Your thougts ideal town

[tecumseh]

I am starting a side business that involves in part helping people select where to live. People who have many, many options. My personal bias is a university town of about 200,000 with decent weather about two hours away from a major city.

But if you could get a good job and live anywhere in the US where would it be?

[jimbonelson]

aberdeen maryland

30 miles from baltimore
60 miles from dc
90 miles from piladelphia
170 miles from ny
150 miles from the ocean

[rthomas]

Except for the fact that UNC resides there, Chapel Hill. Especially if you are trying to sell advice on where to live.

[dkbaseball]

I just moved to Reno for exactly the criteria you mention, tecumseh, along with the Sierras and Lake Tahoe. The dry climate and abundant sunshine of the west are a big factor with me. I've lived all over the country, and found the human climate most agreeable in Bloomington, Indiana. But that was 25 years ago, and homogenization of the American personality has proceeded apace, so I doubt things would be any different there now from anyplace else. I'd move to England if I could, where the human climate just seems so incredibly agreeable to me. If I had to stay in North America, and could go anywhere, Vancouver would be the choice.

[Exiled_Devil]

I have always considered myself an ocean person. Ocean and Mountain were opposites in personal choices, with notable locales that have both readily available (Hawaii, parts of Cal).

Recently I realized that I have always lived in heavily forested areas. This realization was when I went to Columbus, Ohio and felt that something was wrong. It took me some time to realize that there were just too few trees around. Sure they had some trees, but no woods. No acres of trees to wander through. I have noticed this elsewhere as well. Someone pointed out to me that people feel this is natural and comforting. I have no idea why.

The significant question that I would advise you to check with people: Rank the following in preference - ocean, mountain, forest, plains. This question can help you narrow down your selections in a way that people may not have considered.

To answer your question, my choices would be the following:

Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii.
Mebane, NC (I have land there, so I am getting excited about it)
Charleston, SC
Narragansett, RI
Mokowao, Maui, HI

Exiled

[hurleyfor3]

[captmojo]

Hurley, that looks great. So, of course now you must reveal the location.

[TillyGalore]

hurleyfor3, would that be a town in New England?

There is a part of me that longs to live in a small town outside Burlington, Vermont. Then I recall the ugly springs they have, preceded by the long cold winters.

[tombrady]

hurleyfor3, would that be a town in New England?

There is a part of me that longs to live in a small town outside Burlington, Vermont. Then I recall the ugly springs they have, preceded by the long cold winters.

I grew up there.

a) Burlington is a small town (30,000). But I get what you are saying -- one of the really small ones around it.

b) The springs are beautiful -- there's nothing like walking out your front door to a beautiful 50 degree day with the sun shining after the long winter. The winters are tough, but theres tons of stuff to do with it -- the snow is great for skiing/boarding/hiking/sledding etc.

[Lavabe]

My personal bias is a university town of about 200,000 with decent weather about two hours away from a major city.

I share your bias, especially in the Boston, Minneapolis, northwestern New Jersey, NY State, or Seattle areas.

I want a town without a long commute... and having an assortment of participation and spectator sports would be nice.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[hurleyfor3]

It's Highlands, N.C.

[devildeac]

Lavabe-sounds like that leaves out Hanover(too small), Buffalo(200+ inches snow and 6 months of winter, Minnesota(see Buffalo), and any major city in California. Your only really good choice then is (drum roll please)-Greensboro

[TillyGalore]

It's Highlands, N.C.

Really! Are you from Highlands?

[phaedrus]

I am starting a side business that involves in part helping people select where to live. People who have many, many options. My personal bias is a university town of about 200,000 with decent weather about two hours away from a major city.

But if you could get a good job and live anywhere in the US where would it be?

madison, wisconsin. population, 210,000. distance to chicago: 138 miles. university town: epitomized. something like that?

[hurleyfor3]

Really! Are you from Highlands?

No. I do try make it down to WNC a couple times a year, however.

[mapei]

Does it have to be in the US?

I would live in County Galway in a heartbeat - either Galway City or Clifden. I am also very fond of Dijon, which should be as famous for its nearby wonderful cycling as it is for its moutarde and vin.

I grew up in WNC, and would like it much more if not for the high school memories.

[dkbaseball]

madison, wisconsin. population, 210,000. distance to chicago: 138 miles. university town: epitomized. something like that?

All true, but just a dreadful climate. Seven month winters and five month summers, no discernible springs or falls. The snow that falls in late November is still there in late March (so cold it never melts) grimy and black. Happiness was seeing Madison and the tundra in the rear view mirror this past February.

[Lavabe]

Lavabe-sounds like that leaves out Hanover(too small), Buffalo(200+ inches snow and 6 months of winter, Minnesota(see Buffalo), and any major city in California. Your only really good choice then is (drum roll please)-Greensboro

It also leaves Boston in the running.

But that reminds me ... the ideal town must have a good brewery with a fine selection of hand-crafted brown ales, porters, stouts, and specialty seasonal brews.

Northeastern PA might work, but I think you'll agree with me when I say...

HELLO BROOKLYN!!

Cheers,
Lavabe

[phaedrus]

All true, but just a dreadful climate. Seven month winters and five month summers, no discernible springs or falls. The snow that falls in late November is still there in late March (so cold it never melts) grimy and black. Happiness was seeing Madison and the tundra in the rear view mirror this past February.

you must come from a place farther south. i grew up in canada, so i probably see things a little differently from you (i wish the snow actually stayed from november until march - it sure didn't last year - then i could snowmobile). i definitely feel like the fall is more discernible than in durham, where the seasons are basically "hot as hell" followed by 3 months of "cold and raining".

oh, and there's nary a mid-sized city that loves its beer (especially microbrews) like madison.

[tecumseh]

It could be a smaller town some towns that are listed as 50,000 have a "greater metropolitan area" of much larger. Madison is an interesting town, Columbia Missouri is a similar town state capital and state university there. I think 30 minutes to a major city is too close you need some distance to build the local community.

There are quite a few 50,000 or more in the county with a 4 year college kind of towns out there.