mountains and all of the people who enjoy the outdoors as much as I do, although the cost of living appears to be a bit higher than I am used to. The rest of the cities seems to have a much more reasonable cost of living at the expense of no mountains, although I do find beauty in the plains as well (especially the amazing storms!). I just really enjoy the thought of living out west with the wide-open spaces and (in the case of Denver), giant mountains. Both of which we don't really have here.
I am saving as much as I can at the moment, and am planning on making a move this year.
I am just at a loss with so many places to research. Any opinions on some places that might be a good fit for me?
Given your interests in the outdoors Seattle, Portland, Boise and SLC should all be on your list as well. Without knowing specifically what area of IT you work in all have in general strong IT scenes and lots of nature close by. Seattle has a really high cost of living but IT jobs there pay really well too and there are plenty of career opportunities to work with cutting edge technologies.
I would vote for Denver, Minneapolis or Seattle. All three are great cities socially for your age group with a wide range of activities including major pro sports events and while Minneapolis does not have the mountains, there are plenty of lakes and parks where people get out to enjoy the outdoors a lot. All three are diverse as well with people from all over the country (and world) drawn to them to live in for work or college, versus the other cities you mentioned which tend to be more regional draws to people with upbringings more like yourself.
Phoenix if you don't mind the heat. Unlimited hiking all over the state and nearby states. If anyone tells you Phoenix doesn't have a good tech sector they're wrong. Countless IT jobs as I'm looking at making the move there myself. Have had several interview requests , but still need more money before I can head out there.
Denver and SLC are nice if you like being cold most of the winter. Seattle is a great place for tech of course with some of the best hiking in the country.
SLC
Spokane, WA (access to northern ID is right down the road)
Duluth, MN
I do not recommend Duluth. It is too similar to UP of Michigan and the job market is not particularly robust. If you had an evergreen job and loved winter in particular, Duluth is a decent option. I speak from experience regarding the job thing.
Duluth is an interesting choice I haven't really thought about. It is only a few hours from the UP which would be nice. I agree on the job market aspect of it though. I would hate to move far away only to end up in the same situation with lack of jobs available as well as even worse winters.
I don't mind winter, but I am burned out from shoveling snow from Halloween through the middle/end of April. Last February was brutal here, we had a few weeks well below zero with strong winds and frequent clipper systems dropping 2-5 inches every other day. I remember thinking to myself "Hey, there are places that don't have this" almost every single day lol. The hardest parts of leaving for me are the summers in northern MI and the UP are awesome (although short), and all of my family lives in MI.
My main concerns basically come down to job availability, outdoor activities, reasonable cost of living, and a winter that doesn't last 6 solid months . I do lean slightly left politically, if that matters any.
SLC is another option I hadn't considered. That whole area of the country is so pretty, and quite a bit different than what I am used to. I am interested in learning more about SLC, Phoenix, Portland, Boise, Spokane, Denver, and possibly even Seattle in general. I will be closely researching those areas. Minneapolis seems like another option.
Thanks again for all of your suggestions! I almost feel like I need to throw a dart at a map, there are so many options to choose from that would suit me
Sorry, I somehow missed your aversion to more winter. I used to live in the U.P. as well and I would take Duluth over the U.P. any day. I was just trying to think of areas that are somewhat similar but would have more job opportunities. Cornsnicker3 would know more about the job market in Duluth though.
I think Colorado Springs is your winner here. It has excellent outdoors, has a decent IT market, and doesn’t cost a small fortune like Denver. It is also large enough to have city amenities. Spokane is a good choice, but the mountains that you would look for are not at your doorstep like CS. Northern ID is beautiful and right there. Both have a quasi libertarian streak. I would give the edge to CS since if you really feel like you can’t progress in your career, Denver is just down the road, where Seattle and Portland are bit away from Spokane.
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. I do lean slightly left politically, if that matters any.
