Best Place to live in America (or the world): Your Two Cents - page 1 -

• Best Place to live in America (or the world): Your Two Cents by Dome of Steele on 11 Jan, 2010 01:07
• I've lived in about 7 US states (mostly in the South) and Austria.  I'm currently in Austin, TX, which I consider a great place to live.  Most of my friends live here, it's a fun place to go out, there is great music and a laid-back, progressive atmosphere.  I also like the warm weather/mild winters and that there is plenty of sunshine (and alot of good microbreweries around).  It has the benefits of a big city, but many green areas, parks and low crime. 
  
  I will be here awhile do to my career, but I am considering if I want to potentially move to other places in the future. 
  The places I've considered are all in the West; Oregon, parts of Colorado and parts of California (coastal, prob socal). 
  
  The drawback to Oregon would be that the excessive rain and lack of sunshine.  But I would like the "vibe" there. 
  The main drawback to Colorado is that it would be too cold, but it's usually a dry cold that you can get used to.  The benefits are obvious, beautiful mountain views, skiing and other great sports, many healthy and sports oriented people. 
  California is lower on my wishlist, because it seems like it would have ridiculous traffic and a high cost of living. 
  
  I would also consider moving to Germany or Austria, I can speak the language and I liked living in Austria alot. 
  
  Here's where you come in.  What is your opinion on the matter, have you lived in one of these places or could you suggest a place where I might want to live?  Let me know. 
  
  Thanks SBGs!!
  
  
• #1 by Sly Red on 11 Jan, 2010 03:18
• In my fantasy world, where there is a money is no object scenario, I'd like to live in a small English village that is near enough to a major city so that entertainment wouldn't be an issue.  Probably somewhere in Kent or Surrey.  I also think that Amsterdam, The Netherlands would be a nearly perfect place to live.
  
  I lived in San Francisco for two years in the eighties and loved it.  I'd love to live there again if I could afford the real estate.  The climate suits me perfectly.
  
  Red
• #2 by Paul on 11 Jan, 2010 04:23
• I have lived and or traveled in 29 countries and five continents and to me the best place to live would be Ireland.  The climate is generally mild in the winter, though wet, and the people can't be beat.  The countryside is some of the most beautiful in the world.   Biggest drawback would be the number of American tourists in the summer.
• #3 by schro on 11 Jan, 2010 06:42
• I haven't traveled enough to comment on where not to live, but if you are considering California, I'd take NorCal over SoCal anywhere, anytime, anyhow. Much more to offer as far as climate, terrain, and variety.
  
  I'm limited as to where I'd want to live because I'm not an extreme snow guy, would prefer to take a pass on excessive humidity, and would love to avoid a liberal state (yes, I know California is one of them....look how bankrupt they are). We do have a piece of land in Oregon we're considering building on later in life. Although Oregon is pretty nutty (the land use laws and the "Friends of Oregon" are some of the most extreme policies in the union), the area is awesome.
  
  Here's one of the pics of our piece of land. This pic faces west and looks over Agency Lake (northern Klamath Lake). It sits right on the edge of a little bluff (about 30 feet beyond my kids in this pic), about 1/4 mile from the boat ramp. Our view will never be obstructed by any development below, so getting the afternoon sun will be awesome. To the Southwest is Mt. McLaughlin, which is snow capped most of the year. That view may become partially blocked based on the curve of the road and future development. Quality golf will be about 25 minutes away from our potential future home. It's very rural, but is a short drive to Klamath Falls, a town of approx 30,000 people. Who knows what the future holds for Team Schro. For all we know, we could still be living here in the suburban Sacramento area. I love it here.
  
  
  
• #4 by GASlick on 11 Jan, 2010 07:03
• In contrast to all of you world travelers out there, I've lived in Georgia my whole life.  Everywhere from Downtown Atlanta to the 'burbs to the farm where I grew up.  Farm life isn't for me; however, you can't beat the hospitality and genuine friendliness of farmers in a local community.  They truly are the salt of the earth.
  
  Where I live now is wonderful, Griffin, GA.  It's about 1 hour south of Atlanta so you've got access to all of that, but in a town of only 22,000 people. 
  
  With all that said if money were no object and I could live anywhere I honestly would pick Charleston, SC.  It is just an amazing place.  Small town charm mixed with big city amenities and the beach.  I would live "Below Broad" a local term that if you're familiar with Charleston at all it sits on a peninsula out in the harbor.  "Below Broad" is where all the large, grand true southern mansions are located.
• #5 by PBurke on 11 Jan, 2010 07:09
• i am a cajun at heart. and there are some things about louisiana that i do love. (fresh seafood, fishing, hunting, etc.) but my heart is in the rocky mountains. i loved colorado. i love the desert southwest. at some point i do want to get back out there. you have to go where you are happy bro.
• #6 by D.A.L.U.I. on 11 Jan, 2010 07:32
• Of course I love New Orleans, but if I couldn't live here, and money were no object, I would probably have a couple of places to avoid excess heat or cold unless I wanted that for a couple of days.  Austin would be great, and the area around Highlands, NC.  The south of France, just about 45 minutes to an hour away from the sea would be good too.  New Orleans, except for the heat of August and early September, is a good compromise.  Maybe, if I ever fully get my finances back to pre-Katrina, we'll get a place in NC--I'm never going to have a second home near hurricane alley again, ever!
• #7 by mangosink12572 on 11 Jan, 2010 08:24
• We live in Rhinebeck, New York about 100 miles north of NYC  - - -it is a beautiful place  -we have our business here and all of our friends  - -and this is where we stay - - - - - - I have lived and worked in Germany and have traveled all over Europe - - -I'll take Rhinebeck       
• #8 by Mikekoz13 on 11 Jan, 2010 09:20
• I live in a small community of about 4000 people. I love our community..... it's very small town with no fast food, only a small cafe, a post office, a pizza place, and one other small restaurant. We don't even have a traffic light.
  We have hot Summers and generally cold winters. Spring and fall are beautiful. Crime is almost non-existent.
  
  I absolutely love it but freely admit that it is NOT for everyone.
• #9 by bubbadave3 on 11 Jan, 2010 11:13
• For me, it's a toss up between being back in Boston or Portland, OR.  As it is, I may very well end up in Portland in about a year and a half.  (Admittedly, we were on 7th Ave in Manhattan trying to decide between moving to Long Island or Spokane, WA.  We moved to Spokane, and then over into North Idaho).
• #10 by Papa Don on 11 Jan, 2010 11:18
• I am not a traveler, so I can't say where I would really prefer to live other than the current locale.  I have lived in Humble, Tx since the 50s.  It was once a sleepy little town of about 1700 people.  Now, it exploed to over 100,000 residence.  I really perfer Texas as housing is cheap and we don't have a State Income tax (yet).  The humidity in summer is terrible and yes we do have hurricanes but home is where the heart is!
• #11 by Tyler on 11 Jan, 2010 11:27
• I think the best place to live is really going to depend on each individual's scenario and ultimately what they make of where they live.
  
  I've lived in both Nor Cal and So Cal and Phoenix, Arizona.   I've traveled to almost every major city in the U.S. and many of the small cities and towns.  Some of my favorite are:
  
  San Diego
  Newport Beach
  Santa Barbara
  Sacramento
  San Francisco Bay Area
  Phoenix
  Austin
  San Antonio
  Dallas
  Denver
  Redding, CA
  Portland, OR
  Maui, HI
  
  I think you have to look at what your passions are and what city is going to suit your passions.  I really like working with technology, so it will be very difficult for me to live in an area without a lot of technical resources.   I also love the ocean and mountains, so I need to be close to one of them.  I'm really starting to kick up my golf game, so I like being in the west where I can play golf the majority of the year.  And considering the majority of my family and friends live in CA, it makes sense for me to stay on the west.  
  
  I think you need to list all of the things that are important to you and find a place that is going to best suit those things.
• #12 by andrew on 11 Jan, 2010 13:48
• Athough I've visited many areas of the country, I've always lived Connecticut and have been very happy. There are pluses and minuses to CT. One advantage is that we're right between New York City and Boston (2 hours to either).  Also, we have access to the ocean, very rural areas, and medium-sized cities all nearby. Additionally we have excellent universities, school systems, and hospitals.  Our climate includes 4 distinct seasons, with fairly snowy winters, hot (90's) during the summer, colorful foliage during the fall, and nice moderate weather in the spring.
  
  On the negative side, our taxes tend to be very high and crime can be an issue in our cities. CT is unique in that we have the highest per-capita income in the country, yet 3 of our cities are on the list of the top 10 poorest cities in the US.
  
  We have property in Rhode Island, where we spend weekends during the summer by the ocean.  RI is also a very nice place to live and it shares many of the same positives and negatives as CT.
• #13 by Dome of Steele on 11 Jan, 2010 20:49
• Great response guys.  I'm headed to bed so I can't give comment on the responses and give them justice at the moment. 
  
  
  Also spelling correction 2nd Paragraph: "due to my career" and not "do to my career." 
• #14 by Dome of Steele on 15 Jan, 2010 15:17
• Thanks again everybody, there is alot of info here. 
  
  Red and Paul:  I've traveled through Europe extensively, but never made it to the British Isles.  This post is motivation to do that. 
  
  Schro: I've lived mostly in the South, and I've never actually lived in a liberal State (but Austin could be considered a liberal city).  I'd rather be around more pinko commie liberals for a change.  I know enough about trucks, guns and taxidermy for now.  I've been through NorCal and it is very beautiful (the redwoods and all that stuff).  And I have some friends that moved to Portland, and they can't stop talking about how great it is.  I'll keep all of this in mind. 
  
  GASlick:  I lived in the NW burbs of Atlanta (maybe so far out they weren't even burbs) for awhile.  Alot of my family is out there after Katrina.  As a southerner, I want to experience something different the next time I move.  I've heard Charleston is a great charming old town. 
  
  PBurke and SaintC:  I grew up in and around NOLA about my first decade and visited there frequently.  Unfortunately Katrina caused most of my family there to scatter elsewhere across the south.  I think of New Orleans as sorta like Amsterdam, a great place to visit but not a great place to live.  There is one thing you can't get outside of southern LA, that unbeatable cajun food!  PBurke, CO is definitely on my short list, it is just so damn beautiful out there!  I love looking at mountains especially after spending a few years in flat and ugly Oklahoma (sorry Sooners, Central OK is ugly, flat and windy). 
  
  Bubba:  I've always been interested in Boston and New England in general, it seems like a cool place to live.  I like how old it is, and how many important aspects of the American Revolution and English colonialism happened there.  So much history compared to most of America. 
  And if those jerks at the law school up there would have accepted me into their school I would probably be up there today!!  I've already talked about good things I've heard of Portland (and so many cool microbrews available there). 
  
  I will definitely consult this post and follow up with you guys before making any future move! 
  Cheers!