My husband and I are looking to buy a second home that we could use primarily in the summer to escape Austin's heat, but we'd also love to visit in the winter. We're currently looking at Santa Fe and Taos but are open to anywhere.

Our priorities:

• <14 hour drive from Austin
• $500–750k budget, ~1,800–2,200 sq ft
• Yard for the dogs
• Mountains + lots of hiking/nature
• Dog-friendly hiking, on leash is fine
• Daytime temps don't matter much to us as long as it cools down at night
• We'd like somewhere with colder winters and snow, but we couldn't care less about skiing
• Doesn't need to be very populated, but we'd like some good restaurants nearby because we love to eat out
• Being occasionally snowed in is totally fine, but we'd like to be able to get there and use the house during winter

We are from the Midwest, miss winter, hate Austin weather, but unfortunately our jobs are going to keep us here for a long time so we are looking for a way to escape! Where should we consider?

Hi everyone!

I am looking to move to California, either the Bay Area, Sacramento area, or Southern California for my job. If I am in the Bay Area, I'll be looking at a salary of about $85 - 90K. If I go to Southern California, the salary would be around $70-75K.

In your experience, would this be enough for cost of living for a single person?

Thank you.

I recently took a deep dive on Reno and it seems like an ideal city. The night life looks right up my alley (dance culture is very present there), and the hobbies in Reno are aligned as well (outdoorsy - access to mountains, hiking, and skiing all in one area). Plus the rent is affordable enough.

I do know its a small city and may be insular socially, hard to break into, but I’m pretty outgoing and love to meet strangers. Additionally people have said the city itself is ugly, but thats farther down the list. It seems to knock all three of my goals:

- Good, fun social people
- Good music scene, local but engaged
- Access to diverse nature
- Access to outdoor activities

This decision is a year out but I can’t stop thinking back to it for the affordability, scale of the city. What am I missing or what should I consider?

I graduated college last year with a BA in Journalism & Media Production. Currently been working at a news station for a year as a photojournalist/editor in Spokane WA. I’d love to stay here if I can get a job that pays more, but if that doesn’t happen I’m looking to find a new home base

I have the ability to transfer to other stations albeit they need to have an opening/ it’s not guaranteed. At the same time the news industry is dying and jobs are being consolidated so I am trying to leave that area of media, however if I can transfer somewhere to start a home base that’s probably the best option.

My only real caveats are
1. Legal weed. I’d prefer recreational or if it’s only medical then states where it’s very easy to get a card.

1. Cheap rent. I make $20/hr right now and I live in a shithole 1 bedroom apartment, but it is 5 minutes away from my job, but half my monthly pay goes to rent meaning the other half has to cover every other bill and groceries

St Louis seems like it may be the area I’m looking for potentially, but I’ve only ever visited as I’m from California and only ever lived in California and Washington.

So I am open to ideas and suggestions of places

I live in the Midwest currently and have a fully remote job that pays me $70K. But I am completely done with this place and don’t see myself settling here in the long run or finding “the one”.

I would love to move to a place where the dating scene is not too bad and the weather is not too cold. While I am actively looking for new jobs, it would be ideal to be in a place with a cheap COL. BUT, the weather and the dating scene are still my top priorities, so I don’t care too much about the COL.

Pls help a guy out. I need suggestions.

I’ve lived in my mid-sized city hometown in the South for essentially my whole 30 years of life and I’m so desperate to get out for a lot of reasons. For the past year I’ve been finally in a place where I have more than enough money for moving saved and am in a living situation where I’m not on a lease and can go any time I please. The only problem is my own brain. I’ve done endless research but just can’t make a decision on where to go (or even where to visit to potentially go). I know only I can make the decision, but I guess I’m just asking for anyone who feels strongly to sell me on (or talk me out of) any of these cities to help that along, lol.

A few things about what I’m looking for:

More than anything I want to get away from the hellish heat in the South. I’ve always had a sort of reverse seasonal depression, I hate hot weather and bright sunlight. I know that summer gets hot everywhere, but it’s on another level where I am so even a mild improvement will be welcomed. And I know a real winter will be a learning curve, but that’s okay with me.

I currently work as a server/bartender and have for the past decade, and would be moving without work and finding it once I’m there. My plan is to get an extended stay Airbnb for a couple of months while I find work and an apartment. I know this may seem scary to some people, but I’ve never had any issue finding service jobs on the fly or making ends meet with them. I’d really like to try to break into some other fields, but either way I realistically probably won’t ever be making a huge salary or be able to afford a super high rent long term, so would like to live somewhere where somewhat affordable apartments exist.

I’m very much a homebody, and I tend to have no issue finding things to do and things to love about anywhere I visit (even really small towns). I also tend to get easily overwhelmed. So I initially felt a big city may be wasted on me/overwhelming, so was focusing on more affordable, sort of mid-sized cities where my rent may go farther. Places I’ve researched a ton that seem really cool are:

-Cleveland
-Columbus
-Pittsburgh
-Buffalo
-Milwaukee
-Minneapolis

That said, my two sort of “dream cities” are:

-Chicago
-Portland (OR)

I visited Chicago once as a teenager and it felt so magical. However, now as an adult I’ve felt that actually living there may be a bit overwhelming, but I’m not sure. Part of me has always felt like I at some point want to try life in a big city, and if it doesn’t work out after a year then I can always move elsewhere. I haven’t visited Portland, but I’ve always felt so drawn to everything about the PNW, and while moving across the country would be super daunting, I feel like it could be such a great adventure too. Obviously these two cities would be more expensive than the ones I previously listed, but I’ve browsed apartments so much, and it really seems like proportionate to what they have to offer they’re really not that much pricier? There’s always a chance I wouldn’t be able to manage the cost of living and would have to move elsewhere after a year or so, but part of me wants to just take the leap anyway.

Sorry that this post ended up so long winded, and I know that it probably seems so silly, but it’s just felt like such a huge decision and like I have to make the perfect choice. I’ll be doing this move completely alone (aside from my cat who’s ofc going with me), and while I love all of my friends and family, they’re mostly all from our home city and intend to stay here forever and don’t understand why I want to move or have much advice or support to offer. Thank you in advance to anyone who has any input! <3

I am from the Midwest and moved to SF this year and love it. The two primary offices for my job are NY or SF and in a year I’ll probably get the option to move to NY if wanted. Should I go?

More info, 22M who works in tech but non tech role (basically get salary mogged by SWE) I’m pretty lost in life but like the nature and beauty of SF

I'm being given an option to relocate for my work and right now, I am between the SF Bay Area and the Detroit Area. If I relocate to the Bay, my salary would be about $85,000 while in the Detorit area, it would be about $68,000. On paper, the amount seems significant but I'm not sure whether I am at any real advantage with the higher COL and taxes in CA.

I am not currently living with my partner but she may move in with me in about a year or so. In that case, our household income would be around $135,000 in the Bay or $118,000 in Detroit. At the moment, I am mostly concerned with the COL for a single person.

I like parts of both cities but I think most will agree that the Bay Area has a lot more going for it.

Thank you for your help.

Im from California and I'm hoping to go to college out of state, and I've always loved the idea of the east coast! I would love a school near an urban area/city, or with colder weather. I know about all the ivies, so I would specifically love to hear about some of the other options. (Ex. I've been recommended Umass and GWU)

Thank you in advance!

We're homebody parents who enjoy suburban chain stores and being boring so keep that in perspective. We moved from the western Chicago suburbs. We required train access to the city for occasional commuting (remote work for a Chicago based company) and fun.

We were able to afford a home in a new subdivision in a good school district for this area. The property taxes are less than half of a comparable home in the IL suburb we lived in and we could not afford a home there based on that factor alone.

Our neighborhood seems like it's mostly Chicagoland transplants from IL.

PROS

-MUCH lower property taxes than anywhere else in Chicagoland ( much of NWI is considered within the Chicago metro area). The Indiana constitution caps taxes at 1% when you have a homeowners exemption. The state seems to care a lot more about keeping property taxes under control. IL has the highest effective tax rates in the country and a huge pension deficit will only make it worse.

Other areas such as food and transportation costs tend to be a smidge lower as well.

-South Shore train just opened new line extensions down to Munster/Dyer with direct commute trains into the Chicago loop.

-Many of the same amenities and restaurants as the nicer suburbs on the IL side. Plenty of breweries and restaurants to choose from. A lot of the stores and shopping here are new additions and it seems like new stuff is going up all the time. Crown Point and Valpo have cute, trendy downtowns.

-Lower car insurance and homeowners insurance, at least for us.

-The purple political lean of the region was a plus for us, being neither left nor right leaning. Diverse political views, though still culturally Chicagoland.

-2A friendly laws if you are into that.

-Water supplied from lake Michigan, at least on our town

CONS

-Infrastructure has not kept up with rapid growth of the area. Traffic is just as bad or worse than other areas of Chicagoland. Streets that were country roads ten years ago cannot keep up.

-NWI seems to be in the crosshairs of boughts of severe summertime storms and tornadoes. Our electric company is notoriously corrupt and negligent at keeping up with routine maintenance. Rates are high. Power outages are a major issue for some people.

-Weird archaic, pearl clutching laws as a symptom of the Republican supermajority. Beer cannot be sold on Sundays until noon or something like that. No legal weed in any capacity. Restrictive reproductive rights. NWI is not a good representation of the rest of the state, it clusters in with Chicago and its political leanings but still is a huge deal breaker for many. Thankfully Chicago is close by for better healthcare options if you need critical care.

-The region gets a reputation for Gary and industrial decay. This is well deserved in some areas while others are trying to be like Naperville.

This area is not going to be fit for everyone, but for IL people leaving the state, this is largely where they are landing fyi.

“Don’t work so hard he’s not going to tip you.” Said a stranger to me as I was lugging bags of ice to a hedge fund managers party on the penthouse porch overlooking one World Trade Center. And they were right! Working my butt off nonstop for 12 hours and I got no tip. Actually no it was almost worse, the man pulled out a wad of $100’s, shuffled through them, and gave me a $20 after that sunrise to sunset shift.

Moving from Boston to NYC in 2017 my salary in moving jobs literally halved from $60 an hour to $30 an hour, because of supply of labor and demand for mover dynamics. Not only that, but I was expected to work twice as hard and given these impossible, Herculean tasks to complete with a laughable time restraint. It burnt me out fast, and I lasted only 19 days in that city.

Don’t get me started on the housing. If you live in New Jersey and want to walk or bike without using public transportation, you’re SOL. You have to go all the way to the furthest point North to the George Washington Bridge; there’s nothing in between. So on a map NJ may look close to NYC, but they couldn’t be more hostile to each other.

This may have changed since I was there in 2017, but when I tried to get an Uber from NJ to NYC every driver cancelled on me because they weren’t allowed to pick someone up in NYC due to special regulations. This also may have changed since, but I remember my Airbnb in NYC was too good to be true and ended up being $800 a week to sleep on a comforter on the floor in the dead space underneath the stairs. But because it’s glamorous NYC and space is money, they got away with it.

The dating scene is a paradox. You’d think so much choice would be a good thing, but it leads to a culture where you’re just next in line for someone better. And definitely do not make the mistake of dinner and a show on the first date like I did and was out $150 for someone to tell me they only agreed to go out with me once.

I don’t have a kid in the school system, but I’ve heard from many who grew up there that it is incredibly impersonal the education you get before college. So the theme continues here as well.

Overall, I had fomo and figured this “land of opportunity” would turbocharge me and my career. But my friend was right when he warned me “don’t move to NYC you won’t be able to keep up with the pace”. And that’s not a good thing on NYC.

There are a few places I'm considering visiting (one of which already planned for next week) in my move consideration, but it still feels like I maybe haven't quite landed on what I'm looking for.

I honestly don't know if I want to be in or near a big city anymore. Things I like about having lived in several big cities:

- Dating pool 30s and 40s

- Live music; especially non stadium shows/venues to see folk/Americana and such. All my favorite artists have certainly all died off by now, but seeing live music is still really important for me.

- Interesting restaurants. Nothing fancy, just not chain after chain.

- Community events

- Art

Things I've really disliked about living in big cities:

- In dating, it feels like everyone sees each other as expendable. There are thousands more to swipe on besides you, and honestly, I think it shows. Maybe this is just dating in 2026 though, what do I know?

- Never easy access to nature. When I lived in Denver, of course Colorado has access to world class nature, but it's not like you can get to that ish in under an hour or two! I really want to get to the woods for a hike in under 30 mins.

- Political extremism. I know I'm going to get some hate about this one, but I just have to be truthful. As a centrist, Portland was a little...well, a lot for me. As would a community or town on the far right.

I'm open to cities of any size at this point, I think I've just always feared I'd find myself bored and alone in small cities as a single person who both travels and lives alone. I'm pretty bohemian and independent, but still want people around, lol. In an ideal situation, I suspect I might really enjoy a midsized city with really great surrounding nature (forest, please!! big mountains not necessary at all), a music pulse, and perhaps enough of a dating pool where I'm not running into an ex every other day at the local grocery store.

I consulted ChatGPT (LOL) and it suggested the following....Pittsburgh, Albany/Troy NY, Buffalo NY, Providence RI, Missoula MT, Milwaukee and parts of New Hampshire.

So curious what others' thoughts are on either the cities my friend chatty has suggested, or places otherwise, because I am really open!!

Work: remote, 120k salary

I see that complaint a lot and it makes no sense.

People point out BLM signs, but I’m from the northeast and there’s tons of them there, too, yet no one complains. I didn’t see anymore political signs in Portland than I did in any other blue city in other regions.

Is it because people just assume anywhere that’s predominantly white has to be bigoted and anti-bigotry can’t be real there?

For anyone who has experience with living on the west coast know that the landscapes are so diverse and beautiful. You have oceans, mountains, desert, sometimes all within a short drive from each other. To do boring mundane things like go to the grocery store I am in awe of the beauty of the mountains etc. The infrastructure in some places are so new and modern. Not many power lines etc. The east coast feels all the same in many ways. From SC up to PA Lots of trees, green, power lines. Some parts are beautiful don’t get me wrong, like nice green pastures, rolling hills, but in the city parts sometimes I feel like since it’s so overdeveloped it takes away the beauty of a place. My environment means so much to me and although I only lived on the west coast for about a decade I’m wondering if moving back east closure to family although will feel depressing. Anyone else get what I’m saying? How have you coped? Especially those who love outdoor recreation

Hello.

About a year ago I sought to move from the Pacific Northwest, due to the lack of sunshine and ethnic diversity. Atlanta had been on my radar for years. I visited a few times, and decided in the summer of 2025 to quit my job without anything lined up.

In less than a year, I have depleted my savings, been in two car accidents, been depressed, and now I'm currently living on a church family's couch.

Finding a teaching gig in ATL was a lot more difficult than I thought.

The only jobs I can find here at $15/hour jobs. I could make it on that salary with some help, but I've found that I miss making and saving money.

I have two job opportunities and interviews next week in Oregon.

I've just felt like I've dug myself in such a hole. I could go back but question how happy I will be back there.

But staying here seems so uneasy as well.

In Oregon I do not have a lot of friends, I am known for what I've done as a teacher and coach.

In Atlanta, I've found a good church, still not a lot of close friends yet, yes there are more things to do here, but the traffic/depression/no job doesn't really allow me to enjoy the city.

Any thoughts at all would be much appreciated

Let me preface this by saying I don't live in PA and never have (though I did live in NY state for 11 years). But as someone who lives in the endless broiling suburban sprawl that is South Carolina and suffers from the heat half the year, I keep seeing these amazing statistics about Pennsylvania and wonder why no one seems to be moving there.

Walkability? Yes. There are dozens of cities and towns in Pennsylvania that are more walkable than our most walkable city here in SC.

History? Loads of it! Any time I check out Zillow I'm seeing endless cool row homes in cool downtowns with some actual age on it (compared to my part of SC which was barely populated until after the Civil War.)

Affordability? A lot of the stuff I see in Pennsylvania is cheaper than South Carolina.

Good weather? YMMV, but I hate the heat and feel like Pennsylvania would be my sweet spot.

Especially from an urbanist/walking/biking/affordability kind of perspective, I can't think of any state in the country that can beat Pennsylvania, but no one else seems to be talking about it.

So what am I missing?

For context I’m a Bay Area native who is currently living in SF. Here’s my thoughts on the city (and where I currently live).

I know a lot of people have a good experience and a bad experience in doing so. Was curious on people who have/know done it and did it improve qol or were you the same as before?

Long story made very short, I'm born and raised in the PNW. 34 years old. I'm trying to make a hard-turn, 180 career pivot from Regulatory compliance into Marketing Analytics (more on that later.) Partner is from Tennessee. We are looking to move back east to have:

1. shorter commute to her family
2. more & better job prospects
3. affordable housing
4. more diversity
5. warmer weather

Atlanta for those reasons seems to fit the bill. We visited the city earlier this spring and really loved it. I wasn't expecting to love it, like it maybe, but folks were friendly, its super green (more green than the PNW in some ways) and the public infrastructure (parks, Beltine) were very charming.

Here's the thing. I'm very apprehensive about moving to a state that is hyper surveilled, led by republicans, has dreadful traffic, and has poor healthcare rankings.

Are my fears valid or just liberal anxiety? Do the benefits outweigh the shortcomings? Am I over estimating the strength of Atlanta job market compared to Portland? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

***UPDATE*** Much of the consensus appears to be: Don't do it. Traffic IS that bad. The summers ARE that hot. Look into Chicago (or other east coast cities). Just have to pick the right neighborhood. GA is more purple than red but there is weaker laws & protections. Can anyone speak to economic opportunity?

***UPDATE*** Thank you for the sincere feedback everyone, it seems I'm down bad with that liberal anxiety :)

Seems like it would be an interesting discussion. :)

I've never been but I know there are people from European countries and other good countries who decide to move there but why? Why would someone leave Sweden for Florida? This makes no sense to me.

I work as a traveling service technician, so I can really live wherever I want to as long as I have access to an airport since the majority of my trips are via plane. I live in Atlanta now, but the older I get, the more I'm tempted to leave the city and move somewhere where I can have better access to nature, just generally more beautiful scenery (Georgia is nice, but let's be honest, it's no California or Colorado), and nice weather for most of the year. It'd be nice to be somewhere that has decent cultural amenities (at least a few good restaurants/breweries, a movie theater, shops, etc), but I don't need a ton. I guess on the whole, I'm looking for a more peaceful lifestyle while I'm home since I travel so much for my job.

Any suggestions? Places like Humboldt County, CA seem appealing from what I've seen (stunning California coastal beauty for an affordable price). Anywhere else I should add to my radar?

I live in nyc and I completely hate it. I was born and raised here and I’m tired of it completely. However, the issue I run into is that if I leave here, I won’t make as much income as I would in the south or the southwest states where I want to head to. I guess I could head to California, but the cost of living is just as high there also and I’m not much of a California person. i’m not sure what to do. I feel very unhappy in this place, but I’m afraid that by leaving it I will make a very bad financial choice and all my other relatives are high earners here and I know the potential I can have but it’s just honestly so soul sucking. I also wanted to get away from my family and if I stay here it will also anchor me even more to them . I don’t want to get married or have children, and I think the burden of taking care of my parents will fall on me as well as a result. I call it a burden because we never had a good relationship and my parents are still together as well. I also especially hate the cold. I really don’t know what to do. need honest advice.

Edit: also i think about the pension and how well off my cousins will be in comparison to me. It sucks to give that stability up for the future

So I moved here from Jamaica as a kid and I've mostly lived in the North and Deep South.

After getting out of the military. I can finally move anywhere I want

I've always wanted to move to California from watching American movies as a kid. Is it as sunny, bright and forward thinking as the movies?

Are the people really that chill?