Is there any place like this?

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by HurricaneDC

Okay, so I've lived in the DC area almost all my life. I'm proud to say I was raised and live there, but I've come to want to find another place to live. Especially after the recent snowstorms, which made me realize how much I hate the freak weather here. I won't be moving for a few years, since I want to get my bachelor's (since sadly you can't seem to get a decent-paying job without one).

But the thing is, I can't figure out if there's any place in the US that fits what I want.

I want to live somewhere that has a lot of qualities...:

-Mild winters and not-too-hot/humid summers (the Pacific NW seems to fit this bill, although I hear that winters are very dreary)
-Safe (at least as safe as the DC area, which admittedly isn't the safest but it's not that bad IMO)
-Lots of job opportunities
-Friendly and outgoing, in other words, "southern hospitality" (I really don't like how most people in DC aren't as openly friendly as people in the south and midwest)
-Either a city the size of DC, San Jose or San Francisco... or at least a place close to a city of that size
-Not too suburban/poorly planned (For all of its problems, the DC Metro is still pretty damn great)
-Acceptable cost of living and real estate (the nice/hip parts of DC are SO overpriced)
-Lots of development (DC has seen a lot of growth, especially in the restaurant scene these past many years)
-Beautiful. DC has a few nice parks and scenery but for the most part isn't very impressive as opposed to the Pacific NW or the West...

I feel like there isn't a place like this. Portland has the climate down, but I hear there aren't many job opportunities. I lived in the San Jose area for a few months and it was waaaaaay too sprawled out. I had to drive everywhere. NYC is expensive as hell. The South has those oppressive summers.

So does this magical utopia exist? Or will I have to make some compromises? Of all those qualities listed, I'd probably be most willing to deal with sprawl.

I'm thinking maybe Denver or Salt Lake City, perhaps.

[skylar0201]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I'm thinking maybe Denver or Salt Lake City, perhaps.

No, Salt Lake gets pretty hot in the summer time. It is a dry humidity, but they can reach 100+ degrees about 20 or 30 times during the summer. I used to live about 3 hrs east of there for a long time and I remember going there for specialist appts and such, and it'd be scorching there.

Salt Lake gets both ends of the spectrum pretty severely. You can count on about 60" of snow per year ( because of the Great Salt Lake just 5 miles west of the city ) for their average, and yes, those 100 degree summer days.

It generally is less windier there though than other places in the inter-mountain west region, and of course, you have all those ski resorts nearby in the winter time, but Salt Lake isn't anywhere what I'd consider a "mild-climate" city.

I've only been to Denver a few times, and I think they get less snow than Salt Lake ( even though they're about 1000 ft. higher in elevation ) and probably not as many severe hot days, but Denver is on the west end of tornado country--and they get lots of days of thunderstorms and hail and such ( plus it's a lot windier than Salt Lake. )

No, as far as "mild" climate, the west coast of the San Diego area, and from San Francisco all the way north through OR and WA up to the Vancouver, BC area is hard to beat. Winter temps usually from 45-65 day and night and summer temps ranging from 70-90 are the most common here. Of course, CA has their share of earthquakes and we have our share of constant-overcast skies, but it is the price you pay to live here.

Also, in size, Salt Lake isn't that big, when you include from Ogden down through the Salt Lake Valley to Orem/Provo, it is smaller than Portland, and Denver is about twice the size of Salt Lake, but smaller than the San Jose/SF area or Seattle metro. Salt Lake has about 1.7 million metro, Portland is about 2.3 million, Denver is about 2.8 million, and SF and Seattle are about 3.5 million apiece ( approx ) but SF is spread out the most, in part because of also San Jose and Oakland close by.

When it comes to cost however, Salt Lake is the cheapest of the bunch. Denver is probably 2nd lowest ( not much from Portland ) and Seattle is 2nd most expensive and nowhere will top SF in cost of living. $1700/mo for a 1bd/1ba apt there is common. For $1700/mo even monthly take-home pay in Salt Lake, you could live very comfortably. Taxes are higher in UT I think as opposed to CO, and CA, WA and OR are very expensive for property taxes.

[knrstz]

I'd say st louis. They definately get 4 distinct seasons. Most locals will say their winters are not near as bad as Chicago despite just being a few hours away. The summers can be humid but far enough north to not be to brutal. The hills outside St Louis are very pretty. Missouri is the prettiest state in the midwest, imo. They have good public transportation and the city has lots of character. It may not fit you description perfectly but I think it's worth checking in to.

[laurasellsco]

I believe I know the perfect place - metropolitan Denver, Colorado I have lived in the south metro Denver area for my entire life and we have got it all! Most days of sunshine per year than any other state; healthiest/fittest state; highly educated state; snow in the mountains but pretty mild "down" here and when it does snow it melts quickly (it snowed 2' in Boulder last night and it is going to be 60 degrees tomorrow! The saying in Colorado is that "if you don't like the weather...just wait a minute." We have very little humidity which makes even 90 degree days pleasant; terrific public school systems & colleges;fantastic nightlife and culture in downtown Denver, great sports teams/bars, light rail, awesome airport that makes it easy to travel anywhere; and friendly people! We also have one of the best real estate markets in the country and fairly low unemployment. Check it out!