Northeasterner, living in MI, thinking of moving to Mass????? (Boston: quality of life, price)

[HmmUndecided]

Hi,

I'm originally from NY (westchester) but have lived in MD, CT and now MI. My husbands family is here but with the economy the way that it is, we are realizing that we need to leave. We will be relocating once I find something that will work. Currently we are looking at Northern VA/DC area, around Boston or Austin TX. Cost of living is a big concern...we dont want to find ourselves in a tiny living space. We are somewhat liberal athiests and looking for an area where we can establish ourselves. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. I've been driving myself crazy trying to figure out where we would be happiest.

[goyguy]

Living anywhere is what you make of it, but if I were in your shoes I'd put Austin at the bottom of your short list in terms of quality of life for your politics/sensibilities and at the top in terms of low COL. I say this because, while the city itself is a fantastic and fun place to be in (SxSW, "Hook 'em, 'horns," etc) it does happen to be in Tejas. So you'd be dwelling in an oasis within a desert of megachurches, legal executions and "concealed carry" permits, etc. Either the DC area or Greater Boston would be friendlier territory across a wider geographic range. But housing does come at a higher price, and then there's the weather to think about too. Though DC's winters aren't as severe as those of New England, they do still get snow there and the summers are no less beastly. Austin, naturally, doesn't carry the same meteorological baggage.
Westchester County and other areas in/near NYC can get pricy, but have you considered the Hudson Valley (Dutchess and Ulster Counties, northward to Albany)? You'd have the political compatibility minus the sticker shock of the city, though the four seasons would still be clearly defined. Towns such as Rhinebeck or New Paltz might be just the ticket - not heavily populated, but not "forever away" from the cultural Mecca of the US.