You can buy a bigger house there, find a school where your child may not be shanked (and can be ranked higher in her class -- hey, a benefit!), and still be an hourlong drive from civilization.
But I am literally answering your question; this is what I would do, especially because I grew up there, and my mom still lives there.
I have no idea what type of work you and your husband do or what you are looking for in a city.
The answer for you is largely dependent upon whether the area has jobs in your industries.
We did this. We bought a 3,500 SF house for about $200,000 less than we could have purchased an 1,800 SF condo in south OC.
It is hot as Hades right now, though. I think you've always lived close to the ocean?
Amenity-wise, things are improving. Like a GASTROPUB opened near us and that was very exciting for me. LOL.
I don't know much about schools, but apparently our area is pretty desirable and a lot of families have moved here from OC. There's no way in hell I'd move out here if I had to commute back to the OC. The 15/91 interchange is a bitch.
However, if it requires your H to commute to OC, forget about it. The commute is such a bitch and so draining.
ETA: the commute the other direction is pretty easy (San Diego). Actually, that's something I like about our area. We're an hour 15 from San Diego and OC, an hour and a half from Palm Springs. I feel like we're a leeeeeetle too far from LA, though. I'd like to go out there more but it's usually a 3 and a half hour round trip.
We're also in the IE. Large home for several hundred thousand less than LA or OC. Our school district is great. We're further from San Diego than pantsparty, but can get to LA or OC in about an hour. There's also a regional airport 15 minutes away that is easy to get in and out of. Things have improved drastically over the last 5-7 years with regard to dining and shopping.
We both work in the IE, which makes it worthwhile. MH used to commute into OC and LA, but it was an extremely draining 90-120 minute commute each way.
One downside (for me) is that much of the IE is solidly Trump country. I'm in a purple area that leans blue, but as you head east it becomes solidly red.
Post by revolution on Jun 30, 2017 12:16:52 GMT -5
PA. I'm between 1.5 - 3 hours from Pittsburgh, Philly, Baltimore and DC. And then you can also get to the beach and/or NYC within 4-5 hours. But it is so pretty here - mountains, lakes, farms. MCOL, I'd say.
ETA: Or Arizona, I've only visited but have dreams of moving there.
NorCal (not the Bay Area) is much cheaper than SoCal. But it just depends on what you are looking for. In my particular area we have an active community, there is always stuff going on. And it does help that we have a CSU here. We also have a lot of great outdoor recreation. There is a lake nearby for summer and we are close enough to the mountains that snowboarding is a day trips we are also like 3 hours from everything. Oregon, Tahoe, Reno, SF... can be there in 3 hours. So going somewhere for the day isn't a big issue.
So it depends on what you are looking for beyond COL.
Is this Sacramento?
H and I want to move to the west coast, but I can't figure out a place where we won't be poor. I think we'd love northern CA if we could afford it. We do want to live in a city so that eliminates a lot of the more affordable options.
OP other places I'm currently considering because of COL are Minneapolis (as a bonus, my sister lives there and loves it), Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor/Detroit area MI, or Chicago. I'm from Chicago area originally and after looking at what it would cost to move to LA area or Seattle (our top 2 choices), Chicago seems so cheap. I've actually not been to Pittsburgh yet but the location is great (aside from weather) since you're a short trip from so many big cities and the COL is so good - the average home price is around 140k. No idea about schools though. Anyway I might hate it if I actually went there, so don't take my word for it, but it might be worth looking into?
My sister says that what she loves about Minneapolis is that there is a ton of outdoor rec, the weather is nice in the summer, they get snow but they do a great job of managing it so it's not a big deal, and it's very liberal. It honestly sounds like a wonderful place to live, but I'm hesitant to move somewhere with just as awful weather as we have right now, and still smack in the middle of the country. But at least there are a ton of lakes in MN!
Post by mrs.jacinthe on Jun 30, 2017 12:40:45 GMT -5
We are currently HCOL (NorCal, not Bay area), and while I have no intentions of ever moving EVER, I'd probably consider the smaller cities in Colorado (Boulder, Colorado Springs, etc) if I wanted to move somewhere slightly cheaper. I'd also consider Albuquerque or Santa Fe in New Mexico. I would not move back anywhere on the east coast or the midwest for love nor money, because I do *not* do well in high humidity.
I'm in East TN (Knoxville area) and it's pretty red. COL is good though... and I like our options to get to the beach in 6-7 hours plus have mountains and lakes nearby.
There's a lot I don't like about the politics and if we were given a great opportunity to move, I'd definitely consider it but where we are there is a good chunk of people who are motivated and share our values which helps. I do feel like change is possible here for the better - having a national Lab, a flagship state university and a national park makes the diversity here better than similar areas in the south/TN. Our social circle is mostly transplants to the area both from around the US and the world. So to me it doesn't feel as isolated or insulated as other places I've lived (I grew up in Indiana).
Post by gretchenindisguise on Jun 30, 2017 14:39:20 GMT -5
Thank you guys for the ideas.
The whole of Midwest is not off the list, just a few states. I'm intrigued by the Minneapolis/St Paul and Ann Arbor recommendations. I can see us in those locations I think.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown
I think this is such a tough call to make for someone else.
We are a military family and have lived all over - every single time zone - and have many personal opinions on what is great and what we can't live with.
We both grew up in the DC area (McLean and Falls Church). We have no desire to return - too much traffic and VHCOL. We visit family and friends a lot, but are always happy to leave. I went to college in Philly and I love it there. Better COL and I think it's a super cool city. H hates it though for various reasons and I can't talk him out of it.
We've lived in the Hampton Roads area of VA (Norfolk/VA Beach/Cheseapeake) and like it a lot. Plenty to do, good schools, MCOL, beaches, history. Amtrak goes down there now so it connects to the northeast corridor. We may end up there at some point long term, but the jury is out.
We lived in Kansas City are for awhile and do not like being in the flyover midwest states. We know we'll never live there again.
We lived in Ventura County, CA (Camarillo) for three years and I absolutely LOVED it. It was a good mix of beach, hiking, wine, and plenty of local shopping to get by. Schools were good and I could be in LA in an hour or less. I also loved the quick access to Santa Barbara, Paso, and SLO. I would go back tomorrow if we could. Cost of living was high, but no higher than DC and I thought the quality of life was MUCH higher. Better weather, less traffic, closer to the ocean, etc.
Now we live in Colorado Springs, CO. I can see why people come here because the cost of living is Medium and the schools are good. It is a bit too conservative for me and I pretty much hate the weather so far (especially after living in SoCal for 3 years). We do adore the outdoor stuff and our kids got 16 ski days in this past winter. My husband LOVES it here - he mountain bikes, skis, whitewater rafts, and basically just adores the mountain lifestyle. I miss the beach and the wine of California.
I guess if I've learned anything though after moving so much it is that nothing has to be permanent. I think it's good for perspective to live other places and see what they have to offer and what they lack. My husband can retire in a few years and the jury is still out on where we'll land. I can work pretty much anywhere (I'm a school counselor) but he's an engineer. He was a test pilot for several years so he wants to get a job with Boeing or Lockheed or Grumman doing flight test engineering. Those locations are pretty specific so we may not have a choice after all of these years exploring.
Post by Queen Mamadala on Jun 30, 2017 16:47:56 GMT -5
I'm from SoCal (San Diego), but we'll never be able to move back short of winning the lotto. Lol. We live in Sac, and though it's MCOL, I do miss Atlanta, especially for what we could get living there. Atlanta is probably the only place we'd want to move to. I lived in Sandy Springs, ITP, and loved it.
But H's profession is super saturated in that area.
I live in Raleigh and I like it. Part of the reason I chose here was to register to vote and do work in a state whose overall politics I didn't like though. It was either here or somewhere in VA.
Our current considerations, in no order are:Raleigh, Pittsburgh and Denver. If someone would hire me in any of those, we'd move next week.
Oh no! As a native Atlantan, this makes me sad. In the city and close-in suburbs, I don't think anyone would look twice, honestly. Our neighborhood (and all the ones nearby) are full of all kinds of families - no one bats an eye. Now, the outer suburbs, maybe but even they have improved!
We'd love your adorable family here!
That's very kind of you, but an unwelcoming environment toward interracial couples, is why we had to turn down Georgia Tech in the first place. Luckily, that experiencejust the two of us, before we had babies. It wasn't overt like nasty looks, or comments. It was more subtle like being blocked from advancement once people found out I wasn't white. We're not subjecting the girls to that sort of dynamic. Plus, there seems to be a really clear, still segregated, white Atlanta, and Black Atlanta in terms of social, professional, and charitable circles and networks. So, again, how would that work for us? We still like visiting, because it's a fun place.
Atlanta is definitely still very segregated. It will continue to be until people push boundaries.
Minneapolis. Big enough that there's plenty to do - there's actually more theater per capita there than anywhere in the country but NYC. But MCOL. Worst part is definitely the weather. And obviously nowhere near an ocean. We may have the opportunity to move within the next year, and we prefer MCOL because the salary bump I'd get wouldn't be enough to fully account for the COL in a place like D.C. or SF (although I would move back to D.C. anyway). Random places that will probably rank surprisingly high on our list include Birmingham, Cleveland, and Portland ME.
We have a really good friend in Cleveland, so we've thought of it.
And yes, as I've been poking around, the salary bump (or lack there of) has really surprised me. I'd only take a $7k drop to move to North Carolina.
Although I have no desire to leave NY, if I did ever move, especially if it was specifically LCOL, I would definitely go back to Cleveland. I grew up there so I go back a couple times a year and it's a great city. Housing is very affordable, lots of areas with good schools, good arts scene, don't know if this part is an issue for you, but strong Jewish community, lots of liberal areas. It's also just a 6 hr drive from Chicago, 5 hrs from Toronto, 6 hrs from Philly, and 8 from NYC.
We have a really good friend in Cleveland, so we've thought of it.
And yes, as I've been poking around, the salary bump (or lack there of) has really surprised me. I'd only take a $7k drop to move to North Carolina.
Although I have no desire to leave NY, if I did ever move, especially if it was specifically LCOL, I would definitely go back to Cleveland. I grew up there so I go back a couple times a year and it's a great city. Housing is very affordable, lots of areas with good schools, good arts scene, don't know if this part is an issue for you, but strong Jewish community, lots of liberal areas. It's also just a 6 hr drive from Chicago, 5 hrs from Toronto, 6 hrs from Philly, and 8 from NYC.
Although I have no desire to leave NY, if I did ever move, especially if it was specifically LCOL, I would definitely go back to Cleveland. I grew up there so I go back a couple times a year and it's a great city. Housing is very affordable, lots of areas with good schools, good arts scene, don't know if this part is an issue for you, but strong Jewish community, lots of liberal areas. It's also just a 6 hr drive from Chicago, 5 hrs from Toronto, 6 hrs from Philly, and 8 from NYC.
We lived in Ventura County, CA (Camarillo) for three years and I absolutely LOVED it. It was a good mix of beach, hiking, wine, and plenty of local shopping to get by. Schools were good and I could be in LA in an hour or less. I also loved the quick access to Santa Barbara, Paso, and SLO. I would go back tomorrow if we could. Cost of living was high, but no higher than DC and I thought the quality of life was MUCH higher. Better weather, less traffic, closer to the ocean, etc.
If my husband would ever be convinced (it hasn't worked in 12 years) this is exactly where we would move. I have family there, and it's convenient to so many places we go frequently (not next door, but not a day long drive).
We are currently in Denver and it's well on its way to be HCOL. Natives are also not particularly fond of transplants - and our traffic is worsening by the minute. Not a week goes by where I don't lament that if I wanted to live someplace with awful traffic I'd move back to CA.
If you're interested in the Northeast, what about Rhode Island? It's got some charming parts, has the ocean and is a short distance to all that New England has to offer. I don't live there but a lot of people I know have relocated there from Boston to save money; some still even commute to Boston - it's only 45 mins from Providence to Boston on the train.
It's an hour and 10 from Providence to Boston on the commuter train, which is not that much worse than many Boston to Boston commutes. We just bought a house in a Rhode Island town right over the MA border and relocated (from Boston) because we just could not hang with the COL. We love RI!
We have a ton of friends leaving Denver's rising cost of living for.. Columbus. I've never been there, but apparently it's starting to boom and has a similar lifestyle to Denver.
The burbs of Denver are still decently priced, especially up north. For Denver city center, I'm finding similar pricing here in Redondo, Manhattan, and Huntington for condos.
I saw a home for sale in north Park Hill and the price per square ft was over $700. uh... WTF?
I've heard good things about the food and arts in Columbus.
It always surprises me how many people here who live in Denver but who I haven't met IRL (I think.)
If you're interested in the Northeast, what about Rhode Island? It's got some charming parts, has the ocean and is a short distance to all that New England has to offer. I don't live there but a lot of people I know have relocated there from Boston to save money; some still even commute to Boston - it's only 45 mins from Providence to Boston on the train.
It's an hour and 10 from Providence to Boston on the commuter train, which is not that much worse than many Boston to Boston commutes. We just bought a house in a Rhode Island town right over the MA border and relocated (from Boston) because we just could not hang with the COL. We love RI!
It's an hour and 10 from Providence to Boston on the commuter train, which is not that much worse than many Boston to Boston commutes. We just bought a house in a Rhode Island town right over the MA border and relocated (from Boston) because we just could not hang with the COL. We love RI!
I am impatient so I usually take the Amtrak, lol.
For daily commute Amtrak is crazy $$$$ (not that the MBTA is cheap or anything lol) but I'm always jealous when I see it whizzing by!!
My best friend just moved from Colorado Springs (lived there at least 20 years) to Olympia, wa and she looooooves it. I lived in Colorado for 4 years, I don't think I would go back. I am interested in Washington, but I love summer and hot sunny weather. So who knows.
I am in East Tennessee, as far as cost of living, I think I read somewhere recently that several cities in East Tennessee are lowest in the country. It is pretty here, there is a lot of stuff to do outdoors, we can get to panhandle beaches in about 7 hours, and I have Nashville and Atlanta both within a 2 hour drive. But the politics...... omg at the ignorance around here, it's infuriating. But there are a lot of reasonable progressive people here too. I mean, southerners aren't all bad. You have seen the liberal redneck videos right? Lmao. Plus I figure spreading democrats out in red states is better than us all flocking to blue states. Nashville is pretty cool and we have almost moved there a few times, and may still.
We have a ton of friends leaving Denver's rising cost of living for.. Columbus. I've never been there, but apparently it's starting to boom and has a similar lifestyle to Denver.
The burbs of Denver are still decently priced, especially up north. For Denver city center, I'm finding similar pricing here in Redondo, Manhattan, and Huntington for condos.
I saw a home for sale in north Park Hill and the price per square ft was over $700. uh... WTF?
I've heard good things about the food and arts in Columbus.
It always surprises me how many people here who live in Denver but who I haven't met IRL (I think.)
I saw a 800 sq ft home in old Commerce City 2 Bed 2 Bath under contract for $270. There are no affordable neighborhoods anymore.