If you could live wherever you wanted in the US...

[AaronB]

So lets say that you were self employed with a job that allowed you to work entirely from home. You don't have to commute and the work you do doesn't require any particular services near you. In other words you could live in the middle of nowhere if you wanted to as long as it has UPS/Fed-Ex service.

Unlike some other questions like this, you are constrained by reasonable living costs. Lets say you make $50-70k per year. (before taxes)

Where would you live? Why?

Would you choose Florida for the beaches? Colorado for the mountain views? Would you really want to live in New York city or LA because you prefer the urban life? There are some nice places out there that suddenly become more affordable when you don't have to live close to an employer.

Anyhow, I'm sort of in this position and I am looking for ideas so tell me what you think.

Edit: for the sake of this discussion, disregard family and friends.

 

[ThePresence]

Montana.
I want my closest neighbor to be 15 miles away.
I hate people.

 

[I Saw OJ]

I would say somewhere along the coast of California, but making 50-70k a year probably wouldnt get me a house I would like.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I live in the only place I want to in the US. I could be happy living somewhere else I'm sure but I love it here.

<--San Diego baby!!!

 

[jumpr]

I'd pick Chapel Hill, NC, Madison, WI or Ann Arbor, MI depending on whether I like having a snowy winter or not. There's a lot to like about living in a college town: great bars, good restaurants, smart people, good public transit, reasonable real estate, progressive city government, etc. A lot of it depends on your politics, though - you must be willing to put up with a liberal atmosphere.

 

[Mermaidman]

What kind of work do you do? Would you need broadband? Do you need a good airport?

I would choose Nashville.

 

[3NF]

Madison, WI - good choice

 

[TheCrackedJack]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Montana.
I want my closest neighbor to be 15 miles away.
I hate people.

:thumbsup: We think the same. However, I'd probably choose some rural part of Maine instead. Ohh, or Alaska would work too.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I actually like where I am in the USA: Washington, DC. I live in the District/in the city. I like having everything I need across the street, taking the bus, riding the Metro, walking, etc.

DC is not quite northern or southern. I has four seasons, none of which is too extreme. The city has its parks, feels green at times.

I am only 6.5 hours from Germany by plane. 5 hours from the Bay Area, CA.

 

[PowerEngineer]

I had the chance to act on a somewhat similar question years ago, and decided on the Pacific Northwest. It's still a very nice place to live, and I think worth your consideration. If you would trade more rain (and less sun) for some snow, then look west of the Cascades (otherwise look to the east side).

Another area that I've been thinking about is northern parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

 

[funboy6942]

Where I moved to now. Small quiet old town. My house is 2400 sq ft, on .6 acre and only cost me $49.5K. My taxes on all of this is $624 a year so on almost no income at all I live comfortably and if I had a decent income would live like a king. There are homes in the middle of know where for cheap and then like mine where I have a home to the left, right, and across the street but not a one behind me and because of the farm and property never will.

I was in a situation where job was no biggie but money factor was and this is what I found, I couldn't be happier leaving slum crowded town to live out in the county where people are friendly and wave to you as you pass them by, even though you have no clue who they are, schools are great, and its laid back where the speed limit is speeding and you have but 2 cops in the town. So not used to having a cop get behind me and not pull me over for no reason, up in Chicago and Hammond IN. 99% of the time if a cop pulled behind me, even if I was doing the speed limit, wearing my belt, all lights worked, and I was legal, they pulled me over. Here they get behind you and pull away and Im so not used to it

Anyway my point is look into small town USA. Prices are cheap, people are friendly and happy to have you move in, and its quiet and laid back.

 

[monk3y]

Probably Colorado. I'm a big fan of the outdoors and would love to go hiking every weekend.

 

[Midlander]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I live in the only place I want to in the US. I could be happy living somewhere else I'm sure but I love it here.

<--San Diego baby!!!

San Diego would be my choice, too. Best weather in the continental US. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in Michigan. :beer:

 

[Fingolfin269]

Nashville. No question.

 

[shilala]

I do exactly what you mentioned and I live in the middle of nowhere.
50-75K is not going to get me a beach house in Sarasota, so I guess I'll stay right here.

 

[Squisher]

San Diego, except I'd have to get a restraining order against that JulesMaximus

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Midlander

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I live in the only place I want to in the US. I could be happy living somewhere else I'm sure but I love it here.

<--San Diego baby!!!

San Diego would be my choice, too. Best weather in the continental US. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in Michigan. :beer:

I actually love it in the Bay Area, but maybe I would move a town or two away into the even richer hills =).

San Diego would be my second choice in terms of area movement although I wouldn't mind living in quite a few cities in the Bay Area.

 

[rikadik]

Originally posted by: funboy42
Where I moved to now. Small quiet old town. My house is 2400 sq ft, on .6 acre and only cost me $49.5K. My taxes on all of this is $624 a year so on almost no income at all I live comfortably and if I had a decent income would live like a king. There are homes in the middle of know where for cheap and then like mine where I have a home to the left, right, and across the street but not a one behind me and because of the farm and property never will.

I was in a situation where job was no biggie but money factor was and this is what I found, I couldn't be happier leaving slum crowded town to live out in the county where people are friendly and wave to you as you pass them by, even though you have no clue who they are, schools are great, and its laid back where the speed limit is speeding and you have but 2 cops in the town. So not used to having a cop get behind me and not pull me over for no reason, up in Chicago and Hammond IN. 99% of the time if a cop pulled behind me, even if I was doing the speed limit, wearing my belt, all lights worked, and I was legal, they pulled me over. Here they get behind you and pull away and Im so not used to it

Anyway my point is look into small town USA. Prices are cheap, people are friendly and happy to have you move in, and its quiet and laid back.

Sounds awesome.

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Portland, Oregon

 

[Shawn]

I'd probably stay in Florida. Don't know where else I'd rather be.

 

[chrisms]

Some tiny Hawaiian island.

 

[XZeroII]

Can hermits get high-speed internet?

 

[apex32]

I would live in Virginia

 

[ppdes]

I'm bored of the US. I'd go international for a decade or two.

 

[Bateluer]

PHX, AZ.

Just a warning to those chosing to live in BFE, better check on the broad band service first. I don't think I'd want to go back to dialup.