Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Snow aside(most of it is north of the city anyway), but Syracuse's Westcott/University/Outer Comstock area on its East Side may be an area to look into. Home | UNPA
It is located east of Syracuse University(of course). There is a Co-op market in the area, restaurants and cafes, 3 hospitals on University Hill and alternative health sources, Drumlins Golf Course is nearby, multiple parks in the area, music jams can be found at a place like Kellish Hill Farm, etc.
I would say a happy medium would be in the Meadowbrook area near Barry Park/Broad Street. That puts you right by a park, the Co-Op Market, some shopping on Nottingham Road, the golf course and you are still a walk/short bike ride to the Westcott Business District/Syracuse University or this street north of the Syracuse University campus: https://crousemarshall.com/
In term of Outer Comstock, right along Comstock Avenue is a solid/nice area and is a street that takes you right to the University. In fact, its South Campus is to the east of that area and this is a new development in that area: https://www.xavierwoods.com/
I knew a bit about Brevard 30-40 years ago when it was still mostly traditional but not now. There are a fair number of Brevard threads though that you can find with search tool if not already seen. Is it charming enough? Probably different answers. I wouldnt be surprised if that impression eventually wore off for some from other regions but less so now perhaps than way back when.
About 60% in Transylvania County voted Republican in last Presidential election.
There are relatively few seniors living inside Blacksburg (pretty dense / busy, party town especially on football weekends) but more found in surrounding Christiansburg, Radford and some rural areas. Or even Roanoke, Smith Mountain Lake or Wytheville. Blacksburg and surrounding is a well-rounded area. It is somewhat like smaller, earlier Asheville and in other ways, because of the big university, different than Asheville.
Yeah Asheville can be too liberal for some politically and socially. Hence some select to live outside but may come into Asheville a lot. Finding their small town or rural place not enough for life outside their residence. Straddlers.
...Finally, I mentioned we like political balance and tolerance. Left leaning is fine...and in fact we like the arts, culture, culinary scene etc. that often seems to come in those towns. (I didn't mention this but I'm vegetarian...and love vegan restaurants). But we get uncomfortable when there is no counter-balance, and policies go too far left, to the extent they affect local quality of life (they have in Portland, OR, IMO). For this exact reason we ruled out Bellingham, WA, for example.
Do we run this risk in Asheville?
Also saw Brevard as cute WNC town, any comments on that as relates to our criteria and comments above?
Thanks all!
Asheville's progressivism is most apparent downtown (the commercial and tourist center) and in the West Asheville neighborhood (the city's hipster neighborhood). You'll see BLM signs around and sales of t-shirts with the city's tongue-in-cheek unofficial motto, "Asheville. Cesspool of sin!." A conservative local politician called the city that years ago because of its liberality.
Asheville also recently voted to offer reparations to the descendants of slaves, though in what form is still up in the air. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/re...el/ar-BB17mE9S
The city is about 10% black IIRC.
There were protests and marches after the George Floyd killing, and some violence (minor-league compared to a lot of other cities IMHO), and I think that the city is still debating what to do with its Confederate hero statues. In general, I think that Asheville is mainly liberal compared to much of the surrounding countryside, which definitely leans right (Rep. Mark Meadows once represented this part of the region), But when I'm there I can't quite see it as another Berkeley or Oakland. UNC Asheville is the state's "flagship" small liberal arts college and does not have a huge impact on city life from what I've seen. On a day-to-day basis, most of the progressive feel to the place is cultural and social rather than political. YMMV.
And FWIW, my favorite neighborhoods in the city are West Asheville and Montford. If you visit, check them out as well as downtown. I think they're both good places to live. (I have no first hand knowledge of Brevard or other mountain towns nearby)
Snow aside(most of it is north of the city anyway), but Syracuse's Westcott/University/Outer Comstock area on its East Side may be an area to look into. Home | UNPA
It is located east of Syracuse University(of course). There is a Co-op market in the area, restaurants and cafes, 3 hospitals on University Hill and alternative health sources, Drumlins Golf Course is nearby, multiple parks in the area, music jams can be found at a place like Kellish Hill Farm, etc.
I would say a happy medium would be in the Meadowbrook area near Barry Park/Broad Street. That puts you right by a park, the Co-Op Market, some shopping on Nottingham Road, the golf course and you are still a walk/short bike ride to the Westcott Business District/Syracuse University or this street north of the Syracuse University campus: https://crousemarshall.com/
In term of Outer Comstock, right along Comstock Avenue is a solid/nice area and is a street that takes you right to the University. In fact, its South Campus is to the east of that area and this is a new development in that area: https://www.xavierwoods.com/
San Diego east of I-5 around Mira Mesa has reasonable housing costs by California standards and is only 5-10 miles from amazing beaches. It's a strong compromise between over the top housing costs and over the top inland heat.
If you're looking to copy your nice Portland weather, sorry, but you're not going to get that except in a few places on the west coast, but those choices don't offer much of an improvement on what you are fleeing from now.
Below I have listed places in different parts of the country that you should consider. These are based on my extensive research in the past five years myself, as well as my extensive travel to many of these places, and of course on where I have lived in the past.
The following cities will give you mostly what you're looking for: (however July and part of Aug may not be your favorite part of the year weather wise, in some southern locations,,lol,, but with all things considered, I think you will be pleasantly surprized at how liveable all the places are on this list. They are are medium sized places except for a few. Check them out as I'm sure you will find a reason to get on a plane, even in the pandemic and fly in somewhere and do a big loop road trip to visit some of these places. Best to you!
South USA:
Greenville SC
Asheville NC
Roanoke VA
Charlottesville VA
Chattanooga TN
Nashville TN
Fayetteville AR
Lexington KY
Huntsville AL
Pensacola, FL
St. Augustine FL
Sarasota FL
Tampa/St Pete FL
Fort Meyers FL
Naples FL
Athens, GA
MidWest USA:
Columbia MO
Lawrence KS
Lincoln NE
Norman OK
Sioux Falls SD
Waco TX
Des Moines/Ames IA
West USA:
Moscow ID
Pocatella ID
Logan UT
Bozeman MT
Flagstaff AZ
Colorado Springs CO
Fort Collins CO
Cheyenne WY
If you're looking to copy your nice Portland weather, sorry, but you're not going to get that except in a few places on the west coast, but those choices don't offer much of an improvement on what you are fleeing from now.
Below I have listed places in different parts of the country that you should consider. These are based on my extensive research in the past five years myself, as well as my extensive travel to many of these places, and of course on where I have lived in the past.
The following cities will give you mostly what you're looking for: (however July and part of Aug may not be your favorite part of the year weather wise, in some southern locations,,lol,, but with all things considered, I think you will be pleasantly surprized at how liveable all the places are on this list. They are are medium sized places except for a few. Check them out as I'm sure you will find a reason to get on a plane, even in the pandemic and fly in somewhere and do a big loop road trip to visit some of these places. Best to you!
South USA:
Greenville SC
Asheville NC
Roanoke VA
Charlottesville VA
Chattanooga TN
Nashville TN
Fayetteville AR
Lexington KY
Huntsville AL
Pensacola, FL
St. Augustine FL
Sarasota FL
Tampa/St Pete FL
Fort Meyers FL
Naples FL
Athens, GA
MidWest USA:
Columbia MO
Lawrence KS
Lincoln NE
Norman OK
Sioux Falls SD
Waco TX
Des Moines/Ames IA
West USA:
Moscow ID
Pocatella ID
Logan UT
Bozeman MT
Flagstaff AZ
Colorado Springs CO
Fort Collins CO
Cheyenne WY
Thanks very much for sharing your research results! Many of these are on our hit list as well. Also we still haven't ruled out moving elsewhere in the Willamette Valley OR (outside of Portland / Multnomah Co).
Thanks very much for sharing your research results! Many of these are on our hit list as well. Also we still haven't ruled out moving elsewhere in the Willamette Valley OR (outside of Portland / Multnomah Co).
Your post is very helpful, thanks again.
I have a feeling that is actually what you want to do, maybe just haven't completely realized that yet. Elsewhere in the Willamette Valley. If you do decide to move out of Oregon, do be careful because adjusting elsewhere can take its toll. I did it 8 years ago when I retired. I left Portland mainly due to the problems that were overwhelming the area, and the higher and higher COL. I left for the south and it is much more affordable, and I'm not falling over homeless or all the Protesters in Portland. Its just I will never adjust to the southern mindset. It definitely puts a damper on living in the Southeast.
So keep that in mind when moving a long way from where your familiar with. Best of Luck
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
