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I'm an advertising writer living in NYC and I want to leave for a city that has more trees, cheaper rents, and a slower pace.
I'm originally from Minneapolis MN which in many ways, in hindsight, is close to what I'm looking for: it's got arts, it's very green with trees a river and lakes, it's got at least a small bohemian culture and it is relatively cheap. St. Paul is even more pretty. Public transit is pretty good in those cities, but you really need a car. It also has decent social services which is important. Biggest downsides were the harsh winters and the relatively all white vibe, but I can deal.
However, I don't want to go back to my hometown, so I need somewhere new--but preferably with the qualities I listed above. Somewhere an ad writer could find a little work. Somewhere I can find a decent studio apartment (400sq feet) for $750 and a big bonus if there is decent public transit.
So where are the cities that are COMPARABLE to Minneapolis around the US?
I know that's a tricky question, but humor me and I would appreciate any help. (Also, Portland and Seattle are out because they are too damp.)
Cities I've considered so far:
Asheville NC
Toledo, OH
Easthampton, Mass
ABQ, NM
Louisville, KY
Maybe I just need to move deeper into Brooklyn near Prospect Park and try to keep getting off-site jobs so I can telecommute. I can get a studio in Sunset Park for $900.
You should check out the Denver area, which I find very comparable to the Twin Cities. It's very clean and very progressive. Public transit there is decent and is currently undergoing the largest expansion in the entire country adding several new light rail and commuter rail lines. The city itself is very walkable--especially in neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill, LoDo, Uptown, etc. You'll also find very liberal communities in the northern metro area--especially in Boulder County.
I'm an advertising writer living in NYC and I want to leave for a city that has more trees, cheaper rents, and a slower pace.
I'm originally from Minneapolis MN which in many ways, in hindsight, is close to what I'm looking for: it's got arts, it's very green with trees a river and lakes, it's got at least a small bohemian culture and it is relatively cheap. St. Paul is even more pretty. Public transit is pretty good in those cities, but you really need a car. It also has decent social services which is important. Biggest downsides were the harsh winters and the relatively all white vibe, but I can deal.
However, I don't want to go back to my hometown, so I need somewhere new--but preferably with the qualities I listed above. Somewhere an ad writer could find a little work. Somewhere I can find a decent studio apartment (400sq feet) for $750 and a big bonus if there is decent public transit.
So where are the cities that are COMPARABLE to Minneapolis around the US?
I know that's a tricky question, but humor me and I would appreciate any help. (Also, Portland and Seattle are out because they are too damp.)
Cities I've considered so far:
Asheville NC
Toledo, OH
Easthampton, Mass
ABQ, NM
Louisville, KY
Maybe I just need to move deeper into Brooklyn near Prospect Park and try to keep getting off-site jobs so I can telecommute. I can get a studio in Sunset Park for $900.
Thank you
Louisville offers alot of what you are seeking out, but, you still might struggle without a car.
Toledo, sorry, not even close. Sure, it is close to Lake Erie and has a river; but, well, not much else.
Pittsburgh is very green, has rivers and rolling hillsides, good public transit and a subway that's free to ride downtown, a cultural district. In the old days the Shadyside section of the city is where the creatives lived and hung out - beatniks then hippies and others. Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is there. It's the most desirable place to live in the city. Rent is high but you could get a 1BR or studio for $750 or less. Franklin West || Search Results
There are rentals downtown. They fill up fast and I think they start at $750. In some decent areas a studio may run only $300. Luxury apts. in the suburbs start at $500. We have a lot of local agencies and branches of major ones. Pittsburgh Advertising Agency: Pittsburgh Graphic Design: Pittsburgh Advertising Agencies
Trying to find another Mpls. isn't much easier than finding another New Orleans. If I were to try, I would think a place like Milwaukee, Columbus. Maybe Providence or Kansas City.
First of all, Pittsburgh is not particularly liberal, so I'd take that suggestion with a grain of salt.
Second, consider Madison. For all intents and purposes it's a miniature version of Minneapolis and is quite vibrant for its size. Plenty of student-oriented housing means you should not have any trouble finding a studio in your budget. That said, your better off on the east side of downtown which is less of a "college party atmosphere" than the west side near campus. Those students on the east side of the Capitol tend to be more of the neo-bohemian type. Public transportation is definitely better closer to the downtown area than on the fringes of the city. If you want to be able to reach the outer fringes relatively quickly and conveniently, then a car will be necessary.
Third, there's also Chicago. You can find a studio in a decent part of town in your budget. However, the pace tends to be quick here. Not NYC quick, but still more so than the other cities you've listed as possibilities.
Portland or Seattle would be great...it's rainy, but I don't see how that's any worse than 6 months of frozen tundra weather. Pittsburgh is a good one. Maybe ABQ.
Also look at maybe Nashville - it has a sort of funky vibe, and it's very green.
Ithaca and Madison are likely a bit too small to really compare. And they don't really feel urban at all, which may not be what you want.
Chicago is perhaps too big, and it's really more like NYC than Minneapolis in a lot of ways...
This is a tough one.
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