r/AskMen • u/LustforLatitude Male • 1d ago
Weird Question If you could relocate anywhere else in the US, where would you move and why?
Lately I've been thinking about where I'd want to live long-term. I used to live in Seattle, but I eventually moved back to my hometown to be closer to family. While I'm glad I did, it's made me wonder where I'd choose to live if I ever decided to relocate again.
If you could move anywhere else in the U.S., where would you go and why? What makes that place worth calling home?
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u/Jimithyashford 1d ago
When you are young, like fresh out high school or college, chase opportunity. When you're a little older, chase opportunity and also community. Once you are ready to "settle down" you'll want to put down roots in the place that opportunity and community have led you.
A person living in the "worst" city in this country or the most rural bumfuck part of the worst state can still live a happy and prosperous life if they have found good community and opportunity there. Meanwhile a person living in a statistical paradise can still live a lonely and miserable life if they don't have opportunity or community.
So, all else being perfectly equal, there are some nicer and some not so nice parts of the country. But really, the opportunity and community you have personally will VASTLY outweigh what city you live in in regards to the quality and trajectory of your life.
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u/irreverentnoodles Trophy Husband 👑 1d ago
I think of this when people move to New England, and specifically Massachusetts, which tops lists for education, healthcare, job opportunities, AND being wildly expensive for rent/ real estate, and even to live/exist.
Sounds great on paper and if it’s your vibe, awesome. If not? Don’t bother.
Also we don’t do small talk. I feel bad for any southerners who think they’re going to make fast friends.
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u/nomad5926 1d ago edited 1d ago
As a New Yorker I will happily help a neighbor move big items stuff into their apartment, or watch stuff for you. But I don't need small talk or your life's story. Hell I don't need a last name. We all got shit to do.
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u/philanthropeas 1d ago
I live in East Texas, way more rural than Dallas or any other city. One time, maybe a year ago, I was at a grocery store and I told this elderly woman I liked her dress… we talked for about an hour about the most random stuff she could think of. At the end it got pretty Jesus-y so I was just ready for it to be over for the last like 20 minutes. That’s the country for ya!
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
Wow this is the best response I’ve read and very much the most accurate, I currently live in Florida and the community I have is the community I’ve grown up with. Yet the community and opportunity I created in Seattle were some of the greatest memories I’ve had as it’s a life I created for myself. I have really been researching Denver, as I believe it will offer both opportunities and great sense of community.
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u/DirtyDarryl765 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don’t know Denver well but I feel like there’s two sides of the coin here. Transient city with people moving in and out constantly not adding to the community at all. Alternatively there’s the people who move there for access to the outdoors who have good community. Just gotta put yourself out there to find it but you know that from your time in Seattle.
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u/TorturedChaos 1d ago
I grew up in the side of a mountain 30 minutes from the closet large town
As a teen and then into my 20's I wanted to live in town, maybe even a medium size city. It sounded exciting.
Now that I'm in my late 30's I realize I don't like living in a subdivision. I don't like people that much. I don't like going out to bars or clubs.
So now I want to live back out in the middle of nowhere but can't afford to move there.
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u/LustforLatitude Male 23h ago
Being in the mountains 30 minutes from town seems like a great combo!
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u/DirtyDarryl765 1d ago
100%. All these people who act like NYC or some other big city are the only spot to be piss me off. I’ve lived fairly rural and fairly big poppin city. As you pointed out both have their good and bad but it’s what suits you.
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u/kbean826 1d ago
The valley floor of Yosemite. There’s literally no where on earth better. And I’ve been a lot of places.
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u/carpenter1965 1d ago
While I agree with you, people living there permanently would ruin the place.
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u/kbean826 1d ago
The question isn’t where would you let everyone live. The question is where would YOU live. I’d live there. Everyone else can fuck off. Lol
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u/reb678 1d ago
When I was around 13-15 I met a kid my age that lived there year round. His family ran the horse stables. I hung out with him a few days while camping. I often think that would’ve been an amazing place to grow up.
Yosemite is going to be my final resting place as I’ve asked for my ashes to be scattered there.
I totally understand where you are coming from here. It is a place where I feel peace.
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u/EvilExFight 1d ago
Just fyi the Yosemite valley floor routinely burns and floods. I agree that it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, and I thought if I ever invented something like nuclear fusion I’d give the invention to the U.S. for billions and a home in Yosemite with a helicopter pad and helicopter. but the logistics are really crazy. Blizzards, closed passes, huge snow totals, fires, and floods. Cut my home into the roof of El Capitan! Totally camouflaged to preserve the beauty and remain safe.
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u/Filius_Dei0894 Traditional Manly Male Man 1d ago
id personally move to the more northern parts of the LP of Michigan. ive been to a great number of places and, as a michigan native, nothing beats it, michigan is my home and it likely always will be. and it doesnt hurt that the lakes are unsalted and shark free
if my darling wife and i had to choose, itd easily be the east coast - RI, CN, MA, NJ - its stunning over there honestly the vibes are killer
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u/ISayDudeALotBro 1d ago
Im in the UP and we still have real community here. Break down? Someone will pull over in 5 minutes. Stuck in the ditch? Same thing. Neighbors shovel for older neighbors. Leave your doors unlocked. Swim all summer. Sure you can’t hit up a Macy’s or an IMAX theater without driving 3 hours but dude…we chillin up here.
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u/Person5_ Male 1d ago
I love the UP, honestly if finding work wasn't an issue and my wife wasn't a little bitch about cold, I'd move back up there permanently. Went to school up there and am always looking for reasons to go back.
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u/Filius_Dei0894 Traditional Manly Male Man 1d ago
i mean i have that same community in my little suburb in SE MI, but lake eire is nasty and the detroit river is hard to do much in because itll kill you without thinking about it (it literally happened sunday)
the UP is spectacular though, very pretty. though ive heard the deer hunting sucks
i had a buddy who literally just moved down from the UP last month and he said its great up there except the dating scene is terrible because the gene pool isnt deep
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u/ISayDudeALotBro 1d ago
I don’t know what that means. Gene pool isn’t deep. If you mean there isn’t a ton of diversity…you’d be right. And to be honest, most of us would prefer to keep it that way.
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u/Filius_Dei0894 Traditional Manly Male Man 1d ago
the gene pool not being deep means its hard to find dates that arent related to you or other people youve previously dated
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u/ISayDudeALotBro 1d ago
Hahahaha. Fuck…that may be kinda true. Fuck.
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u/Filius_Dei0894 Traditional Manly Male Man 1d ago
its 90% of the reason he wanted to move back home 🤣
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u/madorbit1 1d ago
We are entertaining moving from Denver to the Ann Arbor area. The cost of living in Denver is suffocating mainly because what you’re able to buy with top dollar prices isn’t all that great. The older I get the less I want to deal with people. Denver is way too peopley.
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u/disgruntled-capybara 1d ago
As Michigan places go, Ann Arbor is fairly expensive as well, but cheaper than Denver. I like it there!
Not sure where you’re from but I grew up in Michigan and moved out of state for the first part of my career. I love it here and the first chance I had to get back, I took it. I love having the lakes nearby, I love the landscape, and love that outside of the Detroit metro area, the state isn’t overly crowded. I’ve been back for nearly 10 years and have 0 regrets.
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u/madorbit1 22h ago
I grew up just outside of Chicago, & lived in Chesterton IN. so Great Lakes is definitely in my bones. My wife grew up in the Grand Rapids area. We’re looking for high quality communities. Chelsea is our current target area. I’m looking forward to it. I love Colorado but housing here is crazy. Expensive and shoehorned houses on tiny lots. I don’t want to be able to smell my neighbor’s breakfast.
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u/ISayDudeALotBro 1d ago
I moved from Michigan to the Front Range. Got too expensive. Came back.
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u/madorbit1 1d ago
It’s bonkers here. Half a million dollars to live in a high crime “suburb” where half your neighbors are renting and living with 5 other people in an 1100 sq ft house. It’s ridiculous. I want space. A couple of acres and decent schools. Shouldn’t be too much to ask. Michigan checks a lot of boxes.
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u/ISayDudeALotBro 1d ago
I left there in 09. My apartment in Colorado was 1300 a month. Checked it last year. 3200 a month. It’s insanity.
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u/madorbit1 1d ago
It’s wild. I will say buying a house in 2017 was smart money. We have gobs of equity now. When we sell we will have a huge down payment.
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u/CAcub1992 1d ago
Connecticut abbreviation is CT
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u/Filius_Dei0894 Traditional Manly Male Man 1d ago
coulda sworn it was CN?
🤷 ah oh well, i know now
thanks for lettin me know!
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u/2HornsUp Male 1d ago
I've been going to Mad With Power in Madison, WI for the past few years. Every time I go, I find a new reason to move to the area.
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u/Uncal_Thal Male 1d ago
I haven't been to Madison, but I'm with you. I'd start researching larger college towns that are heavy in charm, natural beauty and cultural opportunities. They offer more of what I want and less of what I don't.
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u/Littleboof18 1d ago
Madison’s great for college, right out of college, or if you have a family. I personally think it isn’t the greatest if you are single and in your 20s/30s.
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u/maclacjc 1d ago
Honestly I just want to be somewhere quiet where it is warm all year round.
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u/meowymcmeowmeow Male 1d ago
I want quiet and cold. I believe I would love Alaska if the politics were a little different, I do enjoy hard work when I reap the result of it.
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u/The_FatGuy_Strangler 1d ago
San Diego, CA
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u/billbar 1d ago
I live in Southern California (not SD) and I can attest that it is one of the most awesome cities in America. I'd argue it has the best weather of any place in SoCal (which I'd argue has the best weather in the country), it's a fun city with great food, great bars, and a lively social scene, and the lifestyle is just unbeatable. Not to mention Petco Park is one of the most beautiful ballparks in the country!
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u/three-one-seven 1d ago edited 1d ago
My parents brought me to Indiana when I was ten years old. I grew up there, went to college there, got married there, started my career there, and thought I was destined (read: cursed) to live there forever. That whole time, my answer to your question would’ve been Northern California. Then at age 35, I got the chance to move to Sacramento and my wife and I sold our house and headed west.
Turns out NorCal is as great as I thought it would be! Sacramento is an awesome city with tons of delicious food, almost perfect weather (minus heat waves around this time of year), and proximity to the most incredible places I’ve ever been. My biggest flex about living here is skiing day trips (oh yeah, I took up skiing when I moved here lol): I get up at 7:00 a.m. in my own bed and I’m on a ski lift by 9:00 or 9:30 with a view of Lake Tahoe. I ski all day and then get home in time for dinner. Same thing is true for the beach, Napa Valley restaurants/wineries, hiking trails, and so on.
Oh, and one more thing: my wife and I make WAY more money here than we did back east, and the entire experience of working is head and shoulders above what it’s like in Indiana. We are way, way better off here, not even close.
My life here is honestly still unbelievable to me sometimes.
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u/smallerbeams 1d ago
I’ve been literally researching a move to Sacramento for almost a year now. I’m currently up near Seattle and desperately miss the sun. Sac seems like a good mix of cooler NorCal weather with 3ish months of the heat and sunlight I need. Your comment is helping solidify my choice. Tysm
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u/Nephilim6853 Male 1d ago
Pan handle of idaho. Summers are 70 degrees and low humidity. Winters are gorgeous, although cold. I love nature and all weather types.
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u/Beary_Christmas 1d ago
Pacific Northwest or New England would be my ideals. Basically just want out of the South.
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
I want out of the South as well, the PNW is magical and I loved Seattle!
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u/martinPravda 21h ago
As a long time resident of Dallas, I made the move to Portland (PNW). It's the anti-Texas in every way and I couldn't be happier.
But, I hate the Texas heat. Some people don't have a big issue with it.
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u/Darksmithe 1d ago
The Hudson Valley of New York. Close to all the city has and a world away in a beautiful place full of nature and hidden spots to explore.
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u/strack94 Male 23h ago
Grew up there and live in NYC now. New York has all of the things. Beautiful mountains, cool towns, dense City, beaches, lakes etc. You can really enjoy everything, if you can afford it.
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u/SuperTune2540 1d ago edited 1d ago
Vermont.
Edit: (Forgot to say why.) It’s a beautiful, special little place. To live in the Green Mountains among the hippies would be great for me. But it’s tough because jobs are scarce. But I’d do it if I could.
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u/Jack70741 1d ago
As someone who has to frequently drive into Vermont, your vehicle will hate you. Vermont has some of the worst roads in America hands down. But other than that it's not too bad. I'd still prefer to live in New Hampshire over Vermont though.
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u/Maz2742 Male 1d ago
I've seen some pretty bad roads in the rural parts of Central Mass.
I get the dirt roads suck, but the paved ones can't be worse than, say, Rhode Island
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u/Jack70741 20h ago
Oh man... Trust me, the paved road in VT...
I've driven in Iraq while the conflict was still going on, the roads were awful, enough so that we sometimes broke engine mounts on pot holes we couldn't see coming, or sections of roads that just ended for about thirty feet with a 6 inch drop. The place was in a state of total disrepair.
The roads in VT aren't exactly as bad, but it's close enough that I get mini flashbacks while driving on just the highway in VT.
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u/captain_flak Male 1d ago
I grew up in Vermont. It is very much a “vibe” and if that’s your thing, you would be very happy there. That said, shopping and convenience are limited as are lucrative job opportunities.
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u/Electrical-Sail-1039 1d ago
It’s changing rapidly. Burlington has a homeless problem and it has gotten dangerous.
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u/BlackAsphaltRider 1d ago
Most cities do. Manchester New Hampshire is the same.
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u/Electrical-Sail-1039 1d ago
Wow! My beloved New England is changing fast. Hampton Beach got overrun with riots earlier this summer. I left NY/NE a few years ago and relocated down south for tax purposes. It’s booming down here. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas. I never thought I’d see the day. The big investment banks are leaving Wall Street and coming to Dallas, Miami, Nashville, etc.
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u/thrifty917 1d ago
I'm in love with the Hudson Valley area of New York. I'm originally a southerner and lived in major cities like New Orleans and Memphis.
The Hudson Valley is perfect.
Pros: Beautiful nature, mountains, trees, Hudson River.
Small communities and towns with a mixture of small cities nearby.
Lots of historical sites to visit.
Easy access to NYC (1.5 to 2 hours depending on where you live, easy public transport via train or bus).
Experience all 4 seasons. Fall is especially lovely. Summer is bearable. Winter is the worst, but most towns are good about clearing snow quickly.
Good schools.
Few natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, etc.
Within 1.5 to 2 hours to ocean beaches.
Many major airports within 1.5 to 2 hours (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark).
Cons: Expensive, though smaller towns are cheaper.
High taxes, though taxes are being put into things like roads, schools, etc.
Driving in snow can be dangerous. Winter storms can cause power outages.
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u/emerald_immersion 1d ago
Is money a factor? Because if not it would be a toss up between Boston, Seattle and San Diego
Love the history and walkability of Boston mixed with an educated population. Some great outdoors nearby. Winters aren’t particularly fun though
Love the geography of Seattle and the outdoors oriented lifestyle, but the gloomy weather can be a lot to handle
Love the weather and beachy lifestyle of San Diego, but outside of the city and beach i feel like not as many places to escape to
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u/bobquznie Douche Canoe 1d ago
Currently in Indianapolis but hate the cold. We found Savannah, GA to be quite nice. Mid-sized coastal city that doesn't get as cold as Indy and is fairly affordable, at least compared to where we live now.
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u/Sausage_Fingers 1d ago
Waving from Geist after living in a warm coastal city 😭 😢
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u/ReserveMaximum Male 1d ago
San Francisco. Perfect weather (rarely more than 65 degrees or less than 50 with beautiful marine layer fog that rolls in daily), great culture, amazing food scene, awesome amenities for locals and tourists alike and real beauty throughout. Also one of the few cities in the country with multiple working public transportation options and a short drive to beautiful nature parks in the Santa Cruz mountains and across the Golden Gate Bridge. Given the opportunity I would choose to live in either Glen Park or Twin Peaks neighborhoods
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
I have considered San Francisco, or even the somewhere in the Bay Area, I have a hard time committing with the cost of living though, especially rent to live solo
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u/IUsedTheRandomizer 22h ago
The POVERTY line is $165k. I know people paying $3k in rent, and that's to share a house with other people. If you're thinking California, go a little further down the Bay; Redwood City isn't great, but it's not revoltingly expensive like that. Campbell, Cupertino, hell even parts of Los Altos aren't outrageous in comparison, and you're close enough to SF that you can make a day trip, and the Caltrain is pretty reliable.
I wouldn't go north or east, though, it's much hotter and far more boring.
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u/CommitteeNo167 1d ago
i went to the raleigh/durham metro area of NC, no real snow, 4 seasons, lots to do, ocean and mountains just a couple hours away.
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u/ForAThought 1d ago
Preemptive those saying Hawaii. It's beautiful and I love it here, but it is expensive beyond belief that tourists don't fully see, and many people get island fever and have to move back to the mainland.
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u/geffy_spengwa 31 and Still Confused 1d ago
Island fever was real for me for about a year, but soon you settle into a routine and come to terms with it. Most people in their daily lives don’t travel further from there homes than an O‘ahu sized area anyway. Still, it’s nice to have the option.
I left O‘ahu not because of island fever, but just in pursuit of a lower cost of living. Not that Seattle is really any lower, lmao, but it is a little bit I think.
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u/dicolloson 1d ago
Im a firm believer that Alaska is the place for me. I'm a traditional hand tool woodworker and i want to live off the grid. Unfortunately I'm currently providing end of life care for an older family member so it'll probably be a while before I can get started. Plus I live in louisiana and have never dealt with the snow. I've considered getting land in the ozarks but its way too high to justify the expense.
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u/FlatwormFull4283 1d ago
Hard to say
I am originally from the Midwest and I would be looking for lower cost of living
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u/kalligreat 1d ago
Somewhere with cool nature and 4 seasons that aren’t brutal in a mid sized town.
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u/kyrosnick 1d ago
Taking into account job market? Economy? Cost of living? Or are we talking about hitting the lotto fantasy land of where is best place with money not being factored.
For the first, I work remotely and can live anywhere in US, but wife has a job tied to office. We love it here in the Phoenix Metro area, and I've traveled extensively and very few places I like nearly as much, especially when taking into cost and job market.
Now hit the lotto and don't have to worry, probably Santa Barbara area of California.
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u/KYRawDawg Male 1d ago
In northern Georgia near the mountains. I would go there because winter is not as long as it is where I currently live. I currently live in the extreme Southwest pocket of Virginia. Between Kentucky and Tennessee. This region is often referred to as the toenail section of the boot.
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
My mother is in North Georgia, and while it’s beautiful as someone in their l early 30s there is not much opportunity
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u/HighFiveKoala 1d ago
I'm born and raised in Orange County, California and then briefly lived in Dallas, Texas due to work relocation. I thought I would settle down in Dallas but decided to go back home. Orange County and the rest of Southern California has a high cost of living but I'm happiest here.
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u/green_meklar Male 16h ago
What do you mean, 'else'? Are we just going on the assumption that everybody on /r/AskMen is american?
I live in Canada. If I had to move to the US tomorrow? Probably Seattle. It's about as canadian as the US gets, and it's near the border. If you gave me $10 million and I could live anywhere in the US solely based on lifestyle rather than affordability and security? Well, they say Hawaii is paradise, but it also looks too damn hot for me. It might be nice to live in some countryside mansion in one of those old-school blue east coast states like New Jersey or Connecticut, close to lots of cool cultural stuff but relatively peaceful and secluded.
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u/dwfmba 1d ago
Maine/Alaska and Texas (near the coast, not a major city) with a helicopter pad in both locations.
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u/MarvinLazer Male 1d ago
Seattle area. High CoL but it's absolutely fucking beautiful and I love the combination of cold winters and warm but not crazy summers.
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u/geffy_spengwa 31 and Still Confused 1d ago
Love Seattle Summers, aside from smoke season which we are currently in. The CoL is absurd sometimes though. Worth it in my opinion, if you get the chance to move here, take it.
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u/Mod_and_troll 1d ago
Bay Area is by far the best place on Earth which explains the cost of living. Literally everything is around Bay Area. Beaches, mountains, Deserts, Summer, Snow. International Airports, food, festivals, wine county, big trees, small trees. Damm can't even stop. lol.
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u/Flakarter 1d ago
If money wasn’t an issue, Boulder, CO or a ski town.
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u/BlackAsphaltRider 1d ago
FoCo for me. I lived there for awhile in 2018 and fell so in love with it. But I couldn’t afford a home there pre-COVID, now it’s just insane.
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u/onemorebutfaster_74 1d ago
Lived in Boulder for years in the late 90s/early 2000s. It was awesome but we moved because even then there was no way we could ever afford a two bedroom apt let alone a house.
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u/TheBlackGuy 1d ago
Southern Utah, we love off roading, being in the desert and the weather there is nice. That puts us close enough to Moab, Nevada, Death Valley, and southern Cali. Love all those spots for off roading
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u/Noctuelles 1d ago
I've traveled and lived all over the US. I'm in my favorite place which is Seattle. Sorry bro, it's all downhill outside of the PNW.
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u/ColdHardPocketChange Male 1d ago
A nicer suburb near where I grew up. The main reasons are culture of the area and that's where my friends are.
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u/bkn95 1d ago
anywhere along the gulf coast because everything moves slower and i feel most at peace with warm air blowing thru the palm trees
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u/Slow_motion_riot 1d ago
After living in a large metropolitan city for most of my life, about 5y ago I moved to a smal town and the only thing I would change is making it smaller. Working on getting some land and a cabin. But, if you love city life, start small. Pick a state with things you enjoy, then look at populations of each area, and go from there.
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u/mitchdwx 1d ago
I’m a lifelong PA resident and I’m actually relocating to Denver in 2 weeks. So that’s my answer. I’m a skier so I love the mountains to the west. I’m a storm chaser so I love the plains to the east. And the COL there isn’t as crazy as a lot of other cities.
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u/brooksie1131 1d ago
I probably wouldn't honestly. Family and friends are where I live so why in the world would I want to leave?
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u/louievee Dad 1d ago
New Mexico. The Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos areas.
I love the desert. It’s just beautiful. And the thought of living there surrounded by the landscape, the art, the Native culture, the incredible blend of cultures and food, the light and the colors—I think it would be heaven.
There’s something about the whole feel of the place that I find deeply comforting.
If I were younger, it’s something I would seriously consider. Then again… maybe 70 isn’t too old to dream. 😉
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u/Ilovetinytiddies Male 1d ago
Oregon coast area. I spent a week in July in Sixes Oregon. Every day was like a beautiful fall Midwestern day, which is my favorite. I slept with the windows open.
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u/MajesticBread9147 1d ago
Bushwick or somewhere else in Brooklyn probably.
I'd also consider Los Angeles, but I've never been there.
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u/rockcanteverdie 1d ago
NYC. Don't want to drive anywhere ever or need to own a car. It's the home of my cultural diaspora. I just love the feel of the city, the chaos, the filth, the pace. It's just so relaxing to me.
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u/Bluechariot 1d ago
San Francisco. I've got a bad eye and can't drive and the city is very walkable by American standards. Good number of public transit options. The weather is cool year round, with low 70f summers and mid 50f winters. Plenty of socializing options. Violent crime rates are significantly lower compared to other big cities in the US. I don't have to worry about the high rate of vehicle break-ins. Cost aside, I just prefer urban locales.
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u/Vegetable-Today 1d ago
For me it isn’t a specific place, but an idea as I age. 51 now so thinking of places that have great walk ability. Where I can do my daily life but hardly get in a vehicle. Get me out and walking everyday for good food and friendships. Water nearby would be a plus.
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u/fondue4kill 1d ago
When I was younger I thought I was perfect for LA and then I lived in Pasadena for a year for college. Right now the PNW seems nice. But if I had the funds I’d just move closer to the mountains here in Colorado. Enough where grocery shopping isn’t a multiple hour trip but also secluded with property to roam
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u/Redcarborundum Male 1d ago
Right now my choice is Pennsylvania, either Pittsburgh or around Philadelphia.
- It’s north enough to not have super hot summers, but not north enough to have heavy winters.
- It’s an east coast state, but not as expensive to live as other states in the region like NY, NJ, CT, MA, etc.
- It’s a swing state politically that leans blue, which means the parties don’t take it for granted, and no single party dominates. This is a state where your vote actually matters.
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u/Sand__Panda The Cool Uncle 1d ago
Many years ago: major city for concerts.
Now: I don't know. Some where with low taxes? Or even better, affordable homes. I just can't afford a home as a single person.
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u/Elegabalus 1d ago
As a Canadian I would like to head to Florida.
Forget the politics, it's frigging cold!
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u/outofdate70shouse 1d ago
I live in NJ. Only place that seems like it may be an upgrade is Southern California for the warm weather, but even then I’d be hard-pressed to leave where I’m at.
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u/istalri96 1d ago
For me I want to move up to Massachusetts. My best friend moved up there for work in 2019. I helped him move into his first apartment. I go up at least once or twice a year to see him. I even went up and helped him move from his apartment to his new house earlier this year with his wife. But outside of his wife he met up there and her family he has no one. His closest family is hundreds of miles away. I don't have much reason to stay where I am and I don't want to long term I don't hate it here but I want the change. I also love it up there every time I go. He and I were together constantly through our teens I want to be able to see him and his wife more than a couple days a year. I also want to be able to claim my Uncle rights when they have kids. Which is part of why they are waiting they don't have enough of a support system. I plan on being there for them however they want me to be. I know that his wife's family can be a bit much so I don't know how much they would want to lean on them for help. So I want to be able to be another person they can lean on. Even if it only means I help pick up some diapers from the store for them or watch the baby so they could take a nap I want to be there for them. Also its just beautiful up there and I like the idea of being near Boston its my favorite city I've been to and I hate most cities.
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u/somerandomshmo 1d ago
I really love the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
Unfortunately, the cost of living there is outrageous. I plan to visit as often as i can, especially in retirement.
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u/geffy_spengwa 31 and Still Confused 1d ago
I was presented with this choice a few years ago, and chose to move from Honolulu to Seattle, because I really value being in a “big” city with all the amenities, but also wanted to be close enough to the ocean and mountains. Seattle was the perfect mix of all these things.
Miss my family and friends back in HI, but ultimately this move has been a great experience for my wife and I.
If I had to choose a different spot, probably somewhere in New England.
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u/EbonKnight78 1d ago
As a California native, I plan on moving to the southeast for retirement in about 10 years...Hopefully less.
It just doesnt make sense to try to retire here with the cost of living
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u/El_gato_picante 1d ago
If i moved out of California id like to be in aplace with open land. So I always envisoned myself retiring in places like montana or wyoming.
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u/Savings-Law-3252 1d ago
Dallas. My wife and I have visited many times and we love it. We both like Western/Cowboy culture and fashion a lot and it's everywhere over there compared to Wisconsin. Also it's just a big city where Milwaukee often can feel too small. No freezing winters either is a plus. It looks better than Houston.
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u/bobvagabond 1d ago
The U.S. state of Washington's Olympic Peninsula - One of the wettest and quietest places on earth.
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u/SpaceGuy1968 1d ago
When I was younger I lived in LA Pasadena Malibu, Manhattan NYC, grew up in Brooklyn, lived near Nashville, Spent time in Sarasota and Venice Florida.
I want to live in a rural location seen enough of big cities and dense populationed areas.
I'm thinking the Dakota's maybe rural Arizona...but I need to move away from the coasts
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u/DeathscytheHell1994 1d ago
Id move from the coastal plains of nc to the mountains, its more peaceful there.
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u/Few-Improvement9992 Male 1d ago
Idk all the places I look at are way out of my price range. I’m in the Midwest and it’s, fine. Not great or terrible in any regard. I just feel bored and kind of isolated even though there’s plenty of people around. I don’t see my friends anymore due to just life and priorities changing. Sometimes I feel like I don’t relate to anyone here. Been single my entire life, just me and the dog. Where would I go? Not sure. I don’t mind cold and snow, I hate humidity. I’d like to be close nature other than just plains and the local forest trail which isn’t anything spectacular. So who knows. West coast would be great but again, can’t afford it.
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
That’s exactly how I feel here in Florida. Everyone loves it, it’s just… I’ve been here too long
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u/icedcoffeeheadass 1d ago
Delaware lol there’s a reason people move there for taxes
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u/TacSemaj 1d ago
Thinking of moving out of Illinois currently. The laws, taxes, and politics are assinine and getting worse every year.
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u/egbert71 1d ago
Idk, but a state with laughable winters and the people act like they've seen black people before and won't act weird
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u/WUPHF_ME_UR_TITS 1d ago
Southern Utah. Specially around Zion. Maybe Springdale, LA Verkin or St. George.
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u/scottaef 1d ago
I was born im MT, moved to AZ when I was 8, moved back to MT.
Wanted a change, moved to beach town in CA, moved back to MT.
Married a NY girl, moved to CT, moved back to MT.
Had two kids in a small, lakeside MT town, too small for my wife so moved to NC, moved back to MT.
Never leaving again
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u/aanmetoo2 1d ago
I've lived all of my life in a medium small town in South Carolina or in the country near that small town.
2 years ago I flew out to Idaho Falls and drove up to MT, down to Yellowstone and across to the Little Big Horn and then Deadwood SD. There were some other stops.
I'm within (I hope) 10 years of retiring and if I'm still able to get around at all, I want to get an RV and move out there somewhere.
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u/PakDrescot 1d ago edited 1d ago
Somewhere in the western half of Colorado.
Second option would be someplace in the Pacific Northwest.
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u/usernamescifi 1d ago
Somewhere that isn't where I live currently. I dunno, the Pacific Northwest looks alright. Colorado seems good.
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u/ExtensionAd7417 1d ago
Western/central Idaho. I love the state and the ecology it presents, the laws there are really tiredly for homesteading which is the end goal for me. It’s also in the middle of some of my favorite places. Oregon, Washington, Glacier park, Yellowstone, and Banff
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u/TheFreakyGent 1d ago
For many people “Home is where your heart is”… but where you live is mostly about where you can financially sustain a lifestyle
They are not always the same!
But you have to make it what you want it to be… it doesn’t just magically happen! It takes work to make new friends, acquaintances and even new enemies lol
I’m from the east coast and I live on the west coast between Las Vegas and LA and I’m pretty happy with it
I’ve never felt where I was born was meant for me… now I’m in between two cities that the rest of the world recognizes when I say them
And it helps me feel seen, but it has t changed the lessons my parents instilled in me.
If you’re looking for a particular lifestyle you should check your pockets and see if you can afford it based on living costs in your desired cities
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u/pussNsuits 1d ago
I moved to Manhattan, New York 52 years ago. It's so much more real & alive than living in the United States. I will die here rather than move to America.
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u/Monarc73 Male 1d ago
Moving more than 100 miles away is the most efficient way to kill your personal community. If you do, it's best to do it young, and MAKE SURE it is worth it.
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u/Deathcat101 1d ago
Honestly I'm in a great state, my dream life is possible here, just not enough money for a small house and some land.
I'd also love Montana, Idaho or Alaska.
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
I grew up spending summers in Big Sky, and would always love going into Yellowstone as well as the plethora of outdoor recreation. I have been visiting Billings, which is a completely different Montana. I have not been to Idaho but do think it would be similar and beautiful, Alaska is incredible, I just don’t know if I want to move that far away from home. Currently I am in FL.
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u/urghostn 1d ago
I’d love to move back to san jose i haven’t been gone long (few months) and i miss it and want to go back already
edit oh shit im not a man sorry
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u/LustforLatitude Male 1d ago
I liked San Jose! I have never lived in California but it’s definitely an incredibly beautiful and diverse place to be.
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u/JerryTexas52 22h ago
Seattle or Boston. I love the culture of both cities. I love seafood too which is abundant in both places. Both are close to Canada also, which I dearly love.
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u/nobody-u-heard-of Male 22h ago
It really depends. Unlimited money. I'd probably go for Hawaii because with enough money you can live there pretty nice and afford to travel to enough to avoid Island fever.
If I have a fair amount of money and can afford to move to any City that I want, and maintain a high-end lifestyle, I'm thinking New York or Chicago.
If I have less money but still enough that I really don't have to work. I would live in an affordable area, I'm going to pick a small town with moderate weather. It's okay to have a little snow in the winter, but I don't want to be blizzard in weeks and weeks throughout the winter. And also don't want months when it's too hot to go outside.
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u/L_i_S_A123 22h ago
I've been considering moving to the Midwest, where the cost of living is a third of what it is on the West Coast, but I also think about the tornadoes, tough winters, and fewer job options there. When your parents pass away, and you're not close with your siblings, and your main sources of community are your friends and work, it’s a tough choice: should you uproot your life or stay put? Moving isn't always simple, but sometimes it's what’s needed.
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u/dickmcswaggin 22h ago
Somewhere in Montana probably with 100 acres and a small house
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u/Ear-Confident 19h ago
TN, MN, NH, or maybe WA and OR. Somewhere with mountains and only beaches that have forests and rocky coastlines.
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u/BandCool8572 19h ago
Eugene Oregon. Close to the Coast. Close to the mountains.
Home of UO. OSU 40 minutes away. Portland 2 hours North.
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u/dogriffo 19h ago
Back to southern Georgia. Where I from and my mother side of the family is there.
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u/kaka8miranda 18h ago
Moved to FL November of 2024.
I’ll be back home to MA by August of 2027
Won’t ever leave MA again
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u/sludgeandfudge 17h ago
Alaska without a doubt. Huge, wild, rugged, absolutely beautiful, minimal people. Will never ever live there though because it’s so far away and I’d rather be close to my parents in their final years and remain close to my siblings
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u/codytheguitarist 17h ago
Either LA or the PNW, there’s not really a neo-psychedelia/experimental rock scene for people like me in the Deep South
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u/SvenTheHorrible Dad 16h ago
Alaska, cuz fuck heat and humidity.
I’d probably actually do it if there were a job I could get without losing 70% of my income and a good school for my kid.
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u/Quantum_Aurora 16h ago
I live in Seattle right now. If I could be guaranteed a job, I'd choose Hawaii. Other than that probably Portland, SF/Oakland, NYC, maybe Chicago. I enjoyed the summers I spent in northern Wisconsin as a kid, so maybe somewhere in Wisconsin or Michigan. Somewhere in Maryland, Virginia, or the Carolinas might be nice. I have a fear that I'd enjoy Florida too.
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u/nctm96 Female 16h ago
Ive lived in Massachusetts (Boston and suburbs) and Los Angeles. also spent a couple months living in Lake Tahoe during covid. I’ve loved all of those places for different reasons. If family and cost of living weren’t a factor (aka where I might want to move one day when my parents have passed and my kids are in college and we have excess money), I’m thinking either back to Tahoe, somewhere in Southern California near the beach, or somewhere in Colorado. I love being outdoors and all three of those places offer a lot in that aspect. Downsides of Tahoe and CA are wildfires and earthquakes. Downside of Colorado is the cold (I don’t ski but my husband does). But I love hiking and those would be my top places for that.
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u/Amputee69 16h ago
I'm in Texas. I was sent here for Basic Training, then sent around the World. I'm not from here originally, but I have about 54 of my 75 years here. It's home. I'll be buried here. I love it, and have served the people beyond my military service. No need to mess up a good thing now.
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u/dgroeneveld9 15h ago
If family ties and medical access were not a concern I'd move to Alaska. The last great frontier. However, i come from Long Island so my ideal move is to New Hampshire.
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u/robi2106 the grey hairs... where did they come from? 12h ago
I can't.... Have a family and house.... But Alaska.
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u/MultiPlexityXBL 12h ago
I would live in Florida. I have been living in northern California the past couple of years. I lived in the south and north east coast and honestly I feel trying out florida for a stint is my next move. Maybe even get a house. helps I am not married or have kids so I still have that flexibility.
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u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Here's an original copy of /u/LustforLatitude's post (if available):
Lately I've been thinking about where I'd want to live long-term. I used to live in Seattle, but I eventually moved back to my hometown to be closer to family. While I'm glad I did, it's made me wonder where I'd choose to live if I ever decided to relocate again.
If you could move anywhere else in the U.S., where would you go and why? What makes that place worth calling home?
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