Live in/Visit 1 of these top 15 US Cities?

[z1ggy]

I'm looking to hear first hand accounts from anybody here who lives in or has visited any of the cities I'll list below. I'm on the job hunt and potentially looking to just start my life over somewhere new.

Some things I'd *like* to have:
-Active Ice Hockey following, ie pro team close by & plenty of rinks to go play at
-Minimal snowfall
-Good public transport system (easy subway/train access, many taxis, etc)
-Some kind of large body of water within a 60 minute drive
- Pro Gun rights. Ability to carry a plus. Ability to purchase and own scary "assault rifles" (Least important thing in this list though)

I'm assuming all of these places are plentiful with educated people, pretty women and a good nightlife. They wouldn't make the list if they didn't.

I'm also open to other cities not on this list, too. Lastly, I know based on my wants here that it eliminates or at least puts many of these cities on the "no go" list.

1. Des Moines, Iowa
2. Raleigh, N. Carolina
3. Omaha, Nebraska
4. Salt Lake City, Utah
5. Madison, WI
6. Boise City, Idaho
7. Provo, Utah
8. Austin, Texas
9. Denver, Colorado
10. Minneapolis, Minnesota
11. San Jose, Cali
12. Fairfield, Connecticut
13. Seattle, Washington
14. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
15. San Fran, Cali

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emeg45lfld/introduction-14/

Edit: Other cities I'm considering but not on this list:
-San Diego
-Boston
-Chicago
-Nashville
-Houston
-Atlanta
-Phoenix
-Charleston

 

[jlee]

Might as well strike every California city from the list due to guns. CT and MA aren't very gun-friendly either.

I love Phoenix, but I'm not sure if lakes are large enough to be a 'large body of water.' Denver is pretty cool too.

 

[gururu2]

Madison, WI (6 years)- College town (40k+ students). Its on an isthmus between two huge lakes (great for fishing and watersports). Very liberal city with good tech industry, education and recreation. Its a college town though. Some of the best college teams in the country with a good honest following. Great in my 20s, but I couldn't settle down there.

San Diego, CA- Can fit any budget with great work opportunities in any field. Lots of great living areas and recreation for all ages. Some of the most diverse food options in the country. The beach is within 45 minutes of pretty much all areas of the county. The beaches/beach towns are the best in the country.

 

[z1ggy]

Might as well strike every California city from the list due to guns. CT and MA aren't very gun-friendly either.

I love Phoenix, but I'm not sure if lakes are large enough to be a 'large body of water.' Denver is pretty cool too.

Lakes count. In fact I'd prefer lakes over ocean because boating and fishing is just more enjoyable there (for me).

CT is out of the picture, 100%. I currently live in CT, so... the point is to leave.

Madison, WI (6 years)- College town (40k+ students). Its on an isthmus between two huge lakes (great for fishing and watersports). Very liberal city with good tech industry, education and recreation. Its a college town though. Some of the best college teams in the country with a good honest following. Great in my 20s, but I couldn't settle down there.

San Diego, CA- Can fit any budget with great work opportunities in any field. Lots of great living areas and recreation for all ages. Some of the most diverse food options in the country. The beach is within 45 minutes of pretty much all areas of the county. The beaches/beach towns are the best in the country.

Noted. I'm about to be 28 and I really don't want to be surrounded by college aged people in bars, parks, etc.

And a side note to anybody... Is there a way in this forum to code in Check Marks? I'd like to try and put a check next to a city based on those wants to see if maybe I can get some sort of visual on which cities I'd want to try and focus on the most.

 

[Xonim]

Minneapolis & surrounding area has hockey (MN Wild, Gophers) and plenty of rinks to play at. The public transport is pretty good (Light Rail being expanded, also, buses). Lake Minnetonka is huge and in the western suburbs. Lots of good parks. They do allow conceal & carry if you have a permit, but I can't speak to the other part of that.

There's just that pesky snow. And the fact that it's colder on average in Dec/Jan/Feb than Anchorage, AK.

 

[z1ggy]

Minneapolis & surrounding area has hockey (MN Wild, Gophers) and plenty of rinks to play at. The public transport is pretty good (Light Rail being expanded, also, buses). Lake Minnetonka is huge and in the western suburbs. Lots of good parks. They do allow conceal & carry if you have a permit, but I can't speak to the other part of that.

There's just that pesky snow. And the fact that it's colder on average in Dec/Jan/Feb than Anchorage, AK.

This is a contentious item for me. I lived in the North East my whole life and went to school up near Canada. It was snowy and cold as shit from like October to April. Part of me wants to get away from that and never come back... But part of me says meh, I'm so used to it, what's the difference, especially if the city handles snow very well. Plus it means hockey will be abundant, which is probably my #1 thing. I'd probably say if a city had absolutely no access to ice rinks for recreational play, I would not move there, period. I can get over not having any pro or D1 college teams, though.

 

[BAMAVOO]

Some things I'd *like* to have:
-Active Ice Hockey following, ie pro team close by & plenty of rinks to go play at
-Minimal snowfall
-Good public transport system
-Some kind of large body of water within a 60 minute drive
- Pro Gun rights. Ability to carry a plus. Ability to purchase and own scary "assault rifles"


Nashville is your place.

Predators
Snow fall normally minimal. Some years can be bad.
Buses and taxis are best public transport
Lots of lakes and rivers nearby.
Carry permits and AR's allowed.

I heard yesterday that 93 people a day are moving to Nashville.

 

[z1ggy]

Some things I'd *like* to have:
-Active Ice Hockey following, ie pro team close by & plenty of rinks to go play at
-Minimal snowfall
-Good public transport system
-Some kind of large body of water within a 60 minute drive
- Pro Gun rights. Ability to carry a plus. Ability to purchase and own scary "assault rifles"


Nashville is your place.

Predators
Snow fall normally minimal. Some years can be bad.
Buses and taxis are best public transport
Lots of lakes and rivers nearby.
Carry permits and AR's allowed.

I heard yesterday that 93 people a day are moving to Nashville.

Buddy of mine went there recently. He was like, "Yeah... I'm going to do everything in my power to move there someday soon. It was awesome."

Wonder why it's not on any of the top 10/15 lists online though? I hear only good things usually.

 

[Deeko]

Take Seattle off of your list. Definitely no ice hockey following, mediocre to poor public transit, while the state of Washington allows for some gun rights you might not expect, the super liberal city of Seattle definitely eschews it. Also, it's a tech town, definitely way more dudes, so scratch your assumption of "lots of pretty women" off your list.

 

[Ken g6]

I went to Nashville several years back. It was pretty nice. Didn't notice any public transport system, though.

Reasons why I wouldn't move there:
- Allergies kicked my ass. In late November. (Leaves were still on the trees.)
- It's "music city", which includes all kinds of music, but country is a strong presence there, and I hate the usual off-key country music.
- Edit: Oh, and they had a tornado while I was there.

 

[ultimatebob]

Might as well strike every California city from the list due to guns. CT and MA aren't very gun-friendly either.

I love Phoenix, but I'm not sure if lakes are large enough to be a 'large body of water.' Denver is pretty cool too.

New York is pretty gun hostile as well.

 

[Spineshank]

I like Raleigh, was looking there myself before I took a job in Charlotte.

 

[glenn1]

I'm looking to hear first hand accounts from anybody here who lives in or has visited any of the cities I'll list below. I'm on the job hunt and potentially looking to just start my life over somewhere new.

Some things I'd *like* to have:
-Active Ice Hockey following, ie pro team close by & plenty of rinks to go play at
-Minimal snowfall
-Good public transport system
-Some kind of large body of water within a 60 minute drive
- Pro Gun rights. Ability to carry a plus. Ability to purchase and own scary "assault rifles"

I'm assuming all of these places are plentiful with educated people, pretty women and a good nightlife. They wouldn't make the list if they didn't.

How about Tampa? That seems to tick most of your boxes, at least more of them than Raleigh which would probably be next best.

 

[Worthington]

Represent Charlotte! Ha. Actually you should consider that as well OP. It's got almost all you want Sadly no Pro Hockey team but we do have a minor league team (The Checkers).

Besides that, I'd go with Austin. Half the cities you mention (Des Moines, Omaha, Madision, etc) get serious snowfall.

 

[JM Aggie08]

I was just in Seattle a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved it.

Austin is fairly overrated, IMO. Great place to visit, but way overcrowded. It's like the Portland of Texas, as far as demographics go as well.

I've lived in the Houston area for going on 4 years now, and love it.

 

[z1ggy]

Take Seattle off of your list. Definitely no ice hockey following, mediocre to poor public transit, while the state of Washington allows for some gun rights you might not expect, the super liberal city of Seattle definitely eschews it. Also, it's a tech town, definitely way more dudes, so scratch your assumption of "lots of pretty women" off your list.

Agreed, I'd probably never move there, but I'm taking in the full picture before I start crossing cities off. But yeah, safe assumption that that one is gone.

New York is pretty gun hostile as well.

Yup, NYC is probably out, although out of all my wants, the gun one is least of worry. NYC does obviously have everything else though. It will also pay me the most and I'd more than likely live close by in NJ and commute in for work/play.

 

[z1ggy]

How about Tampa? That seems to tick most of your boxes, at least more of them than Raleigh which would probably be next best.

Why is it better than Raleigh in your opinion? Makes sense that it ticks the boxes, but is there anything in particular that makes it superior?

Represent Charlotte! Ha. Actually you should consider that as well OP. It's got almost all you want Sadly no Pro Hockey team but we do have a minor league team (The Checkers).

Besides that, I'd go with Austin. Half the cities you mention (Des Moines, Omaha, Madision, etc) get serious snowfall.

How about actual rinks for us mere mortal hockey players? Having pro teams around is awesome, but I'd absolutely be okay with no pro teams as long as there were at least 2 rinks within a reasonable driving distance.

I was just in Seattle a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved it.

Austin is fairly overrated, IMO. Great place to visit, but way overcrowded. It's like the Portland of Texas, as far as demographics go as well.

I've lived in the Houston area for going on 4 years now, and love it.

Could you give some background on yourself? Why did you like Seattle so much? What about overcrowding bugs you? Most big cities are "crowded", no? That's kind of the point.

 

[Deeko]

I was just in Seattle a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved it.

Most people love Seattle when they visit. It's the kind of place that slowly drains away at your soul the longer you're there, until you're a sad, grungy, wet human being.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'm not a fan of Florida, but I've been to Tampa a few times and really liked it. They have several pro teams, the downtown area is modern and clean, and there are a ton of cool things to do in Tampa and the surrounding area.

I've been to Omaha a few times (many years ago) and thought it was boring and dull. Personally, if I could move anywhere in the US, it would be the San Francisco Bay area and in fact, I nearly did move there several years ago. The problem I have with it is the cost of living - it is important for me to have a nice house and that wouldn't likely be feasible for me there.

Also, I'm not sure why you have Boston and Chicago on your list given their snowfall and weather.

 

[dullard]

Omaha, NE has nearly zero unemployment, low cost of living, high wages in comparison to the cost of living, and a good restaurant scene. But, it doesn't do so well on your list.

* There is a college ice hockey team, but I've never heard of anyone who cares about it. There are several rinks in town though.
* There is snowfall. Probably 4 days a year the snowfall is enough to be troublesome (accumulates and stays on roads for multiple days, there is terrible snow clearing here). We get a lot of flurries though that never accumulate to much.
* There is a bus system, but is isn't good. You must have a car here.
* There is the Missouri river on the eastern side of town and the Platte river south of town, but no really good lakes.
* Nebraska being one of the most Republican states is pro gun rights, but I honestly can't say that I know anything about assault rifles.
* Women are just fine here, but Lincoln 50 miles away is the college town with the better selection.
* Nightlife downtown is good, but the rest of the city is pretty sleepy.

 

[Rage187]

Charleston SC for 30+ years.

we have everything you are looking for except subway/trains. We do have city buses, and it is easy to live on the CARTA route and get around. But, just get a car. They are cheap here and no rust to deal with.

Good place to go if you are in the software development field, you can have a job overnight as we are in the middle of a huge tech boom. aka Silicon Harbor

Manufacturing is booming too. We have Boeing's Dreamliner plant, Sprinter makes their vans here, and Volvo is building a huge car plant here.

In the medical field? MUSC is one of if not the top children's hospital in the nation. Plus, we have the VA and Roper.

Housing is still reasonable if you buy now. $300,000 gets you a 2500sqft home, new construction with a ton of upgrades. But prices are rising because NY people and OH people are moving here in droves.

Gun rights? Shit son, the civil war started here. There are guns everywhere and we have open carry, castle doctrine, etc, etc. Shoot a bitch for stepping on your lawn and you'll be hailed as a hero.

The only thing, and I do mean the only thing I despise is the traffic. Luckily, most tech jobs let you work from home a good bit.

We are also voted best city in the country, sometimes the world, multiple years in a row.

We also have been voted the most beautiful women in the country.

We have hockey.

And, best of all, Bill Murray runs this town. It's not will you run into him, it's when he will run into you and make your life cool.

 

[mnewsham]

Suburb of Maryland or Northern Virgina just outside of Washington DC would hit all of those points. Northern Virginia would be more likely if you're set on the loose gun restrictions which virginia has but maryland and DC do not. Washington DC itself is too expensive.

 

[z1ggy]

I'm not a fan of Florida, but I've been to Tampa a few times and really liked it. They have several pro teams, the downtown area is modern and clean, and there are a ton of cool things to do in Tampa and the surrounding area.

I've been to Omaha a few times (many years ago) and thought it was boring and dull. Personally, if I could move anywhere in the US, it would be the San Francisco Bay area and in fact, I nearly did move there several years ago. The problem I have with it is the cost of living - it is important for me to have a nice house and that wouldn't likely be feasible for me there.

Also, I'm not sure why you have Boston and Chicago on your list given their snowfall and weather.

I didn't include San Fran due to the uber high cost of living, although it sounds like a nice place.

They are on there because I like to gather all the data first, then start eliminating places. Boston is close to where I already currently live, and I could drive home to my family easily. I know a few ppl in Chicago, and they love it. These are just hard data points I'm trying to come up with to try and gauge some kind of interest on my part. There will be lots of little intangibles I'd only ever perceive if I visit. But yes I agree, more than likely I wouldn't end up there because of the insane snow.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

You can certainly scratch Fairfield CT off your list, it meets none of your criteria.

 

[z1ggy]

Charleston SC for 30+ years.

we have everything you are looking for except subway/trains. We do have city buses, and it is easy to live on the CARTA route and get around. But, just get a car. They are cheap here and no rust to deal with.

Good place to go if you are in the software development field, you can have a job overnight as we are in the middle of a huge tech boom. aka Silicon Harbor

Manufacturing is booming too. We have Boeing's Dreamliner plant, Sprinter makes their vans here, and Volvo is building a huge car plant here.

In the medical field? MUSC is one of if not the top children's hospital in the nation. Plus, we have the VA and Roper.

Housing is still reasonable if you buy now. $300,000 gets you a 2500sqft home, new construction with a ton of upgrades. But prices are rising because NY people and OH people are moving here in droves.

Gun rights? Shit son, the civil war started here. There are guns everywhere and we have open carry, castle doctrine, etc, etc. Shoot a bitch for stepping on your lawn and you'll be hailed as a hero.

The only thing, and I do mean the only thing I despise is the traffic. Luckily, most tech jobs let you work from home a good bit.

We are also voted best city in the country, sometimes the world, multiple years in a row.

We also have been voted the most beautiful women in the country.

We have hockey.

And, best of all, Bill Murray runs this town. It's not will you run into him, it's when he will run into you and make your life cool.

I think you win this thread, sir.

What hockey is around though?