I'm single, late 20s, and It's a a mid-size city city with about 137K people. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level. The suburbs are where most families end up. Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look. Property taxes are high but you get good services.
32 upvotes
4 Replies
Amber A.
The food scene here is average. Tons of great Indian places. I have mixed feelings honestly.
21 upvotes
Skylar Green
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 6 years ago from Baltimore and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Pine Hills. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is competitive right now, especially in real estate. If you're in engineering you might struggle.
People: Generally challenging. It took about 3 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: hit or miss. Tons of options if you like Thai.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
20 upvotes
Camila Parker
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a software engineer, 47, moved here 1 years ago from Baltimore. I've lived in Lakewood and Eastside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Friendly community, easy to meet people
2. Lots of new development happening
3. Good airport with direct flights
4. The people are generally underrated - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Nightlife is limited
3. The nightlife situation is reasonable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Lakewood: Great for singles. surprisingly good vibes, walkable.
- Eastside: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Baltimore, everything felt decent. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are competitive. Gas is manageable. You can live comfortably on $70K-$110K here.
**Final verdict:**
Hope this helps!. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
15 upvotes
Joseph Flores
The food scene here is excellent. Tons of great Indian places. it exceeded my expectations.
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