I haven’t spent time in all states, but in my experience I’d say Minnesota is your best bet. Historically blue (mostly near the urban centers), weather is cold but near the Twin Cities is not too bad in the winter (relatively speaking, of course), and it’s reasonably priced (at least to someone who’s used to CA prices).
That, or Washington still has some bits that are both close to affordable and not shit holes.
Yeah, spring is, by all accounts, the worst season for weather in MN. I married into an MN family or I would never have given it a second thought, but having spent some time there, it definitely can be a lot of fun (and Minneapolis has one of the most surprisingly good music scenes in the country, if you’re into live music). It’s a true big city, so whether you’re into sports, table-top games, gardening, comics, video games, food, beer, whatever, you can find truly top notch communities for everything, and the people are generally really nice.
Again, I have only lived there for a few months at a time and only around the Twin Cities and in bumfuck nowhere (Brainerd, where my partner’s family has their cabin), so my experience is limited. But it has been positive enough that when we get fed up with our jobs, we frequently start looking at property values and dream about selling our CA house and buying something outright with equity in MN.
I’ve heard great things about Duluth, especially if you’re into folk music, but it’s really cold as fuck. Rochester is just sort of a weird microcosm that’s kinda it’s own thing due to the Mayo Clinic, but I’ve spent some time there since my partner’s brother lives there. Personally, Rochester is my least favorite part of MN to spend time, but at least they vote blue.
Rochester was exactly where I was because I was at Mayo and wow did I hate it there. Almost nothing to do. You’d think they would at least have some stuff for the Mayo staff to entertain themselves with when they’re not working.
Haha, yeah, my BiL and his partner both work at Mayo, and they spend almost zero time in Rochester. They either drive to Minneapolis to do stuff and see his family or they drive to Madison, where his partner’s family lives, and do stuff there.
Frankly, I think they’re pretty over Rochester, too.
Excuse me while I get all nice and comfortable in my Texas high seat.
I’m not bitter toward my ex-wife anymore except that time she made us move to Texas so we could afford a house. She’s gone, house is gone, dogs are dead, kid is grown and gone, I’m still here.
There’s forty-nine other states that aren’t Florida or New York and one or two of them are affordable and nice.
There are 48 states that aren’t Florida or New York…
You’ll have to forgive them, they were educated in Florida.
Oh right, I always forget Missouri doesn’t exist.
I thought it was Wyoming that didn’t exist.
I thought it was New Zealand.
Wait, is New Zealand a state? I’m from Florida.
Wyoming is a myth, but I thought everyone got the memo we were shunning Missouri by pretending they don’t exist until 2030
Then why do both its residents keep a stranglehold on the rest of us?!?
You mean Lesser Colorado?
I don’t know. In my experience, it’s either affordable or nice. Not both.
The subjective definitions of “nice” and “affordable” could definitely cause you to have limited choices.
Nice is subjective, but being able to afford housing, food, booze, meth and heroin is not.
I haven’t spent time in all states, but in my experience I’d say Minnesota is your best bet. Historically blue (mostly near the urban centers), weather is cold but near the Twin Cities is not too bad in the winter (relatively speaking, of course), and it’s reasonably priced (at least to someone who’s used to CA prices).
That, or Washington still has some bits that are both close to affordable and not shit holes.
I was in Minnesota in March. It was not pleasant weatherwise. It was also not in Minneapolis, so there was fuck all to do.
Yeah, spring is, by all accounts, the worst season for weather in MN. I married into an MN family or I would never have given it a second thought, but having spent some time there, it definitely can be a lot of fun (and Minneapolis has one of the most surprisingly good music scenes in the country, if you’re into live music). It’s a true big city, so whether you’re into sports, table-top games, gardening, comics, video games, food, beer, whatever, you can find truly top notch communities for everything, and the people are generally really nice.
Again, I have only lived there for a few months at a time and only around the Twin Cities and in bumfuck nowhere (Brainerd, where my partner’s family has their cabin), so my experience is limited. But it has been positive enough that when we get fed up with our jobs, we frequently start looking at property values and dream about selling our CA house and buying something outright with equity in MN.
I’ve heard great things about Duluth, especially if you’re into folk music, but it’s really cold as fuck. Rochester is just sort of a weird microcosm that’s kinda it’s own thing due to the Mayo Clinic, but I’ve spent some time there since my partner’s brother lives there. Personally, Rochester is my least favorite part of MN to spend time, but at least they vote blue.
Rochester was exactly where I was because I was at Mayo and wow did I hate it there. Almost nothing to do. You’d think they would at least have some stuff for the Mayo staff to entertain themselves with when they’re not working.
Haha, yeah, my BiL and his partner both work at Mayo, and they spend almost zero time in Rochester. They either drive to Minneapolis to do stuff and see his family or they drive to Madison, where his partner’s family lives, and do stuff there.
Frankly, I think they’re pretty over Rochester, too.
What constitutes affordable and what constitutes nice?
Let me put it this way… we were able to afford to buy a house back in 2017 by buying it in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Indiana. Do you call your wife mother?
Excuse me while I get all nice and comfortable in my Texas high seat.
I’m not bitter toward my ex-wife anymore except that time she made us move to Texas so we could afford a house. She’s gone, house is gone, dogs are dead, kid is grown and gone, I’m still here.
Pardner, what you got there is the next big country hit.
Unfortunately, I don’t own a pickup truck and don’t much drink whiskey anymore. My jeans aren’t even starched or pressed.
You’re just adding more verses
It’s like that poster is the opposite of Steve Goodman
Assume I’ve never heard of Terra Haute before and that 30 seconds of Googling lead to very mixed answers
The fact he said Indiana tells you everything you need to know. It’s the capital of “affordable and… yeah that’s all”
You could be in Gary, the houses there are under $10k and you only have a mild risk of being shot.
Yeah but it also smells like Gary, Indiana.
What do you have against the dispersed filthe of Chicago and structure fires?
Trust me, Terre Haute is worse than Gary.
At least you have the professors from Rose Hulman to hang out with. And some pretty old strippers, if my brother’s college stories are true.
They’re all on the east side of town near Rose and we’re on the south side, so unfortunately I don’t get to hang out with them.
Wouldn’t know about the strippers. I’m not even sure where any strip clubs are. I assume there are at least one or two.