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Often when people post about wanting to move to the Western US from the East, they are seeking to get away from the humidity. Asheville is certainly cooler and less humid than other parts of the Southeast, but it's still noticeably muggier than Western cities. The flip side of this is that the West is much more susceptible to fires and smoke, which can adversely impact the air quality. There are also long, dark winters in the northern reaches of the West, particularly Spokane. With more consistent sunshine, Prescott is probably the most conducive environment for year round outdoor activity.
Asheville has a liberal reputation, but that is largely applicable to the immediate city limits and surrounding Buncombe County. The four Western cities listed are all in red counties, with Colorado Springs and Prescott being the most Republican, and Bend the most balanced. Washington and Oregon are certainly liberal at the state level, with Colorado heading more in this direction recently. Arizona is Republican controlled but probably less likely to push the envelope on social issues as much as other red states.
I doubt any of these metro areas have significantly better medical care options than Asheville, and there is probably less in Prescott and Bend as those are smaller and (at least for Bend) rather isolated areas.
I would vote for staying in Asheville and exploring different neighborhoods and schools a little more in person - but wish you the very best in whatever you decide.
COLORADO: Colorado Springs is by far the most conservative city in Colorado. Various giant evangelical churches have their headquarters there which tilts the politics in that direction compared to the rest of Colorado. It's otherwise a nice place but susceptible to wildfire dangers, especially in the western hills. If it were me and I was looking to move to Colorado I would be looking at Fort Collins over Colorado Springs based on your descriptions. Fort Collins is going to be more similar to Asheville. It will feel more like say Bend in size and character and I think is a more pleasant community than Colorado Springs. Your price range may limit your options.
Of the major cities in CO, yes, Colo Spgs as a whole does tend to vote Republican more than many others. Using the nytimes linked voting map you posted earlier, the core of Colo Spgs actually is no different than other large cities in the state that went Democrat at the center and Republican as you moved into outlying suburbs, exburbs, and contingent cities. In the case of Colo Spgs, that ring is just tighter and within the city whereas in Denver, Boulder, Ft Collins and other northern CO area, that ring is considerably larger and some entire counties went Democrat. FWIW, there towns and counties that are more conservative in CO than Colo Spgs and El Paso County.
Also, The large evangelical organizations here are not home grown. They relocated here as part of a business decision for costs and quality of life, both areas that Colo Spgs tends to rate favorbaly in in numerous national polls. Their influence in local politics is much less than you may be giving them credit for. Their reach is more national and global than local. A greater factor in in local politics would actually be the Libertarian influence that has voters seeking less government intrusion and interference which tends to lean swing voters more towards Republican legislation than Democratic issues. BTW, Colo Spgs was the launch pad of the modern Libertarian Party back in 1971, a good 25 years before the evangelicals came to town.
I'd certainly suggest looking at conservative and liberal in the context of politics, fiscal, and social. Colo Spgs tends to be conservative in politics and fiscal policy. We don't just hand over tax money, but if the requestors can justify the needs, we'll gladly approve it. Socially, we are much more central to liberal than many other places. Colo Spgs has elected Democrats to city positions. It has a sizable and active, yet somewhat reserved, LGBTQ population. We have a greater percentage of mixed race persons than neighboring Denver, or even LA or Chicago. We have alternative medicine providers, books stores, a large metaphysical fair, and numerous other activities you would never find in a hard core conservative area. Religious materials in the grocery store, nope don't have it. Signs at the city borders of various churches welcoming you, won't see those here.
Now, Ft Collins, vs Asheville, I have no clue. I've never been to Asheville. Ft Collins, by virtue of CO State University, does tend to be more liberal than Colo Spgs. But that does change as you move further out into the county and into farming territory. But Colo Spgs does have the fastest growing university in the state in UCCS, a CU extension that is rapidly developing its own unique programs and culture, as well as a top rated liberal arts college in Colorado College, the second oldest university in CO.
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Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
Colorado Springs is a military town, pretty conservative I hear, if that matters. And you said it has "beautiful weather"? IDK, OP; it depends on how amenable you are to roughly 6 months of snow. If that's your idea of beautiful weather, then--go for it. They say spring comes very late to Colorado; someone recently on the CO forum was complaining, that it was mid-to-late April, and still winter, nothing was even beginning to bloom, no signs of spring at all yet. They found it depressing, being originally from the NW. They felt CO was bleak in that respect.
Military is significant to Colo Spgs as demonstrated by the presence of four separate bases and one academy; Peterson (Air Force), NORAD (US/Canada joint command), Schriever (Air Force), Carson (Army), and the Air Force Academy. With that said, active duty personnel are less than 10% of the population in Colo Spgs and less than that in the county (since those bases are actually not within the city itself). The military has brought with them a number of German and Korean expats that do contribute to the fabric of Colo Spgs to make it an interesting place. Also significant here, technology and tourism. Conservative, to a degree but see above.
Lets also clarify winter and snow...we have the chance for snow 6 months of the year. We do not have snow on the ground and freezing temps for six months. We actually have extended stretches of 50-70 degree weather within the traditional winter months. Yes, it may snow on Halloween or Mothers day, but you also can wear shorts and sandals for Christmas or Presidents Day. Want to go hiking or mtn biking in the depths of winter, you can do that and it may not require heavy winter gear either. But your newly planted annuals may get frostbite if you plant them to soon.
With all that said, I do agree with jas75 that the OP needs to understand the western US is a considerably different place than the east and it is a much greater difference than simply humidity and geographic location. If there is anyway to make this work in their currently location, it may be much easier on their state of mind and absolutely better on their pocket book than moving half way across the continent and not finding what they want.
I can't speak much to Bend, OR, but I can to the others, especially Prescott...
Prescott is very green despite what some others think. It's at a high enough elevation so as to be in amidst the pine trees and has a more mild climate than Phoenix or really any other southern AZ cities, save for maybe Bisbee/Sierra Vista which are also at higher elevations. You will get winter there but it's not too bad. Some snow but not like what you'd get in Flagstaff. One cool thing is it has a REAL downtown with an awesome courthouse square and many shops and restaurants. Overall it's pretty safe. You aren't too far from Sedona, etc. which is stunning. Phoenix is an hour and a half away, too. It's popular among retirees, especially from California, so it is getting more expensive. Not a ton of high paying jobs there but that doesn't seem like an issue in your case. Seems like you should be able to find something in your price range, and property taxes are low. I'd express concern over the school but if your daughter already got accepted into BASIS then you are good there. I didn't realize Prescott even had a BASIS school but you really can't go wrong with any of the BASIS schools. She'd get a top notch education. All in all it would't be a bad choice.
Spokane is definitely bigger and will have more variety in housing and things to do. There is a little more crime, yes, and schools probably not as good as BASIS, but there are certainly some good ones there (for elementary look into Hutton and Wilson in Spokane proper or Spokane Valley schools). There are also some good, safe areas over on the Idaho side and Coeur d'Alene and Hayden area is beautiful and has some of the best schools. Rathdrum and Post Falls have good ones as well and are a bit more affordable than CDA and Hayden and right in between CDA and Spokane. Of course it will be green, and there will be a true four seasons climate with harsher winters but summers are gorgeous. Not as much rain as Bend or Seattle/Portland other parts of the PNW and more sun, too, though you will get snow and it will get dreary in winter for a few months. Very friendly people and easy to live there. Again not a lot of high paying jobs but again not really a big issue for you. Affordability should be good again as property taxes are again low (both WA and ID). Would be a good choice in the right location.
Colorado Spring is again one of the bigger areas populationwise. A little bigger even than Spokane area. Beautiful setting right next to the Rockies/Pikes Peak. It's more affordable than Denver but is seeing rapid cost of living rise as Denver has gotten prohibitively expensive for many so is attracting many people who want to live in CO but can't afford Denver. Downtown is not much to speak of for a city of it's size, but getting a little better. CO schools are overall pretty good and there will be some good ones in CO Springs, but overall not as good as up in Denver. Someone had mentioned Fort Collins. It is a great place with an awesome downtown and very family friendly but unlikely you'd find anything in your price range there as it's gotten almost as pricey as Denver now. Personally I'd pick Spokane/CDA over "The Springs", but others may beg to differ. Co Springs is going to be more expensive than either Prescott or Spokane area.
I can't speak to Bend, but from what I hear it's a cool place. Not that inexpensive anymore as the word has caught on about it. A lot smaller than Co Springs or Spokane area. Much more rain than any of the others but milder winters without much snow. Can't speak to schools, etc.
It has a sizable and active, yet somewhat reserved, LGBTQ population. We have a greater percentage of mixed race persons than neighboring Denver, or even LA or Chicago. We have alternative medicine providers, books stores, a large metaphysical fair, and numerous other activities you would never find in a hard core conservative area. Religious materials in the grocery store, nope don't have it. Signs at the city borders of various churches welcoming you, won't see those here.
I have no problem with this at all. I would say I lean toward classical libertarian in that I basically don't want to be told what I can or cannot do or say.
When I hear about these things, I get excited about CS. I do understand that the West is different, but I'd say we're pretty adaptable. I got really nervous about mudslides from the mountains when the hurricane last year (geez can't remember its name right now) got VERY close to Asheville. A hurricane warning got a shrug of my shoulders in flat land Miami. So I see myself maybe getting anxious over different things, but I think I'll get used to them pretty easily.
Things I would like about the west coast. Unlike some others, I love it when it gets cold at night.
I prefer dry heat. I would love being closer to west coast towns and islands that we could visit in summer. We loved Whidbey Island in July. I found the people, at least in AZ OR and WA, very friendly and accommodating.
If I do keep CO in the running, I will visit in July. OR and WA are pretty much off my list, and it would take a lot to get them back on. I just can't see paying that much for a townhome for what it offers in terms of schools, politics, weather, etc.
So I'm making progress. And I am still looking into places in this area. The high elevation does keep it cooler than the Charlotte area which is why I came here. The summer got pretty humid last year, but it hasn't been too bad so far.
I think the BASIS school in Prescott is somewhat new. There is one in Flagstaff as well. I also would love being close to Sedona. snow on those red rocks is phenomenal.
I have a question for everyone. Does anyone know of a good website to find stats on private schools sort of like what you find on public? I've only found privateschoolreview.com, but it doesn't have that much information.
I think the BASIS school in Prescott is somewhat new. There is one in Flagstaff as well. I also would love being close to Sedona. snow on those red rocks is phenomenal.
I have a question for everyone. Does anyone know of a good website to find stats on private schools sort of like what you find on public? I've only found privateschoolreview.com, but it doesn't have that much information.
Private schools aren't required to release any data or statistics like public schools so it is really hard to compare. Within a given metro area people "in the know" can give you a run-down of the best and worst of the local options. But it would be very difficult to compare a private school in North Carolina to one in Washington.
Private schools can release any information they want and conceal any information they want so pretty much anything you find on their web sites is going to be the result of them trying to put their best face forward.
You can always read the comments and reviews on sites like niche which can tell you a lot. But they aren't necessarily going to give you an unbiased picture. Some schools may make a deliberate attempt to pack and tilt their reviews by enouraging parents to make detailed ones. Wherease other schools may not care or bother.
Colorado Spring is again one of the bigger areas populationwise. A little bigger even than Spokane area. Beautiful setting right next to the Rockies/Pikes Peak. It's more affordable than Denver but is seeing rapid cost of living rise as Denver has gotten prohibitively expensive for many so is attracting many people who want to live in CO but can't afford Denver. Downtown is not much to speak of for a city of it's size, but getting a little better. CO schools are overall pretty good and there will be some good ones in CO Springs, but overall not as good as up in Denver. Someone had mentioned Fort Collins. It is a great place with an awesome downtown and very family friendly but unlikely you'd find anything in your price range there as it's gotten almost as pricey as Denver now. Personally I'd pick Spokane/CDA over "The Springs", but others may beg to differ. Co Springs is going to be more expensive than either Prescott or Spokane area.
Of the four being considered, Cos is the biggest city and MSA. The biggest rising expenses in Colo Spgs, as well as the Denver metro are in housing and insurance. However, the median house price in Denver is $422k while in Cos it is $292k. That is still a pretty fair spread in price. Cos has 14 different school districts, Denver has nearly 5x that many. To say that Denver is overall better wouldn't necessarily be accurate as there are comparably high performing and rebuilding districts in both areas. Where you live in each can have a big impact on whether you get to deal with those better or worse performing schools.
One thing that hasn't been brought up is total tax burden. Property, sales, income taxes all factor in to you income. While places like TX don't have income tax, they have property taxes that are nearly 3x what it is found in CO. On teh flip side, CO has some pretty high automotive registration taxes. As pointed out by texasdiver, this can have a direct impact on schools as well as on state infrastructure. Not sure where AZ, WA, and OR would fall in this range.
Smoke and dust has been brought up too. The thin air and high altitudes of the mountain west means a large wildfire in any state can have an impact on states thousands of miles away as the jet stream moves this air across the country. Does that mean its always hazy, no, but it can mean that anything in that path can suffer from poor air quality for several days to several weeks until the stream shifts. It also means that if you are not in that path, things will be crystal clear.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monaisa
I have no problem with this at all. I would say I lean toward classical libertarian in that I basically don't want to be told what I can or cannot do or say.
When I hear about these things, I get excited about CS. I do understand that the West is different, but I'd say we're pretty adaptable. I got really nervous about mudslides from the mountains when the hurricane last year (geez can't remember its name right now) got VERY close to Asheville. A hurricane warning got a shrug of my shoulders in flat land Miami. So I see myself maybe getting anxious over different things, but I think I'll get used to them pretty easily.
Things I would like about the west coast. Unlike some others, I love it when it gets cold at night.
I prefer dry heat. I would love being closer to west coast towns and islands that we could visit in summer. We loved Whidbey Island in July. I found the people, at least in AZ OR and WA, very friendly and accommodating.
If I do keep CO in the running, I will visit in July. OR and WA are pretty much off my list, and it would take a lot to get them back on. I just can't see paying that much for a townhome for what it offers in terms of schools, politics, weather, etc.
So I'm making progress. And I am still looking into places in this area. The high elevation does keep it cooler than the Charlotte area which is why I came here. The summer got pretty humid last year, but it hasn't been too bad so far.
CO and the west do have different risks to persons than eastern coastal areas. Part of the not being told what to say or do mentality of the west is that many homes in the west are sold on a buyer beware mentality and you want to ensure you do your due diligence on any purchase to understand risks that may be present. Slide zones, expansive soils, 25/50/100 year flood plains, flash flood risk, hail, tornadoes, seismic activity, etc are all questions you want to pursue when you begin the actual home search. As population centers grow, we also have human-wildlife interactions that are not always pleasant. My parents had a dog that was gored by a deer. Where I live, nearly in the center of Colo Spgs, we have had fox, moose, bear, and deer regularly. Most encounters are not very news worthy, but the occasional family pet is absconded by a mountain lion from time to time in nearly any foothills town in CO almost annually. I've heard similar stories from other places in ID, UT, and AZ.
Also, I may be nit picking here, but the mountain west is not the west coast. The areas from the foothills of the Rockies to the Cascades, Sierras, and Superstitions is fairly far removed from the coast. The west coast may be more similar to the east coast in population density, population connectivity, humidity and moisture than the mountain west. There are some people who find the mountain west to be too isolated and some have made some reference of that to Bend. Even Spokane to Whidbey Island could be 5-6 hour drive. The spaces between major population centers int eh west can be massive. Another example of this, from Denver a days drive will only get you to Alburquerque, Salt Lake City, or Kansas City. There are many places in WA, OR, and AZ that are similar to this. Contrast that to where you are at now where you can be anywhere from Jacksonville FL to Washington DC within a days drive. Granted, you can get on a plane and be anywhere within a couple of hours from any city anywhere, but keep this remoteness in mind as you examine areas for relocation and how that may impact your perception of access. To some people, that type of remoteness drives them batty.
I can't speak much to Bend, OR, but I can to the others, especially Prescott...
Prescott is very green despite what some others think. It's at a high enough elevation so as to be in amidst the pine trees and has a more mild climate than Phoenix or really any other southern AZ cities, save for maybe Bisbee/Sierra Vista which are also at higher elevations. You will get winter there but it's not too bad. Some snow but not like what you'd get in Flagstaff. One cool thing is it has a REAL downtown with an awesome courthouse square and many shops and restaurants. Overall it's pretty safe. You aren't too far from Sedona, etc. which is stunning. Phoenix is an hour and a half away, too. It's popular among retirees, especially from California, so it is getting more expensive. Not a ton of high paying jobs there but that doesn't seem like an issue in your case. Seems like you should be able to find something in your price range, and property taxes are low. I'd express concern over the school but if your daughter already got accepted into BASIS then you are good there. I didn't realize Prescott even had a BASIS school but you really can't go wrong with any of the BASIS schools. She'd get a top notch education. All in all it would't be a bad choice.
Spokane is definitely bigger and will have more variety in housing and things to do. There is a little more crime, yes, and schools probably not as good as BASIS, but there are certainly some good ones there (for elementary look into Hutton and Wilson in Spokane proper or Spokane Valley schools). There are also some good, safe areas over on the Idaho side and Coeur d'Alene and Hayden area is beautiful and has some of the best schools. Rathdrum and Post Falls have good ones as well and are a bit more affordable than CDA and Hayden and right in between CDA and Spokane. Of course it will be green, and there will be a true four seasons climate with harsher winters but summers are gorgeous. Not as much rain as Bend or Seattle/Portland other parts of the PNW and more sun, too, though you will get snow and it will get dreary in winter for a few months. Very friendly people and easy to live there. Again not a lot of high paying jobs but again not really a big issue for you. Affordability should be good again as property taxes are again low (both WA and ID). Would be a good choice in the right location.
Colorado Spring is again one of the bigger areas populationwise. A little bigger even than Spokane area. Beautiful setting right next to the Rockies/Pikes Peak. It's more affordable than Denver but is seeing rapid cost of living rise as Denver has gotten prohibitively expensive for many so is attracting many people who want to live in CO but can't afford Denver. Downtown is not much to speak of for a city of it's size, but getting a little better. CO schools are overall pretty good and there will be some good ones in CO Springs, but overall not as good as up in Denver. Someone had mentioned Fort Collins. It is a great place with an awesome downtown and very family friendly but unlikely you'd find anything in your price range there as it's gotten almost as pricey as Denver now. Personally I'd pick Spokane/CDA over "The Springs", but others may beg to differ. Co Springs is going to be more expensive than either Prescott or Spokane area.
I can't speak to Bend, but from what I hear it's a cool place. Not that inexpensive anymore as the word has caught on about it. A lot smaller than Co Springs or Spokane area. Much more rain than any of the others but milder winters without much snow. Can't speak to schools, etc.
Hope that helps!
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I would like to contribute. I'm seeking to relocate as is the OP, but I'm coming from the opposite side of the country.
I'm born and raised in Southern California and have lived here all of my now 45 years -- and I'm looking to relocate, at least temporarily, for a change of pace and scenery. I'm tired of the lack of real seasons here in coastal Southern California (I'm not far from Long Beach) and the horrible traffic, urban congestion, and sprawl. For the longest time, I have wanted to experience living somewhere else -- somewhere with more pronounced seasons (although not extreme) and less sprawl and congestion.
I've thought about Colorado, as I have a lot of family throughout that state and have been there several times. But I've also been looking at Oregon and Washington. I have an uncle that's lived in Grants Pass, Oregon for the past 40 years, and he's always loved it.
Personally, I'd really like to live somewhere with a lot of greenery, some snow in the winter, and not excessively hot and/or long summers. Southern California is nice and all, but it's really dry out here, and summer-like conditions generally persist well into October -- with even 80 degree days on Christmas Day or New Year's Day not being uncommon. I love the geography of So. Cal, with the mountains and the coastline, and I know our "boring" climate is great in many ways -- we don't get the seasonal extremes that can paralyze other parts of the country, so I know we are blessed in that regard.
But still -- I'd like a bit of change. I'm single and have no kids, so I have freedom. And I don't need to earn a lot of money to get by, so I'm confident that I can find suitable work in any reasonably sized city. Many Southern cities seem enticing, but I don't think I would like the heat and humidity in the South. I'm thinking somewhere in the Pacific Northwest or somewhere in the Mountain West would be a good choice.
As for Colorado, I've always liked Trinidad, but it's pretty isolated, and has only very recently started to come alive, mainly because of the cannibus industry. It's located in a nice area though. Most of my family is in the Denver area. But I also think that Colorado might be a bit harsh in the winter, but maybe not, at least in certain areas.
Just from my research on Washington, North Bend, Washington, looks very appealing. It's just high enough to get a bit more snow than Seattle but also a bit far enough away to get a bit less overcast/clouds, at least that seems to be the case. Bellingham seems nice as well; my cousin lived there for years and really loved it. Port Angeles and Port Townsend are two other possibilities, although they would have less seasonal shifts due to proximity to the ocean.
For Oregon, Corvallis and McMinnville seem nice and appealing. Both within easy distance of Portland. Grants Pass might get a bit too hot in the summer for my liking.
I've noticed that most of the cities in or near the foothills in both Oregon and Washington don't really have the elevation that many do in California. Up north, 2,000 feet is considered almost alpine, whereas down here in So. Cal 2,000 feet is barely out of the valley. Latitude makes a huge difference, as does the cooler ocean waters up North.
Anyways, I just wanted to add my two cents (or more like ten cents) on this thread.
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