Where should I live?
April 9, 2018 12:35 PM Subscribe
What town is like Cambridge, MA, but cheaper and with better weather?
I currently live in Cambridge, MA, but realistically I know that I can never buy a house here. I'd like to stay for ~3 years (until my son is out of elementary school) and then move someplace that is:
* As progressive as possible
* Sunny, with a shorter winter than here, but still has snow
* Full of cultural events and art and museums
* Cheaper to buy a house in than the Boston area
* Has great public schools
* Is walkable
Things that are less important to me:
* I can work remotely in my current job or another job, so that's less of an issue.
* I don't care about population size
I'm basically looking for a cute little crunchy hippie town that's warmer and cheaper than Boston. I wanted to use FindYourSpot.com again, but it looks like it's down for the foreseeable future.
I currently live in Cambridge, MA, but realistically I know that I can never buy a house here. I'd like to stay for ~3 years (until my son is out of elementary school) and then move someplace that is:
* As progressive as possible
* Sunny, with a shorter winter than here, but still has snow
* Full of cultural events and art and museums
* Cheaper to buy a house in than the Boston area
* Has great public schools
* Is walkable
Things that are less important to me:
* I can work remotely in my current job or another job, so that's less of an issue.
* I don't care about population size
I'm basically looking for a cute little crunchy hippie town that's warmer and cheaper than Boston. I wanted to use FindYourSpot.com again, but it looks like it's down for the foreseeable future.
Maybe West Philly? That's what comes to mind for "like Cambridge but cheaper" anyway. I know there's variation in public schools; depends on exact location. Def crunchier than most parts of Philly.
posted by supercres at 12:45 PM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by supercres at 12:45 PM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
Well, Bloomington, IN comes to mind, but it seems like almost any small-ish college city in the lower midwest would check a lot of your boxes.
posted by minervous at 12:48 PM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by minervous at 12:48 PM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
I found Chapel Hill to be Very Hot And Humid even just coming from VA -- I don't know what someone coming from MA would make of it! Also, they tend to flail helplessly when more than a little bit of snow falls.
posted by inconstant at 1:09 PM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by inconstant at 1:09 PM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I live in Carrboro and it fits many, if not all, of your requirements.
posted by melodykramer at 1:21 PM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by melodykramer at 1:21 PM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
Seconding West Philly. But do your research on schools. My knowledge is out of date, but I lived there from 2005-2010 and there was One "Good" School. This may have changed, though.
posted by madcaptenor at 1:54 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by madcaptenor at 1:54 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'll suggest Upper Arlington, Ohio. It's an affluent suburb of Columbus that borders the university. Consequently, it's a lot more liberal than you would expect for an "affluent suburb", although you still get the benefits (i.e., the best public schools in the state). Columbus is the best library city in America (in additional to the five-star main Columbus library, the UA library has a five-star rating, as do several other suburban libraries), and there are plenty of cultural institutions commensurate with a large metro area with one of the largest universities in the country. UAhas a reputation for outrageous property values, but that's relative to the rest of low-cost-of-living Ohio; compared to Boston, many properties will not be as expensive. And, uh, you generally get your money's worth, as many of the houses are pretty spectacular. Because it's an older, inner-ring suburb, parts of it are quite walkable. And the weather is just a notch more pleasant than New England: still cold and snowy winters, but not depressingly so.
posted by kevinbelt at 2:01 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by kevinbelt at 2:01 PM on April 9, 2018
Well, if we're naming university-adjacent, inner-ring affluent suburbs known for their good schools, I'd suggest Decatur, Georgia. (But it's a small island of walkability and does not have snow.)
posted by madcaptenor at 2:31 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by madcaptenor at 2:31 PM on April 9, 2018
Whoa, people---West Philly is worse in terms of sunshine! Ugh, I would not move to Philly looking for sun or progressive politics. I think you're looking at someplace like Denver.
posted by cocoagirl at 2:36 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by cocoagirl at 2:36 PM on April 9, 2018
Ann Arbor ticks most of your boxes except for significantly improved weather.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:01 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:01 PM on April 9, 2018
People suggesting small, affluent suburbs aren't really understanding what's meant by the walkability of Cambridge, I think. It's not a place with a cute downtown with a movie theater, a bookstore, a coffee shop, and three restaurants. It's a place you can easily access all the necessities of life on foot and without taking your life into your own hands. It is also a place with good-ish bus and subway connections to the broader world. It will be hard for you to replicate outside big cities, OP.
Ann Arbor is somewhat-semi-close in this regard (more for compactness of services than for great transit), but the weather is close to a toss-up with Boston. Except for those two aspects, it fits the bill pretty well.
posted by praemunire at 3:09 PM on April 9, 2018 [7 favorites]
Ann Arbor is somewhat-semi-close in this regard (more for compactness of services than for great transit), but the weather is close to a toss-up with Boston. Except for those two aspects, it fits the bill pretty well.
posted by praemunire at 3:09 PM on April 9, 2018 [7 favorites]
Philadelphia is marginally sunnier than Cambridge (but also somehow marginally rainier). In that move you're basically trading a few weeks of winter for a few weeks of summer. (Having lived in both, I'm not sure which I'd prefer.)
posted by madcaptenor at 3:38 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by madcaptenor at 3:38 PM on April 9, 2018
Ellensburg, Washington.
posted by seasparrow at 4:13 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by seasparrow at 4:13 PM on April 9, 2018
Best answer: Maybe Bellingham, WA? Not much snow, but easy to access snow in nearby mountains. Certainly not as many cultural events as Boston, but about 90 minutes drive from Seattle and Vancouver, BC.
posted by ShooBoo at 5:28 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by ShooBoo at 5:28 PM on April 9, 2018
Button up your coat and move to the Twin Cities. Or maybe Madison, Wisc.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:48 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by wenestvedt at 6:48 PM on April 9, 2018
Best answer: If the west works for you then Eugene, Oregon fills in all your check boxes.
posted by ptm at 6:50 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by ptm at 6:50 PM on April 9, 2018
Best answer: Another vote for chapel hill/carrboro although you may want to consider durham where the 'cool kids' and families have all moved over the past 10 years.
posted by noloveforned at 6:54 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by noloveforned at 6:54 PM on April 9, 2018
Best answer: I second Denver!
Where it meets your criteria: It's sunny, the winters have some good snow days but they're not nearly as intense or prolonged as in the Boston/Cambridge area, and I live happily here without a car (I rely on walking, biking, and transit, in that order). There are many great museums and in general an arts-and-culture-friendly municipal government--there's so much public art that there are conspiracy theories about many of the more prominent pieces!
Where it might fall slightly short: It's a relatively progressive city for the region, but I definitely can't assume that a random new person I meet shares my basic progressive hippie values as much as I could when I lived in the SF Bay Area or Cambridge. It's more bluish-purple than solidly blue. Relatedly, it's also a somewhat segregated city, though that's been getting better in even the 2.5 years I've lived here. And while you didn't include this in your criteria, I was surprised by it, so I'll warn you here: there's much more public smoking (mostly cigarettes, but also the other stuff that's legal here) than I've seen in any city I've lived in since leaving the southern US. Then again, the Boston/Cambridge area is a close second, so that may not be much of an adjustment for you, if it's something you care about.
Additional unknown: I have no personal experience with the schools, so do your own research there--but my child-having coworkers have good things to say.
Feel free to memail me with more questions!
posted by rhiannonstone at 7:28 PM on April 9, 2018
Where it meets your criteria: It's sunny, the winters have some good snow days but they're not nearly as intense or prolonged as in the Boston/Cambridge area, and I live happily here without a car (I rely on walking, biking, and transit, in that order). There are many great museums and in general an arts-and-culture-friendly municipal government--there's so much public art that there are conspiracy theories about many of the more prominent pieces!
Where it might fall slightly short: It's a relatively progressive city for the region, but I definitely can't assume that a random new person I meet shares my basic progressive hippie values as much as I could when I lived in the SF Bay Area or Cambridge. It's more bluish-purple than solidly blue. Relatedly, it's also a somewhat segregated city, though that's been getting better in even the 2.5 years I've lived here. And while you didn't include this in your criteria, I was surprised by it, so I'll warn you here: there's much more public smoking (mostly cigarettes, but also the other stuff that's legal here) than I've seen in any city I've lived in since leaving the southern US. Then again, the Boston/Cambridge area is a close second, so that may not be much of an adjustment for you, if it's something you care about.
Additional unknown: I have no personal experience with the schools, so do your own research there--but my child-having coworkers have good things to say.
Feel free to memail me with more questions!
posted by rhiannonstone at 7:28 PM on April 9, 2018
Best answer: I noticed the Twin Cities mentioned about... It’s great here. But if you’re looking for a shorter winter, nope. It’s still snowing here right now I’m April. It’s cold for like 7 months out of the year. Just a note! Good luck searching!
posted by sucre at 9:34 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by sucre at 9:34 PM on April 9, 2018
It’s snowing in Ann Arbor today.
I’m a big fan of Lawrence, Kansas, and would move back there in a heartbeat. I tell people it’s an unpretentious Ann Arbor. Lawrence has sunny winter days. It’s liberal, though in a very red state. It’s an hour from Kansas City. I lived near downtown and could walk almost everywhere I needed to go. The only reason I felt I needed a car was because I had small children.
posted by FencingGal at 5:10 AM on April 10, 2018
I’m a big fan of Lawrence, Kansas, and would move back there in a heartbeat. I tell people it’s an unpretentious Ann Arbor. Lawrence has sunny winter days. It’s liberal, though in a very red state. It’s an hour from Kansas City. I lived near downtown and could walk almost everywhere I needed to go. The only reason I felt I needed a car was because I had small children.
posted by FencingGal at 5:10 AM on April 10, 2018
you may want to consider durham where the 'cool kids' and families have all moved over the past 10 years
I thought about suggesting Durham, but my understanding (probably beginning to fall out of date, as I haven't really been following schools in the rest of the Triangle for a while) is that Chapel Hill Carrboro is still a much better district than Durham or Orange County.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:34 AM on April 10, 2018
I thought about suggesting Durham, but my understanding (probably beginning to fall out of date, as I haven't really been following schools in the rest of the Triangle for a while) is that Chapel Hill Carrboro is still a much better district than Durham or Orange County.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:34 AM on April 10, 2018
Best answer: Santa Fe has cheaper housing than Boston by 38%, and that's still expensive by New Mexico standards. It snows in Santa Fe, but usually not too much, it rarely gets thick or sticks around too long, and it's quite sunny (not Santa Fe specific figures there, but Clayton [Google maps] is farther north and east of Santa Fe than Albuquerque, so it's probably safe to assume more than 260 days of sun per year). It's the state capitol, but not very big - less than 85,000 people, though it's full of history, art and surrounded by scenic beauty and outdoorsy things to do.
There a number of good schools in the area, as I understand it (I live 45 minutes south, but my co-workers who live in the city and have kids have had good experiences), and it's very progressive in a blue state - it is the 12th city to use ranked-choice election for its mayor, Alan Webber, founder of Fast Company Magazine, who has his Action Plan for Santa Fe up on the city website, which includes the desire to "Continue Sanctuary City policies and advocate for the rights of immigrants," among other laudable goals and targets.
And because it's a pretty small town, it's definitely walkable. There are also good urban trails.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:57 AM on April 10, 2018 [2 favorites]
There a number of good schools in the area, as I understand it (I live 45 minutes south, but my co-workers who live in the city and have kids have had good experiences), and it's very progressive in a blue state - it is the 12th city to use ranked-choice election for its mayor, Alan Webber, founder of Fast Company Magazine, who has his Action Plan for Santa Fe up on the city website, which includes the desire to "Continue Sanctuary City policies and advocate for the rights of immigrants," among other laudable goals and targets.
And because it's a pretty small town, it's definitely walkable. There are also good urban trails.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:57 AM on April 10, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: FencingGal: It’s snowing in Ann Arbor today.
Another pitch for New Mexico: there was sporadic snow this past March, but also highs in the mid-to-upper 60s, and still plenty of sun. Even in Albuquerque and surrounding areas, you can experience all four seasons in a week in Spring, if you're lucky.
If you want crunchier/ artsier/ weirder, there's Taos, which is snowier, smaller, and a tidge more affordable than Santa Fe. Beautiful little town, much closer to more snow activities, and part of the Enchanted Circle in northern New Mexico.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:38 AM on April 10, 2018
Another pitch for New Mexico: there was sporadic snow this past March, but also highs in the mid-to-upper 60s, and still plenty of sun. Even in Albuquerque and surrounding areas, you can experience all four seasons in a week in Spring, if you're lucky.
If you want crunchier/ artsier/ weirder, there's Taos, which is snowier, smaller, and a tidge more affordable than Santa Fe. Beautiful little town, much closer to more snow activities, and part of the Enchanted Circle in northern New Mexico.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:38 AM on April 10, 2018
Best answer: Hey I'm another Carrboro resident! I moved here fifteen years ago with the notion of it being a stopover to somewhere else and it's ended up being sort of exactly what I wanted.
(Free buses, too).
posted by thivaia at 3:53 PM on April 10, 2018
(Free buses, too).
posted by thivaia at 3:53 PM on April 10, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:40 PM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]