i need to get out of here!!! (living in, low cost)

[jc76]

Originally Posted by englishgarden

I live in Van Nuys and i hate it. I need cold winters and small towns! does anyone out there know of a modern day "Mayberry"? I'd want low humidity, cold winters, warm summers, snow, rain, low cost of living, where everyone knows everyone else. I'd probably want a house, I'm tired of apartment living, and probably about 15-20 acres. any ideas??

How bout I trade you my abyss for yours?

[jbunniii]

How are you going to get "everyone knows everybody" while living on 15-20 acres? There won't be anybody to know. But I would imagine you could find most of what you're looking for in at least half of the U.S. states.

I'm not sure a real "Mayberry" ever existed, though. Most small towns I've been to in the U.S. are either tourist/boutique/B&B/expensive or economically depressed and not very friendly, especially to outsiders, and ESPECIALLY to outsiders who are different from them in some key way, like ethnicity or religion or being from California. A major exception to this would be most college towns, which is where I'd look if I were moving to middle America.

[IloveOC]

We have an adorable little town called Osseo, Minnesota. We may have some humidity in the summer but have all the other things you are looking for. It is about a half hour drive to downtown Minneapolis (if you need to go into the city) but is more of a rural feeling. It has the cutest downtown area and everyone does know each other. And if you go a few miles out you can get a home with land or even a hobby farm.

I also lived in a little town called Creswell, Oregon while in high school. I lived with my aunt and uncle on a ranch just outside of town. Back in 1964 there were only 30 of us in our graduating class. Everyone knew everyone so much, that if I did something wrong, my aunt had been called my numerous people or heard the story while getting her hair done uptown. I believe that Creswell has a pretty low income level and even close to poverty level - but Cottage Grove, to the south is a nice town too. And Oregon is a beautiful state. But I loved the small town atmosphere and it was more of a rural area too with Cherry orchards and strawberry fields and green bean fields all around when I lived there.

Personally, I would love to be back in California - maybe not LA but in some of the outer parts of the county. I would love Santa Monica - but I would have to win the lottery first for that to become a reality.

I am sure there must be many small towns - it would be fun to do the research. There are some small towns around Winona Minnesota and that area is so beautiful with the cliffs (they remind me of the mountains and hills in Oregon) with all the tree's and so green.

Good luck in your search. And let us know what you narrow it down to.

[mini_cute]

What is Mayberry? Try looking in Nor Cal or the Pacific Northwest... really cold, snowy but really pretty.

[jc76]

Originally Posted by mini_cute

What is Mayberry?

Man, now I really feel old.

[AKgirlinCA]

Palmer, Alaska. Kenai, Alaska.

[AKgirlinCA]

^^^ If you need to work try and get hired on up on the North Slope.

[Samby58]

Originally Posted by IloveOC

We have an adorable little town called Osseo, Minnesota. We may have some humidity in the summer but have all the other things you are looking for. It is about a half hour drive to downtown Minneapolis (if you need to go into the city) but is more of a rural feeling. It has the cutest downtown area and everyone does know each other. And if you go a few miles out you can get a home with land or even a hobby farm.

I agree with you there, Osseo is a pretty great place. I definitely think you should live in Minnesota, you'd love it there based on your post. It has everything you want. Edina, Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Osseo, Hopkins, are all nice cities in Minnesota that you should research =) I personally am from Edina, and absolutely loved it there, and all of the cities i mentioned are about 20/30 min to downtown. MN has low crime, great education system, good jobs, while keeping that "homey" small town feeling. Good luck!

[impala666]

Originally Posted by englishgarden

I live in Van Nuys and i hate it. I need cold winters and small towns! does anyone out there know of a modern day "Mayberry"? I'd want low humidity, cold winters, warm summers, snow, rain, low cost of living, where everyone knows everyone else. I'd probably want a house, I'm tired of apartment living, and probably about 15-20 acres. any ideas??

NEK,Vermont.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jc76

Man, now I really feel old.

I was thinking something similar.

Nita