If you could live anywhere in America, where would you live?
Pretty simple question. I know questions like this come up sometimes, but it's been on my mind. I live in Korea and will probably move back sometime next year. I plan to go to the Rolf Institute (rolf.org), so I will be self-employed and can basically live anywhere as long as I'm somewhat near a population center to get enough clients. It can still be fairly distant though. I've been looking at various places for housing costs and climate data. I'm not posting this for advice really, we all have different preferences (although I may discover an interesting tip or fact or 2), but more as just a discussion for whoever wants to chime in. I probably won't even be moving to wherever I end up for another 2 years. Actually I was planning on moving back after this year, but the pandemic will likely drag on into next year and things could get really bad economically.
My short list is basically Grand Rapids (everything can have metro area in parentheses), Detroit, Flint (where I'm from), Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, Colorado (in or near the mountains), Boise. I don't want to be anywhere too hot, or where I live in a shoebox for 2000 bucks a month (I'll need an extra room for a client, unless I rent a little office space), and mountains are a huge plus. I hike a small mountain near me about once a week, and do bigger hikes fairly regularly. If there was a place in Michigan with mountains I'd be there in a heartbeat. Advantages of Michigan are it's close to my parents, and the climate is perfect for me. The lakes are great and all, and I enjoy them while I'm there, but I'm not a huge water/beach guy. I also don't mind cloudy, gloomy days. Actually I love a cool breezy day with low, fluffy ominous-looking clouds, especially hiking. Also it'd just be nice to contribute to Michigan by living there instead of talking about how I love Michigan while not moving there. That goes doubly so for Flint. Plenty of obvious disadvantages, but also I could buy a freaking house for cheap with plenty of space. I lived in Pittsburgh for 2 years for grad school. Feels like Michigan but with mountains nearby and still not-too-difficult driving distance to visit home. Obviously around the Rockies would be great. The Rolf Institute is in Boulder and rolfers are often liberal, hippy types so there's kind of a saturation of rolfers in the Boulder/Denver area. Burlington, VT and northern New Mexico are also interesting choices. NM is a lot cooler than I thought because of the elevation. Marquette is intriguing, but there aren't many people and I'm not sure about the hiking. Looks like some nice mountains interspersed with lakes and near Lake Superior but it's apparently entirely owned by a private club, which seems insane to me. https://www.michiganradio.org/post/can-you-get-huron-mountain-club-no-here-are-13-things-we-learned-about-it
Based on what you want to do, I'd suggest living somewhere like New Mexico in the mountains. You're more likely to find more people to buy into your services, and it sounds like it would meet more of your leisure activity requirements.
OP indicated that he'd be open to Flint, so, yeah. It's basically Albuquerque, only smaller, more humid, colder, flatter, cloudier, and slightly more violent. But, seriously, there are some parallels. It's the west on a budget.
How's the water there?
August 8th, 2020 at 12:39 AM ^
NM = Flint have no idea why you’d live in either
I own property in Taos and love it. The entire “high road” between Taos and Santa Fe is absolutely gorgeous. Moreover, the culture, history, cuisine, and outdoor activities are hard to beat. I highly recommend it.
Just wanted to say... you are 100% correct on all accounts. Was really surprised at how perfect a place it was and the skiing was awesome.
Hawaii.
Does South Korea have a decent system for paying medical costs? If so, I would seriously consider staying as far away from the clusterfuck that is America.
Talk is cheap
Health care in America is not.
Hawaii would be cool. I'd really like to visit Kauai, and also see some big wave surfing in winter.
People are downvoting you, but it's true. In fact, I probably would have moved back to America like 4 years ago if the health care system wasn't a mess. I've had back problems, slipped disc, and hurt my knee. I got an MRI here for less than 250 bucks. Doctor visits are super cheap. My dad hurt his knee, saw the doctor, had to make an appointment with a specialist for a few weeks later, back to the other doctor a week later to talk about results, and then schedule surgery. When I hurt my knee I went to a hospital on a Saturday without an appointment, got that MRI, talked about it (didn't need surgery), and left all within about 2 hours I'd say.
The University of Pittsburgh medical system was also running a kind of scam where they give you an appointment that's in an emergency care hospital without telling you even though it's a fairly mundane appointment and charge you insane amounts of money for it because it's in that hospital. It was called the Falk Medical Building. I didn't think much of it. I paid 350 bucks for a non-essential 15 minute doctor's visit. Didn't just happen to me. My school (Carnegie Mellon) ended up sending an email out to students to watch out for it because it had happened to a bunch of students. I wasn't even one of the ones who reported it.
Also, in college I once had horrible abdominal pain and blood in my stool and didn't go to a doctor. I could have died. I think about that now and it's pretty eye-opening how people have to make decisions like that because they don't want to have their lives crushed by medical debt.
Since people may take this as a political thing, I'll point out they shouldn't. I have a very conservative British friend (praises Fox News, hates immigrants) who would go nuts if they took away their universal free health care system. It's not perfect, but it's better than what we got.
August 11th, 2020 at 7:49 PM ^
I have a shoulder that my doctor believes to have a torn rotator cuff. This happened 7/15, so four weeks ago. MRI was ordered at the same time as x-rays of my opposite wrist.
First appointment was botched. It was made by a new hire who scheduled it for a time they do not see patients. Found this out when I called the day of the appointment & realized I had not been given a time. So rather than say "Come in at 1p when we start seeing people & we will fit you in ASAP. You have an appointment." He tries scheduling me for 2 weeks later. I bring up that I have been waiting two weeks already & am dealing with pain & a potentially broken wrist. "Sorry." He then gives me the name of the person who made the original appointment & says to call & complain to a supervisor. I tell him to book the appointment, but I will look for one sooner. "You're going to look for a new appointment? So why are you wasting my time?" I cursed, then apologized for cursing. He hung up when I went off for wasting two weeks of my life & trying to waste more. Additional cursing was involved.
Got new appointment for 3 days later with another place (one I have dealt with before, but it's further and I am walking most places with a bad foot.) X-rays yep. Broke my wrist. Knew it. MRI? "Sorry, but it has not been approved yet." This was last Thursday.
It appears the company received all the info at the same time, but copied & pasted to the x-ray. MRI info was blank. Doc resent everything same day.
Today my insurance denied an MRI on a shoulder I can barely move with a potentially torn rotator cuff. They actually suggested I try therapy for a couple months (which will be more expensive) or whatever my doctor can come up with as an alternative therapy. To an injury that you cannot properly detect without the procedure they denied.
I see a specialist tomorrow. With no MRI.
I know how jealous anybody living in one of the other nations that actually considers the health of its people more important than letting their donors make billions off of health insurance. Eat your heart out. You know you wish you could be screwed over and over and feel the pain of the average American.
August 8th, 2020 at 12:48 AM ^
Lived in Hawaii for better part of 3 years. Hard pass. It’s like living in any nice coastal part of the mainland, but 2-3x expensive. Daily living outside of resorts can be pretty horrible. Unemployment. Drugs. Homelessness. But rather than finding it in certain areas of the urban centers you find it pretty much everywhere. And with all it’s problems the US is still the best place to live in the world.
Assssssssspen.
Mmmm California.
I thought the Rockies would be a little rockier than this.
That John Denver is full of shit, man.
August 7th, 2020 at 11:00 PM ^
Rocky Mountain High! Pot is legal in CO, several years before MI.
I don’t know, man, the French are assholes.
August 7th, 2020 at 10:36 PM ^
...where the water flows like wine
Paris
Texas
Shawn Hunter once purchased a train ticket to said city
I love where I live. My back yard is a state park that goes all the way to Lake Michigan. Front yard is on a small lake. Michigan is home for me.
I think Michigan is home for me as well. Unfortunately my industry is pretty much limited to the West Coast and NYC, and I'm not ready yet for a career change. I miss Michigan a lot.
Ditto that “I live currently where I would want to live”. Been in Winston Salem, NC for 16 years. 4 seasons. 1 1/2 hours from the mountains. 3 hours from the beach. 4 equal seasons. Fantastic cost of living. Great schools and Universities. It’s just fantastic.
August 8th, 2020 at 10:11 AM ^
Come on man, I’ve lived in Charlotte for 11 years now and am still amazed at the crushing heat in the summer here (late May until late September) but I will acknowledge the short and relatively mild winters here...Winston is basically the same as CLT. Also love the beach and mountains proximities.
August 8th, 2020 at 10:22 AM ^
I live in Durham, NC and love it here. Before this I lived in San Diego, CA for about 10 years. Durham has a low cost of living, excellent and unique restaurants (when they're open), college town and bordered by two larger cities and college towns (Raleigh and Chapel Hill), urban yet tons of nature, a cool downtown area that has been going through a revival, many well educated and progressive thinking people. OK, no mountains but decent rolling hills. As others have stated we are about 2-1/2 hours from the ocean and 3 to 5-1/2 hours drive to the mountains of Asheville or the Great Smoky Mountains park. Within a short days' drive to Washington, DC, Charleston, SC or Atlanta, GA.
Durham really gives San Diego a run for its money. Two things I miss the most is the SD weather in the winter and being able to drive to Vegas. But I will never miss the property taxes or my mortgage payments. After moving to Durham I was able to join a beautiful private golf country club. I would've never been able to do that in San Diego. Everything is so much more affordable and attainable here.
I moved away from family to pursue an awesome job in my favorite city. (Edit- it's Seattle)
Now I just want to go home :) but I'm sure that's mostly because I can't enjoy the awesome city I live in and have to figure out a way to take care of two kids and teach 1 kid with zero support structure.
At your mom’s house! (Neg away... but you all were thinking it too!)
My serious answer is probably Telluride, CO. I live in SW FL, but if the oceans do ever rise, I think Colorado would be a cool place to live with the seasons and just open space.
Say hi to the gators for me
Colorado is great but cost of living is pretty high and as more people have found out how great it is it’s been getting very crowded
I lived in Telluride for the better part of a decade. It is still the best location in the West IMO. 2 hours from the desert, while the mountains are as lush as it gets. And the hiking, fly fishing and skiing are some of the best I've been around. The Weminuche is as good as it gets.
On the negative side, T-Ride is losing some of its charm as the "secret" has definitely gotten out. When I first started going there, it still had some of its rustic charm. Now not so much. Oh, and Kia named an SUV after the town, so there's that.
Honestly, if I was going to set up in Flint, I wouldn't mind that for like a year. Zero rent, zero bills, plenty of space in my mom's house, wouldn't even need a car because my mom barely drives hers, while building up a customer base. Problem is even though I can live anywhere, if I move I have to start all over again getting clients. No idea how easy that is. Certainly hardest when starting out. The rolfer I see in Ann Arbor thought it was a great idea when I told her about becoming one. There are no rolfers listed in Grand Rapids or Pittsburgh. She's also a licensed physical therapist and recommended against going into that (not great money for the amount of schooling, insurance dictates care).
Many of us, born before 1960 at least, were raised around significant extended family. There were over 50 of us cousins being raised within less than a 15 mile radius of Goshen, in Northern Indiana. Our family was the first to move away from the enclave to Pinckney-in '66. Our parents were certainly our primary care-givers but we were raised by the proverbial village. There is no new thing under the sun.
Islamorada, FL. The sport fishing capital of the world!
I honestly get the appeal of this kind of thing, it’s just not my thing. Boat on the amazing blue open water catching metallic colored fish seems legit. Especially with a cooler full of beer.
The Islander Motel was like my second home...
August 8th, 2020 at 10:28 AM ^
Watched The Game (2018) there at a random bar. Of course there was a buckeye there and of course he moved to sit right beside me for the whole game. What a douche
I’m in Vero Beach, Florida, and I love it here. Quiet, well-kept beach community. Sure, the average age is high, but we go to parks by the ocean with pizza shops and Kilwin’s (of all places), we go boating on the intercoastal river, and we are a 15 min or less drive to multiple beaches and surf spots.
The one secret to Florida living is being in a pool house. Because we have one, finally, we wish for every hot summer day. Those are the best pool days.
I’ll add it’s an awful place to be single and try to meet people. The same locals frequent the same bars, and it can be frustrating when that’s the prospects. Great place to have a family if your social circle is mostly in the home and in family or friends.
If money/employment were no object, Colorado or SE Utah in canyon country.
My first choice in CO would be Georgetown, where I spent my childhood summers back in the '50s and '60s. Second area would be Glenwood Springs area.
As for Utah, Moab or environs.
I'll look those places up, if only to visit. There's so much around northern Arizona, southern Utah, Colorado. I took a road trip from Vegas to Boulder that was way way too short.
I’ll second this. I just got back from backpacking the 4 pass trail outside of Aspen but I came through Glenwood Springs. Can’t get much more picturesque than Glenwood Canyon area. Not too big but plenty to do. Less than 3 hours to Denver for a major airport ...and, did I mention the view?
I was going to say San Diego till I read your OP.
It's only hot maybe 2 months out of the year but hardly any humidity if any, mountains are close, beaches are bitchin', girls are the best of anywhere in the world.
However, it's expensive as fuck and they nickel and dime you on everything here.
After living here for 30 years, we might move within a year, which breaks my heart but it just ain't worth it anymore.
We already have a great place in mind to move to with great weather and way cheaper but I ain't sharing that info, I'll let you know when we move.
I could live in San Diego or LA, but the cost of living is maybe a deal-breaker. I'd love a beach, it's just not a big factor as a place to live for me. I did get into surfing here and wish I had earlier. It's the only thing that makes me want to live near an ocean. I'd recommend people to try it but then they'll just make things more crowded. The crowds get really bad on busy weekends on the east coast in Korea. I've seen people get their faces busted up from boards flying around.
America is broader than just the US. When I retire it won't be here.
However, If we're talking about The States, count me in for the Traverse City area in the summer & New Orleans in the colder months.
I second Taos NM/ Santa Fe. Lived in Taos for a year (Valdez, specifically) and loved it. Other places that combine mountain/ hiking access with Rolf-y clientele would be Asheville NC, Seattle, up-and-coming Chattanooga TN, Bozeman MT, Lake Tahoe or Lake Arrowhead in Cali, and Marin County, north of the Bay. Of course, nothing like home! Michigan is beautiful.
You’re on my level. Anywhere where hiking and mountain biking are prominent. Never considered Chattanooga. Thanks for the tip!
Lots of rolfers in Seattle already, although I have no idea if that's really too many or what. NIMBYism is big in the US, but I believe I read about Seattle creating a bunch more housing, so it actually may not be terribly expensive for housing. I forgot to mention Reno or Carson City, NV near Lake Tahoe. Seems nice there too but never been.
Seattle has done a good job creating a lot of housing, but it's still expensive AF.
Just in time for growth to stop once the tech giants all embrace remote work ?
I was going to say Sainta Fe, Sedona, AZ might be good. I have never been to Bend, OR but that seem like a candidate.