No more long commute. No more heat or cold. If everyone could chose anywhere to live in the country, where would that perfect place be? Most people have very different definitions of their ideal locale. While one person may yearn to live on the coast, where they can hear the ocean waves crashing and smell the salt air, another person’s version of paradise may be to live in the mountains, close to a ski resort. Yet another may crave to lie by the pool all day in the hot desert sun.
According to Brent Eskew of FindYourSpot.com, “technology has made it possible for people of all ages to live where they want based on quality-of-life factors.”
Everyone has a very different definition of their ideal place. For some, the climate, the terrain, or the weather is what makes them happy. For others, the location simply doesn’t matter, they could live in a shack, they are content as long as their loved ones are near.
So how does one choose their ideal place? Research. Peruse the Internet, take the questionnaires available on websites, read magazines and watch television shows that are dedicated to this topic. Make a list of cities that are appealing. Once that list is compiled, compare data and eliminate locations until it's the perfect place.
Internet Questionairres
Several websites are dedicated to the pursuit of paradise. Use your Internet search engine and type in “Best Place to Live” or “Best cities in the United States”. Here are two websites that can assist.
- FindYourSpot.com has an online questionnaire that has nine different sections, including climate, crime rates and recreational activities. Once someone completes the questionnaire, the top spots are displayed, complete with demographic information, median housing costs, education and more.
- Bestplaces.net is a website by Bert Sperling, one of the most respected relocation gurus. Money Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, and the US Army have all used his data. Sperling’s website also has an online questionnaire with over forty different categories. Choose how important items are and their database runs through thousands of calculations to display the ranking of cities that best meets the criteria.
Magazine and Books
Money Magazine issues a list of the top ten places to live in the United States each year. Other magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Cosmopolitan and Redbook put together “best of” compilations. Some publications focus on large cities. Others choose to highlight smaller towns and communities.
Head to the local library and find a copy of Places Rated Almanac by David Savageau and Geoffrey Loftus. This 479 page book is loaded with facts, figures and charts on 351 different metropolitan areas.
Chambers of Commerce
Most cities have welcome packs that they put together and will mail free of charge. These packs usually include demographic information, maps of the areas, local attractions, information on school districts and more. Sign up for the monthly newsletter if available.
Newspapers
Subscribe to the local newspaper. There is no better way to see what’s happening and what kind of employment opportunities exist. The local paper can also give insight to the crime rate (check the police blotter and headlines), housing options and pricing, community and city sponsored events and much more.
Visit!
Be sure to visit your chosen city, preferably at different times of the year. Experience firsthand how hot or humid it is or how much snow is on the ground in the winter. Visit the schools, supermarkets, and entertainment venues. Talk to people. Find out if a lot of people commute to larger cities or if most have jobs in town. Also be sure to look at housing options while you are visiting.
So do the research and then load up the moving truck! Wherever your nirvana may be, the choices today are more abundant than in the past. Best of luck…
