I’ve been/Lived in all the places on the lists. AA is a fun party town. You’re not going to retire there, it’s the most moneyed town in the cityplex. Rich liberals send their nkids to school there. The locals give them a bit of reality. Maybe deer hunting on Belle Isle with baseball bats. Raliegh WAS a nice place. Grew like a weed 25 years ago. There are still jobs. You can buy a brand new 4 bedroom/2 bath /2 car garage house for $300k. Mountains are close. It’s cheap to live, low taxes. What do you want?? For what people are paying bums to live under overpasses in San Fran they could live in a house in NC.. A lot of transplanted NY’rs moved there. You can stay out of the Florida and Texas crowds. Low crime. I could live there. It is what you make it. Lived in FT Collins Co for 20 years, We went to Colo Springs a lot. Good hiking, mountain areas. The city is a dump. Lots of industry closed/ left. It’s tough to make enough to live decent there. The nice areas are really expensive thanks to CA money pouring in. The City Government is all super liberals. Shouldn’t be on the list. Denver is also a hell hole. The whole Front range is overcrowded. It is the new California. Alabama and Ark, haven’t spent enough time in either to be certain. As a rule you’ll experiance Bad healthcare in the south, A lot of poverty which means crimes, Beautiful lakes , cheap homesites, Hot and sticky most of the year,. You can retire their cheap and nice. If you sell your house and between everything you have $750k plus your SS, you can live on a nice lake, , nice home boat, 10 acres, a country gentlmans life. I’m thinking about it. One thing… Ticks, ticks, Ticks, I hate those things.. if you are an outdoors person. Did I mention ticks?.. Not all places are cliche, but the south has ticks. . I’m in Upstate NY wine country/Finger Lakes area now. No place prettier in the summer/ Fall. But the folks passed on so it’s Time to go. West slope of the rockies, chase the sun, before the buzzer sounds. In my 60 years I always look for a town with a college, doesn’t have to be anything special but it helps culture, not too much poverty, within decent medical (A couple hours drive) , That is more importent as you get older.
Work if you need it. I’ve always had skills, electrical, plumbing, cars, on top of a profession. People are pretty lazy today. Anyone willing to work won’t starve. Experiance the US .You’ll never know the place just passing through or in a weeks vacation.. You only get one ticket. As Warren Zevon said, “Enjoy every sandwich”..
I grew up in Dearborn…not very far from Ann Arbor. I’d agree with it being #1. However, Raleigh being anywhere on that list is an absolute JOKE! You cannot get a 3 to 4 bedroom home for the prices you list. I have no clue where you’re getting that information from? I got the hell out of Raleigh and moved to Timberlake, NC. Raleigh has turned into an absolute Shithole!!
The south is fine but the churches make it difficult to express yourself. Eastern time is lame for sports and national TV events. It just feels out of step with the country. There are other places west with more sunshine and less congested. Its a matter of your ability to build friendships.
Many of assumptions here.
Why is a “diverse” “progressive” city with “many breweries” necessarily an advantage?
Such cities might be on the slippery slope to becoming liberal dumps.
Diversity is an important factor for some because people who aren’t y t would like to know if they are moving to a city where they will be the only poc in the restaurant, school, job etc. Most of y t America doesn’t think about that because they are majority most places. Colorado Springs RIGHT NOW is having issues with a POC farmer being harassed because he had the nerve to buy land and raise animals in an area where apparently he “isn’t welcome”. Luckily he is getting support from others who live in the nearby city part of the Springs and Denver. Imagine if he were in a place that didn’t have a “diverse” city nearby? His family and livestock may not even be alive by now. His animals are being poisoned and he’s been stalked and threatened but thanks to the internet, he now has support. THIS is just ONE reason why diversity may be an important factor for some looking to move.
Actually, there are a lot of nice places to live in the USA if you just ignore lists like this one. I’m from Grand Rapids, Michigan and it was wonderful except for the weather. However, weather and people’s attitudes have something in common. Lousy cold and cloudy days produce a lot of morose people. People are friendlier in the south for sure.
Who are the “experts” cited in the article who came up with this list? It’s ridiculous! These cities are nice, I’ve spent time in all of them, but certainly NOT the “best” places to live. Just more proof that all these lists are total BS.
All you have to do to find out that the “low crime rate” claim on Ann Arbor is BS is listen to the police scanner. So many property and drug crimes every day, but Ypsilanti, which is directly adjacent to AA, is even worse. The people in Ann Arbor are some of the most miserable I’ve ever encountered – Ann Arbor is the only city I’ve ever been road raged on in the middle of the city, and it has happened more than once, and I don’t even know what I did to make the person angry! People in Ann Arbor are stuck up, disconnected from reality in general, and I wouldn’t hesitate to say that AA is one of the least friendliest cities in Michigan. These “experts” must be using the same drugs that the people in Ann Arbor are. Lmao
These comments don’t really seem to be about best places to live. Your comments are more about political feelings. You should be happy wherever you live. Otherwise, move.
Having some input regarding crime would also be relevant. Case in point, Colorado Springs has one of the highest crime and homicide statistics in the US. Just Saying!
I live in Michigan and wouldn’t put Ann Arbor on the list unless the criteria included a love of face masking, CRT in the schools, and elitist attitudes.
I live in Ann Arbor and it is an absolutely lovely place to live. I haven’t seen many face masks lately. CRT is a college-level concept, not taught in our schools. And calling someone “elitist” is just another way of saying “I don’t agree with you”. I’m curious; have you ever lived here? Or are you making this statement purely out of political malice or based on college sports rivalries?
Ann Arbor has low crime, low traffic, lots of greenery, parks, and trails. It has some pretty good restaurants and night life. It has a top-notch health care system and a bustling economy. It is both drivable, bike-friendly, and walkable. Winters are relatively mild. Summers are spectacular. The Huron River is an amazing resource. The University of Michigan also provides a good “college town” feel, which brings a lot of youthful energy, theaters, and weed shops.
OMG, obvious you have never been to Colorado springs in the last 5 years. I grew up here and now live outside of the city. Yes CITY? Overgrown with poor infrastructure to handle the out of control growth. Rude nasty road raging drivers from Texas, California and Florida , crime is out of control. We do not need more people here the growth has made it as poor place to live. Please get your facts straight before writing about things you have not a clue about.
Amen Perry! I have been here since 1969 and 4 years old and it is ruined from all of the people that have moved here. Try to go hiking and find dirty underwear on the trail never mind trash and no respect! Our politics have also been ruined! Totally, get your facts straight and please stop publishing things about colorado!
I agree completely. I’ve lived here my entire life. Colorado Springs is a terrible place to live. It’s sad because it used to be so nice, but all of the poor quality people who moved here have really messed things up. First off, the traffic is BAD. The drivers are extremely aggressive and in a rush all of the time. Expect to be tailgated and cutoff despite how fast you’re going.They moved here trying to get away from whatever hell hole they crawled out of, just to make this place suck too. Well, mission accomplished. The housing is a nightmare and Cost of living is very high, but really the worst part about it is how rude the people who are moving here are. If they were decent people who were respectful, didn’t litter, and treated others the way they want to be treated, I wouldn’t have a problem.
Jeramie says:
02/28/2023 at 10:21 AM
It’s not all that bad…well, bad enough for me to leave, but not THAT bad. Yeah, the growth is absolutely bonkers, housing prices are out of control, the “quality” schools are all on the wealthy side of town while all the other public schools are poor at best. Crime, gangs, homeless people panhandling, it goes on & on. In the 8 years I lived there it lost most of the charm that drew us in.
I’ve lived in Colorado Springs since 1971 and it was a great place to grow up. It’s exploded in the last few years and it’s infrastructure is not built for this many people. Unfortunately not only good people moved here but also scum of the earth people invaded our city. It’s out of control with high crime, unaffordable housing and inflated prices on food and everything else. Any appointments are months out, the trails, parks and fun activities have unbelievable lines of people. Restaurant wait times are ridiculous and the trash and filth is everywhere. Very sad situation for the people who have lived here all their life. It’s not an easy thing to move elsewhere when your home, jobs, and family have been living here all your life. Articles like this is what has ruined out beautiful city. I sympathize with the people that are from here and the people that don’t agree can go back to where they came from. They’re the ones who comment for us to move if we don’t like it.
These “expert lists” are obviously meaningless, however it’s always funny to see the boomers complain about “those people that moved here”, and acting surprised how “things weren’t like this in 1970”. Never fails.
Grow where you’re planted! Now stfu!
Wow. Dumb comment, THEN crude.
Great comment.truth
Happy to see no place close to my little piece of heaven is listed.
I’ve been/Lived in all the places on the lists. AA is a fun party town. You’re not going to retire there, it’s the most moneyed town in the cityplex. Rich liberals send their nkids to school there. The locals give them a bit of reality. Maybe deer hunting on Belle Isle with baseball bats. Raliegh WAS a nice place. Grew like a weed 25 years ago. There are still jobs. You can buy a brand new 4 bedroom/2 bath /2 car garage house for $300k. Mountains are close. It’s cheap to live, low taxes. What do you want?? For what people are paying bums to live under overpasses in San Fran they could live in a house in NC.. A lot of transplanted NY’rs moved there. You can stay out of the Florida and Texas crowds. Low crime. I could live there. It is what you make it. Lived in FT Collins Co for 20 years, We went to Colo Springs a lot. Good hiking, mountain areas. The city is a dump. Lots of industry closed/ left. It’s tough to make enough to live decent there. The nice areas are really expensive thanks to CA money pouring in. The City Government is all super liberals. Shouldn’t be on the list. Denver is also a hell hole. The whole Front range is overcrowded. It is the new California. Alabama and Ark, haven’t spent enough time in either to be certain. As a rule you’ll experiance Bad healthcare in the south, A lot of poverty which means crimes, Beautiful lakes , cheap homesites, Hot and sticky most of the year,. You can retire their cheap and nice. If you sell your house and between everything you have $750k plus your SS, you can live on a nice lake, , nice home boat, 10 acres, a country gentlmans life. I’m thinking about it. One thing… Ticks, ticks, Ticks, I hate those things.. if you are an outdoors person. Did I mention ticks?.. Not all places are cliche, but the south has ticks. . I’m in Upstate NY wine country/Finger Lakes area now. No place prettier in the summer/ Fall. But the folks passed on so it’s Time to go. West slope of the rockies, chase the sun, before the buzzer sounds. In my 60 years I always look for a town with a college, doesn’t have to be anything special but it helps culture, not too much poverty, within decent medical (A couple hours drive) , That is more importent as you get older.
Work if you need it. I’ve always had skills, electrical, plumbing, cars, on top of a profession. People are pretty lazy today. Anyone willing to work won’t starve. Experiance the US .You’ll never know the place just passing through or in a weeks vacation.. You only get one ticket. As Warren Zevon said, “Enjoy every sandwich”..
I grew up in Dearborn…not very far from Ann Arbor. I’d agree with it being #1. However, Raleigh being anywhere on that list is an absolute JOKE! You cannot get a 3 to 4 bedroom home for the prices you list. I have no clue where you’re getting that information from? I got the hell out of Raleigh and moved to Timberlake, NC. Raleigh has turned into an absolute Shithole!!
Yikes you sound like a real whiny snowlfake. What is it you don’t complain about?
Good comments! But most ppl want NOTHING to do with the terrible winters of Ann Arbor, or upstate NY where you are now.
The south is fine but the churches make it difficult to express yourself. Eastern time is lame for sports and national TV events. It just feels out of step with the country. There are other places west with more sunshine and less congested. Its a matter of your ability to build friendships.
Churchgoing folks don’t let u express yourself? You hafta stay up too late to watch sports?
Get a life dude.
I picked up a little on the way to a HS diploma and a BS in engineering. I don’t think that I could carry on a conversation in Latin, though.
Please. Stop moving to Colorado Springs. It’s not what you think and you’re ruining it for us.
Many of assumptions here.
Why is a “diverse” “progressive” city with “many breweries” necessarily an advantage?
Such cities might be on the slippery slope to becoming liberal dumps.
Diversity is an important factor for some because people who aren’t y t would like to know if they are moving to a city where they will be the only poc in the restaurant, school, job etc. Most of y t America doesn’t think about that because they are majority most places. Colorado Springs RIGHT NOW is having issues with a POC farmer being harassed because he had the nerve to buy land and raise animals in an area where apparently he “isn’t welcome”. Luckily he is getting support from others who live in the nearby city part of the Springs and Denver. Imagine if he were in a place that didn’t have a “diverse” city nearby? His family and livestock may not even be alive by now. His animals are being poisoned and he’s been stalked and threatened but thanks to the internet, he now has support. THIS is just ONE reason why diversity may be an important factor for some looking to move.
Actually, there are a lot of nice places to live in the USA if you just ignore lists like this one. I’m from Grand Rapids, Michigan and it was wonderful except for the weather. However, weather and people’s attitudes have something in common. Lousy cold and cloudy days produce a lot of morose people. People are friendlier in the south for sure.
Who are the “experts” cited in the article who came up with this list? It’s ridiculous! These cities are nice, I’ve spent time in all of them, but certainly NOT the “best” places to live. Just more proof that all these lists are total BS.
All you have to do to find out that the “low crime rate” claim on Ann Arbor is BS is listen to the police scanner. So many property and drug crimes every day, but Ypsilanti, which is directly adjacent to AA, is even worse. The people in Ann Arbor are some of the most miserable I’ve ever encountered – Ann Arbor is the only city I’ve ever been road raged on in the middle of the city, and it has happened more than once, and I don’t even know what I did to make the person angry! People in Ann Arbor are stuck up, disconnected from reality in general, and I wouldn’t hesitate to say that AA is one of the least friendliest cities in Michigan. These “experts” must be using the same drugs that the people in Ann Arbor are. Lmao
These comments don’t really seem to be about best places to live. Your comments are more about political feelings. You should be happy wherever you live. Otherwise, move.
My sentiments exactly!!
Having some input regarding crime would also be relevant. Case in point, Colorado Springs has one of the highest crime and homicide statistics in the US. Just Saying!
I live in Michigan and wouldn’t put Ann Arbor on the list unless the criteria included a love of face masking, CRT in the schools, and elitist attitudes.
I live in Ann Arbor and it is an absolutely lovely place to live. I haven’t seen many face masks lately. CRT is a college-level concept, not taught in our schools. And calling someone “elitist” is just another way of saying “I don’t agree with you”. I’m curious; have you ever lived here? Or are you making this statement purely out of political malice or based on college sports rivalries?
Ann Arbor has low crime, low traffic, lots of greenery, parks, and trails. It has some pretty good restaurants and night life. It has a top-notch health care system and a bustling economy. It is both drivable, bike-friendly, and walkable. Winters are relatively mild. Summers are spectacular. The Huron River is an amazing resource. The University of Michigan also provides a good “college town” feel, which brings a lot of youthful energy, theaters, and weed shops.
Jesus what a negativity thread! Ireland. That’s where you all need to go. Friendly, beautiful and big corporations are moving there.
OMG, obvious you have never been to Colorado springs in the last 5 years. I grew up here and now live outside of the city. Yes CITY? Overgrown with poor infrastructure to handle the out of control growth. Rude nasty road raging drivers from Texas, California and Florida , crime is out of control. We do not need more people here the growth has made it as poor place to live. Please get your facts straight before writing about things you have not a clue about.
Amen Perry! I have been here since 1969 and 4 years old and it is ruined from all of the people that have moved here. Try to go hiking and find dirty underwear on the trail never mind trash and no respect! Our politics have also been ruined! Totally, get your facts straight and please stop publishing things about colorado!
I agree completely. I’ve lived here my entire life. Colorado Springs is a terrible place to live. It’s sad because it used to be so nice, but all of the poor quality people who moved here have really messed things up. First off, the traffic is BAD. The drivers are extremely aggressive and in a rush all of the time. Expect to be tailgated and cutoff despite how fast you’re going.They moved here trying to get away from whatever hell hole they crawled out of, just to make this place suck too. Well, mission accomplished. The housing is a nightmare and Cost of living is very high, but really the worst part about it is how rude the people who are moving here are. If they were decent people who were respectful, didn’t litter, and treated others the way they want to be treated, I wouldn’t have a problem.
It’s not all that bad…well, bad enough for me to leave, but not THAT bad. Yeah, the growth is absolutely bonkers, housing prices are out of control, the “quality” schools are all on the wealthy side of town while all the other public schools are poor at best. Crime, gangs, homeless people panhandling, it goes on & on. In the 8 years I lived there it lost most of the charm that drew us in.
I’ve lived in Colorado Springs since 1971 and it was a great place to grow up. It’s exploded in the last few years and it’s infrastructure is not built for this many people. Unfortunately not only good people moved here but also scum of the earth people invaded our city. It’s out of control with high crime, unaffordable housing and inflated prices on food and everything else. Any appointments are months out, the trails, parks and fun activities have unbelievable lines of people. Restaurant wait times are ridiculous and the trash and filth is everywhere. Very sad situation for the people who have lived here all their life. It’s not an easy thing to move elsewhere when your home, jobs, and family have been living here all your life. Articles like this is what has ruined out beautiful city. I sympathize with the people that are from here and the people that don’t agree can go back to where they came from. They’re the ones who comment for us to move if we don’t like it.
These “expert lists” are obviously meaningless, however it’s always funny to see the boomers complain about “those people that moved here”, and acting surprised how “things weren’t like this in 1970”. Never fails.