Where would I live in each state?
Posted 05-04-2021 at 02:30 PM by General I80
Updated 12-02-2022 at 11:20 PM by General I80 (Changed my mind on a few items; will be editing more)
Updated 12-02-2022 at 11:20 PM by General I80 (Changed my mind on a few items; will be editing more)
I recently answered to this post about where I'd live in each state. Of course I answered, but by my own criteria. The common categories were used, like crime, incomes, and schools, but I also brought in a couple more. Cost was a factor, as was economic growth. A few have been modified, but they are all good places to live, without needing to be that rich. Here are the 50, with street views:
AL: Huntsville Area - The space industry has given Madison County a big boost. Madison is up 23% from 2010 to 2020.
AK: Anchorage - It's one of the only urban parts of Alaska, and southeastern Anchorage is pretty well off.
AZ: Southeastern Phoenix suburbs - Phoenix is booming, and the suburbs like Chandler, Gilbert, and Tempe have fairly good schools, and even better crime.
AR: Benton County - I see why people might not like Arkansas, but just look at the northwest corner. It's cheap, but not ghetto.
CA: I want to mention three because California is a big state. I personally dislike California, but there are still many good cities.
#3: Northwest San Diego County - San Diego is one of the cities in California that people still like and are moving to. The best parts are north of the city, with trains into Downtown.
#2: Walnut Creek / San Ramon - The California exodus is overstated, but not the San Francisco exodus. Many people are moving from the city to the suburbs.
#1: Eastern Sacramento suburbs - Sacramento, like San Diego, is also not too hated, especially compared to California. Roseville, Rocklin, and Folsom are all commutable, and have above average schools. Furthermore, it's not that expensive yet, at least by California standards.
CO: Centennial/Highlands Ranch - Denver is also bringing in many jobs, and Highlands Ranch is a suburb that is growing a lot, without being that expensive.
CT: Fairfield - I'd never commute from Connecticut to New York City, so I chose somewhere near Bridgeport, without being Bridgeport.
DE: Non-Wilmington New Castle County - I don't like Wilmington proper, but some surrounding areas in New Castle County are good, with easy access to work in Wilmington.
FL: Doral - Coral Gables is expensive, so Doral is a cheaper alternative.
GA: Cobb County - Atlanta is growing a lot, and Cobb County is pretty nice. It's best east of Marietta.
HI: Mililani - Cheaper than Laie (runner up), but closer to Honolulu? Not impossible.
ID: Ammon - Meridian was a close #2, but it's more expensive than Ammon. Ammon has more of a small town feel, but with more amenities than a small town due to being very close to Idaho Falls.
IL: Wheaton - Illinois is losing people, but Wheaton is still solid. It's not too expensive, and there is public transit readily available. And don't get me started on the crime.
IN: Carmel - Carmel is very rich, with a median household income over $100,000 a year. But because Indiana is rather business friendly, it doesn't cost too much. Carmel is a good example of the best of both worlds.
IA: Western Des Moines suburbs - Not being too big, Des Moines suburbs offer short commutes, and low costs. Iowa is a good state, so many of these western suburbs are gaining people en masse.
KS: Johnson County - Most of Kansas is very rural, with few amenities and jobs. So I had to choose a Kansas City suburb, like Johnson County. It's very safe, and has a lot of money. The closer to Downtown Kansas City, the wealthier, but more expensive, so there is good all around the county.
KY: Oldham County - While Kentucky has a bad reputation, Oldham County has some of the best schools and highest incomes in both Kentucky and the nation.
LA: New Orleans - New Orleans is one of the fastest gentrifying cities in the United States. Of course you should get in on it, or another gentrifying area. Also of note is that most, if not all public schools in New Orleans are charter schools, which are almost always better than traditional public schools.
ME: Portland - This is one of the most urban parts of Maine, so it has jobs available. It's fairly well educated, with more than 20% of residents (age 25+) holding master's degrees or higher. And the crime is low.
MD: Northern Washington suburbs - Sure it's expensive, but jobs in Washington, DC are very good, so that cost can be covered. More weight can now be put on the great schools and short commutes.
MA: Western Boston suburbs - While expensive, many inner ring suburbs west of Boston are extremely wealthy, like Newton. Public transport is also good.
MI: Grosse Pointe cities - Unlike Oakland County, the Grosse Pointes are rather walkable, but with similar statistics otherwise. It's also fairly close to Downtown Detroit, and not even that expensive.
MN: Southwestern Minneapolis suburbs - Most of the southwest Minneapolis suburbs, like Edina, are way better than Minneapolis proper. It's not too far from downtown, but with amazing schools and low crime, which is ideal.
MS: Madison County - With a bad reputation like that of Mississippi, comes good and cheap suburbs. Like Madison and Ridgeland.
MO: St. Louis County - St. Louis is popularly hated, but the western suburbs aren't. Most aren't too expensive.
MT: Bozeman - Ever since we've decided Bozeman is cool, the free market has made it such. I also like the surrounding nature.
NE: Lincoln - Omaha is also good, but Lincoln has the state capital status, which is in high demand.
NV: Enterprise/Spring Valley - Due to Nevada's libertarian economic policies, people have been moving there a lot. The southern suburbs are the epicenter of that growth. It would be even better if Parler started a tech boom there.
NH: Portsmouth - New Hampshire is also very libertarian economically, which results in very wealthy residents without it being too expensive. Portsmouth is also near Boston, if you need to go there every so often.
NJ: Bernards Township, NJ - Despite being far from Manhattan, it is still livable. There are jobs in Newark, Jersey City, and other business districts that are in New Jersey. This is a suburban part of New Jersey, and it has all that a good suburb needs. Public transportation is good, as well as the low crime.
NM: Los Alamos - 68% of adults aged 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree, and it's still not that expensive. Add on low crime, and that's easily an amazing city to live in.
NY: Forest Hills, Queens, NY - While it is in New York City, it feels more like Nassau County than the popular view of the city. It has the good schools and low crime, but it's very close to Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
NC: Western Raleigh suburbs - Raleigh is also experiencing a lot of growth, and there are safe areas with good schools fairly close to downtown.
ND: Fargo Area - Fargo has a tech scene right now, as seen by Cass County's recent growth. Fargo and West Fargo also have very low crime.
OH: Northern Columbus suburbs - Columbus was spared from a lot of urban decay, but it still has a lot of great suburbs. It's the usual, with low crime and high incomes.
OK: Edmond - Often considered the best of Oklahoma, Edmond has all the good of an upper class city, without the ability to break my bank.
OR: Bend - As people turn their backs on Portland, Bend has become a popular alternative Bend has similar wages and school quality to Portland, along with less crime and homeless people.
PA: Ardmore - Some of Philadelphia's wealthiest and safest suburbs are in the west, especially Ardmore. This suburb is has just as good schools and low crime as other suburbs, but it's considerably less expensive.
RI: Bristol County - It has easy access to both Providence and Fall River, but it's not Providence or Fall River. Bristol and Barrington are considered the safest and richest places in Rhode Island.
SC: Charleston - We have always thought Charleston was cool, but it's getting very popular, so cooler, now.
SD: Southern Sioux Falls - South Dakota may be growing more than the rest of the US, but it's mostly in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. The south side of Sioux Falls is safe, and it's fairly cheap, with a lot of room to grow. Plus, there are a ton of banks in Sioux Falls, so this means good jobs.
TN: Brentwood - Brentwood is zoned to the amazing Williamson County Schools, and it's not too far from Downtown, unlike Franklin.
TX: Due to the size of Texas, a runner up is necessary.
#2: Fort Bend County - Houston, like Dallas, is a growing metro area. However, Houston has better public transportation than Dallas, which is why it's here.
#1: Austin - Austin proper has all the pros of suburban Texas, without tornadoes, and it has shorter commutes.
UT: Lehi - Provo corridor - This area is probably my favorite on the list because it has all the good points I care about. It has a growing tech scene, above average schools, and extremely low crime. On top of that, but it won't break my bank, so this area is a great deal.
VT: Burlington Area - Vermont is not that populated outside of Burlington, so I chose this. Both Burlington and South Burlington have low crime, as well as good paying jobs, particularly involving the nearby college.
VA: Arlington - Like Maryland, jobs in Washington are so good, the cost isn't a huge factor. So I chose Arlington, which is right next to Washington for very short commutes. Along with great schools and high wages, Arlington is great.
WA: Kennewick/Richland - Bend is to the Tri-Cities as Portland is to Seattle. As people get tired of Seattle, they move out here, which is driving up prices here.
WV: Charleston - Charleston is gentrifying right now, likely due to West Virginia's right to work laws and low taxes. Right now, the best parts are south of the Kanawha River.
WI: Madison - Wisconsin is a good state, and people seem to like the Madison area. It's rich, and commutes to Downtown are short.
WY: Laramie - Wyoming is rural, but Laramie isn't. Laramie has better schools and less crime than Cheyenne, and it's not too expensive. Plus, Fort Collins isn't too far away.
BONUS : Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia - It's very rich, and the prices don't matter too much because of all the good jobs nearby. Also has some of the best schools in the city.
All fifty one of those are the places I'd live in each state. I know that my preferences aren't universal, so many people will disagree. Feel free to tell me some other places I might like, based on these. Thank you for reading.
AL: Huntsville Area - The space industry has given Madison County a big boost. Madison is up 23% from 2010 to 2020.
AK: Anchorage - It's one of the only urban parts of Alaska, and southeastern Anchorage is pretty well off.
AZ: Southeastern Phoenix suburbs - Phoenix is booming, and the suburbs like Chandler, Gilbert, and Tempe have fairly good schools, and even better crime.
AR: Benton County - I see why people might not like Arkansas, but just look at the northwest corner. It's cheap, but not ghetto.
CA: I want to mention three because California is a big state. I personally dislike California, but there are still many good cities.
#3: Northwest San Diego County - San Diego is one of the cities in California that people still like and are moving to. The best parts are north of the city, with trains into Downtown.
#2: Walnut Creek / San Ramon - The California exodus is overstated, but not the San Francisco exodus. Many people are moving from the city to the suburbs.
#1: Eastern Sacramento suburbs - Sacramento, like San Diego, is also not too hated, especially compared to California. Roseville, Rocklin, and Folsom are all commutable, and have above average schools. Furthermore, it's not that expensive yet, at least by California standards.
CO: Centennial/Highlands Ranch - Denver is also bringing in many jobs, and Highlands Ranch is a suburb that is growing a lot, without being that expensive.
CT: Fairfield - I'd never commute from Connecticut to New York City, so I chose somewhere near Bridgeport, without being Bridgeport.
DE: Non-Wilmington New Castle County - I don't like Wilmington proper, but some surrounding areas in New Castle County are good, with easy access to work in Wilmington.
FL: Doral - Coral Gables is expensive, so Doral is a cheaper alternative.
GA: Cobb County - Atlanta is growing a lot, and Cobb County is pretty nice. It's best east of Marietta.
HI: Mililani - Cheaper than Laie (runner up), but closer to Honolulu? Not impossible.
ID: Ammon - Meridian was a close #2, but it's more expensive than Ammon. Ammon has more of a small town feel, but with more amenities than a small town due to being very close to Idaho Falls.
IL: Wheaton - Illinois is losing people, but Wheaton is still solid. It's not too expensive, and there is public transit readily available. And don't get me started on the crime.
IN: Carmel - Carmel is very rich, with a median household income over $100,000 a year. But because Indiana is rather business friendly, it doesn't cost too much. Carmel is a good example of the best of both worlds.
IA: Western Des Moines suburbs - Not being too big, Des Moines suburbs offer short commutes, and low costs. Iowa is a good state, so many of these western suburbs are gaining people en masse.
KS: Johnson County - Most of Kansas is very rural, with few amenities and jobs. So I had to choose a Kansas City suburb, like Johnson County. It's very safe, and has a lot of money. The closer to Downtown Kansas City, the wealthier, but more expensive, so there is good all around the county.
KY: Oldham County - While Kentucky has a bad reputation, Oldham County has some of the best schools and highest incomes in both Kentucky and the nation.
LA: New Orleans - New Orleans is one of the fastest gentrifying cities in the United States. Of course you should get in on it, or another gentrifying area. Also of note is that most, if not all public schools in New Orleans are charter schools, which are almost always better than traditional public schools.
ME: Portland - This is one of the most urban parts of Maine, so it has jobs available. It's fairly well educated, with more than 20% of residents (age 25+) holding master's degrees or higher. And the crime is low.
MD: Northern Washington suburbs - Sure it's expensive, but jobs in Washington, DC are very good, so that cost can be covered. More weight can now be put on the great schools and short commutes.
MA: Western Boston suburbs - While expensive, many inner ring suburbs west of Boston are extremely wealthy, like Newton. Public transport is also good.
MI: Grosse Pointe cities - Unlike Oakland County, the Grosse Pointes are rather walkable, but with similar statistics otherwise. It's also fairly close to Downtown Detroit, and not even that expensive.
MN: Southwestern Minneapolis suburbs - Most of the southwest Minneapolis suburbs, like Edina, are way better than Minneapolis proper. It's not too far from downtown, but with amazing schools and low crime, which is ideal.
MS: Madison County - With a bad reputation like that of Mississippi, comes good and cheap suburbs. Like Madison and Ridgeland.
MO: St. Louis County - St. Louis is popularly hated, but the western suburbs aren't. Most aren't too expensive.
MT: Bozeman - Ever since we've decided Bozeman is cool, the free market has made it such. I also like the surrounding nature.
NE: Lincoln - Omaha is also good, but Lincoln has the state capital status, which is in high demand.
NV: Enterprise/Spring Valley - Due to Nevada's libertarian economic policies, people have been moving there a lot. The southern suburbs are the epicenter of that growth. It would be even better if Parler started a tech boom there.
NH: Portsmouth - New Hampshire is also very libertarian economically, which results in very wealthy residents without it being too expensive. Portsmouth is also near Boston, if you need to go there every so often.
NJ: Bernards Township, NJ - Despite being far from Manhattan, it is still livable. There are jobs in Newark, Jersey City, and other business districts that are in New Jersey. This is a suburban part of New Jersey, and it has all that a good suburb needs. Public transportation is good, as well as the low crime.
NM: Los Alamos - 68% of adults aged 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree, and it's still not that expensive. Add on low crime, and that's easily an amazing city to live in.
NY: Forest Hills, Queens, NY - While it is in New York City, it feels more like Nassau County than the popular view of the city. It has the good schools and low crime, but it's very close to Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
NC: Western Raleigh suburbs - Raleigh is also experiencing a lot of growth, and there are safe areas with good schools fairly close to downtown.
ND: Fargo Area - Fargo has a tech scene right now, as seen by Cass County's recent growth. Fargo and West Fargo also have very low crime.
OH: Northern Columbus suburbs - Columbus was spared from a lot of urban decay, but it still has a lot of great suburbs. It's the usual, with low crime and high incomes.
OK: Edmond - Often considered the best of Oklahoma, Edmond has all the good of an upper class city, without the ability to break my bank.
OR: Bend - As people turn their backs on Portland, Bend has become a popular alternative Bend has similar wages and school quality to Portland, along with less crime and homeless people.
PA: Ardmore - Some of Philadelphia's wealthiest and safest suburbs are in the west, especially Ardmore. This suburb is has just as good schools and low crime as other suburbs, but it's considerably less expensive.
RI: Bristol County - It has easy access to both Providence and Fall River, but it's not Providence or Fall River. Bristol and Barrington are considered the safest and richest places in Rhode Island.
SC: Charleston - We have always thought Charleston was cool, but it's getting very popular, so cooler, now.
SD: Southern Sioux Falls - South Dakota may be growing more than the rest of the US, but it's mostly in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. The south side of Sioux Falls is safe, and it's fairly cheap, with a lot of room to grow. Plus, there are a ton of banks in Sioux Falls, so this means good jobs.
TN: Brentwood - Brentwood is zoned to the amazing Williamson County Schools, and it's not too far from Downtown, unlike Franklin.
TX: Due to the size of Texas, a runner up is necessary.
#2: Fort Bend County - Houston, like Dallas, is a growing metro area. However, Houston has better public transportation than Dallas, which is why it's here.
#1: Austin - Austin proper has all the pros of suburban Texas, without tornadoes, and it has shorter commutes.
UT: Lehi - Provo corridor - This area is probably my favorite on the list because it has all the good points I care about. It has a growing tech scene, above average schools, and extremely low crime. On top of that, but it won't break my bank, so this area is a great deal.
VT: Burlington Area - Vermont is not that populated outside of Burlington, so I chose this. Both Burlington and South Burlington have low crime, as well as good paying jobs, particularly involving the nearby college.
VA: Arlington - Like Maryland, jobs in Washington are so good, the cost isn't a huge factor. So I chose Arlington, which is right next to Washington for very short commutes. Along with great schools and high wages, Arlington is great.
WA: Kennewick/Richland - Bend is to the Tri-Cities as Portland is to Seattle. As people get tired of Seattle, they move out here, which is driving up prices here.
WV: Charleston - Charleston is gentrifying right now, likely due to West Virginia's right to work laws and low taxes. Right now, the best parts are south of the Kanawha River.
WI: Madison - Wisconsin is a good state, and people seem to like the Madison area. It's rich, and commutes to Downtown are short.
WY: Laramie - Wyoming is rural, but Laramie isn't. Laramie has better schools and less crime than Cheyenne, and it's not too expensive. Plus, Fort Collins isn't too far away.
BONUS : Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia - It's very rich, and the prices don't matter too much because of all the good jobs nearby. Also has some of the best schools in the city.
All fifty one of those are the places I'd live in each state. I know that my preferences aren't universal, so many people will disagree. Feel free to tell me some other places I might like, based on these. Thank you for reading.
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