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By health, I don't necessarily mean statistics related to smoking or obesity, but rather places where it is easiest to live a healthy and happy lifestyle. My wife and I need to make a decision on where to move by this summer and I've been thinking about this decision for almost 4 years now and am still having trouble making up my mind. I know this may be different for every person, so I'll list some requirements/thoughts:
- Darkness, lots of rain, dead trees, and cold keeps me insulated indoors and not wanting to workout or eat healthy. This cuts out most of the PNW, midwest, mid-atlantic, and northeast.
- Lots of crime (including property) severely increases stress, not ideal. This makes me apprehensive about metros around California.
- South Florida has amazing climate (don't mind heat and humidity) but due to lack of mountains/hiking opportunities I'm scared my entertainment lifestyle will be laying on the beach or on a boat drinking every weekend.
- The west (everything west of the Rockies and states/cities around it) has beautiful nature. The mountains are great, dryness helps with enjoying hikes, and the outdoor recreation seems conducive to a healthy lifestyle. However, it seems most of these places are plagued by terrible air quality, drought, pollution, and climate that turns skin to leather.
- Super big cities are suffocating and it's hard to get a nice house for $1-1.2m, but being super far from metro areas is depressing, the nearby suburbs seem ideal but being like 2-3+ hours away from a city isn't great.
What are your thoughts on places like LA, SFBA, Phoenix, Miami, DC, Denver, or Las Vegas? Any other mid/big cities I should consider?
What city gives you a healthy and happy lifestyle and why? Cooking in sweltering muggy heat with scenic blue waters, palm trees, bright green vegetation with a drink in your hand as you surf, ride boats, tan, but have the beautiful sunny environment to encourage you to workout and stay fit? Hiking some of the most beautiful mountains in the world while inhaling mining debris, fire smoke, and other pollutants as your skin leathers in the harsh climate but you get the exercise you need through all the breathtaking outdoor recreation available? Is it being hidden indoors as it rains/snows/stays pitch black for 7-10 months of the year only to truly appreciate the short summer months with green lushness?
I don't mean to be negative, just want to show both sides of the coin for each scenario and wondering what people prefer and why (especially if my presumptions about a lot of this stuff are incorrect).
By health, I don't necessarily mean statistics related to smoking or obesity, but rather places where it is easiest to live a healthy and happy lifestyle. My wife and I need to make a decision on where to move by this summer and I've been thinking about this decision for almost 4 years now and am still having trouble making up my mind. I know this may be different for every person, so I'll list some requirements/thoughts:
- Darkness, lots of rain, dead trees, and cold keeps me insulated indoors and not wanting to workout or eat healthy. This cuts out most of the PNW, midwest, mid-atlantic, and northeast.
- Lots of crime (including property) severely increases stress, not ideal. This makes me apprehensive about metros around California.
- South Florida has amazing climate (don't mind heat and humidity) but due to lack of mountains/hiking opportunities I'm scared my entertainment lifestyle will be laying on the beach or on a boat drinking every weekend.
- The west (everything west of the Rockies and states/cities around it) has beautiful nature. The mountains are great, dryness helps with enjoying hikes, and the outdoor recreation seems conducive to a healthy lifestyle. However, it seems most of these places are plagued by terrible air quality, drought, pollution, and climate that turns skin to leather.
- Super big cities are suffocating and it's hard to get a nice house for $1-1.2m, but being super far from metro areas is depressing, the nearby suburbs seem ideal but being like 2-3+ hours away from a city isn't great.
What are your thoughts on places like LA, SFBA, Phoenix, Miami, DC, Denver, or Las Vegas? Any other mid/big cities I should consider?
What city gives you a healthy and happy lifestyle and why? Cooking in sweltering muggy heat with scenic blue waters, palm trees, bright green vegetation with a drink in your hand as you surf, ride boats, tan, but have the beautiful sunny environment to encourage you to workout and stay fit? Hiking some of the most beautiful mountains in the world while inhaling mining debris, fire smoke, and other pollutants as your skin leathers in the harsh climate but you get the exercise you need through all the breathtaking outdoor recreation available? Is it being hidden indoors as it rains/snows/stays pitch black for 7-10 months of the year only to truly appreciate the short summer months with green lushness?
I don't mean to be negative, just want to show both sides of the coin for each scenario and wondering what people prefer and why (especially if my presumptions about a lot of this stuff are incorrect).
The dry climate of the west does not damage your skin. That is a myth. Dry air just makes wrinkles that you already have more visible. The sun is what damages the skin. Wear your sunscreen and put on some lotion. Problem solved.
The perfect city doesn't exist. There are measures you can take to reduce the cons. Just like another person mentioned, wearing sunscreen and lotion helps in dry climates. Also wearing a hat, light colors, and light clothing material will assist as well.
Phoenix (already on your list) and the surrounding suburbs is a good consideration. Scottsdale is a great area to look into. Colorado Springs and Boise are two strong contenders as well although they both have winters of varying degrees. They have everything else you wanted.
The dry climate of the west does not damage your skin. That is a myth. Dry air just makes wrinkles that you already have more visible. The sun is what damages the skin. Wear your sunscreen and put on some lotion. Problem solved.
It’s both. The appearance and it ages the skin faster too. This is also why children don’t have wrinkles but rather acne. Adults don’t have as much acne but develop wrinkles more easily. Also the high altitude means closer to UV rays. Maybe it’s not as dramatic as I’m making it seem but there’s been a few studies on this, even the RoC skin study put Denver in bottom 5. Lotion, chapstick, sunscreen, and humidifiers may resolve these things, but this dryness mixed with the pollution of the west makes me wonder if it’s a healthy place to live, although I understand no place is perfect.
The perfect city doesn't exist. There are measures you can take to reduce the cons. Just like another person mentioned, wearing sunscreen and lotion helps in dry climates. Also wearing a hat, light colors, and light clothing material will assist as well.
Phoenix (already on your list) and the surrounding suburbs is a good consideration. Scottsdale is a great area to look into. Colorado Springs and Boise are two strong contenders as well although they both have winters of varying degrees. They have everything else you wanted.
Yeah I’ve been to Colorado Springs, Denver, and Buena Vista. Colorado is a very nice place just wish it was warmer. Need to visit Arizona though, wondering how different and desert-like it is compared to a place like LA.
Essentially nice cities in beautiful environments. Big plus if they have warm weather and sunshine.
But if you are counting the cost to live in them then the CA coast is probably too expensive for most. I think Colorado/Oregon are a good picks though. It's hard to find a big negative for Denver or Portland. They are pricey but not ridiculous.
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