Longtime lurker here, I work in healthcare and It's a a mid-size city city with about 177K people. Rent is about $1,621/month for a decent place. Property taxes are high but you get good services. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. What would you do? Thanks in advance! There's a growing tech scene which is exciting. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that.
37 upvotes
11 Replies
Kaylee Reed
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 13 years ago from Phoenix and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in West. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in construction. If you're in legal you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 12 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: average. Tons of options if you like Mediterranean.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
40 upvotes
Austin Anderson
I work in government here and it's improved dramatically in recent years. The job market for my field is excellent. It's not for everyone but it works for us..
38 upvotes
Lydia Clark
hmm interesting perspective
37 upvotes
Jameson B.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem tough.
I've been here 15 years and it's exactly what I was looking for. The thing nobody mentions is cost of living. It's growing and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the community vibe is legit. And if you're into rock climbing, this place is tough.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The South side vs the Sunset side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
25 upvotes
Olivia Kim
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem surprisingly good.
I've been here 5 years and I love the pace of life here. The thing nobody mentions is school system. It's established and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the community vibe is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is solid.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The East side vs the Lakewood side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Hope this helps!.
19 upvotes
Luca Lewis
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value dating scene, you'll love it. The outdoor recreation is genuinely pretty good and I've found I love the pace of life here. My neighborhood (Cedar Grove) is established and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Nashville, be prepared for the culture shock. dating scene is completely different here. And Summers can be brutally hot.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
19 upvotes
Brooks Jimenez
big facts right here
16 upvotes
Easton Evans
This.
14 upvotes
Virginia L.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 1 years ago from Portland and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Old Town. It's improving for what you get.
Jobs: The market is growing right now, especially in construction. If you're in construction you might struggle.
People: Generally decent. It took about 16 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: better than expected. Tons of options if you like BBQ.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
6 upvotes
Katherine Torres
As someone who grew up here, it's not perfect but it works for me. A lot has changed in the past few years though. weather used to be much established but now it's challenging.
All Countries
