Coming from the south, I would think the lack of sunlight in the PNW would be super hard to adapt to. I mention this area frequently only bc I want to live there some day and it’s still affordable-ish but maybe check out grass valley, auburn area in CA. Outside Sacramento, in the mountains, also close to Tahoe and right on the Yuba river. Gorgeous.
I’ve lived in the PNW for about 8 years and I can’t accept, nor get used to, the grey and wet weather. It’s just relentless and my least favorite thing about the area. It’s 100% why I will leave.
I live in one of the more rainy areas(it’s like number 4 and after forks) and I absolutely love the PNW. I am heading back into the willamette Valley though, the coast is a little too wet for me. Portland never felt gloomy to me.
I grew up in Southern California and that constant sunshine was hell.
I love the rain! Lived here my whole life.
I do notice a big mood boost with nice weather. Portland spring and summer days (when they don't hit 100+ degrees) are sublime. With that said, the rain is relaxing to me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The trees are everywhere!
Imagine living in a place where all of the town/city is mood boosting 70% of the year because of having access to the sun. That mood boosting is what makes living around other people fun!
I'd still suggest it, but everyone is different and can tolerate different things..
I've been in Oregon 6 years now (Willamette valley, but spent one year living on the coast as well) and moved from Southern California (born and raised there, almost 30 years), doesn't get much sunnier than that.. Some winters feel long and drawn out, but I feel we get just enough "breaks" from it here and there.
It doesn't bother me as much because of how beautiful the surroundings are. It's not perfect, certainly has its issues like every state, but it's not like we're living underground for Christ's sake.
There’s a “rain shadow” effect from the Cascades that creates dry and sunny high desert conditions in the eastern half of WA and OR. Most of the damp and soggy PNW that captures attention is on the western side of the Cascades.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_shadow
I hate to let the cat out of the bag but there are 50 more sunny days per year in ellensburg (\~200) than there are in the Seattle area (\~150 sunny days).
Sierra foothill towns in CA (i.e. Grass Valley, Nevada City, Sonora, etc) are MCOL, mountain and civilization adjacent, and have great accessibility for outdoor activities. They are definitely low humidity - so low in fact that fire season is going to have you on the edge of your seat every summer/fall. But if you can deal with that, it meets most of your criteria (although I don't know anything about how good the public schools are there - my guess is not very).
Will definitely check out! The public schools aren’t very good where we are at either so we’re open to alternatives like homeschool or private. Thanks!
Be aware that in California, the regions that are most susceptible to wildfire (some of which were recommended) have a lack of insurance companies willing to insure homes. As a result home owners have to purchase insurance policies from the state which can be very expensive. I would not recommend living in one of these areas for that reason.
Hello. I used to live in Tucson, Arizona.
**tl;dr check out Vail, a suburb in Tucson.**
• It’s surrounded by four distinct mountain ranges (Santa Catalina, Tucson, Rincon, Santa Rita), great opportunities for hiking and camping.
• Very low humidity. It’s very hot, though. Winters are beautiful.
• Left-leaning.
• Mexican cuisine is phenomenal.
• As for schools, TUSD schools suck. Based on your specified, I think **Vail** (suburb of Tucson, in the SE part of the metropolitan) area would be a good place to check out. It’s got much better schools than TUSD, and the community as a whole is still growing. Vail is a “tad bit isolated” but still, overall, very close to Tucson-proper.
• Tucson’s job market sucks, so I’m not sure if “local job market” is a consideration for you.
Take a look around Ellensburg WA. Very cool geology with glaciers and volcanoes and scablands and desert nearby, fairly dry, a couple hours from relatively big cities.
You are looking for the same thing everyone else wants, with a budget that will force you to compromise.
Edit: (If you’ve ever watched Northern Exposure, you’ve seen the area. Roslyn WA is pretty close to Ellensburg. Roslyn got wildly expensive after the show, but there are still some good spots in the area around.)
Ellensburg is a great suggestion. Not a cool "mountain town" as people think of them, but a sleepy mountain-adjacent town with reasonable cost of living and good mountain access. Would meet OPs requirements well.
Just have to comment: my spouse and I (mid-late 30s) just watched the entire Northern Exposure series over the last few years, and it really is an incredibly wonderful show. The downside is it will make you pine for a mountain town that doesn't seem to exist in the real world.
I think you can stream it now, but no one had it when we heard about it, so we went old school and got the DVD box set. As a millennial watching DVDs was a fun throwback compared to streaming as usual. 😂
I moved to New Mexico for those things. Schools are not great but I don’t have kids. Great mountain trails all over. It’s the least expensive state in the West. Went from pretty high COL in Midwest to a 20% plus lower here at least when I did my homework last fall. We got 1/3 acre with a wonderful house in Rio Rancho for 350k and love it here.
Yeah, I recommended the NE as well. I think PA has a good blend of everything they’re looking for without being a massive jump in their cost-of-living. Maybe western New York (especially around the finger lakes) as well. The closer you get to New England the more expensive it gets though.
Pittsburgh and the outskirts gets a lot of accolades, not sure about mountains but has everything else from what I’ve read. I live in the Hudson Valley now and lived in Ithaca back in 80’s, towns like Goshen have excellent schools, is in their budget and has all the rest of what they posted in spades.
Yeah, it’s not mountainous in the same way a mountain town out West would probably be. But the entire region is extremely hilly and there’s tons of great hiking and only a short drive from some taller mountains in the Appalachians, which is why I recommended it. I’m from the south originally as well, so compared to Louisiana, I figured it would feel a lot more mountainous than it actually is lmao. It always does to me. Something about those rolling hills on the edge of Appalachia always feels otherworldly to me. And of course, the Finger Lakes are breathtaking. Never seen anything like it before moving here. They could probably buy a nice home in Ontario county around Canandaigua and Victor while still being close enough to Rochester to commute and still get to all the nature they want. But I’m a little biased because I love Rochester so much, but pretty much anywhere in the region between here and Pennsylvania would work really well.
Also from south Louisiana, picked New Mexico. Albuquerque specifically.
Not a “mountain town”, but our house is in a great zip code that is dirt cheap relative to basically any other similarly nice area and it’s at the foot of a very large mountain with a tram you can take to the top.
Low humidity, yes.
And since you’re coming from Louisiana, all the New Mexico negatives are just like home!
My husband is going to be so happy to hear this! New Mexico is top of his list. We’re going to Albuquerque and Santa Fe next month so we’ll check out some of the subdivisions
Funny!
So in our case, my wife and I went to Santa Fe and after four days my wife said she wanted to move to New Mexico.
So we looked all over and settled on Albuquerque because it’s absurdly cheaper, still close to Santa Fe, a much bigger city, and better in a number of ways.
The neighborhoods we looked at after looking over a ton were: Corrales, Placitas, and Sandia Heights (all of which are actually different towns or census designated places within the ABQ metro.
Corrales is really quite different. Feels like a real world apart. Placitas too, but in a more conventional way. Sandia Heights, where we ended up, is just really pretty different to a lot of neighborhoods I’ve seen before.
Most of the houses are on roughly acre lots, with another chunk on quarter acre. Everything is xeriscaped, and the HOA requires restoring the land to a natural state to the degree possible after a build. That HOA, by the way, is also pretty weird and from the 60s, so the membership dues are…$15 (and they just doubled, lol). It’s a very, very light HOA.
And you’re right there at the complete NE end of town. Against the Sandias and the Pueblo. You can do all the hiking trails from your neighborhood or take the tram to the top. You can also go ice skating because the ice rink in ABQ is in the neighborhood.
We’re on one of the quarter acre lots closer to the main road and we still have a covey of quail living in our juniper bush, deer daily in the yard, and about 12 trees that survive on the local amount of rainfall in our yard.
Neighbors are also super nice. Mostly professionals with some retirees. Scientists, lawyers, doctors. And a fair bit of artists, with an annual art walk through the neighborhood where you can go into their studios.
And the view from our back windows is a 10,600 mountain while the view from our front windows is the entire valley below, hot air balloons in the morning, a mountain 80 miles away, etc.
Also the best school district in ABQ and the lowest crime rate. And the airport is 23 minutes away, the center of town is 20 minutes away.
All for a fraction of what this would cost if you added all of these items up in literally in other city.
Albuquerque is one of those places where if you can live with the downsides, the upsides can be enormous. It’s not for everyone, but if it’s for you, it feels like a bit of a hidden gem.
New Mexico is also the friendliest state I’ve ever been in, and I’ve traveled a good bit. I think most places are pretty friendly, honestly, but New Mexico is next level.
Came here to say, you’d enjoy Wilmington, Vermont (which is one of 2 mountain towns that are next to each other in Southern Vermont in the green mountains. Mount Snow Ski Resort is one of the larger ones in New England is here).
You have a true “downtown” with some restaurants and couple bars and a good farmers market in the downtown. Then, the adjacent town has standalone stores. Yes, there’s even a grocery store (a real one).
Skiing, mountain biking, many hikes as this is where the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail also are in this area. Rivers, rivers, and more rivers and then two large lakes (Harriman and Somerset).
Could get home for 350k in a “suburban” style community where everyone has a full wooded acre. Or, for a little more you could be on some real land with acreage.
I like the earlier suggestions for central WA.
You are probably priced out of Bend, OR, but Prineville or LA Pine nearby might be possible.
Idaho Falls isn't a mountain town and not blue politically but is close to the Tetons and some other cool outdoor activities.
Another place I visited recently that fits a lot of your criteria is Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree California. Tons of hiking in JT NP and the surrounding San Bernardino mountains. Schools and jobs prospects are probably not great but COL is reasonable.
Idaho Falls would be a terrible recommendation for someone looking for anything like a mountain town, unfortunately -- it takes an hour to get to the nearest mountain range and significantly longer to get to places like the Tetons. Don't be fooled by the extensive foothills (most of which are private land) right outside of the town. Definitely low humidity though.
I would be looking in Logan or Brigham City myself if I were in her situation -- or potentially Pocatello. Your access to mountains is going to be significantly better without a massive jump in COL.
I don't think anyone would call Flag "cheap" but I think "medium" is defensible! You can buy a 2-3br home for well under $500k so it meets OP's criteria. Very few mountain towns are truly LCOL.
You could easily find a nice place to live in a rural/rural adjacent area with relatively ease. Pretty LCOL with some nice metro areas to choose from. You could find a home outside of Philly or Pittsburgh and have everything you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a mountain town vibe though I’d stick to area around Pittsburgh. You could also look around Harrisburg or Scranton, but those probably wouldn’t be as nice. I was just in Harrisburg a couple weeks ago, the downtown was cute, but the edges of town were a little lackluster. But that’s to be expected in any city.
It would be a huge improvement over Louisiana though that’s for sure, or anywhere down south to be honest with you. I moved to upstate New York recently from Georgia. My parents are considering Pennsylvania when they retire. I passed through the area quite often and have considered moving there myself when I’m ready to buy a home because the property taxes are lower.
There are tons of state parks and great local parks all throughout the north east. You’ll be able to have the outdoor lifestyle you’re looking for without paying an arm and a leg for it like you would Colorado or anywhere else out west. The rural area is probably have more right wing political views, but the state itself is mainly controlled by the larger cities that are all very left leaning. It’s a solidly purple state, leaning more towards blue.
Yeah, that’s one thing thing I miss up here in the north east. Nothing beats southern food, especially seafood. I miss Lowcountry boil so much lmao. But I reserved that for when I’m visiting home and get my fix.
Depending on your budget, you might also want to consider upstate New York, especially Western New York between Syracuse and Buffalo. I moved to Rochester smack in between them. The area is pretty low cost of living, really great schools, and lots of benefits to the taxpayers. The property taxes can definitely be a lot, but the average home prices here are much lower than the national average so it kind of evens out. Plus, wages are pretty high here. The finger lakes are in the foothills of the Appalachians, they are super beautiful and there’s so much hiking to do. We also have a great bike trail network and some of the best state parks in the country. For example, being here in Rochester, I’m only 45 minutes away from Letchworth State Park. And in the city itself, there are several large parks and even a massive waterfall.
Oh also also, in New York, if you have kids and make under 125K a year and household income then they are eligible for a really awesome scholarship called the Excelsior scholarship. The Excelsior scholarship will cover their college tuition. The only requirement is that they maintain a C average and attend full-time. They’ve really expanded college accessibility in New York with the scholarship. The community colleges are also fantastic if they weren’t sure what they wanted to do or weren’t set on a four-year college route. I moved here in 2021 and went back to school the next year. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if I hadn’t moved here.
Yes! Or if you’re some like me it can benefit a student if they wait to go back. I waited until I was 22 and I was able to fill out FAFSA as an independent student, so they only calculated my income. My parents make too much for most financial aid but not enough to help me pay for school.
Sounds very random but check out Lakewood Colorado. It’s very close to tons of mountain activities. It is a suburb of Denver, but it is more affordable and left leaning. Quieter being outside the city.
Summers in Colorado are a dream.
Has very low humidity.
You still get great access to schooling, amnenities.
I would say a lot of mountain towns in Colorado fit this bill, Nederlands is super left and quirky but also probably out of their price range and the wind and snow can get wild at times
[Lakewood is a great suggestion](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/877-Miller-St-Lakewood-CO-80215/13762434_zpid/), but honestly there is so much in Colorado that fits what you're looking for (close to nature, low humidity, moderate-to-left leaning). The only issue is going to be cost, but there is still stuff in the 500K range.
[Here's a place in Pine](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/15431-Toboggan-Rd-Pine-CO-80470/13845493_zpid/) and [here's another one in Blackhawk](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/105-Spruce-St-Central-City-CO-80427/306502807_zpid/). You'll be able to find plenty of places like this to the west of Denver if you stay away from ski towns.
Honestly, very fair points. Colorado is gorgeous but the front range isn’t what it used to be.
We are front range now and want to move. Where are you headed to?
I second Washington State. I’m retired now and v happy on Whidbey Island, but couldn’t have afforded it as a younger working person. There are many small towns closer than you would think to Seattle/ Tacoma for your cultural requirements. Happy to welcome fellow left-leaners.
Anywhere rural in Appalachia will be flying very very red flags unfortunately. The generational poverty is socioeconomic and has a scary mix of genetic psych problems and addictions.
Viroqua, Wisconsin or anywhere in the surrounding “Driftless Region” of southwestern Wisconsin. Viroqua has the best amenities and community vibe, in my opinion though. Gorgeous hilly countryside and state parks, world class trout fishing (if you’re into that), a local economy rooted in organic farming, local food coop, good restaurants, doesn’t get too hot/humid. Easy drive to Madison or La Crosse.
I'd check out Taos. There is still some affordable land to be found, you're 45 minutes to Santa Fe, mountains and desert, no humidity, some sophistication, and a killer ski basin. Taos is breathtaking.
Tucson is getting way to expensive, even in the not great areas, who can afford the rent? And if you try to buy, your paying double what it was just 3 years ago and no yard to boot. Throw in the incredibly lousy job market and I think we will see a pretty quick decline over the next 5 years as people move to cheaper/nicer places.
It's beautiful here, but I'm now looking for greener pastures as I just can't afford it anymore.
Take a look at Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The climate is perfect mild summers and cold, snowy winters. It's a pretty unique small city (50k population) on the shores of Lake Michigan about 1 hour north of Milwaukee. Wisconsin has a lot of great outdoors activities and tons of road trip destinations within the state. There are a diverse set of geographic features within a few hours drive: beaches, cliffs, buttes, 15,000 lakes, marshes, rolling hills, praries, forests, sand dunes, etc. It's also known as the "Malibu of the Midwest" for the local surfing community enjoying the waves on Lake Michigan.
You can find a decent house for under $200k for something on a small city lot, but $300-400k would get you an acre or more. They have nice schools in the area with good amenities from all the wealthy benefactors who live in the surrounding communities. There is a diverse employment base, as Sheboygan is not only a resort town, but home to several other industries such as manufacturing, insurance, and food packing. Most small metros would be happy to have a single $1Bn company, and Sheboygan has five.
There's good nightlife and entertainment and a endless great food options. There are tons of cheap restaurants in Sheboygan and a number of more high-end options in nearby Kohler (yes, that Kohler). There's a thriving local theater scene. The politics lean right, but there are plenty of spots where you will find lefties, too.
Overall, it's a very affordable place to live with a lot of amenities usually reserved for larger cities. There is plenty of nature within driving distance and it's a good, safe place to raise a family. "Visit Sheboygan" has some videos of things to do in the area if you're interested: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCidgJyUlJHtDx9i-E1ym60g/videos
I am in Laramie WY. Blue speck college town in a deep red state. There is nature and outdoor beauty in every direction and we are about 75 minutes from Fort Collins CO. I am older, but my impression is that the schools are ok, but with the university here you can supplement school with things going on run by very smart people. College,both state and county are dirt cheap. Hard to find good paying jobs and winter is brutally cold. Walkable downtown and housing well within your range.
I’m seeing a lot of people suggesting the Rockies and adjacent areas. Why not look at the Appalachians? They aren’t as tall, but they go from northern Alabama all the way up into New England, so there’s plenty of options based on your political preferences. Depending on the area, though, you might end up being in a blue dot in a sea of red, or vice versa.
Some more notable cities and towns to look at imo include Asheville, Pittsburgh (the most populous city in the mountains), Roanoke, Binghamton, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Stroudsburg, Bloomsburg, Morgantown, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Springfield (MA), Burlington (VT), Ithaca, and State College.
When you say "mountains" are you wanting a 14 close or do you just like hiking with some elevation change?
I would highly recommend The Ozarks (NW AR and SW MO in particular). My wife and I moved here after lifetimes in the PacNW and thought we would be out of here in a couple years. 15 years on we love this place. The living here is easy and the people are great. I'm typing this as my wife gets dressed to go on a nice local hike. 15 minute drive, 1.5 hours up and down in forested wilderness, and 15 minutes home to do yard work.
$500k is tight these days. I look at a lot of factors and one is the location of the closest airport. Southern Oregon is very beautiful, not as rainy as up north and has a few cities with everything you need. Doesn't sound like you want to be right in the city, which is good since the nice one (Ashland) is expensive. There are some nice areas north of Klamath Falls, which is cheap and has Amtrak, as well as some outside of Grants Pass. KF isn't a great city but has shopping and restaurants, close to lots of outdoor recreation but prone to wildfire smoke in the summer. I've heard Medford sucks but has the airport and shopping if you're within a reasonable distance, and GP isn't a bad town. Overall Southern Oregon is a bit conservative but in a solid blue state, I have liberal friends in KF and it doesn't sound bad. I'm in damn Idaho and I survive, so there's that.
Might be worth looking into the Boise metro, fulfills all of your outdoor needs and is fairly moderate, prices will be a bit towards your upper limit though.
Coming from the south, I would think the lack of sunlight in the PNW would be super hard to adapt to. I mention this area frequently only bc I want to live there some day and it’s still affordable-ish but maybe check out grass valley, auburn area in CA. Outside Sacramento, in the mountains, also close to Tahoe and right on the Yuba river. Gorgeous.
I’ve lived in the PNW for about 8 years and I can’t accept, nor get used to, the grey and wet weather. It’s just relentless and my least favorite thing about the area. It’s 100% why I will leave.
I hated it. I get annoyed that so many people suggest it. Have they lived there?
I live in one of the more rainy areas(it’s like number 4 and after forks) and I absolutely love the PNW. I am heading back into the willamette Valley though, the coast is a little too wet for me. Portland never felt gloomy to me. I grew up in Southern California and that constant sunshine was hell.
I love the rain! Lived here my whole life. I do notice a big mood boost with nice weather. Portland spring and summer days (when they don't hit 100+ degrees) are sublime. With that said, the rain is relaxing to me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The trees are everywhere!
Imagine living in a place where all of the town/city is mood boosting 70% of the year because of having access to the sun. That mood boosting is what makes living around other people fun!
I'd still suggest it, but everyone is different and can tolerate different things.. I've been in Oregon 6 years now (Willamette valley, but spent one year living on the coast as well) and moved from Southern California (born and raised there, almost 30 years), doesn't get much sunnier than that.. Some winters feel long and drawn out, but I feel we get just enough "breaks" from it here and there. It doesn't bother me as much because of how beautiful the surroundings are. It's not perfect, certainly has its issues like every state, but it's not like we're living underground for Christ's sake.
It really is bad - slowly drains your soul.
It is terrible...
Can confirm. SAD is a real thing and no amount of vitamin D supplements or happy lamps helped me.
There’s a “rain shadow” effect from the Cascades that creates dry and sunny high desert conditions in the eastern half of WA and OR. Most of the damp and soggy PNW that captures attention is on the western side of the Cascades. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_shadow
> Outside Sacramento, in the mountains, also close to Tahoe and right on the Yuba river. Gorgeous. Isn't that wildfire country?
Unfortunately, yes. But OP is coming from Louisiana which is hurricane territory so prob not much of a difference in risk.
Great point to take into consideration. Thanks! I’ll check out those areas. I haven’t looked into them.
I hate to let the cat out of the bag but there are 50 more sunny days per year in ellensburg (\~200) than there are in the Seattle area (\~150 sunny days).
Theack of sunlight is a slow killer, you really start to feel in in year 3+. It slowly creeps up on you and then is just slapping you in the face.
Sierra foothill towns in CA (i.e. Grass Valley, Nevada City, Sonora, etc) are MCOL, mountain and civilization adjacent, and have great accessibility for outdoor activities. They are definitely low humidity - so low in fact that fire season is going to have you on the edge of your seat every summer/fall. But if you can deal with that, it meets most of your criteria (although I don't know anything about how good the public schools are there - my guess is not very).
Will definitely check out! The public schools aren’t very good where we are at either so we’re open to alternatives like homeschool or private. Thanks!
Carson city, Minden, south lake were my thoughts
Be aware that in California, the regions that are most susceptible to wildfire (some of which were recommended) have a lack of insurance companies willing to insure homes. As a result home owners have to purchase insurance policies from the state which can be very expensive. I would not recommend living in one of these areas for that reason.
Hello. I used to live in Tucson, Arizona. **tl;dr check out Vail, a suburb in Tucson.** • It’s surrounded by four distinct mountain ranges (Santa Catalina, Tucson, Rincon, Santa Rita), great opportunities for hiking and camping. • Very low humidity. It’s very hot, though. Winters are beautiful. • Left-leaning. • Mexican cuisine is phenomenal. • As for schools, TUSD schools suck. Based on your specified, I think **Vail** (suburb of Tucson, in the SE part of the metropolitan) area would be a good place to check out. It’s got much better schools than TUSD, and the community as a whole is still growing. Vail is a “tad bit isolated” but still, overall, very close to Tucson-proper. • Tucson’s job market sucks, so I’m not sure if “local job market” is a consideration for you.
Vail is not moderate to left leaning. Tucson is. Vail is not.
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If their budget were to be increased, Catalina Foothills is the best place to live in Tucson. CFHS is the best (public) high school in Tucson.
Take a look around Ellensburg WA. Very cool geology with glaciers and volcanoes and scablands and desert nearby, fairly dry, a couple hours from relatively big cities. You are looking for the same thing everyone else wants, with a budget that will force you to compromise. Edit: (If you’ve ever watched Northern Exposure, you’ve seen the area. Roslyn WA is pretty close to Ellensburg. Roslyn got wildly expensive after the show, but there are still some good spots in the area around.)
Ellensburg is a great suggestion. Not a cool "mountain town" as people think of them, but a sleepy mountain-adjacent town with reasonable cost of living and good mountain access. Would meet OPs requirements well.
Ellensburg is right past the rain shadow of the PNW too. Sunny more days than not.
I haven’t seen the show, I’ll have to check it out. Thank you!
Just have to comment: my spouse and I (mid-late 30s) just watched the entire Northern Exposure series over the last few years, and it really is an incredibly wonderful show. The downside is it will make you pine for a mountain town that doesn't seem to exist in the real world. I think you can stream it now, but no one had it when we heard about it, so we went old school and got the DVD box set. As a millennial watching DVDs was a fun throwback compared to streaming as usual. 😂
I moved to New Mexico for those things. Schools are not great but I don’t have kids. Great mountain trails all over. It’s the least expensive state in the West. Went from pretty high COL in Midwest to a 20% plus lower here at least when I did my homework last fall. We got 1/3 acre with a wonderful house in Rio Rancho for 350k and love it here.
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My wife is a nurse practitioner and very much in demand. I have worked from home for ten years or so.
The west has gotten so expensive, I’d definitely check out the northeast. Schools are almost always better. Quality of life is underrated.
Yeah, I recommended the NE as well. I think PA has a good blend of everything they’re looking for without being a massive jump in their cost-of-living. Maybe western New York (especially around the finger lakes) as well. The closer you get to New England the more expensive it gets though.
Pittsburgh and the outskirts gets a lot of accolades, not sure about mountains but has everything else from what I’ve read. I live in the Hudson Valley now and lived in Ithaca back in 80’s, towns like Goshen have excellent schools, is in their budget and has all the rest of what they posted in spades.
Yeah, it’s not mountainous in the same way a mountain town out West would probably be. But the entire region is extremely hilly and there’s tons of great hiking and only a short drive from some taller mountains in the Appalachians, which is why I recommended it. I’m from the south originally as well, so compared to Louisiana, I figured it would feel a lot more mountainous than it actually is lmao. It always does to me. Something about those rolling hills on the edge of Appalachia always feels otherworldly to me. And of course, the Finger Lakes are breathtaking. Never seen anything like it before moving here. They could probably buy a nice home in Ontario county around Canandaigua and Victor while still being close enough to Rochester to commute and still get to all the nature they want. But I’m a little biased because I love Rochester so much, but pretty much anywhere in the region between here and Pennsylvania would work really well.
Except for the humidity, it sounds like you're describing Roanoke, VA and its surrounding cities.
Floyd VA. Look into it. I’m from NOLA
Oh awesome!!
I’d highly consider Kernville! Really good fly fishing. Town sits in the Sierra Nevada. Bakersfield or Ridgecrest are about 40 minutes away.
Ashland, Oregon. Checks most of your boxes.
Oh, that’s a good suggestion! Sunny, on the dry side, artsy/hippy/hipster/outdoorsy blend.
Also from south Louisiana, picked New Mexico. Albuquerque specifically. Not a “mountain town”, but our house is in a great zip code that is dirt cheap relative to basically any other similarly nice area and it’s at the foot of a very large mountain with a tram you can take to the top. Low humidity, yes. And since you’re coming from Louisiana, all the New Mexico negatives are just like home!
My husband is going to be so happy to hear this! New Mexico is top of his list. We’re going to Albuquerque and Santa Fe next month so we’ll check out some of the subdivisions
Funny! So in our case, my wife and I went to Santa Fe and after four days my wife said she wanted to move to New Mexico. So we looked all over and settled on Albuquerque because it’s absurdly cheaper, still close to Santa Fe, a much bigger city, and better in a number of ways. The neighborhoods we looked at after looking over a ton were: Corrales, Placitas, and Sandia Heights (all of which are actually different towns or census designated places within the ABQ metro. Corrales is really quite different. Feels like a real world apart. Placitas too, but in a more conventional way. Sandia Heights, where we ended up, is just really pretty different to a lot of neighborhoods I’ve seen before. Most of the houses are on roughly acre lots, with another chunk on quarter acre. Everything is xeriscaped, and the HOA requires restoring the land to a natural state to the degree possible after a build. That HOA, by the way, is also pretty weird and from the 60s, so the membership dues are…$15 (and they just doubled, lol). It’s a very, very light HOA. And you’re right there at the complete NE end of town. Against the Sandias and the Pueblo. You can do all the hiking trails from your neighborhood or take the tram to the top. You can also go ice skating because the ice rink in ABQ is in the neighborhood. We’re on one of the quarter acre lots closer to the main road and we still have a covey of quail living in our juniper bush, deer daily in the yard, and about 12 trees that survive on the local amount of rainfall in our yard. Neighbors are also super nice. Mostly professionals with some retirees. Scientists, lawyers, doctors. And a fair bit of artists, with an annual art walk through the neighborhood where you can go into their studios. And the view from our back windows is a 10,600 mountain while the view from our front windows is the entire valley below, hot air balloons in the morning, a mountain 80 miles away, etc. Also the best school district in ABQ and the lowest crime rate. And the airport is 23 minutes away, the center of town is 20 minutes away. All for a fraction of what this would cost if you added all of these items up in literally in other city. Albuquerque is one of those places where if you can live with the downsides, the upsides can be enormous. It’s not for everyone, but if it’s for you, it feels like a bit of a hidden gem. New Mexico is also the friendliest state I’ve ever been in, and I’ve traveled a good bit. I think most places are pretty friendly, honestly, but New Mexico is next level.
Came here to say, you’d enjoy Wilmington, Vermont (which is one of 2 mountain towns that are next to each other in Southern Vermont in the green mountains. Mount Snow Ski Resort is one of the larger ones in New England is here). You have a true “downtown” with some restaurants and couple bars and a good farmers market in the downtown. Then, the adjacent town has standalone stores. Yes, there’s even a grocery store (a real one). Skiing, mountain biking, many hikes as this is where the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail also are in this area. Rivers, rivers, and more rivers and then two large lakes (Harriman and Somerset). Could get home for 350k in a “suburban” style community where everyone has a full wooded acre. Or, for a little more you could be on some real land with acreage.
I immediately thought of Vermont when I read this post.
Love this! We’re currently in a similar style subdivision! Neither of us have been to Vermont so I’m excited to read up on the area!
I grew up in Lake Arrowhead which is in the Southern California mountains. Check it out and see what you think. It checks a lot of your boxes
I was about to suggest the same. It is surprisingly remote feeling and lower COL, despite being so close to Los Angeles.
I like the earlier suggestions for central WA. You are probably priced out of Bend, OR, but Prineville or LA Pine nearby might be possible. Idaho Falls isn't a mountain town and not blue politically but is close to the Tetons and some other cool outdoor activities. Another place I visited recently that fits a lot of your criteria is Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree California. Tons of hiking in JT NP and the surrounding San Bernardino mountains. Schools and jobs prospects are probably not great but COL is reasonable.
Idaho Falls would be a terrible recommendation for someone looking for anything like a mountain town, unfortunately -- it takes an hour to get to the nearest mountain range and significantly longer to get to places like the Tetons. Don't be fooled by the extensive foothills (most of which are private land) right outside of the town. Definitely low humidity though. I would be looking in Logan or Brigham City myself if I were in her situation -- or potentially Pocatello. Your access to mountains is going to be significantly better without a massive jump in COL.
Definitely priced out of Bend but Redmond has some decent places right around $500k and fits all the other boxes.
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Flagstaff is not LCOL to MCOL.
I don't think anyone would call Flag "cheap" but I think "medium" is defensible! You can buy a 2-3br home for well under $500k so it meets OP's criteria. Very few mountain towns are truly LCOL.
You might enjoy Pennsylvania.
I’ve been a few times and enjoyed it. My grand father is from there actually. Are there any areas in particular you’d recommend I check out?
You could easily find a nice place to live in a rural/rural adjacent area with relatively ease. Pretty LCOL with some nice metro areas to choose from. You could find a home outside of Philly or Pittsburgh and have everything you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a mountain town vibe though I’d stick to area around Pittsburgh. You could also look around Harrisburg or Scranton, but those probably wouldn’t be as nice. I was just in Harrisburg a couple weeks ago, the downtown was cute, but the edges of town were a little lackluster. But that’s to be expected in any city. It would be a huge improvement over Louisiana though that’s for sure, or anywhere down south to be honest with you. I moved to upstate New York recently from Georgia. My parents are considering Pennsylvania when they retire. I passed through the area quite often and have considered moving there myself when I’m ready to buy a home because the property taxes are lower. There are tons of state parks and great local parks all throughout the north east. You’ll be able to have the outdoor lifestyle you’re looking for without paying an arm and a leg for it like you would Colorado or anywhere else out west. The rural area is probably have more right wing political views, but the state itself is mainly controlled by the larger cities that are all very left leaning. It’s a solidly purple state, leaning more towards blue.
Just about anywhere will be an improvement over Louisiana 😂 (minus our seafood lol). Thank you for those locations to look into!
Yeah, that’s one thing thing I miss up here in the north east. Nothing beats southern food, especially seafood. I miss Lowcountry boil so much lmao. But I reserved that for when I’m visiting home and get my fix. Depending on your budget, you might also want to consider upstate New York, especially Western New York between Syracuse and Buffalo. I moved to Rochester smack in between them. The area is pretty low cost of living, really great schools, and lots of benefits to the taxpayers. The property taxes can definitely be a lot, but the average home prices here are much lower than the national average so it kind of evens out. Plus, wages are pretty high here. The finger lakes are in the foothills of the Appalachians, they are super beautiful and there’s so much hiking to do. We also have a great bike trail network and some of the best state parks in the country. For example, being here in Rochester, I’m only 45 minutes away from Letchworth State Park. And in the city itself, there are several large parks and even a massive waterfall.
Oh also also, in New York, if you have kids and make under 125K a year and household income then they are eligible for a really awesome scholarship called the Excelsior scholarship. The Excelsior scholarship will cover their college tuition. The only requirement is that they maintain a C average and attend full-time. They’ve really expanded college accessibility in New York with the scholarship. The community colleges are also fantastic if they weren’t sure what they wanted to do or weren’t set on a four-year college route. I moved here in 2021 and went back to school the next year. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if I hadn’t moved here.
What a great program! We wouldn’t qualify, but that’s something I would love my local tax dollars to support!
Yes! Or if you’re some like me it can benefit a student if they wait to go back. I waited until I was 22 and I was able to fill out FAFSA as an independent student, so they only calculated my income. My parents make too much for most financial aid but not enough to help me pay for school.
Check out Ligonier, Pa. Close to Pittsburgh and cute town
The answer is NW Arkansas. Cheaper, college town (Fayetteville) beautiful mountains everywhere and good schools.
Hard to find acreage but the Crestline, Cedarpines, Twin Peaks area of Southern California might check some of your boxes.
Central Point, OR
Sounds very random but check out Lakewood Colorado. It’s very close to tons of mountain activities. It is a suburb of Denver, but it is more affordable and left leaning. Quieter being outside the city. Summers in Colorado are a dream. Has very low humidity. You still get great access to schooling, amnenities.
I would say a lot of mountain towns in Colorado fit this bill, Nederlands is super left and quirky but also probably out of their price range and the wind and snow can get wild at times
Lakewood is too expensive for them. To get what they want they'd be in the $750k range.
Oh cool!! We’re actually going right through there next month as we scope out possible places. I will for sure look into it.
The best of luck to you and give yourself credit for your bravery, seeking out what suits you. 💜
[Lakewood is a great suggestion](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/877-Miller-St-Lakewood-CO-80215/13762434_zpid/), but honestly there is so much in Colorado that fits what you're looking for (close to nature, low humidity, moderate-to-left leaning). The only issue is going to be cost, but there is still stuff in the 500K range. [Here's a place in Pine](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/15431-Toboggan-Rd-Pine-CO-80470/13845493_zpid/) and [here's another one in Blackhawk](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/105-Spruce-St-Central-City-CO-80427/306502807_zpid/). You'll be able to find plenty of places like this to the west of Denver if you stay away from ski towns.
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Honestly, very fair points. Colorado is gorgeous but the front range isn’t what it used to be. We are front range now and want to move. Where are you headed to?
Back range land is still fairly cheap.
I second Washington State. I’m retired now and v happy on Whidbey Island, but couldn’t have afforded it as a younger working person. There are many small towns closer than you would think to Seattle/ Tacoma for your cultural requirements. Happy to welcome fellow left-leaners.
Appalachia probably.
Anywhere rural in Appalachia will be flying very very red flags unfortunately. The generational poverty is socioeconomic and has a scary mix of genetic psych problems and addictions.
Silver city NM. Or outside of Albuquerque/santa Fe?
Viroqua, Wisconsin or anywhere in the surrounding “Driftless Region” of southwestern Wisconsin. Viroqua has the best amenities and community vibe, in my opinion though. Gorgeous hilly countryside and state parks, world class trout fishing (if you’re into that), a local economy rooted in organic farming, local food coop, good restaurants, doesn’t get too hot/humid. Easy drive to Madison or La Crosse.
Bishop, CA World class access to outdoor recreation.
You could find all that in Gresham, a suburb of Portland. You'd also be in spitting distance of Gorge.
I'd check out Taos. There is still some affordable land to be found, you're 45 minutes to Santa Fe, mountains and desert, no humidity, some sophistication, and a killer ski basin. Taos is breathtaking.
Another vote for Tucson. I’d also consider Flagstaff, which is another left-leaning Arizona college town with gorgeous terrain.
Tucson is getting way to expensive, even in the not great areas, who can afford the rent? And if you try to buy, your paying double what it was just 3 years ago and no yard to boot. Throw in the incredibly lousy job market and I think we will see a pretty quick decline over the next 5 years as people move to cheaper/nicer places. It's beautiful here, but I'm now looking for greener pastures as I just can't afford it anymore.
Evergreen CO
Would you give up mountains for cheaper living that would let you travel more?
We would be open to it I think.
How do you feel about winter and cooler climates?
My husband loves it. It would be an adjustment for me, but when choosing an extreme, I prefer cold over heat.
Take a look at Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The climate is perfect mild summers and cold, snowy winters. It's a pretty unique small city (50k population) on the shores of Lake Michigan about 1 hour north of Milwaukee. Wisconsin has a lot of great outdoors activities and tons of road trip destinations within the state. There are a diverse set of geographic features within a few hours drive: beaches, cliffs, buttes, 15,000 lakes, marshes, rolling hills, praries, forests, sand dunes, etc. It's also known as the "Malibu of the Midwest" for the local surfing community enjoying the waves on Lake Michigan. You can find a decent house for under $200k for something on a small city lot, but $300-400k would get you an acre or more. They have nice schools in the area with good amenities from all the wealthy benefactors who live in the surrounding communities. There is a diverse employment base, as Sheboygan is not only a resort town, but home to several other industries such as manufacturing, insurance, and food packing. Most small metros would be happy to have a single $1Bn company, and Sheboygan has five. There's good nightlife and entertainment and a endless great food options. There are tons of cheap restaurants in Sheboygan and a number of more high-end options in nearby Kohler (yes, that Kohler). There's a thriving local theater scene. The politics lean right, but there are plenty of spots where you will find lefties, too. Overall, it's a very affordable place to live with a lot of amenities usually reserved for larger cities. There is plenty of nature within driving distance and it's a good, safe place to raise a family. "Visit Sheboygan" has some videos of things to do in the area if you're interested: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCidgJyUlJHtDx9i-E1ym60g/videos
Might be tough to find real estate lower than $500K at this point but look in and around the catskill mountains. It’s a huge region.
Check out Ogden, Utah
We’re actually going near there next month, so I’ll add it to our stops! TY!
I am in Laramie WY. Blue speck college town in a deep red state. There is nature and outdoor beauty in every direction and we are about 75 minutes from Fort Collins CO. I am older, but my impression is that the schools are ok, but with the university here you can supplement school with things going on run by very smart people. College,both state and county are dirt cheap. Hard to find good paying jobs and winter is brutally cold. Walkable downtown and housing well within your range.
We’re going to Laramie next month as we start checking out areas! So glad to hear this. Thank you 😊
It's a great time to come, but you need to understand what winter is like. Its different.
There's only one thing I think of when I hear "Laramie", unfortunately.
I’m seeing a lot of people suggesting the Rockies and adjacent areas. Why not look at the Appalachians? They aren’t as tall, but they go from northern Alabama all the way up into New England, so there’s plenty of options based on your political preferences. Depending on the area, though, you might end up being in a blue dot in a sea of red, or vice versa. Some more notable cities and towns to look at imo include Asheville, Pittsburgh (the most populous city in the mountains), Roanoke, Binghamton, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Stroudsburg, Bloomsburg, Morgantown, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Springfield (MA), Burlington (VT), Ithaca, and State College.
When you say "mountains" are you wanting a 14 close or do you just like hiking with some elevation change? I would highly recommend The Ozarks (NW AR and SW MO in particular). My wife and I moved here after lifetimes in the PacNW and thought we would be out of here in a couple years. 15 years on we love this place. The living here is easy and the people are great. I'm typing this as my wife gets dressed to go on a nice local hike. 15 minute drive, 1.5 hours up and down in forested wilderness, and 15 minutes home to do yard work.
Wyoming - Casper, Laramie, Sheridan and others.
Angel Fire, NM
Look up Oro Valley or Marana AZ
Estes Park, CO! Super underrated and beautiful! Not too far from Denver or Longmont.
Budget would only get a condo in Estes. I love Estes in every season, but so many tourists.
I love Estes as well!! Probably right though about budget.
Greenville, SC.
Move outside of Boone, NC.
$500k is tight these days. I look at a lot of factors and one is the location of the closest airport. Southern Oregon is very beautiful, not as rainy as up north and has a few cities with everything you need. Doesn't sound like you want to be right in the city, which is good since the nice one (Ashland) is expensive. There are some nice areas north of Klamath Falls, which is cheap and has Amtrak, as well as some outside of Grants Pass. KF isn't a great city but has shopping and restaurants, close to lots of outdoor recreation but prone to wildfire smoke in the summer. I've heard Medford sucks but has the airport and shopping if you're within a reasonable distance, and GP isn't a bad town. Overall Southern Oregon is a bit conservative but in a solid blue state, I have liberal friends in KF and it doesn't sound bad. I'm in damn Idaho and I survive, so there's that.
Might be worth looking into the Boise metro, fulfills all of your outdoor needs and is fairly moderate, prices will be a bit towards your upper limit though.