It's a a mid-size city city with about 210K people. Homes are going for about $461,400 on average. It's changing fast — some good, some not so much. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. Does this match your experience? Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look. The food scene here is surprisingly good. I'd say it's better for families than young singles. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus.
37 upvotes
7 Replies
Axel Ward
not my experience at all
39 upvotes
Landon Evans
Bought a house here in 2022 and the quality of life is solid. Property values have gone up a bit since then.
34 upvotes
Colton L.
it depends on the neighborhood
27 upvotes
isaac_mind
As someone who grew up here, there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. A lot has changed in the past few years though. community vibe used to be much wild but now it's pretty good.
20 upvotes
Isaiah Peterson
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in East for 7 years. Moved from Boston for family. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is tough. We bought in 2023 at k and it's now worth down slightly than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 3-bed in a safe area. The market is competitive but not impossible.
**Employment:**
finance is strong here. legal is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are affordable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
the quality of life is solid. The outdoor scene is underrated - we have beaches within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. East schools are surprisingly good. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Nightlife is limited. Homeless population growing downtown. And housing market can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 7/10. Give it a chance - it might surprise you.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
15 upvotes
cincy_nicholas
This.
12 upvotes
Ethan T.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 11 years ago from Nashville and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Downtown. It's tough for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in marketing. If you're in marketing you might struggle.
People: Generally improving. It took about 17 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: better than expected. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
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