Best Places to Live 2009

Tampa,Florida

I recently moved from Perth Amboy,NJ to Tampa,FL.i gotta tell ya that the weather is just perfect.Sure we were getting hit by a tropical storm but now that winter is right around the corner...i guess that there isnt going to be any for a while.But other then that,taxes are lower.Beaches are nicer and i still see the sun alot.It is a BEAUTIFUL place and its clean.The Skyscrapers are very nice.The population is getting higher every year!And I'm new to tropical areas but instead of always seeing regular trees,we ALWAYS see palm trees (which is relly cool).At least Tampa is noticed.Perth Amboy isnt

William of FL @ Nov 13, 2009 20:15:11 PM

San Luis Obispo,Ca

Sure is a great place and I wish I could afford to live here.Been in and out of this town for 35 years and brother it is hard to make a living here.If you are rich you will be fine here...or a student....retired...But I must say the traffic is off the charts now and every road gets used like a freeway.Back roads that were at one time so cool to drive on are now like freeway on ramps with someone always on your tail and pushing you up the road hard.The small town feel is gone but for people coming from a large city you still might think your in the country.Bring lots of money and you will be happy here.Lots of wine to drink and fancy food to eat.But then you could do that anywhere.I saw a sign on a house here in 1976 and it read welcome to the new LA....so what do you think locals think of the crowds here now in 2009.Yep...over the top.Business people will say no..real people say the old SLO Town is dead and the rich have fashioned a new town here just like the one they left back in there old home town.And Avila Beach has been torn down and tossed away.In its place they built a mini Santa Barbara but what else is new.If you love stucco and glass and a coffee shop on every corner well then welcome to Joes Mama town baby.Can't miss her mug hung on the outside walls for all to see her looking the town over.Move here and enjoy yourself cause if I get some money together I am out of here and off to where I will never tell.Maybe someone can get the Harbor District in Avila to clean up the pigeon poop filled fish cleaning station on the end of Avila pier.Maybe move the fish cleaning to inside the Pier end bathrooms and some fresh water outlets under the pier for the birds...don't forget rails for the birds to sit on under there.Then wash all the poop off the pier.Then install long floppy wire dodads on the light poles to keep the seagulls off......On the good side again the rush of traffic to and from the Nuclear Power plant nearby going past all the people trying to park and get their kids to a from the beach is a blast to watch.No way will they paint the no passing lines there that would stop all the fun of near brushes with death trying to get to the sand at Ole Port Beach,Ca.You say I'm jaded ? well maybe...But you should have been here 30 years ago.Bring your sack of gold and a lead foot and the flying middle finger and you will be fine.Nothing says welcome more that the Flying Middle finger from a grey hair old lady that passes you on the on ramp to the freeway...... and the 24 -7-365 heavy truck traffic on the local freeway...sounds like the ocean waves when you close your eyes at night and try to sleep in your $700,000 fixer upper near the busy roads....Ok I got it out of my system for now so welcome and see my finger ?...

Frozen Stiff of CA @ Nov 13, 2009 13:39:25 PM

Albuquerque

Albuquerque is a nice; I moved here from western New York State 4 years ago. As a far as the comment from "Lolo of TX" about it not being safe he or she is wrong. As in most cities, crime is concentrated in a few neighborhoods with the vast majority of the metro area having only occasional crime. I live near downtown and its safe both day and night. The city has convenient bus and "Rapid Ride" service along Central Avenue, a commuter rail line to the southern and northern suburbs and to Santa Fe and has several nice cultural amenities. The metro area population is over 800,000 and is expected to hit 1,000,000 by 2015.

mapperdp of NM @ Nov 13, 2009 13:10:50 PM

St Austine

St Augustine is a great place to visit but to live there you have to travel around the tourists all the time.Too many tourists and traffic but a beautiful place to visit and live outside of bu tnot in the city proper.It is like walking around in history first hand.But again too many tourists to live and travel around in.

tired66 of FL @ Nov 13, 2009 11:27:47 AM

Albuquerque

NO WAY!!! It does look pretty...the mountains, etc. BUT it is a dangerous place to live. I've been there many times, and lived there for a short period. The city itself is scary...especially at night. No way should it be on this list.

Lolo of TX @ Nov 13, 2009 10:33:57 AM

Austin TX

Moved to Austin from Chicago. This sumer it was a record heat wave with over two months of 100+ temps. However, I prefer that to being in a grey damp environment for 9 months of the year-- like in Chicago. Winter here is mild and is our true outdoor time of year. I jog to work on a mixture of trails and suburban streets. I love this town, and I am sure I would miss it if I left.

Housing here is not all that cheap if you want to live in a great neighborhood. My neighborhood is comparable to the north shore of Chicago, and the prices are probably exactly the same for the housing, maybe 10% less. Sure you can buy a 110k house, but you will be in a bad neighborhood. But even the bad neighborhoods here are not that bad, and it seems like that people are adventurous enough to gentrify close in neighborhoods quickly.

The traffic can be bad, and you don't want to drive late on the weekends because there are so many drunks on the road. It's probably the worst thing about Austin. It's a drinking town, and a drinking and driving town. I've lived in S. California, it has better weather but the people are horrific and malevelant.... toxic even. There is no sense of community there, and no pride, it's all about me, mine, and me some more. N. California is probably better (has to be).

Austinite2007 of TX @ Nov 13, 2009 08:43:25 AM

You have to be kidding?

Albuquerque, N.M.? Really I wonder if the person or persons have ever lived there?

My wife almost had her head blown off down in the barrios just doing her job.

She was suppose to deliver a paper to a store with the machine out front.( you know the White and blue ones you see everwhere)

She was short on product this one morning so she did not go to this store. Thank God ,it was blown up when someone opened the door.

Don't think Albuquerque, N.M.

John Denton of AZ @ Nov 13, 2009 03:41:37 AM

auburn, al

I live 35 miles from Auburn and there ain't nothing that great about it. Any southern town is comparable and even better are the towns without universitites!

my 2 cents of AL @ Nov 11, 2009 09:08:54 AM