Good 2nd/3rd tier (size) cities in the US?

[Flaxbee]

I've been living in a very rural area for the last 5 years and it's starting to drive me nuts... I like the quiet and relatively undisturbed land around the area, but there are NO services (there is not a single cafe here for coffee/light fare - a few have opened and rapidly closed - not the only services I'm interested in, but maybe it gives you an idea), and NO jobs.

I have lived/worked in LA, NYC, DC, San Diego and Atlanta and I really don't want to go back to that kind of congestion (and expense).

Anyone live in a mid-size city they love? My big huge concern is that I have 7 cats and need to be able to find an affordable place to rent (preferably a small house) within probably 20 minutes of the city.

While I'd prefer to be in a liberal area, I can cope with repugnicans - my husband and I have gotten really good at irritating them. So, I'd consider living in a "red" state if I could find a good city/town -- even in my uber-fundie neck of the woods, I have found some sane people.

Anyway - if anyone wants to mention a place they've lived, visited, thought about before, etc., I'd love to hear about it b/c I need to start doing some serious research soon.

Thank you!

[femmocrat]

1. Pittsburgh is this year's "most livable city."

It is very affordable, compared to other cities. It is known for its "neighborhoods." And a lot of younger people are coming back, so they say. Commuting is a downer, though.

[Flaxbee]

8. my husband has a very knee-jerk negative reaction to P'burgh,

though I'd like to at least look at it. Don't know if I could convince him, though, as he spent a fair amount of time there and in Ohio in the 80s ... I know it is different, but sometimes it's hard to shake ingrained feelings.

Thanks, though! Maybe I can build up some info and be persuasive.

[KitchenWitch]

2. This might be on the smallish end of things but Grand Junction Colorado is really nice

[Flaxbee]

13. I'll definitely check it out -- I'm from the west coast

and want to get back west, even if not all the way to the coast. Thank you!

[KitchenWitch]

14. In Grand Junction, you are a few hours from Denver

and about 10-12 hours drive to Los Angeles

[pagerbear]

3. The Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area comes highly recommended

...as do several other cities in the Carolinas.

[Flaxbee]

9. we're in western NC now -- and have considered moving

closer to Asheville. I know what a neat city it is, but I'm also kind of looking for a change.

Unfortunately there are two of us to please ... the R/D/CH area is too big for my husband's taste.

[pagerbear]

12. Asheville also comes very highly recommended!

I've seen it listed as one of the top small cities for L/G/B/T folk.

[SPKrazy]

10. really, that's good to know

yeah, that's really good to know

[no name no slogan]

4. Minneapolis/St Paul

two very blue cities in a fairly blue state (1972 was the last time it went GOP in a presidential election). Good schools, strong economy, amazing arts/music scene (best between the coasts, in the opinion of "those who know").

It's been getting more expensive lately, but you can still find decent housing for a lot less than the coasts. Congestion can get bad in places, but not nearly as bad as bigger cities. And yes, there's two months in winter where it's unbearably cold, but we stay indoors when it gets that way: you can literally walk for miles through the skyways in downtown St Paul and/or Minneapolis without going outside once.

[pagerbear]

7. Ooh, I love the Twin Cities!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Minneapolis is nice if you don't mind a bit of cold weather.

It's pretty "blue," and there are a lot of things to do, especially if you like outdoor activities like boating, fishing and swimming. There are also a lot of cultural things -- world-class orchestras and museums, an excellent zoo, and some of the best medical facilities around. Some areas are kind of expensive, but if you don't mind an older house you should be able to find an affordable place. If you want a somewhat smaller city, Rochester is nice, too.

[CatholicEdHead]

6. Madison Wisconsin is also good

besides the Twin Cities.

Edit: Fargo is the cultural metropolis of North Dakota

[SPKrazy]

11. Hmmm,

I have a friend who wants to move back there.

Interesting too.

[ElizabethDC]

15. Tampa! It's lovely here.

Kind of an up-and-coming city right now - growing like crazy, but I'm sure there's still some affordable housing left.

Politically, I would describe it as purple.

[Taverner]

16. Eugene, Oregon is the greatest 2nd tier city in the USA

If you want natural beauty, informed citizenry, progressive attitudes, excellent coffee, amazing skiing nearby, proximity to a decent sized city (Portland) and relative proximity to a big city (San Francisco, Denver, Seattle, Vancouver) you just can't beat Eugene.

I am sooooo tempted to move there now that I can.

But the kids do love it here, and it is the perfect environment for them.

[Flaxbee]

17. I have a friend who moved to Eugene, but we've lost touch

she loved it. I'll have to take a much closer look at it soon.

[philosophie_en_rose]

18. Portland/ Vancouver Area

[Matsubara]

19. My hometown - El Paso, TX

Pros

It's a blue island in a red state
600K people - not too big or too small
very low violent crime rate, one of the lowest in the US for a city this size
best Mexican and Tex-Mex food in the US
beautiful mountain scenery
traffic still moves smoothly
a new home in a nice neighborhood starts at less than $100K. Rents are also cheap.
Winters are mild and sunny, summers are hot, but dry and significant cooling at night (high desert climate)
Less than 3 hours drive to Sierra Blanca's Ski Apache resort
Easy access to New Mexico and picturesque Santa Fe
almost no rust or mold
People are some of the friendliest around
good place to raise kids
University town - University of Texas at El Paso

Cons

Some people find it boring
It's right on the Mexican border with Ciudad Juarez. Some people complain about "the illegals" and increased rates of theft due to the poverty south of the border and in some El Paso neighborhoods.
Trying to grow a "back east" type of garden would cost you a fortune in water bills, as it seldom rains - not recommended.
There are movie theaters, museums, a ballet, etc., but there is not a big eclectic cultural scene like some cities have.
It's remote - Los Angeles is about a 12 hour drive, Phoenix is about 6 hours - Dallas is 11 hours away, Houston is about 13 hours away.
The dry air, especially in winter can be rough on your skin and nasal passages - it's important to stay hydrated in the summer, even if you don't feel sweaty, you are sweating - it just evaporates much faster.

But I grew up there and find it a wonderful place to live.