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Christian
moving
Moving to Summerfield for work -advice?
Longtime lurker here, Poverty rate is 9.0%, which is pretty low.
4 upvotes
5 Replies
Brandon R.
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. nightlife used to be much growing but now it's underrated.
30 upvotes
Jackson Bailey
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a software engineer, 58, moved here 3 years ago from San Francisco. I've lived in North and Cedar Grove, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Cost of living is very reasonable
2. Four distinct seasons
3. Close to major attractions
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The cost of living situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- North: Great for remote workers. hit or miss vibes, walkable.
- Cedar Grove: 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 San Francisco, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $40K-$130K 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.
Background: I'm a software engineer, 58, moved here 3 years ago from San Francisco. I've lived in North and Cedar Grove, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Cost of living is very reasonable
2. Four distinct seasons
3. Close to major attractions
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The cost of living situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- North: Great for remote workers. hit or miss vibes, walkable.
- Cedar Grove: 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 San Francisco, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $40K-$130K 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.
28 upvotes
Keith H.
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value nightlife, you'll love it. The traffic is genuinely average and I've found it's improved dramatically in recent years. My neighborhood (West) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, be prepared for the culture shock. housing market is completely different here. And Winters are long and cold.
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.
If you value nightlife, you'll love it. The traffic is genuinely average and I've found it's improved dramatically in recent years. My neighborhood (West) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, be prepared for the culture shock. housing market is completely different here. And Winters are long and cold.
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.
27 upvotes
John Garcia
been saying this for years
21 upvotes
Paisley Collins
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 2 years ago from Nashville and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in North. It's excellent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is pricey right now, especially in healthcare. If you're in tech you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 4 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: challenging. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in North. It's excellent for what you get.
Jobs: The market is pricey right now, especially in healthcare. If you're in tech you might struggle.
People: Generally tough. It took about 4 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: challenging. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.
Good luck with whatever you decide..
11 upvotes