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What midsize US city is fun, affordable and not pretentious?

LetsGooo

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I now have the opportunity to live anywhere inside the US due to my job becoming fully remote after the pandemic. I’ve been reading different threads in relocation alley and most seem to only focus on the major US cities like NYC, LA, MIA, ATL. I actually live in one of those cities now and the high cost of living, combined with other pain points unique to major city living have me kind of relieved to make an exit.

I would like to live in a city that appeals to young professionals, is fun, lots of things to do (concerts, cultural events, good dining), but is laid back and not pretentious or flashy (and affordable).

I think my ideal would have been a city like Austin, before the cost of living hike that it’s currently in.

Surely there are up and coming (or already established) midsize cities with a lot of millennial/Gen z appeal. Anyone have any good experiences?
 

UbuTheDog

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I now have the opportunity to live anywhere inside the US due to my job becoming fully remote after the pandemic. I’ve been reading different threads in relocation alley and most seem to only focus on the major US cities like NYC, LA, MIA, ATL. I actually live in one of those cities now and the high cost of living, combined with other pain points unique to major city living have me kind of relieved to make an exit.

I would like to live in a city that appeals to young professionals, is fun, lots of things to do (concerts, cultural events, good dining), but is laid back and not pretentious or flashy (and affordable).

I think my ideal would have been a city like Austin, before the cost of living hike that it’s currently in.

Surely there are up and coming (or already established) midsize cities with a lot of millennial/Gen z appeal. Anyone have any good experiences?

Austin!?

That has to be the most pretentious mid-size city I can think of. :ROFLMAO:
 

SeventeenDayze

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I now have the opportunity to live anywhere inside the US due to my job becoming fully remote after the pandemic. I’ve been reading different threads in relocation alley and most seem to only focus on the major US cities like NYC, LA, MIA, ATL. I actually live in one of those cities now and the high cost of living, combined with other pain points unique to major city living have me kind of relieved to make an exit.

I would like to live in a city that appeals to young professionals, is fun, lots of things to do (concerts, cultural events, good dining), but is laid back and not pretentious or flashy (and affordable).

I think my ideal would have been a city like Austin, before the cost of living hike that it’s currently in.

Surely there are up and coming (or already established) midsize cities with a lot of millennial/Gen z appeal. Anyone have any good experiences?
Austin is not affordable.

If there was a city that fit the criteria you're seeking then everyone would be there.

Good luck anyway.
 

Gullywash

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Minneapolis/St. Paul
Nashville
New Orleans
Salt Lake City (yeah, I know. A friend and her husband considered moving there from St. Louis. They were pretty positive about it.)
 

Nobunaga

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I now have the opportunity to live anywhere inside the US due to my job becoming fully remote after the pandemic. I’ve been reading different threads in relocation alley and most seem to only focus on the major US cities like NYC, LA, MIA, ATL. I actually live in one of those cities now and the high cost of living, combined with other pain points unique to major city living have me kind of relieved to make an exit.

I would like to live in a city that appeals to young professionals, is fun, lots of things to do (concerts, cultural events, good dining), but is laid back and not pretentious or flashy (and affordable).

I think my ideal would have been a city like Austin, before the cost of living hike that it’s currently in.

Surely there are up and coming (or already established) midsize cities with a lot of millennial/Gen z appeal. Anyone have any good experiences?
Frisco & Plano (large suburbs of Dallas) are nice and have lots of things to do: tons of shopping, dining, smaller scale events, good nightlife, etc. You get the quietness of the burbs but there's still plenty to do if you like going out, plus you're right next to Dallas. Depending on where you're coming from, it's affordable in comparison to large metro areas like Austin or LA, but the home prices are going up quickly. Places like Austin, Houston, and San Antonio are just a road trip away, as are scenic areas like the hill country and Palo Duro canyon. You're about 8 hours from NOLA which is a great weekend trip with friends. Overall, DFW is solid.

Charleston, Seattle (pricey though), Phoenix, Denver, Houston
 

LetsGooo

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Austin!?

That has to be the most pretentious mid-size city I can think of. :ROFLMAO:
Oh, I didn’t realize that. I thought that it was a quirky, laid back, southern, outdoorsy place with lots of good live music + TexMex and barbecue.

That was always the vibe I got from House Hunters anyway. :laughing:
 

kawaii.

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Minneapolis/St. Paul
Nashville
New Orleans
Salt Lake City (yeah, I know. A friend and her husband considered moving there from St. Louis. They were pretty positive about it.)
I am really looking at Nashville. I was this close looking at Memphis but y'all got me together.

I don't know if I can do SLC. It looks pretty, but I am not religious and they may try some thangs lol.
 

kawaii.

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I now have the opportunity to live anywhere inside the US due to my job becoming fully remote after the pandemic. I’ve been reading different threads in relocation alley and most seem to only focus on the major US cities like NYC, LA, MIA, ATL. I actually live in one of those cities now and the high cost of living, combined with other pain points unique to major city living have me kind of relieved to make an exit.

I would like to live in a city that appeals to young professionals, is fun, lots of things to do (concerts, cultural events, good dining), but is laid back and not pretentious or flashy (and affordable).

I think my ideal would have been a city like Austin, before the cost of living hike that it’s currently in.

Surely there are up and coming (or already established) midsize cities with a lot of millennial/Gen z appeal. Anyone have any good experiences?
It is NOT Cleveland, I will tell you that much. The cost of living is OK, I guess, but seriously. I am plotting my exit on the regular (seriously).
 

Sallie Blair

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If you don't care about the mythical tight-knit middle class all black community that so many fonts pine for when they are relocating, I would second the recommendation of Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
 

LetsGooo

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Frisco & Plano (large suburbs of Dallas) are nice and have lots of things to do: tons of shopping, dining, smaller scale events, good nightlife, etc. You get the quietness of the burbs but there's still plenty to do if you like going out, plus you're right next to Dallas. Depending on where you're coming from, it's affordable in comparison to large metro areas like Austin or LA, but the home prices are going up quickly. Places like Austin, Houston, and San Antonio are just a road trip away, as are scenic areas like the hill country and Palo Duro canyon. You're about 8 hours from NOLA which is a great weekend trip with friends. Overall, DFW is solid.

Charleston, Seattle (pricey though), Phoenix, Denver, Houston
Thanks for this, I will check those areas out!! I’ve been keeping my options in the southeast (closer to family), but it’s hard to ignore the fact that Texas may have some of what I’m in search of.

I visited Denver once and LOVED it.
 

LetsGooo

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If you don't care about the mythical tight-knit middle class all black community that so many fonts pine for when they are relocating, I would second the recommendation of Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Thank you! Denver seems to be a popular recommendation.

I hate to say this... it’s not that I don’t want the black utopia, I just realize that those areas are unfortunately so few and far between, it would be very limiting to consider only that.

More realistic is a multicultural blend.
 

LetsGooo

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Raleigh’s energy is so dope.
Tell me more about Raleigh! The triangle is towards the top of my list, but there are not a lot of online resources that speak to the cool factor of Raleigh that I hear about.

I’ve web searched, checked geotags on social... even looked for Raleigh YouTube vlogs... outside of realtors, there’s not a lot of info.
 

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Austin!?

That has to be the most pretentious mid-size city I can think of. :ROFLMAO:
Exactly, I really liked it at first then ran away screaming after a few years, i felt like i was trapped in an indie hipster movie and i'm into alt music, movies, etc.

This was 10 years ago when it was less crowded and there were more black folks in the city, can't imagine how unbearable it is now
 
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You

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Thirding Denver, I really liked it (not a whole lot of black folks that I saw, but I didn't feel out of place as one)

Haven't been there, but Salt Lake City has a good rep. From what I've read about it, yes, there is a large religious aspect (regulations around drinking, things close early, etc.), but it appears that you won't be ostracized if you're not religious. I think it looks like a good fit for people who are maybe a bit older and not looking for a rocking nightlife scene ("fun" is different for us all, so I can't say if you would find it fun)
 

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Thirding Denver, I really liked it (not a whole lot of black folks that I saw, but I didn't feel out of place as one)

Haven't been there, but Salt Lake City has a good rep. From what I've read about it, yes, there is a large religious aspect (regulations around drinking, things close early, etc.), but it appears that you won't be ostracized if you're not religious. I think it looks like a good fit for people who are maybe a bit older and not looking for a rocking nightlife scene ("fun" is different for us all, so I can't say if you would find it fun)

How are the black people in Salt Lake City, I am for the black population moving to the sunbelt.
 

SeventeenDayze

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Exactly, I really like it at first then ran away screaming after a few years, i felt like i was trapped in an indie hipster movie and i'm into alt music, movies, etc.

This was 10 years ago when it was less crowded and there were more black folks in the city, can't imagine how unbearable it is now
East Austin has had aggressive gentrification. They are pushing the blacks out like crazy!
 

SeventeenDayze

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Oh, I didn’t realize that. I thought that it was a quirky, laid back, southern, outdoorsy place with lots of good live music + TexMex and barbecue.

That was always the vibe I got from House Hunters anyway. :laughing:
Austin was "hipster" years ago but things have changed.
 

tt00

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Austin is not affordable.

If there was a city that fit the criteria you're seeking then everyone would be there.

Good luck anyway.

Yep , Austin is expensive . I was looking at apts down in the city near the train and those colleges downtown . It was about 1500 bucks a month and up for a 1 bdrm
 

tt00

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Austin is alright but you need a car to get around if you live away from that transit system.

Also at one point they had band ride sharing in that city and Im not sure if they brought it back. I think they did but be careful if you depend on that.
 

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Thanks for this, I will check those areas out!! I’ve been keeping my options in the southeast (closer to family), but it’s hard to ignore the fact that Texas may have some of what I’m in search of.

I visited Denver once and LOVED it.

I concur Denver is alright especially in the spring and summer. Only thing I dont think I would like is the winter
I have been over there twice. Lots of shopping , hiking parks, and other stuff to do.

It is very yte tho.

Utah been through there once , I dont think I would want to live there. It did not seem like much to do also it is sitting out in the middle of no where in terms of states there is nothing out there to drive to outside of SLC
 

SeventeenDayze

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Yep , Austin is expensive . I was looking at apts down in the city near the train and those colleges downtown . It was about 1500 bucks a month and up for a 1 bdrm
Yeah Austin has changed a lot because of all the gentrification and Silicon Valley type companies moving there.
 

Secrettech25

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Yeah Austin has changed a lot because of all the gentrification and Silicon Valley type companies moving there.
Yep as a black person born and raised in Austin, it used to be a great diverse city --- the east side used to have the most amazing black culture, I remember black art festivals and shows now the white tech people has taken over and the east side is now all rich white people. Austin is trash now honestly. Downtown is nothing but expensive restaurants and bars, condos, and homeless camps.
 

SeventeenDayze

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Yep as a black person born and raised in Austin, it used to be a great diverse city --- the east side used to have the most amazing black culture, I remember black art festivals and shows now the white tech people has taken over and the east side is now all rich white people. Austin is trash now honestly. Downtown is nothing but expensive restaurants and bars, condos, and homeless camps.
The traffic in Austin is terrible. And yeah the East Austin gentrification has been going on for a minute. They are even displacing the white hipsters! The cost of living is getting out of control.
 

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The traffic in Austin is terrible. And yeah the East Austin gentrification has been going on for a minute. They are even displacing the white hipsters! The cost of living is getting out of control.
I remember I used to live in north Austin and be downtown in 10-15 min now that same distance is easily 30-45 min. Imma needs the Cali people to leave like now.
 

SeventeenDayze

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I remember I used to live in north Austin and be downtown in 10-15 min now that same distance is easily 30-45 min. Imma needs the Cali people to leave like now.
Yeah a lot of people from California are moving there and are driving up prices. The same thing is happening in Arizona and Nevada. The mass exodus from California is causing problems in the last few places in the country that were reasonably priced.
 

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Yeah a lot of people from California are moving there and are driving up prices. The same thing is happening in Arizona and Nevada. The mass exodus from California is causing problems in the last few places in the country that were reasonably priced.
Yep AZ is nearly unaffordable now. And for what when there’s literally nothing to do out here. I want to be gone soon though.
 

SeventeenDayze

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Yep AZ is nearly unaffordable now. And for what when there’s literally nothing to do out here. I want to be gone soon though.
Yeah it's my understanding that a lot of people are leaving Los Angeles and going to Vegas, Phoenix and other parts of AZ. California is a mess and people are leaving and messing up other cities with high ass prices!!!
 

Myinsight

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Yeah it's my understanding that a lot of people are leaving Los Angeles and going to Vegas, Phoenix and other parts of AZ. California is a mess and people are leaving and messing up other cities with high ass prices!!!
It’s basically like a state wide gentrification. California needs to get its ish together instead of fleeing to other places. Much like the heavy Chicano populations that fled Cali in the first place. If you move somewhere and you still have the same problems, maybe YOU'RE the problem!
 

SeventeenDayze

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It’s basically like a state wide gentrification. California needs to get its ish together instead of fleeing to other places. Much like the heavy Chicano populations that fled Cali in the first place. If you move somewhere and you still have the same problems, maybe YOU'RE the problem!
The cost of living across the country is getting higher, especially in the major cities. Even the mid-sized cities are getting more expensive. Wages are going backwards too. Some of the salaries that I see on Indeed are pathetic despite requiring education and experience. The whole economy is messed up and the housing prices are out of control.
 

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I really think if Cali got it’s sh!t together and the housing got under control then all of those people would go back which is good because everywhere Cali people go they cause nothing but problems.
 

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I was gonna suggest Hunstville, AL. My cousin lives there and looks like he has a happy life.

I feel like that's one of the last places with affordable housing......there's also Oklahoma where I live, but for fonts that want a mid to large Black population-OK isn't it-at least Tulsa isn't, there may be a bit more Black folks in OKC
 

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