Help with moving to the U.S from the UK (rental, low crime)

[Chris265]

Hello everyone, I am going to make the biggest decision of my life in the next 12 months and I am wondering if you can help me. I am a single British 25 year old male with a bachelor of computer science degree which I obtained at The University of Wisconsin in 2006, I have some experience in networking and I do some freelance graphic design here in the UK aswell as half owning a rental property in Orlando. I am hoping to permanently move to the United States after spending alot of time there over the years. My problem is, which city to live in? I have experience and friends in Madison but the winter is unbearably cold and strict visa restrictions on British citizens is making it incredible difficult for me to get a job in Madison, so I really need a bigger city. I would like to live in a friendly, low crime city with lots of computer jobs available.

Any recommendations on cities will be greatly appreciated.

Also if any British expats are reading this, can you tell me how long it took you to obtain your visa?

[greyfox2000]

Yeah, we gotta keep an eye on you British Imperialists. At least, that's what they probably think in Madison. I hope you were appropriately apologetic. BTW, thank you for creating the USA.

Being a Brit, you're probably used to gloomy winter weather, so how about Seattle? Texas is doing the best of any state, economically. Greenville SC is a nice small city and has lots of European businesses, nearby mts, great beaches not too far away and a nice climate.

[mattywo85]

A bigger city then Madison with low crime and fair weather, hmmmm......how about San Antonio, Orlando, Chicago is close by to Madison(but the weather sucks), Albuquerque, Tucson, Omaha.

[OMGosh Josh]

Originally Posted by greyfox2000

Yeah, we gotta keep an eye on you British Imperialists. At least, that's what they probably think in Madison. I hope you were appropriately apologetic. BTW, thank you for creating the USA.

Being a Brit, you're probably used to gloomy winter weather, so how about Seattle? Texas is doing the best of any state, economically. Greenville SC is a nice small city and has lots of European businesses, nearby mts, great beaches not too far away and a nice climate.

I'm a bit biased here, but I'd say Asheville would be better than Greenville.

Greenville is nice, but the mountains of Asheville/Western North Carolina can't be matched by anything in Greenville.

But actually, the better choice might be Charlotte or Raleigh/Durham.

[niceguy19125]

Originally Posted by mattywo85

A bigger city then Madison with low crime and fair weather, hmmmm......how about San Antonio, Orlando, Chicago is close by to Madison(but the weather sucks), Albuquerque, Tucson, Omaha.

Orlando is not that large and has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the US. And FYI, Omaha has some pretty bitter winters.

Larger than Madison, not terribly cold and with a lower crime rate could point toward Nashville, TN or Lexington, KY. Both cities have avoided the economic meltdown a bit and enjoy a good quality of life.

Nashville, Tennessee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lexington, Kentucky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[mattywo85]

Originally Posted by niceguy19125

Orlando is not that large and has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the US. And FYI, Omaha has some pretty bitter winters.

Larger than Madison, not terribly cold and with a lower crime rate could point toward Nashville, TN or Lexington, KY. Both cities have avoided the economic meltdown a bit and enjoy a good quality of life.

Nashville, Tennessee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lexington, Kentucky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Being in Nebraska I would have never guessed they had bad winters haha. No city has really avoided the economic meltdown, every city is hurt.

[Chava61]

NYC is considered to be safest big city in the USA.