Locals' opinions on where to move to.

[Chris Gordon]

Cliff notes for this long post: We want to move in summer of '18. We've narrowed down to a list of about 17 places. Looking to get a local's opinion of these places, but also establish contacts for when we do move (especially when it comes to real estate).

Ok, details:

      For various reasons my wife and I want to move during the summer of 2018. We have a set of criteria which we used to start surveying what's around and have narrowed the list from 40+ to about 17. We're prior military family so moving is a familiar process. A few of the below locations I could move to through my current job. A few of the places I've lived in before, or have spent enough time in to think I have a sense of the place, but I'd like opinions all the same.

    In general we want to move to an area that is:

• has solid school districts
• generally more hospitable
• warmer climate with fun outdoor activities. My wife grew up in Fl and Hawaii, the winters here are like "beyond the wall" in Game of Thrones to her.
• lower cost of living, so that we don't need to be striving for bigger salaries, can save more and do more with our money. I realize pay is somewhat regional and a pay cut might come with moving.
• Ideally live in a center-of-town area...sidewalks, trees, community, the more walkable/bikeable the better, trying to stay away from the cookie-cutter homes and suburban sprawl.
• Bonus points for universities nearby, airports and highways within reasonable driving distance. Also, bonus points if there's some degree of diversity, in any form.
• and of course a place where we can continue our real estate projects.

...And finally I realize that any location will likely require some degree of compromise between all these.

So what I'm hoping for is a local's perspective and opinion of their town based on what I've listed above. How likely are we to find what we're looking for? Any of these we should just cross off the list? Any places we haven't listed that we should consider? We'll be trying to visit these spots in the next year or so.

The locations are:

• North Carolina: Cary/Raleigh/Chapel Hill area, Greeneville, Wilmington (live here before), Charlotte, Greensboro
• Georgia: Athens, Kennesaw, Duluth
• Tampa, Fl (I’ve lived here before)
• Virginia: Richmond/Powhatan, Newport News/Poquoson/Grafton, Charlottesville, Chesapeake,
• South Carolina: Columbia, Greenville
• Lexington, Ky
• Nashville, Tn
• Chattanooga, Tn
• Frederick, Md

Long post! If you're still with me thanks!