Best Place to Live in USA

N/A ^ | March 21, 2002 | Me

[GeronL]

Texas. period.

Want ocean front? lakeside? farms? prairies? rolling hills? mountains? desert? ski resort?(ok, small ones) big city? small town?

Its all there.

[Jubal Harshaw]

My favorite is South Orange County, CA. The sheriff, and the people who elect him, are very gun-friendly, i.e. it's very easy to get a CCW from the county. The beach cities are heartbreakingly beautiful (I happen to love Laguna Beach). There is nearby skiing at Big Bear in the winter. There is a lot of open space, for biking or hiking. There are two HUGE metro areas (LA and San Diego) nearby, where you can buy ANYTHING you want, from durians to yachts. The public schools are as good as can be expected, and there's even a few (not so good) universities, including a University of California franchise in Irvine. I live there now, and I love it. That said, I'm thinking about moving to Portland, Oregon for work. Anyone have any comments about Portland?

[FreedomFriend]

Hmm, I'd say that some small town in the midwest is your best bet.

[My Favorite Headache]

Wyckoff, New Jersey,Franklin Lakes,New Jersey,Naples,Florida,Marco Island,Florida.Just to name a few....

[Eska]

Ya know, I can walk out my back door and go due north 250 miles before crossing the first dirt road; mnts like you wouldn't believe. BUT, I have spent several weeks in Boston and had a great time, happenin place for a couple weeks; but way too many people for the long term.

[mamelukesabre]

With economic growth and job opportunities factored in:

Colorado springs, CO
Demoines, IA
some in illinois and indianna too, but I don't know any names off hand.



Just based on crime rates, taxes, and cost of living:

Vermillion SD
pretty much any small town that is essentially a suburb of a bigger town in Tenn., as long as it is a separate town with it's own P.D., school system, etc.
pretty much any small town that is essentially a suburb of a bigger town in Tex., as long as it is a separate town with it's own P.D., school system, etc, and isn't close to mexico.
if you don't mind living in the boonies, any town in SD., except where they have gambling and casinos or friction between locals and indian reservations.


There is a website that will ask you what is important to you and what your requirements are and it will spit out a list of the cities that most closely match what you are looking for. I'll see if I can dig it up for you. Actually, after consulting with that website, I may take back what I just said about tennesee. It was either tenn. or NC that had the low taxes/housing/cost of living, I don't remember wich one it was.

[mamelukesabre]

Demoines=Des Moines

[XBob]

"anywhere, but somewhere better than LA -- to raise our two young children"

get a map, blindfold yourself, and throw a dart.

Better yet, get a motor home, drive around until you find a place you like.

If you go to the Hamptons, it will be hundreds of miles of and many hours of driving until you can get out of the 'megalopolis' of NYC and into the 'country'. But if you wish to live in a 'megalopolis' ....

[XBob]

"anywhere, but somewhere better than LA -- to raise our two young children"

get a map, blindfold yourself, and throw a dart.

Better yet, get a motor home, drive around until you find a place you like.

If you go to the Hamptons, it will be hundreds of miles of and many hours of driving until you can get out of the 'megalopolis' of NYC and into the 'country'. But if you wish to live in a 'megalopolis' ....

[nopardons]

Doesn't it really depend upon what you can afford and where there are job possibilities, in what you do for a living ? You posited this question, as though money didn't matter at all / as sort of a wish . Then you hit the reality button.

Can you afford the Hamptons ? Is there your kind of job possibliies out there , for you ? First ask your relaives about the taxes and schools ! Tain't cheap and the good schools there, are PRIVATE .

[Catspaw]

We're building a large liveaboard catamaran. We'll be living where ever we want to (coastal areas, of course). We don't like the place or our neighbors, we pull up the anchor & sail away.

[foreverfree]

bump

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Southwest Virginia...God's own country

Amen! I'd love to have a little cabin on a mountaintop, somewhere between Abington and Marion...unfortunately, I'm stuck in Richmond for the forseeable future. I can dream though!

[lentulusgracchus]

Yeah. And I would nominate, to get more speeee-cific, either Kerrville or Fredericksburg, in the hill country. With New Braunfels as a runner-up (rafting on the chilly, clear Comal River coming up from its big Edwards Formation spring is kinda hard to beat, to cool off in summer -- and not all of the town is touristy).

[Labyrinthos]

I just got back from a vacation in New York City. It was VERY cold. Since you live in LA and aren't used to winter, you may want to keep that in mind. I'm still thawing out.

Also keep in mind that this winter is one of the warmest we've had in NY in a long long time.

[shezza]

Try this: BestPlaces.net

You can determine your own criteria and values (is having entertainment nearby a "5" importance-wise while house prices are a "1" to you in relevance?)...and they'll provide you a list of possibilities. My personal favorite area is the Flathead Lake section of Montana. Beeeeeee-yooootiful!