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We go through life stages. I can't say that, given my family and life history, I was ever profoundly unhappy anywhere in the ten places that I lived. I grew up in a wonderful new 1950ish suburb with places to roam and enjoy as a kid. I am very happy now as an elderly single (widower) retired person in New Mexico. When I was married and raising a family, I was happy in a small town in Missouri. I would not want those locations switched under my stated living situations.
Some years ago, I figured out that, psychologically, need some view of undeveloped land and to be somewhat close to a river. I would not be happy in a densely populated city environment. So, I live 15 miles from a city at 5500 ft. on a rising mesa slope above the Rio Grande with a view of five mountain ranges and the desert. I have one adjacent neighbor. I could probably be happy in some other place given those similar general conditions.
For a place by itself - Denver back in the late 80s. We only lived there for about three years, but every time I got in my car and looked at the mountain in the distance my spirits were uplifted and I said to myself, "Oh how cool". And lol every time I was on a plane and someone asked me where I was from, I casually said, "I live in Denver.". But to myself I said "I LIVE IN DENVER!!!" and I actually thought of myself as a cooler person just because I lived there. Love love love those mountains. Did a ski day every other weekend from Dec. thru March. Did a Boulder mountain park or Rocky Mountain National Park day trip every third week or so (sometimes more often) June - October. Great day trips from Denver back then.
Jobs brought us elsewhere. I live in St. Louis county now in Missouri and like our community, house, neighborhood, and have made lots of connections. Our grown son also is just 16 minutes away from us which is so much fun.
With DH now retired and me full time work from home, we actually did look at possibly moving back to Denver given that we could live anywhere. But where I like in the city has gotten so expensive and traffic is terrible. Also, traffic to the mountains has gotten really bad too. Looking elsewhere just had me appreciate where I live right now, and we're planning to stay put.
Austin, TX. I was young and out of the Midwest for the first time. Everything, (minus the traffic), was beautiful. Great craft beer, great nightlife, a cool mix of southwest and southeast flora, I didn't mind the hot summers and loved that you pretty much got to skip winter. It was vibrant, alive and new. Not sure if I'd still love it with how much I now value stuff like walkability, but man, it was great place to spend my 20s in.
I then moved to the Colorado front range and it felt so desolate and sleepy. I did have some fun exploring, especially in the first couple of years, but in the end not even the mountains could save it for me.
Great question. My favorite place may be between Seattle and DC, but I'm currently in SoCal and this is my happy place. Lots of friends, great weather, kids are never bored. Part of that is bein in California, part is being a part of neighborhood.
Also want to reiterate the neighborhood aspect. When I lived in the other places, they were in very busy areas. Here, my kids get to roam a bit, we're making friends, etc.
All of that being said, I'd be just as happy doing the same thing in Denver, Nashville, etc. Wherever you go, there you are.
We go through life stages. I can't say that, given my family and life history, I was ever profoundly unhappy anywhere in the ten places that I lived. I grew up in a wonderful new 1950ish suburb with places to roam and enjoy as a kid. I am very happy now as an elderly single (widower) retired person in New Mexico. When I was married and raising a family, I was happy in a small town in Missouri. I would not want those locations switched under my stated living situations.
Some years ago, I figured out that, psychologically, need some view of undeveloped land and to be somewhat close to a river. I would not be happy in a densely populated city environment. So, I live 15 miles from a city at 5500 ft. on a rising mesa slope above the Rio Grande with a view of five mountain ranges and the desert. I have one adjacent neighbor. I could probably be happy in some other place given those similar general conditions.
Thanks for sharing. Made me think of our situation. We’re a young family and I would love for my kids to experience space to roam. Unfortunately, as it goes, this is the point in our lives where we have little wealth, and by the time we can afford the space we’d like, our kids will be grown.
I agree with the other poster. Chicago is a good if you want an urban environment with world class museums, aquariums, theater, restaurants, universities and medical care at a price that is cheaper than most Tier 2 cities like Austin, Denver, Atlanta, Miami etc. Also a large airport with nonstop flights to hundreds of cities and countries.
My wife and I lived very well in Chicago despite being in school and making very little money. Not independently wealthy. Couldn't have lived as comfortably as we did anywhere else while still enjoying all the urban amenities. Looking back, it's definitely our happy time. As someone who enjoyed hiking though, the flatness did eventually get to me. But I still enjoyed the city, a lot more than more expensive cities like Boston. We are happy where we are now, but we have to make a lot more money to achieve similar quality of life that we effortlessly achieved in Chicago, so Chicago definitely gives me more innocent and carefree memories.
Bangkok/Thailand/Southeast Asia/East Asia--most interesting, diverse part of the world, most of the world lives, here, thousands of years of history, can live like a king for nothing, etc., etc. I left the USA in 2017 and never looked back. Haven't been back to the states even for a visit since 2019. My family is dead, I never married. no kids..no ties to the USA.I left the USA when I was 54 and completely started over and reinvented myself in Asia. No regrets...
Maybe southeast Asia but East Asia is quite expensive. One of my employees purchased a condo in Seoul around 15 years ago for $200,000. He sold it in 2021 for $1,400,000. I believe the average condo in Seoul is now over $1 million.
*Edited. I just realized the title is where have you been most happy versus where would you be most happy. It would help if I read the title appropriately . I will still keep my post as is.
Philadelphia.
It really does incorporate everything that I want out of a city and region. Every time I am there, I am more and more impressed with the place. It is one of those places that I can see myself settling down in and wanting to stay there and not just move there for a few years to say I tried it. From walkability, livability, transit and architecture, Philly checks all my boxes. I know it has its issues, but that is the case everywhere. Being close to the mountains and the ocean. An airport with good connections. Regionally you have good connections. The smaller cities just outside of Philadelphia are also very underrated.
Pennsylvania really is a great state. I love Pittsburgh as well. But Philadelphia just has what I want out of a city. Potentially some time this year or next I would really enjoy taking a road trip out west for a month or two. I want to stop and see as much as I can and get a feel for what it might be like to live out there, but I think I would feel more comfortable living out east. Pennsylvania is that state.
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. I will still keep my post as is.
