Where's a pretty place to live?

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After I graduate, we would love to move out of state (we are presently in Arkansas). Where would be a pretty place to live; reasonable cost of living; plenty of trees and lakes; all four seasons, but not forever long winters? We have been thinking about Oregon and Colorado, but isn't the cost of living high in these states? Our dream home would be an old country house or cabin somewhere quiet. Any suggestions?

Where are you in Arkansas? There are alot of pretty places there and the cost of living isn't crazy like it is in some other places. If I were you I would just move up to Jasper or Harrison. You can find houses with several acres for pretty darned cheap.

You can go to http://www.realtor.com and check out housing prices in different areas/states.

I think Oregon and Colorado are both pretty expensive and I think the winters can be pretty harsh. Don't quote me on that though.

I think there's also a website that you can go to to compare cost of living type stuff, but I can't remember what it is right now.....

I don't know. I was just on there looking at stuff. I am in Florida right now and am not sure that I will be staying here forever.

Good luck!

Thanks for the website. We're in central Arkansas, just outside of Little Rock. My husband is from the Fayetteville area and it's beautiful up there. But we just want a change. I grew up an Air Force brat and have been (if even just passing thru) all over the US except for the Northwest. I'd like to see that area sometime. My husband has never lived outside of Texas and Arkansas. I think Kentucky is pretty. Anyone from there?

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

We've moved around quite a bit, and on our way from Kansas City to Charlotte, we passed through Tennessee. I don't know exactly where we were, but I remember thinking that I had seen heaven. The beautiful pine trees, the puffy white clouds and the endless blue sky were absolutely beautiful!

Come on up to the Inland northwest. Eastern Washington or Northern Idaho. Cheap cost of living. All four seasons, lakes, rivers, trails, mountains....

bob

Savannah, GA is absolutely gorgeous. Not sure about all 4 seasons and cost of living. If you go to Yahoo they have an option to compare the cost of living with your current residence and your future one. Good luck!!!!!:roll

Originally posted by 2ndCareerRN

Come on up to the Inland northwest. Eastern Washington or Northern Idaho. Cheap cost of living. All four seasons, lakes, rivers, trails, mountains....

bob

I am with Bob...Of course, I am partial since I was born and raised here. We are surounded by lakes, rivers and Mtns..we have fall, winter, spring and summer. Cost of living is relatively low..you can buy a starter house for 100k and a huge beautiful house of less than 300k. Nursing wages are pretty comparable I think....:)

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I live in Western Oregon, where there is a lot of what we call "liquid sunshine", but all that rain does produce glorious flowers and trees and greenery. The climate is fairly mild for a state so far north........average temps in January hover around 45 degrees, and our summers are absolutely spectacular, with temps around 80 most days. We don't have severe temperature extremes on the west side of the state; there is the occasional cold snap when it can drop into the single digits, as well as the occasional 100+ day during July or August, but otherwise it's pretty temperate. And our autumns are absolutely breathtaking, especially to someone like me who grew up in a place where the only way to tell the seasons apart was to check the store windows ("Oh, they've got pumpkins out.....must be getting close to Halloween").

I will admit that the economy basically sucks here, as does the job market (unless you're in health care!). Our taxes are too high, our services underfunded or non-existent, and our schools are doing far too much with far too little. Our cost of living has gone through the roof.......when my family came up here in 1988, the average 3-bedroom house could be had for sixty grand or so; now it's more like a hundred and sixty grand. The rental market is also tight, and rents for a 3BR home average about $900 a month. (We lucked into a large 4BR, 3BA house on almost 3 acres in a high-end neighborhood for only a thousand a month....but deals like this are pretty rare nowadays.)

However......if you can overlook the rain, the lousy economy and the general instability of government services, Oregon is a nice place to live. We love it here.......a family can still live decently if it brings in anything over $50,000 a year, and the scenery is some of the prettiest in all of the country.:)

Come on out to the Pacific Northwest into Eastern Washington. Not far from God's country in Idaho and Montana. You will think you died and went to heaven. Four seasons, relatively low cost living, glorious scenery, skiing, boating, swimming, lakes, blue ribbon trout fishing, big blue skies, and friendly folks. Nursing wages are comparable and there is lots of work.:)

Thanks, everyone! Y'all have convinced me to definitely check it out! Sounds wonderful! I'll check the Chamber of Commerce websites for more info on these areas. Can I go fishin' with y'all?

Oh, btw, Tennesse is beautiful, I agree. That could be a possibility, but less likely. And Savannah, GA is gorgeous, too; my parents lived there for awhile years ago. It's just not what we're looking for. It's also a little too close to a certain relative that I don't want to be that close to.:chuckle

Originally posted by 2ndCareerRN

Come on up to the Inland northwest. Eastern Washington or Northern Idaho. Cheap cost of living. All four seasons, lakes, rivers, trails, mountains....

bob

I agree with bob....

however, if winters you want a winter that isnt too harsh you might want to try more coastal washington - it gets rainier but there still is a defined winter...

Oregon (where I live now, moved from Idaho) living costs are definitely higher - previously lived in North Idaho and it is beautiful and would move back...

Personally, I think parts of eastern washinton are a little blah - but there are also parts that are really nice...just have to find the right place...

Depends if you want mountains and trees or valley...

Specializes in Geriatrics/Alzheimer's.

I live in Oregon and totally love it! It's snowing here, I walked home in the beautiful white stuff, after working night shift. I live in Portland, Oregon and absolutely love this city.:D

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