If You Could Live Anywhere in the U.S., Where Would It Be?

Updated on September 28, 2010
M.G. asks from Flower Mound, TX
16 answers

My husband might be able to work from home, which means we would be able to live anywhere we want. We live in Texas now, but used to live in Florida (Orlando and S. Florida). We really miss Orlando and would love to live there again. However, the Texas summers (we are in Dallas) are so hot and awful, that the Florida summers are almost as bad. Sometimes I think it would be so nice to live in some woodsy-type rural (not too rural, but would have a rural feel and be close to everything) - maybe in Georgia or North Carolina? I would want it to be a reasonable road trip to Orlando (no more than 8 hours, preferable less than that). It would be nice to have nice summers somewhere, instead of disgustingly hot summers. We have three small children, so we would need to live in an excellent school district and live somewhere that is very family friendly and has town activities for kids. I am wondering if any of you live in a nice, kid friendly, woodsy town in Georgia, North Carolina, or even South Carolina in an excellent school district that have affordable homes. Thank you!

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A.S.

answers from Detroit on

Anywhere there isn't cold weather for 6+ months. You get really sick of snow after Christmas time... Especially in Michigan. Then when it does finally start to get a little warmer (better than 50 degrees - usually in April), every road everywhere has massive construction.

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C.1.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would love to move to Ashville, NC. It has the perfect weather year round and is one of those quaint little towns that is so cute. Also a few years ago, one of those shows like Dateline or 20/20 did a segment on the best towns in America and Ashville was #1.

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P.W.

answers from Dallas on

if it's weather you desire. Southern California hands down.

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S.H.

answers from Huntsville on

I grew up in Scottsboro, Alabama. It's a somewhat small city with an excellent school system. It is about 10 hours from Orlando, according to Google Maps.

Guntersville, AL, is also a good area. Madison, AL, is good too, though a larger city (not as large as Huntsville next door). Madison has a great school system as well. We are in the process of trying to move there from Huntsville so that our daughter can go to school there. (Don't put your kids in Huntsville school system......)

There are other good places around the North Alabama area. I love it here :)

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M.!.

answers from Columbus on

I am originally from California but throughout life have moved to Ohio, Pennyslvania, Maryland and New Mexico. My husband is originally from PA. I would say Ohio is our happy medium. Maryland and Cali were too busy for my husband's small town background and PA and NM were too small town for myself. We are very happy in Ohio. We get all 4 seasons and close enough to travel to an ocean if we so desire.

Good luck with your decision.

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M.W.

answers from Boise on

I love the South - Kentucky, Tennesee, Alabama. The humidity and heat in the summer are pretty bad, but I still love it there.

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L.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I am a native Californian and really appreciate that I get to live here. I now live on the central coast of California. The mortgage is insane but my morning commute is the coast highway and my kids are growing up doing all kinds of healthy outdoor activities. San Francisco, Tahoe and Yosemite! My husband is from Michigan and lived in New York for a long time....but this is his home now too.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I've always dreamed of retiring in the Carolinas--change of seasons but not too extreme.

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A.F.

answers from St. Cloud on

I have lived in Minnesota and Hawaii and I have spent long periods of time in several countries and been to almost every state in the US.

My choice for living in the US would be......Evergreen (or surrounding area) Colorado, OR, Seattle, WA.

My choice for anywhere in the world..... anywhere in Asia. What an amazing continent! Top picks would be Thailand or South Korea, though.

Sorry! I just read the part about the South! I got carried away with wishing! :) I love the South!

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L.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

WOW! You are so fortunate!!!! I'm very envious of you!

In the list you have given I would choose No. Carolina definitely. We have a lot of family there. Love it there!

Good luck!

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M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

I agree with the PP about California. I'd move back to the Bay Area in a heartbeat if we could afford it. Awesome weather.

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

I agree thew heat is terrible..and there are not many seasons.. we have Summer 1 month of cold and then warm spring that last 3 weeks at the most.. . But I love the people in Austin.. they are more liberal than the rest of the state..

I loved Georgia.. the towns outside of Atlanta (loved Atlanta). The people are so kind and friendly...

Then our daughter moved up to Mass.. to attend College and we LOVE it.They have SEASONS.. . except they have those snowy winters and I do not know anything about snow..

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L.U.

answers from Seattle on

You should come up to the Pacific Northwest. We have pretty mild winters, sometimes we get some snow, our summers are beautiful and mild (70's-80's usually with a week of 90ish) we have tons of trees and lakes for hunting, fishing, swimming. You could live in the city or in the suburbs and still be relatively close to nothing....or city! The seasons are very obvious here, the schools are great (especially in the northend), and for the most part people are pretty friendly.
I grew up in California and while I certainly love it and miss it, I can't imagine living there with my kids. The beaches are beautiful, but there is a lot of pollution, traffic is a nightmare, and in some areas you don't want to go outside after dusk (or even in the daytime!).
I know you were asking about living in the South, but wanted to point out that the Northwest has a lot of what you are looking for too!
L.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

In a small town connected by train to a big city, and within driving distance to the beach for surfing in the summer and the mountains for snowboarding in the winter.

I'm told that's Pennsylvania or Jersey,.... or to jump the pond and move to Northern Italy.

I wouldn't pick the Carolinas... because I've already lived in both (and FL and LA)... and I really despise gators. Shudder. Alligators, crocodiles, and anything else that prevents me from swimming makes my hail no list.

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G.W.

answers from Orlando on

Michelle,

this is so funny that you would ask this question....my family and I used to live right next to you in Corinth (just north of the Lewisville bridge) until late this past June and now we live in Clermont which you may know is just outside of Orlando.....I would give anything to get back to Texas....I honestly feel there is no where better on the earth to live LOL. My husband and I joke that we are on the two year plan - we're gonna stay here for two years so we don't have to pay back the 30k relocation package and then we are hightailing it back to Texas. So, I guess I don't have any advice for you, just wanted to share a giggle that you are exactly where I want to be so bad :-)

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F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

somewhere cooler! I HATE the summers in AZ! Did I say HATE???!!! Good luck with your move...all those states are GREEN and COOLER! :o)

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