Where to move?

[sunvalleylaw]

I agree with the other PNW'ers that somewhere between Olympia and Seattle is good to check out. All of I-5 in that area is a bit of a sprawl, and cost of living varies with the housing costs of the neighborhoods. Personally, I think my old town of Tacoma and surrounds is worth a look, as it has a lot of the benefits of Seattle now, but houses are a lot cheaper. Seattle is close enough when you want to go there. It is rainy much of the winter into june sometimes. Summer, what there is of it, can be beautiful. Bellingham/Fairhaven is another place I would check out if I was moving to the PNW. Also the Dalles/Hood River area east of Portland. On the Columbia, lots of water and recreation, small towns again. I do like Portland a lot too.

One thing you should know when you look at Washington and Oregon, west of the Cascades is generally very green and wet. I-5 runs up and down that area and strings all the cities together from Vancouver BC in Canada down through Seatle/Tacoma/Olympia/Portland/Salem/Eugene, etc. Left some out but you get the idea. East of the cascades in both OR and WA is mostly agricultural, with much less rain, fewer trees, etc. The Palouse. Then you get closer to the rockies in Idaho, Montana, etc. and you are in the intermountain regions.

I moved over here because I wanted to be in the mountains and thought I could carve out a niche. It is a small area and you have to be able to find a way to make a living in a small resort community. The building industry that supported more people has gone bust here like most places. Boise is another bigger town that is worth a look though. Has a university, good weather, decent cost of living, good recreation, etc. More high desert and less rain than west of the cascades. A touch hot for me in Boise, but it is a nice town.

I know nothing really about the mid-west. If I was over there, I think I would want to be up near all the lakes. But like I said, I really don't know much about that area.

I think my contention with that idea is that I believe prices are inflated here because it's a big metropolitan area, and it's sort of the "tax" you pay for being able to live here.

This is the sort of thing that makes me suggest closer to Tacoma/Olympia areas rather than Seattle metro area. You definitely pay a premium to live in and around Seattle proper.

 

[bcdon]

I should qualify that it doesn't need to be dirt cheap, but I'm sick of average houses costing $300 000+ like they do around the northeast corridor.

Vancouver single family homes average over $750k and apartment/condos average well over $350K. If you move further away from the city the prices do go down a bit but this is a very expensive place to purchase.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/04/20/in-vancouver-logic-has-left-the-housing-market/

 

[Tig]

South NJ (south of Camden) can be nice. Lots of areas to choose from.

I'd recommend looking in the San Diego/Escondido/Palm Springs CA area. Beautiful weather....beautiful weather....beautiful weather.

Albuquerque NM is another nice area. High up on a plateau/mesa that while it gets hot during the summer days, it cools off nicely at nite.

True dat about S. Jersey, but there are almost no career jobs there unless you like to drive.

San Diego has city taxes that will aggrevate you into drinking or at least smoking crack. My very nice $150 house would cost me $300-$450 there, and no view. Otherwise, it is a beautiful area, especially around Delmar. Albuquerque is a nice place, as is Flagstaff, as long as you can make a living there. Stay away from Pheonix, IMO!

 

[Eric]

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/04/20/in-vancouver-logic-has-left-the-housing-market/

That article is nuts! Guess I can cross Vancouver off my list for the time being...

 

[NWBasser]

I agree with the other PNW'ers that somewhere between Olympia and Seattle is good to check out. All of I-5 in that area is a bit of a sprawl, and cost of living varies with the housing costs of the neighborhoods. Personally, I think my old town of Tacoma and surrounds is worth a look, as it has a lot of the benefits of Seattle now, but houses are a lot cheaper. Seattle is close enough when you want to go there. It is rainy much of the winter into june sometimes. Summer, what there is of it, can be beautiful. Bellingham/Fairhaven is another place I would check out if I was moving to the PNW. Also the Dalles/Hood River area east of Portland. On the Columbia, lots of water and recreation, small towns again. I do like Portland a lot too.

One thing you should know when you look at Washington and Oregon, west of the Cascades is generally very green and wet. I-5 runs up and down that area and strings all the cities together from Vancouver BC in Canada down through Seatle/Tacoma/Olympia/Portland/Salem/Eugene, etc. Left some out but you get the idea. East of the cascades in both OR and WA is mostly agricultural, with much less rain, fewer trees, etc. The Palouse. Then you get closer to the rockies in Idaho, Montana, etc. and you are in the intermountain regions.

I moved over here because I wanted to be in the mountains and thought I could carve out a niche. It is a small area and you have to be able to find a way to make a living in a small resort community. The building industry that supported more people has gone bust here like most places. Boise is another bigger town that is worth a look though. Has a university, good weather, decent cost of living, good recreation, etc. More high desert and less rain than west of the cascades. A touch hot for me in Boise, but it is a nice town.

I know nothing really about the mid-west. If I was over there, I think I would want to be up near all the lakes. But like I said, I really don't know much about that area.



This is the sort of thing that makes me suggest closer to Tacoma/Olympia areas rather than Seattle metro area. You definitely pay a premium to live in and around Seattle proper.

Hey, if I can afford to live near Seattle, then it's not too bad. Actually, prices have really been dropping around here.

Bellingham is awesome if you can get a job there. One of the prettiest places on the West Coast. Nice snowy winters and lots of great beer to be had. A great town for walking, biking, and just plain relaxing. I'd highly recommend a visit there for at least several days. I know a good tour guide too...

I really liked the bit of Boise that I saw. It seemed a very nice town with lots of older brick buildings and a mellow vibe to it.

The big drawback for Western Washington isn't so much the amount of rain, but the short winter hours with thick cloud cover make it very dark for months on end. The good part is that you don't really have to worry about your water supply...

Which reminds me, we do have very good drinking water here.

 

[tunghaichuan]

Colorado is a cool place to live. I live just North of Denver, halfway to Boulder. When I first came to Colorado 18 years ago, I lived in central Denver, fairly close to the downtown area. The area I live in now is mostly blue collar, very safe; I never worry about crime in my neighborhood.

There is a lot to do here, skiing in the mountains, camping, backpacking, fishing, hunting, cycling, etc. We usually have about 300 days of sunshine a year.

The local music scene is only so-so, though. There are a lot of funky venues for live music. Most of the large arena shows sell out fairly quickly.

Music shops are kind of hit and miss. We have 3 Guitar Center stores in the Denver Metro area which have edged out some of the independent stores. But that is pretty typical of everywhere.

The weather is great here. The winters are usually fairly mild, and it doesn't get too hot in the summers. My house doesn't even have air conditioning, and doesn't really need it, except for maybe a few days in the summer.

There is a lot of high tech in this area, especially in the Louisville/Boulder/Longmont/Lafayette area.

Traffic around the Denver area can get pretty congested, but eases up more towards the 'burbs.

Boulder is a cool town, but very expensive. It is full of college students and aging hippies. The main campus of Colorado University is there. There are lots of cool things to do and see in Boulder.

 

[Tig]

I've not lived any of these places, however:

Kansas City has a lot to offer.

Depending on what you like, Colorado Springs or Pueblo might be in the running. Pueblo is east of the mountains, Springs is right at the beginnings and they aren't as big and busy as Denver or other parts of Colo, though Springs is getting that way.

Austin, TX is really busy and traffic is a killer, my Dad lives near there and his wife works in town. But it's a nice area with LOTS of music and dancing. Brush up on your two-step.

I've always liked Tulsa, OK, and I've actually lived there.

I'd recommend the Kansas side of KC. I saw a few great blues acts in downtown areas. I spent a few weeks on the MO side, and only the far South end was appealing to me.

Good call on Colorado Springs.

Austin varies quite a bit. The growth has been too much for my taste, but still a great place. The Bee Caves area is very nice suburban, if that's a good thing (my sis used to live there). I'm not too fond of the North Austin area, but that is where the tech companies are.

I lived in Tulsa for 2 years, but was 19-20 and I was bored unless the Crystal Pistol had a good group in town playing. A nice town, I'll agree.

 

[tunghaichuan]

I've not lived any of these places, however:

Kansas City has a lot to offer. Music, history, humidity, weather. And Lawrence, home of KU is nearby, so there's the college scene also. Or, you could just go for Lawrence. Also, Columbia, MO if you like that college town thing.

Depending on what you like, Colorado Springs or Pueblo might be in the running. Pueblo is east of the mountains, Springs is right at the beginnings and they aren't as big and busy as Denver or other parts of Colo, though Springs is getting that way.

Austin, TX is really busy and traffic is a killer, my Dad lives near there and his wife works in town. But it's a nice area with LOTS of music and dancing. Brush up on your two-step.

I've always liked Tulsa, OK, and I've actually lived there.

I'm from Kansas, born in Hays, grew up in Wichita. KC/Lawrence is the only place in Kansas I'd consider living. I have a friend who lives in Overland Park, which is a nice area. Or maybe Manhattan, KS home of K-State.

I would highly recommend against Wichita. Lots of unemployment due to having most of the large airplane manufacturers. The summers are hotter than hell, and the winters are frigid, regularly -20 to -40 with the wind chill. There are also these lovely ice rain storms that cover everything in a slick sheet of ice, not very pleasant. Wichita has all the big city problems, gangs, drugs, crime overzealous police force, but few of the amenities. They do have a fairly good local music scene, though.

 

[tunghaichuan]

Good call on Colorado Springs.

Having lived in CO for nearly 20 years, I'm not a big fan of the Springs. Let's just say it's way too conservative for me. I can't say anymore without breaking the forum rules. I like the Northern end of Denver much better.

 

[piebaldpython]

Hey Eric.....since you're interested in Austin, maybe ChildBride will chime in as she lived there for a time....pre-Shiner.

 

[ZMAN]

Not sure about Employment for a Chem Engineer, but my vote would be for North Carolina. Absolutely perfect climate. You do get seasons but almost no snow. Very nice people and reasonable home prices. I lived in Greensboro for 3 months while my daughter was going to school and loved every minute of it. There is no place prettier in the spring than NC when all the trees and plants are blooming. (Azelia, Redbud, Dogwoods and Magnolias) If I had no ties to Canada that keep me here I would be there in a minute.

 

[mrmudcat]

Good suggestion Zman my sister lives in nascar country in N.C..I lived there for a short period a long time ago and visited the Cherokee reservation a few times.I love it there.

 

[ZMAN]

That area is called the Triad. Winston Salem, Greensboro, and High point. Mooresville is just down the road and Randalman is where the Pettys are. Great area for a car guy as well. A booming area for sure.
An hour and a half to the Charlotte motor speedway, and Bass Pro Shops, What more could you ask.

 

[Eric]

I figured it was worth an update to this thread. I've kind of hinted at our living situation recently in other threads, but this is probably where that sort of thing belongs.

We sold our house in November of last year and have been housesitting or staying with friends for the past few months. I have been of the opinion that my wife's job is the far more difficult to find of the two of us, and that has so far been true, so that's kind of dictating what the options are for moving. She's had interviews in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis, and we're taking a trip up to Calgary in about a week and a half for another interview.

Is there anybody on this Canadian forum that lives in or has lived in Calgary? It's mostly an unknown to me, other than what I can find online. I'm looking forward to the trip, but I thought it would be nice if I could get some perspective beforehand.

It's pretty tough living in that temporary kind of situation, even if it means that we've been rent-free for about 3 months. I'm looking forward to finding a new home and settling in eventually.

 

[Commodore 64]

I remember the Calgary Winter Olympics. I thought Calgary was awesome back then.

 

[Robert]

I'm about 2.5 hours north of Calgary. It's a good city! It's sort of known as the cowboy capital, Stampede City, because of the cowboy culture in the area. However, that's not entirely consistent though - there are lots of other things going on in Calgary too. They have a really good Mayor now, I hear. One that's more interested in the arts and culture compared to the previous ones.

Great fishing in the area too! Plus the mountains are close. Really, I should move there.

 

[piebaldpython]

My only thought is that it's FREAKIN' COLD up there. Of course, you're from Minnesota (IIRC) and used to those temps.

 

[Eric]

I'm about 2.5 hours north of Calgary. It's a good city! It's sort of known as the cowboy capital, Stampede City, because of the cowboy culture in the area. However, that's not entirely consistent though - there are lots of other things going on in Calgary too. They have a really good Mayor now, I hear. One that's more interested in the arts and culture compared to the previous ones.

Great fishing in the area too! Plus the mountains are close. Really, I should move there.

That's good info -- thanks!

I think we're going to take at least one or two day trips into the Rockies and Banff from the city. Regardless of what ends up happening with jobs or living there, I'm looking forward to the trip. It should be interesting at worst, fun at best.

 

[FrankenFretter]

I have cousins in Calgary, but I haven't seen nor heard from them in over thirty years, so they may not remember me. Still, feel free to knock on their door and tell them that cousin Sean said you could crash at their place.

Calgary sounds like the Austin, Texas of Canada. I may have to visit there someday myself.

 

[Commodore 64]

I'm partial to Kent, Ohio. A college town with a moderate division I school. Lots of bars, lot's of live music, and a pretty good school system too. What's not to love (other than the weather).

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

I've lived all over the US and have noticed one thing in particular and it's culture shock. Being from Philly, I didn't experience any substantial differences in the other east coast areas that I inhabited, but when I lived in West Virginia and Nebraska, I felt like a fish out of water. Even after seven years in the Pacific Northwet, the west coast still feels foreign. I suppose that it's often "no matter where you go, there you are" and we tend to take our problems with us. But you're young, and it's perhaps more of an adventure at this point in your life. I'm just saying that cultural differences can be a strange reality. Also, the lack of cheesesteaks and hoagies blows.

 

[Eric]

I'm partial to Kent, Ohio. A college town with a moderate division I school. Lots of bars, lot's of live music, and a pretty good school system too. What's not to love (other than the weather).

Well it's hard to explain to people, but we have been looking at the Cleveland area. Not sure if it'll happen, but it's in the mix.

What's so bad about the weather?

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Eric: Lake effect snow.

 

[Eric]

I've lived all over the US and have noticed one thing in particular and it's culture shock. Being from Philly, I didn't experience any substantial differences in the other east coast areas that I inhabited, but when I lived in West Virginia and Nebraska, I felt like a fish out of water. Even after seven years in the Pacific Northwet, the west coast still feels foreign. I suppose that it's often "no matter where you go, there you are" and we tend to take our problems with us. But you're young, and it's perhaps more of an adventure at this point in your life. I'm just saying that cultural differences can be a strange reality.

You mean like the cultural differences of people from North Carolina and Minnesota living in an east-coast megalopolis?? I'd be lying if I didn't say that's a big part of why we're moving.

I get what you're saying though, and it's a good point. We're not going into it blind either, as we've both lived in a number of places, so it's my hope that the additional patience and understanding of those differences helps.

 

[Commodore 64]

Nothing. I like it. I like the season changes. I grew up in the snow belt, and we still live close enough to it that there's a lot of Lake Effect Snow. Many people don't like the weather though. I like Lake Erie (Fantastic Fishing). If you move out here, I'll get you out there after some walleye for sure.

What is your area of expertise? Civil, landfill engineering, remedial system engineering? We're hiring. There is a lot going on in Ohio right now with Utica Shale exploration. It's the real deal. 1k barrels per day on some of the wells. By 2015 we'll be producing more oil than Libya (Ohio, not the entire US) if you believe the propaganda. (I'm cautiously optimistic).

 

[NWBasser]

I'm partial to Kent, Ohio. A college town with a moderate division I school. Lots of bars, lot's of live music, and a pretty good school system too. What's not to love (other than the weather).

Our lead guitarist has quit the band and is moving back to Kent. He and his wife couldn't stand the dark and wet PacNW winters. Probably a dose of culture shock there too.

I should give you his contact info. He's a great musician and super-nice guy. I'll miss him a lot.

 

[Commodore 64]

Please do. I'm somewhat piped into the local music scene so I could introduce him to lots of local musos. I gots connections. Could also help him find a place too, if need be.

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

You mean like the cultural differences of people from North Carolina and Minnesota living in an east-coast megalopolis?? I'd be lying if I didn't say that's a big part of why we're moving.

I can certainly understand wanting to escape the big city, and I wouldn't discourage it for a second. What I am saying is that I think there may be a tendency for many to think of the US as a single culture, but it's not. The cultural "feel" is distinctly different in the widespread areas of our vast country. Depending on the individual, those differences can range from meaningless to intolerable. And you won't really get a feel for those differences until you've lived there for a while. I guess I'm just advising you to be prepared.

 

[NWBasser]

Come to think of it, I've met a lot of people from Minnesota and nearby states that have moved to Western Washington. To a person, they all seem to really love living here.

I've noticed too that the midwestern transplants out here are always really nice people.

 

[Eric]

What is your area of expertise? Civil, landfill engineering, remedial system engineering? We're hiring.

I've worked mostly in biotech, but that'll have to change at some point, considering that most places are not like Philadelphia when it comes to pharma and biotech. I do mostly process and startup engineering, with a fair bit of automation knowledge (e.g. DeltaV).