joslin88

We are planning a 6 month trip to experience/live in one city/town. Any suggestions appreciated. Here's our criteria hoped for:
-U.S. north, northwest or northeast
-Cold winters ok, mild summers
-Beautiful views - mountains or beach or both
-Diverse middle class+
-Decent homes for under 400k or 2000/mo
-Not politically conservative
-Access to good medical care
Thank you!
(I would appreciate no criticism)

dfrostnh

Northeast possibilities(NH): average selling price for single family homes is around $450,000. Not much to rent under $2000. NH property taxes are high and there's an additional tax for beautiful views. Perhaps you could be content with enjoying views on your commute or going grocery shopping. Some excellent hospitals around including Dartmouth Medical in Lebanon but bad news is wait times in ER could be 12 hours, there are urgent care places to handle simple emergencies but they aren't open 24/7.

It's,possible to find something that meets most of your needs but a more reasonable house price might be far from hospital such as northern NH.

if you need good schools you might have to be in a higher price area. Property taxes are high percentage of school funding so the wealthier towns have better schools. Hopkinton and Bow lead the pack. Nearby towns are part of regional school districts.

There are pockets that are politically conservative. Be aware that small towns are run by a Select Board and have volunteer fire departments. Other functions in town my heavily rely on volunteer help such as the library. You might not feel welcome if you don't volunteer for something or you might have trouble making friends unless you join something. In small towns some extended families have lived there for generations and a lot of people commute to jobs elsewhere so never meet people.

Best wishes in your search.

PrairieHikerI

Bellingham, WA (pop. 91,000) might work. It's on the coast, close to the San Juan Islands. It's only an hour from the Cascades and 1.5 hours from Vancouver, BC. Mild climate but rainy some months. There is PeaceHealth Hospital and Western Washington Uni. Only 36% voted in the county for Trump. Undoubtedly, fewer in the city proper.

TDudette

Maryland!

For snow skiing, Deep Creek Lake ... Frederick is a nice nearby town
For the beach, Ocean City ... Stay there or Lewes Delaware
For music, art, history, Annapolis or Easton

Have a great time!

janisj

Bellingham wouldn't fit the housing criteria in any way - the median home price in Bellingham is well over $600k

HappyTrvlr

Look at Vermont which fits most of your criteria.
House pricing and availability may be a problem.

PrairieHikerI

Median means 50% are below that price. On Zillow I see several houses for rent for $2,800/month. They may have to up their budget.

janisj

The brief says 'under $400k' - so $200,000+ UNDER the median. Sure, there are some homes under $400,000/$2,000 per month - but not that many and not that 'decent'. If housing budget is one of their main criteria, why would they need to up it, when they can find what they want in other regions.

Those of you in the NE - wouldn't western Mass fit the bill? I've never lived there but have relatives near Pittsfield and a few miles outside Springfield and my sense is that housing and some of the other items on the wish list would mesh??

tom_mn

I don’t think any area fits all criteria. If you are willing to compromise on mild summers and mountain views there are possibilities. Also “cold winters” is relative. What’s cold to you? Is a freshwater beach OK? Mountainous areas are typically not liberal.

HappyTrvlr

Some mountainous areas certainly are liberal. Start with beautiful Vermont.

starrs

Asheville NC would work - except for your #1

Christina

I think you need to be clearer as to what you are really doing and why. And what does "diverse" mean? Do you need to earn a living? What's your idea of"good medical care". The problem is your wish list is sort of a fantasy at your low budget.

Also, how big a house for $400K? Just a 2 BR condo or a major big 4 BR house? Do you actually need a job?

For example, I have relatives in VT and love it and go a couple times a year, usually during ski season. It is not remotely diverse since the population is about 92 pct white and less than 2 pct Black. Also if you live in a larger town you can maybe get decent medical care to some extent, but VT is rather rural and there are not world class hospitals there. When my BIL was dying of a terminal cancer, I think he had to go to Boston for best treatment. It is liberal and has mountains. You can maybe find something somewhere at that price.

NH is also not remotely diverse, similar to VT. It is more conservative. It used to be really conservative but that has changed over the last few decades to be more equal Rep/Dems, but almost as many "undeclared", and Libertarian is strong there which I consider wacky and sort of even worse than conservative. Mountains, yes, of course. I don't know about cost, as in lots of places, the more rural and less desirable areas are cheaper. I have friends who just sold a condo in the bottom RH corner (Salem) where you can get to Boston without that much time, and I think that sold for around $400lK but was just a 2 BR 1300 SF condo. HOA dues alone are $400 a month.

Even in liberal states, rural areas are more conservative. I live in MD and MD itself is largely liberal overall, but right near Frederick, suggested above, is the center of the KKK in Maryland. You can't get a house for $400K in many areas near metropolitan areas. Easton MD may have something around 400K and Maryland is more diverse because of slavery history (Harriett Tubman was from around there). MD has very high taxes. Don't expect a lot of great jobs in areas like that, same for VT or any rural area, probably. I wouldn't call Maryland summers mild myself, it's pretty hot.

I don't know about any wonderful beach area that cheap in the East, but maybe there is one. For some mountains and more moderate cost of living, etc, I was thinking of someplace upper NY state. Hudson River Valley is very scenic and near mountains. I think you can get some house for around $400K or less (like Saugerties) in some of the smaller towns, even Hyde Park or Poughkeepsie. NY leans liberal. Poughkeepsie is much more diverse than VT, with less than half white, 20 pct HIspanic and 32 pct Black. I just spent Fourth of July there and it was nice.

Otherwise, more in PA (rural areas a lot more conservative), I was thinking Pittsburgh. Not near beaches, but near some forests, parks, a few ski resorts and "mountains" (not as high as VT/NY/NY of course). It has a lot going on, the cities in PA are more liberal. YOu can get a house for that there, and it is more diverse, also (23 pct Black). Excellent medical care.

suze

Seattle and the Pacific Northwest fit your request... except for the price range.

suze

I also very much love the state of Vermont. Gorgeous and good people. I think it fits your list except both the winters and the summers can be pretty intense.

suze

Oh yes... about "diverse"... hmmm... New England is pretty darn white. PNW fits better for that line item. Oregon and California would fit as well, again accept for that price point request.

Gretchen

Buy a house for 6 months? That's an interesting idea on many levels. Also it is a 6 month trip so the "season" could be chosen--fall/winter or spring/summer.

dfrostnh

With regard to diversity, NH is slowly changing as more and more immigrants find a home in NH. Concord is getting its first African restaurant. I was astounded at the number of languages spoken in Nashua. Portsmouth has a Black Heritage Trail. Yes, rural areas are still mostly white.