Filed under: notes
When I graduated from college, after four years in New England, I wanted to be in the southwestern United States (love the sun), and I knew that I wanted a small city with a growing economy (like being employed). It was 1994. Not exactly a recession, but sort of a recession-recovery period. I chose Santa Fe (see photo) based on a list in U.S. News and World Reports or something like that. Santa Fe had a lot of growth, it was a small city, had tons of cultural activities, and it was geographically ideal in terms of location and climate. It was also expensive as all hell, and the “growth” was entirely in the service industry (e.g., restaurants, hotels). Still, I don’t regret it. I met Jim in Santa Fe. I really like Santa Fe. And perhaps one day I’ll be wealthy enough to actually live there again, but somehow I doubt it.
This week several readers sent in information on their cities doing well on lists:
1. Milwaukee as a Best City for Young Professionals (image attribution Nicholas La Joie, Milwaukee, WI):
Milwaukee might not be a leading innovator, but it has the fifth-highest concentration of top companies in the country, by our count. And those jobs pay. Despite a below-average cost of living, salaries paid to professionals are comfortably above the national average, at $54,169. Sweetening the deal further, the city is in the top quartile for its population of never-married citizens between 20 and 35.
2. North Hempstead as a Best Place to Live
North Hempstead is a town that takes pride in its ports. Just south of the Long Island Sound and its many bays, the sprawling area of southeast New York is a seafarer’s paradise.
To balance out the bays, North Hempstead’s affluent community unwinds at the Harbor Links Golf Course, comprising nearly 7,000 yards of golf, or by taking a serene stroll through Clark Botanic Gardens.
Real estate is pricey here, but if you can afford it, you’ll appreciate the town’s world-class shopping at Americana Mall – Prada, Hermes and Tiffany & Co. are just a few of the tenants.
Perhaps the best part in these lists is reading the comments on each article in which people complain about why cities are on there or why their city isn’t.
Anyone want to send me an image for the post that’s in the public domain? And anyone want to share a city ranking?
Milwaukee is a _great_ city. We lived there for 9 years, got married and had both our kids there, and were sorry to leave, as life took us in other directions (currently near Santa Fe!). It’s not too crowded, but large enough to have good resources, the people are genuinely friendly, there are many nice and yet still affordable places to live, and there’s a surprisingly active arts scene. And, the lake front. I still miss it.
Comment by Jess 07.17.08 @ 9:35 amIt actually sounds like Burlington, Vermont….
And, in a hugely generalizing way, I’m always surprised by how nice people are outside of Southern California, and New England
Comment by Ms. Theologian 07.17.08 @ 9:52 amPersonal image of “North Hempstead,” coming your way.
I just want to add that North Hempstead is actually a large collection of villages, not all of which are “pricey.” My village for instance is only 14,000 people. So the place sounds a heck of a lot bigger than it really feels. The “town” provides certain services like trash removal and police if the villages opt not to provide their own. But, most people do not think of themselves as living in “North Hempstead” nor will their addresses reflect this.
And, it’s a WONDERFUL place to live if you can afford it. Very small towns, low crime, beautiful views, light traffic in most places, good schools.
Comment by GhostGirl 07.17.08 @ 2:12 pmWe use to live near Hempstead when I was an adolescent. By and large, I liked Long Island, but I haven’t spent any significant amount of time there since I was 15, so I don’t know it I still would, as an adult. I liked the history, the proximity to water, and the small towns.
I was shocked by the cost of living in Santa Fe. I just assumed that it would be cheaper there, but I’ve seen half a dozen episodes of House Hunters in Santa Fe, and was blown away. Maybe it’s like Ashland, Oregon.
Comment by h sofia 07.17.08 @ 4:01 pmLeave a comment
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>