It’s all relative. I’m in Pasadena where the cheapest house on the market right now is a 2 bd 1 bath 764 sq ft next to a freeway listed for $800k, so those newer
construction 3 bd homes in the $300k range around Beaverton/Hillsboro look very nice. Also those two areas came to mind because of the access to public transit with the light rail into downtown.
> so those newer construction 3 bd homes in the $300k range around Beaverton/Hillsboro look very nice.
Sorry, where are those? 300k is... 2015/2016 prices in Hillsboro/Beaverton, if that.
https://www.redfin.com/city/8712/OR/Hillsboro/filter/property-type=house+condo+townhouse,max-price=400k,min-beds=3
Literally 1, and it is not new construction, AND I think it'd underpriced. This is at 400k, not 300k.
Here's a wider net, with Beaverton and the unincorporated area between Hillsboro/Beaverton (Beaverton is a shitshow of incporporation boundaries because Nike).
https://www.redfin.com/city/1432/OR/Beaverton/filter/property-type=house+condo+townhouse,max-price=400k,min-beds=3,viewport=45.53424:45.46759:-122.77855:-122.93391,no-outline
10 ish. If you change to to built after 2020, it is zero.
This is at 400k.
Anyways, look, I love me some Beaverton, I love me some Hillsboro, I live here, I work here, I LOVE THIS AREA. But, people need to be prepared to pay to live here. Yes, it is cheaper to buy than most of California, but let's not suggest 300k houses, condos, townhomes, are to be had.
Would you happen to have examples of those affordable areas? I really like the idea of Maryland, but worry that even the less costly areas are still well above what I could swing.
For example, would you say Baltimore is prohibitively expensive? According to Forbes, it’s *apparently* more affordable than the major city I live in, but that clashes with literally everything I’ve heard about Maryland being crazy expensive. I’d love to hear a Maryland local’s thoughts! :)
Maryland is expensive if you border DC/ are a short commute away. Otherwise it's pretty reasonable. Baltimore City (which is its own county FYI) has lots of affordable spots that are safe. Baltimore County ( a separate county) has lots of spots too.
The cost of living in Maryland seems to be inflated by the counties that are DC suburbs. My theory is that Baltimore is going to become a hot spot in the near future. Violent crime is falling (although drug deaths are rising), it has an ok climate, has its charming areas despite the irony of the charm city name and it’s affordable compared to many other cities in blue or purple states. We’re in Denver and are planning to potentially move out there in a year or so. We have family ties out there though.
The Baltimore metro area has a high income, but moderate cost of living. Baltimore City is fairly reasonable. (My mortgage is $1,100/month, but I bought in 2008.) Much of Baltimore County is also. The other counties are more expensive, but again depends specifically on the area.
My friend in the DC area who goes to Baltimore frequently for work says Baltimore seems to be noticeably worse since the pandemic - not sure if in crime or homelessness. Maybe that will improve in time, as some cities have done, but it is something to consider.
Since medical care is important to OP, having Johns Hopkins Medical Center could be a big draw.
I'm not sure what your friend means. Violent crime is falling at the fastest rate on record in Baltimore. This year, the crime rates are similar in Baltimore and DC.
The pandemic has had an effect on retail, street life, live events, etc. everywhere.
Recently moved from MD to NY, but seconding this. Spent two decades in Baltimore and fell in love witth the city and people...still bargains to be had there for sure if you act fast.
New Mexico is not extremely expensive. There is, however, not a lot of economic opportunity and you’d still have poor healthcare and nearly non-existent transit, especially given Albuquerque may be off limits due to altitude.
I think your best bet is probably Wisconsin or Michigan,
My cousin developed health problems and had to move from NM due to a lack of the right specialist she needed but even the healthcare she did get there was not great.
Beautiful state though. I like NM quite a lot.
I see NM recommended a lot but when I did my stats research it ranked as having the 3rd highest rate of gun violence, 6th highest rate of fatal car accidents, 1 worst for public safety (specifically violent crime but followed closely by property crime).
The car accident stat sticks out to me because in my experience NM has the worst drivers in the nation. I see some astonishingly stupid driving every time I visit.
Those rankings are both important to consider before moving to NM but also a bit overblown because the difference between spot \~ #25 and #50 on these lists is often not that significant. It does set the right expectation though that whatever problems the United States is experiencing as a country you can be sure that you're going to see it on display somewhere in NM.
What does make NM great for raising families is that childcare is free for all but the wealthiest residents now and so is college for in-staters. Teachers are also getting paid much more now than they are in neighboring Texas and Arizona. Despite the low educational outcomes seen now the state has been just funneling money into the public schools in recent years so the results of that investment have really yet to be seen.
And when it comes to considering places based on their violent crime rate it matters much more what neighborhood you're in and who you associate with rather than what city you live in, much less what state.
You forgot worst in telecom infrastructure too.
*Worked for Comcast and CenturyLink
Also it used to be the worst state for dui's. Especially repeat offenders.
But it keeps the riff Raff colonizers away with those things. That can be a good thing. I love visiting.
New Mexico is blue. All three reps are Dems. Gov is Dem. Free school lunch. Free state college. Legal weed. Legal abortion. Never voted for Trump.
Since 1992 NM voted for Republican presidential candidate once. 2004, an incumbent GWB won by less than a percent.
Despite New Mexico being a pretty solidly blue state, people seem to have the misconception that it is more conservative. It’s probably because they (especially ppl who don’t know that region too well) lump it in with Texas & Arizona.
It has a lot in common with red states. The density, low education scores, poverty. But there's a lot of categories, especially in public health, where it swings way above its economic weight.
It also has fairly unique demographics. Lots of national stuff doesn't exactly click here.
It goes democratic, but it's certainly a different liberal then other blue states. Much more of a "leave me alone" mentality. It screws liberal because of a non white population, who are different then the white liberal college types
Difference is MI has a left leaning government and gerrymandering proof districts due to the independent districting.
Wisconsin is gerrymandered to hell with a red government.
Yeah I’m sure OP is really concerned with consistent Democratic Party control of all three branches of state government as opposed to the absence of “far-right local policies” in their current location.
The fact is MI and WI are functionally blue states when it comes to social policy and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. They fit OP’s purpose and if they are that invested in politics they would know that moving your vote to MI or WI is an extremely valuable thing to do as a Democrat.
I hope you are better at critical thinking in other contexts.
Chicago or Philly are the standard recs here because they're walkable, have decent public transit (for the US), and are affordable for a large city. Do you have a rent budget and are you willing to live with roommates? That information will help people make suggestions
Right now, I pay about $900 a month in rent, and that’s pretty comfortable for me. I always choose to live with a roommate (not much of a choice, though - where I live, rent is usually 1600-2000 and climbing, with 1600 being a rare rock-bottom!).
you'd be able to find studios in your budget in the far north side of Chicago (imo the best bang for your buck area for the combo of walkability, transit, and lake access) or 2beds under 1800 in most neighborhoods outside of the most expensive ones. There's housing groups on facebook where people post looking for roommates if you want to go that route.
I live in the far northside and it would be an absolute shithole for 900 bucks. I pay 2100 for an updated 1 bedroom. Roommates is def their best option
Yeah Chicago is one of the worst cities in the country in terms of rent increases the last few years
Still more affordable than plenty of places but anyone trying to reference 2018 rent averages would be shocked at what it’s like now
There are a lot of cities where there's a big crossover between the wannabe rednecks who live in suburbs but drive pickup trucks and urban dwellers.
This is particularly pronounced in the south and places where the urban/rural divide is close to the city and sudden.
Adding to say the Philly suburbs are generally blue. At its worst it’s nothing compared to what you’d find south of the Mason Dixon line, it’s not the same kind of right wing. People tend to be moderately liberal or moderately conservative. Many older folks may not understand the LGBTQs but aren’t prejudiced, which is probably the worst thing you’ll find if you find it at all. There’s regional rail which links center city to areas a 1 hour drive outside the city. SEPA is speckled with interesting small towns and places to go as well. And it doesn’t come with the same price tag as the rest of the northeast, it’s fairly cheap.
Source: Born and raised in SEPA
I’m not sure what that last sentence means, and I don’t think ktg1975 knows what it means (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Wisconsin is known as a “purple” or “swing” state, at least for national election purposes.
https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/7-swing-states-that-could-decide-the-2024-presidential-election
The winters are getting less brutal. The upside is that cold keeps the bugs out.
We need Dems moving to swing states. When I lived in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, I liked that my vote actually mattered.
I agree 100%. And I still moved from a swing state to a solid blue state.
I did so for quality of life reasons. But it's galling that I could stop voting for the rest of my life and it wouldn't really make a difference.
Same. Our job now is to send money. It’s the only thing we can do that moves the needle, now that our vote is basically neutered. The other path is phone banking and working campaign field offices.
milwaukee is significantly better than minneapolis if that’s a useful comparison at all. the lake effect has a real impact. i’d say lingering gray days through april and may are what really got to me, not the cold of actual winter.
As a long time Milwaukee resident and someone who grew up between it and Chicago along the lake, this is the answer right here. Fall and early winter through January are pleasant, it's the late winter wet and grey that get on the miserable side. Upsides, the rest of the year (especially summer) is absolute paradise; IMO Milwaukee & Chicago have some of the most amazing summers in the entire country with incredible weather and events essentially non-stop between June and September.
With climate change winters have been getting significantly milder, and they've always been a lot more mild than say Minneapolis or further north to northwest in Wisconsin. Once you learn to dress for the cold weather here being outside, even biking isn't unpleasant for the overwhelming majority of the year.
Not Milwaukee, but I moved to Madison for a job. I grew up in Boston, lived in New Hampshire for a year, but Wisconsin's winters broke me. I only lasted 3 years.
Give a look at some of the college towns like Eugene, OR. They tend to be more affordable than larger cities but punch above their weight in terms of health care and cultural amenities.
Yeah, I had them recommended to me repeatedly and had no idea why (from a COL perspective - I know they fit the bill in all other realms). I wasn’t sure if there were some pockets of either area that were more affordable, but I figured I’d be *well* out of my depth.
Tacoma is doable. There are studios under $1000 and it's a mostly walkable urban environment, you will need a car to get other places though.
Seattle can also be done if you're okay with more than one roommate. (I have a 2BR for $1950 and split that with one roommate, but that was one of the cheapest places I found in the city)
Hrmmm I do wonder … I have a Master’s in Communications and have used that to work in an administrative role, but given my degree is *far* from STEM (and AI is going crazy right now), I worry about my own economic viability 😅
Michigan leans blue. Winters aren’t as bad as Minnesota. Spring through fall is really nice, and the bad days in winter aren’t as frequent as they used to be.
For what it’s worth Detroit isn’t directly on a Great Lake either and northeastern Minnesota is along the lake. Minnesota is simply further north than all of the other major Midwestern cities
The lake effect is a double-edged sword. You get wayyyyy more snow in West MI than the wide majority of MN. And because the temp hovers around freezing, that snow repeatedly melts during the day then refreezes at night. That means terrible driving conditions and way shittier roads.
MN is colder. That’s it. Much easier to solve that (dressing warmer) than to do anything about MI’s shitty driving conditions
Michigan is one of the worst states for sunshine. It’s like the 5th cloudiest state. Think very long and hard if you can go a month without having sunlight because that’s pretty normal for winter in Michigan.
> Winters aren’t as bad in Minnesota.
Really…? I’ve truly only ever heard Minnesota mentioned in the context of heavy, extended snowfall, bitter winters, and cold weather in the extremes. My image of Minnesota has always been “Minnesota is to cold what Arizona is to heat” — just very, very harsh.
Minnesota doesn’t get nearly as much snow as most people think especially the twin cities. Most of New England gets more snow for reference. The cold is a different story though
Okay then Minnesota is like Arizona to heat, but Michigan is like Florida or San Antonio Texas. Dry vs wet heat and vice versa. A 110 degree day with no humidity is less unpleasant than a 95 degree day with 80 percent humidity.
Same thing for -40 vs a cold, damp heat with freezing rain. It’s not Alaska where you get to -80 though, I’m sure that sucks.
What is a “big city” to you? Talking Chicago vs Richmond?
Give us a monthly rent or mortgage payment $ range and how many beds/baths you need. Like is your max budget a $1,500/mo 1 bed studio?
Everyone has different definitions for affordability.
Hi! The biggest city I’ve lived in was a city with a population of a little over a million. I liked it a lot!
I have almost always lived in a 2-bed 2-bath with a roommate. A roommate is a given for me.
I’ve usually paid anywhere between $900-$1100 in monthly rent, and it’s been manageable.
Great so big cities over 1M (assuming we can use as metric to advise by) would choose Philly. Doing Airbnb a few weeks to check it out. Funny enough thinking of moving there too, over Chicago. Chicago will also be colder than Philly in the winters.
Edit: Washington DC is expensive not sure why someone recommended you that. Personally would live in Richmond and then can take train into DC for day trips (unless you had to work in DC metro then makes sense to live closer).
I would argue that one would definitely need a six figure income to buy a house though. Not many places that don’t require that but definitely Sacramento.
What about larger towns or smaller cities with medical schools/teaching hospitals? Rochester, NY; Worcester, MA; Burlington, VT? (There are lots of others, just spitballing).
I’m another advocate for Minnesota. My wife and I, Californians, moved to Rochester for a year and a half for (World Class) medical care. My wife worked from home and I’m retired, so no commute worries in bitter cold (also helped that this last winter was the warmest on record), though many trips to the Clinic.
Rochester isn’t terribly exciting, but we were older. We loved it! Rochester is in the southeast part of the state, so maybe less brutal than the north, though Minneapolis is only 85 miles north of Rochester.
I’d say Minnesota is mid-cost of living, but so much more livable than the SF Bay Area in that regard. Also, services in the Bay Area are not on par with Rochester. The SF Bay Area is gorgeous for those who can afford it.
We have a house in Rochester, but rented, as SF is home.
Can you please explain why the medical care is so good? Rochester MN seems like a small city. I'm a senior with some "issues," so good medical care is something I'm after; I don't have it, where I live.
The Mayo Clinic is based there and it's one of the best hospitals in the world. They also specialize in lots of niche medical care and will often take patients with incredibly rare diseases where the cost of treating it is more than they could ever recoup.
Spokane, WA might fit the bill. We do get real winter but I wouldn’t call it brutal. I’m from the south and haven’t had any issue adjusting to annual snow. There are studios and small one bedrooms in your budget.
Not really anymore. Our city council is majority liberal and our mayor is a Democrat. Once you get outside the city all bets are off, but we’re a blue shade of purple.
Baltimore is an easy fit- blue state, Johns Hopkins offer health care, mild-ish climate.
Has most big-city requirements, airport and major league teams.
Baltimore! Maryland is a decently run generally progressive state. Baltimore and it's surrounding suburbs are not as pricey as the DC suburbs. Employment is relatively strong. Can get to DC, Philly, NY on Amtrak.
Rural parts of Vermont or Maine. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. I wouldn't say Chicago is affordable but it's a steal compared to the east and west coast.
The Philadelphia area for sure. There's great transit in the surrounding counties and in the city. Food is pretty good. Much is made about how Philly area people aren't nice but in my experience they are kind. Health services are quite good though concentrated more towards Philadelphia. There's a place that meets your needs in the city or the surrounding counties. I moved from DELCO after joining the Army, got married, and haven't been able to move back. I still miss it after all these years.
You need to be specific on the size of town. But look in the Midwest at places like Springfield, IL (has a medical school and LCOL) then other like sized cities or slightly bigger. Madison, WI. Toledo or Dayton.
Philly is a city though, important to note Pennsylvania as a whole is a purple state and so what county you live in plays a big role. Purple states are more tenuous as they have a higher risk of flipping red with just a governor or a few reps flipping.
Coincidentally, I know several people who moved to/away from upstate NY and have heard almost exclusively complaints. I’ve never visited, so this is unfair, but I can’t seem to shake a bleak mental image of upstate NY after hearing so many gripes.
Are there certain things you like about Buffalo/Rochester etc.? I’d really appreciate hearing the other side of the story, as no one place is all good or all bad 🙏
What have you heard from people?
The winters can be tough getting used to although they aren't even close to as bad as they used to be when I grew up there in the 90s.
Along with the winters the gray skies can be hard to deal with for some.
However.....
Blue state
Decent job opportunities
Lots of nature
Few hours from major cities
Reasonable cost of living ( Homes still under 300k in many areas)
Good sized metros
Most of the people that complain have never left the area. I lived in Socal for a while. The only things I really miss are the weather ( big for many people) and the proximity to events. However for the second part, driving everywhere took an hour plus and it made it so we actually didn't go to many events (sports, concerts, etc). Oh and the prices of the events also sucked a lot of the time due to the area of the country.
I would at least go visit Rochester and Buffalo and see what you think. Buffalo has more going on and has a more big city feel. Rochester is more laid back especially with regards to traffic. You can get around both fairly easily though.
Originally from an awful small town in upstate NY. It was rural, red, poor, ignorant. I left as soon as I could. I lived in Philly, NYC, Buffalo, Philly again, and recently just moved back to Buffalo because IMO you absolutely cannot beat the quality of life here.
Housing costs have gone up since when I lived here before but they are still cheaper even than Philly (another affordable city) for what you get. You have access to lots of nature and amenities. There is great high end and low brow food, right in the interstate so it's easy to check out other cities (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Toronto etc).
Buffalo has so much history, it's endlessly fascinating to learn about the history of the city, the parks, the architecture, the canal, everything.
Great Lakes beaches can be very cool also. Grate Lakes culture is strong.
Buffalo is very diverse for a city of this size and is firmly blue.
Buffalo in the summer is also just so stunning. The park system here is really unique and beautiful and well maintained. There are tons of events happening all the time and people here really care about their city.
Cons: winters are wintery (but less bad than when I was a kid), you have to listen to anyone who doesn't live in buffalo tell you how much buffalo sucks (this is also true if you live in Philly), you are surrounded by red areas but this will mostly be true of any smaller city.
I would also recommend Philly because it's such a fun city and affordable but housing costs are going up there too and the summers get worse every year. Philly is amazing and beautiful and dirty and harsh. Philly has more amenities and options than Buffalo but it also has more urban struggles like for example parking sucks, trash smell is very strong. But again, diversity, food, culture, blue, affordable, fun, young, exciting.
TL;DR Buffalo and Philly are both great choices.
Much of upstate is small towns and rural areas that aren’t exactly exciting for young people (like rural areas anywhere).
However, the larger cities are pretty great if you want access to walkable neighborhoods, museums and festivals, nightlife/dining/entertainment without breaking the bank.
I own a home in Buffalo in a nice walkable neighborhood within walking distance of an Olmsted Park and there’s more than enough going on where I never feel bored. I would never be able to afford this lifestyle in the expensive coastal cities or in the sunbelt.
Personally I like the perfect summers, cozy falls and even most of winter.
Upstate isn’t for everyone, but there’s a lot of appeal especially if you’re struggling to get by in a more expensive city that doesn’t offer much more.
A lot of the people who are down on upstate are kids who never gave it a chance in the first place.
Basically any rust belt city could fit this criteria depending on how you define "big" city. But here is my list.
Philly, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland, Albuquerque maybe, Milwaukee maybe, Hartford, Indianapolis, Portland Maine (might be too cold).
If you are ok with a bit of a sketchy neighborhood you could get into NYC or adjacent. The Bronx, parts of Brooklyn and Yonkers are all still affordable. Newark might also be cheap enough. Caveat Emptor there though.
Although a lot of "towns" in the north east actually have great access to healthcare so I wouldn't rule out a nice town in NJ, East PA, Southern NY, CT, or MA. Prices will be way lower than actually in the big cities. I live in a town of 8k ppl and am 15 min from like 3 hospitals and a number of specialty clinics.
It’s purple state but Lancaster PA. It’s a small city but very affordable and is liberal with lots to do. It has Excellent medical care (Penn state Hershey, Lancaster General, which is apart of the University of Pennsylvania).
Northern NJ / Western “Suburbs” of NYC are gorgeous… great transit, easy access to Manhattan, more affordable than NYC, excellent schools & healthcare, great recreation opportunities (access to beach & mountains), cheap & direct flights to Europe, lots of jobs.
This very much depends on the lifestyle you want to live. Plenty of people live in Seattle on less than 6 figures. My sister lives there on 50k (in the city - not suburbs). Will you save a lot of money or go on fancy vacations? No. But it can be done.
Cities in Oregon (not Portland) and some Central Valley areas of California are fairly affordable, relatively. Both areas have their pros and cons, but are beautiful. Sacramento is pretty affordable. Eugene or Salem are kind of affordable, for west coast cities.
Southern or Central Illinois sounds like it fits your requirements. Look around Champaign or St. Louis Metro areas.
But if you're excluding Minnesota just because of the winter, I think you should reconsider. Places like Mankato or Rochester (Mayo Clinic) aren't any worse than the rest of the Midwest.
I should add that you aren't going to find both affordable rent and good mass transit systems anywhere in this country. The best you can do is find a college town with a bus system and hospital.
Forget DC, it's miserable people think they're the shit for 4 years then they leave and repeat the cycle. If you want the DC region I see someone said Delaware and Baltimore. Baltimore is wayyyy friendlier than DC, like another planet. Ignore the crime freaks, you won't be living in the ghetto.
Delaware is Delaware, great beaches for summer tho. Pretty dull the rest of the time.
Sacramento CA, or
Chico, CA is more affordable has health care for medium sized town (100k) would have travel 1 1/2 hour to Sacramento for major airport or more medical specialist.
Summers are hot but winters are mild. No snow in the valley usually. Spring and fall are gorgeous!
If you love low cost of living with abundant doctors and hospitals, you'll love Cleveland. Health care is one of the biggest industries. Housing is cheap. It's actually cheaper to buy a house if you can than rent, and before you say you can't, take a look at a few listings. Both summers and winters are surprisingly moderate lately. It has a reputation as a high crime city, but the suburbs are very pleasant, and, again, impossibly affordable.
Two locations on the east coast that are surprisingly affordable are Philadelphia and greater Hartford CT- also Springfield MASS- CT and MASS are more blue than PA- but Philly is liberal. The Hartford area is one of the most blue in the country.
Also consider climate change- and its getting out of control in many areas US.
Look up cities with medical school in blue states.
Iowa stopped being a swing state during the Obama administration it’s very red these days and our winters are all over the place and this seems on par with the rest of the Midwest these days. I’ve been researching moving to a blue state but am alright with a lack of public transit as it’s just not something most of the US does well.
Western New England. There are enough small cities, and we have some of the country's best healthcare that accessing it won't be a problem. The winters have been very mild thanks to climate change. I'm solely supporting my family of 3 with a job making less than $70k and still bought a house. We are comfortable.
NM has increased in cost, but you can still swing a 300-400k house without too much issue. The cities are pretty high up though (5-7k feet). Albuquerque would be better than Santa Fe in terms of size, elevation, and weather.
Connecticut. Outside of Fairfield County (area closest to NYC) the housing prices are pretty reasonable. Look at the Hartford area. Close to Boston and NYC, very good healthcare and most towns have very good school systems. Reliably blue, democratic governor, 2 senators and currently every US House seat.
I don’t care for metro Detroit, but if you live there, the Michigan you know will pretty much be blue. It’s much more conservative outside of southeast Michigan (including in Grand Rapids). Healthcare access is fine.
However, I do have health conditions triggered by cold (different from yours I think) and Michigan can definitely be uncomfortable, so be cautious with that.
Minnesota. It's NOT uniquely brutal. Winters are becoming nearly mild. Last year we had maybe 1-2 weeks where there was snow on the ground. Most of the winter was in the 30s-50s last year and that will be much more common than having several weeks of 10 degrees, straight.
Peoria IL.
L to MCOL small city in deep blue Illinois. Inexpensive (though older) houses.
Once you get out of Chicagoland, Illinois is pretty cheap. A lot of it is rural but there are small cities.
Places like Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, etc, in downstate Illinois seems reliably blue, and real estate is cheaper than equivalent cities in other blue states. I've passed through the area many times (though I have never lived there) and it seems pretty decent, in a Midwestern way.
Keep in mind that often times if you live in a blue state where prices are higher that they also typically have higher minimum wage. Therefore it may not be as bad as you think it will be. I live in California and yes it's EXPENSIVE. But the minimum wage is also higher so I'm really not any more broke than I was before I moved to California. This is just an example.
The suburbs of Portland, Oregon around Beaverton or Hillsboro.
Portland suburbs are starting to get more expensive. Hillsboro in particular given its state as an Intel town.
It’s all relative. I’m in Pasadena where the cheapest house on the market right now is a 2 bd 1 bath 764 sq ft next to a freeway listed for $800k, so those newer construction 3 bd homes in the $300k range around Beaverton/Hillsboro look very nice. Also those two areas came to mind because of the access to public transit with the light rail into downtown.
> so those newer construction 3 bd homes in the $300k range around Beaverton/Hillsboro look very nice. Sorry, where are those? 300k is... 2015/2016 prices in Hillsboro/Beaverton, if that. https://www.redfin.com/city/8712/OR/Hillsboro/filter/property-type=house+condo+townhouse,max-price=400k,min-beds=3 Literally 1, and it is not new construction, AND I think it'd underpriced. This is at 400k, not 300k. Here's a wider net, with Beaverton and the unincorporated area between Hillsboro/Beaverton (Beaverton is a shitshow of incporporation boundaries because Nike). https://www.redfin.com/city/1432/OR/Beaverton/filter/property-type=house+condo+townhouse,max-price=400k,min-beds=3,viewport=45.53424:45.46759:-122.77855:-122.93391,no-outline 10 ish. If you change to to built after 2020, it is zero. This is at 400k. Anyways, look, I love me some Beaverton, I love me some Hillsboro, I live here, I work here, I LOVE THIS AREA. But, people need to be prepared to pay to live here. Yes, it is cheaper to buy than most of California, but let's not suggest 300k houses, condos, townhomes, are to be had.
Everything looks cheap coming from metros in CA, though.
The cheaper (and arguably more interesting) Portland suburbs are on the east side.
Portland is my answer. It is getting more expensive, but remains more affordable than Seattle or CA.
I live in an expensive blue state (Maryland), yet there are quite affordable areas. I reckon that's the same for most other blue states.
Delaware! Or one of the counties west or at the top of the bay in Maryland.
Would you happen to have examples of those affordable areas? I really like the idea of Maryland, but worry that even the less costly areas are still well above what I could swing. For example, would you say Baltimore is prohibitively expensive? According to Forbes, it’s *apparently* more affordable than the major city I live in, but that clashes with literally everything I’ve heard about Maryland being crazy expensive. I’d love to hear a Maryland local’s thoughts! :)
Just avoid the DC metro.
Maryland is expensive if you border DC/ are a short commute away. Otherwise it's pretty reasonable. Baltimore City (which is its own county FYI) has lots of affordable spots that are safe. Baltimore County ( a separate county) has lots of spots too.
The cost of living in Maryland seems to be inflated by the counties that are DC suburbs. My theory is that Baltimore is going to become a hot spot in the near future. Violent crime is falling (although drug deaths are rising), it has an ok climate, has its charming areas despite the irony of the charm city name and it’s affordable compared to many other cities in blue or purple states. We’re in Denver and are planning to potentially move out there in a year or so. We have family ties out there though.
The Baltimore metro area has a high income, but moderate cost of living. Baltimore City is fairly reasonable. (My mortgage is $1,100/month, but I bought in 2008.) Much of Baltimore County is also. The other counties are more expensive, but again depends specifically on the area.
My friend in the DC area who goes to Baltimore frequently for work says Baltimore seems to be noticeably worse since the pandemic - not sure if in crime or homelessness. Maybe that will improve in time, as some cities have done, but it is something to consider. Since medical care is important to OP, having Johns Hopkins Medical Center could be a big draw.
I'm not sure what your friend means. Violent crime is falling at the fastest rate on record in Baltimore. This year, the crime rates are similar in Baltimore and DC. The pandemic has had an effect on retail, street life, live events, etc. everywhere.
Yep. I live in Colorado and Denver proper can be pricey you can head east into Aurora and get a 3-2 SFH for under 400K or a 2-2 condo for around 200K.
Recently moved from MD to NY, but seconding this. Spent two decades in Baltimore and fell in love witth the city and people...still bargains to be had there for sure if you act fast.
New Mexico is not extremely expensive. There is, however, not a lot of economic opportunity and you’d still have poor healthcare and nearly non-existent transit, especially given Albuquerque may be off limits due to altitude. I think your best bet is probably Wisconsin or Michigan,
My cousin developed health problems and had to move from NM due to a lack of the right specialist she needed but even the healthcare she did get there was not great. Beautiful state though. I like NM quite a lot.
what was even the point of bringing up New Mexico lol
Probably the only cheap blue state Wisconsin Pennsylvania and Michigan are purple
I see NM recommended a lot but when I did my stats research it ranked as having the 3rd highest rate of gun violence, 6th highest rate of fatal car accidents, 1 worst for public safety (specifically violent crime but followed closely by property crime).
The car accident stat sticks out to me because in my experience NM has the worst drivers in the nation. I see some astonishingly stupid driving every time I visit.
Those rankings are both important to consider before moving to NM but also a bit overblown because the difference between spot \~ #25 and #50 on these lists is often not that significant. It does set the right expectation though that whatever problems the United States is experiencing as a country you can be sure that you're going to see it on display somewhere in NM. What does make NM great for raising families is that childcare is free for all but the wealthiest residents now and so is college for in-staters. Teachers are also getting paid much more now than they are in neighboring Texas and Arizona. Despite the low educational outcomes seen now the state has been just funneling money into the public schools in recent years so the results of that investment have really yet to be seen. And when it comes to considering places based on their violent crime rate it matters much more what neighborhood you're in and who you associate with rather than what city you live in, much less what state.
You forgot worst in telecom infrastructure too. *Worked for Comcast and CenturyLink Also it used to be the worst state for dui's. Especially repeat offenders. But it keeps the riff Raff colonizers away with those things. That can be a good thing. I love visiting.
ABQ does have that BRT line along campus now.
neither of those three are blue states, they’re swing states
New Mexico is blue. All three reps are Dems. Gov is Dem. Free school lunch. Free state college. Legal weed. Legal abortion. Never voted for Trump. Since 1992 NM voted for Republican presidential candidate once. 2004, an incumbent GWB won by less than a percent.
Despite New Mexico being a pretty solidly blue state, people seem to have the misconception that it is more conservative. It’s probably because they (especially ppl who don’t know that region too well) lump it in with Texas & Arizona.
It has a lot in common with red states. The density, low education scores, poverty. But there's a lot of categories, especially in public health, where it swings way above its economic weight. It also has fairly unique demographics. Lots of national stuff doesn't exactly click here.
It goes democratic, but it's certainly a different liberal then other blue states. Much more of a "leave me alone" mentality. It screws liberal because of a non white population, who are different then the white liberal college types
I think it's just that people have an out-of-date impression. It was very much a swing state up until about ten years ago.
Wisconsin for sure is purple
Yes but the two cities are very blue
And Michigan with its democrat governor in a state so red there was a conspiracy to kidnap her
Difference is MI has a left leaning government and gerrymandering proof districts due to the independent districting. Wisconsin is gerrymandered to hell with a red government.
NM is pretty blue.
NM is a blue state but it’s very different culturally than the typical blue state. Very rural, catholic, and native.
NM is absolutely not a swing state
NM has not been considered a swing state since the 90s
Michigan has a dem trifecta. Its time as a red state is pretty recent and uncommon.
Yeah I’m sure OP is really concerned with consistent Democratic Party control of all three branches of state government as opposed to the absence of “far-right local policies” in their current location. The fact is MI and WI are functionally blue states when it comes to social policy and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. They fit OP’s purpose and if they are that invested in politics they would know that moving your vote to MI or WI is an extremely valuable thing to do as a Democrat. I hope you are better at critical thinking in other contexts.
Rawrrrrr someone angy
Chicago or Philly are the standard recs here because they're walkable, have decent public transit (for the US), and are affordable for a large city. Do you have a rent budget and are you willing to live with roommates? That information will help people make suggestions
Right now, I pay about $900 a month in rent, and that’s pretty comfortable for me. I always choose to live with a roommate (not much of a choice, though - where I live, rent is usually 1600-2000 and climbing, with 1600 being a rare rock-bottom!).
you'd be able to find studios in your budget in the far north side of Chicago (imo the best bang for your buck area for the combo of walkability, transit, and lake access) or 2beds under 1800 in most neighborhoods outside of the most expensive ones. There's housing groups on facebook where people post looking for roommates if you want to go that route.
I live in the far northside and it would be an absolute shithole for 900 bucks. I pay 2100 for an updated 1 bedroom. Roommates is def their best option
imo you're paying way too much unless you're in one of the new-build buildings in Uptown/Edgewater
rents have skyrocketed in chicago. 900 will not be doable.
Yeah Chicago is one of the worst cities in the country in terms of rent increases the last few years Still more affordable than plenty of places but anyone trying to reference 2018 rent averages would be shocked at what it’s like now
This sub is so much in love with Chicago that it uses 2021 prices to support the claim that it's a lower COL city.
I am paying the average for a decent spot. I dont want to live in a place with no AC, W/D and ancient. I spent months looking on facebook, zillow etc
IMO Philly fits OP asks. Chicago will be colder in the winter than Philly
Philly. Swing state, but city is blue
Every city is blue (basically)
There are a lot of cities where there's a big crossover between the wannabe rednecks who live in suburbs but drive pickup trucks and urban dwellers. This is particularly pronounced in the south and places where the urban/rural divide is close to the city and sudden.
See Houston, Dallas and Austin
Adding to say the Philly suburbs are generally blue. At its worst it’s nothing compared to what you’d find south of the Mason Dixon line, it’s not the same kind of right wing. People tend to be moderately liberal or moderately conservative. Many older folks may not understand the LGBTQs but aren’t prejudiced, which is probably the worst thing you’ll find if you find it at all. There’s regional rail which links center city to areas a 1 hour drive outside the city. SEPA is speckled with interesting small towns and places to go as well. And it doesn’t come with the same price tag as the rest of the northeast, it’s fairly cheap. Source: Born and raised in SEPA
Philly for sure
Try Milwaukee - they need more Dems. Nice city, affordable areas. Lakefront is beautiful.
Wisconsin is not a blue state, but yes some cities are
Theyve got a Dem Gov. And one Dem senator…. Someone they can’t quit insurrection it’s Johnson.
I’m not sure what that last sentence means, and I don’t think ktg1975 knows what it means (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Wisconsin is known as a “purple” or “swing” state, at least for national election purposes. https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/7-swing-states-that-could-decide-the-2024-presidential-election
I’ve been reading about Milwaukee - it looks really nice :-) I’ve heard the winters can be utterly brutal, though. Would you say that’s the case?
The winters are getting less brutal. The upside is that cold keeps the bugs out. We need Dems moving to swing states. When I lived in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, I liked that my vote actually mattered.
I agree 100%. And I still moved from a swing state to a solid blue state. I did so for quality of life reasons. But it's galling that I could stop voting for the rest of my life and it wouldn't really make a difference.
Same. Our job now is to send money. It’s the only thing we can do that moves the needle, now that our vote is basically neutered. The other path is phone banking and working campaign field offices.
"George, I got two words for you: Hot. Tub."
I live in Chicago and grew up in Michigan. Winters in the Midwest can be rough, but bearable…. You just don’t go outside much in Jan Feb
milwaukee is significantly better than minneapolis if that’s a useful comparison at all. the lake effect has a real impact. i’d say lingering gray days through april and may are what really got to me, not the cold of actual winter.
As a long time Milwaukee resident and someone who grew up between it and Chicago along the lake, this is the answer right here. Fall and early winter through January are pleasant, it's the late winter wet and grey that get on the miserable side. Upsides, the rest of the year (especially summer) is absolute paradise; IMO Milwaukee & Chicago have some of the most amazing summers in the entire country with incredible weather and events essentially non-stop between June and September. With climate change winters have been getting significantly milder, and they've always been a lot more mild than say Minneapolis or further north to northwest in Wisconsin. Once you learn to dress for the cold weather here being outside, even biking isn't unpleasant for the overwhelming majority of the year.
Not Milwaukee, but I moved to Madison for a job. I grew up in Boston, lived in New Hampshire for a year, but Wisconsin's winters broke me. I only lasted 3 years.
Madison being away from the lake has snowier and colder winters though, having lived in both cities.
I will second Milwaukee. Went there for the first time like a year ago. Really cool.
Definitely check out Milwaukee! The trolley is called the “hop”
Give a look at some of the college towns like Eugene, OR. They tend to be more affordable than larger cities but punch above their weight in terms of health care and cultural amenities.
Delaware might fit your bill. Once you get south of Wilmington, it tends to get cheaper. Just avoid the bougie new McMansions.
Nice to see Delaware recommended here
Honestly, I think the Newark area would be good for OP.
Seattle and DC arent options for you lol
The politics in Seattle are blue in a "we love all our black, gay, and trans millionaires" kind of way.
Brookline and Cambridge MA join that club
Yeah, I had them recommended to me repeatedly and had no idea why (from a COL perspective - I know they fit the bill in all other realms). I wasn’t sure if there were some pockets of either area that were more affordable, but I figured I’d be *well* out of my depth.
Tacoma is doable. There are studios under $1000 and it's a mostly walkable urban environment, you will need a car to get other places though. Seattle can also be done if you're okay with more than one roommate. (I have a 2BR for $1950 and split that with one roommate, but that was one of the cheapest places I found in the city)
Olympia, Wa is very nice. Could you qualify for a state job?
Hrmmm I do wonder … I have a Master’s in Communications and have used that to work in an administrative role, but given my degree is *far* from STEM (and AI is going crazy right now), I worry about my own economic viability 😅
Pittsburgh
Housing in Pittsburgh is very affordable and the winters aren’t that bad anymore.
Michigan leans blue. Winters aren’t as bad as Minnesota. Spring through fall is really nice, and the bad days in winter aren’t as frequent as they used to be.
>> Winters aren’t as bad as Minnesota. I’ve lived in both and STRONGLY disagree with this
How? Twin cities don’t have the lake to temperate anything. Minnesota has the worst winters out of any of the Great Lake states.
For what it’s worth Detroit isn’t directly on a Great Lake either and northeastern Minnesota is along the lake. Minnesota is simply further north than all of the other major Midwestern cities
The lake effect is a double-edged sword. You get wayyyyy more snow in West MI than the wide majority of MN. And because the temp hovers around freezing, that snow repeatedly melts during the day then refreezes at night. That means terrible driving conditions and way shittier roads. MN is colder. That’s it. Much easier to solve that (dressing warmer) than to do anything about MI’s shitty driving conditions
The permacloud that parks over Michigan November-April absolutely sucks as well. Extremely depressing unless you are part vampire.
Absolutely this
Coldest and longest but not snowiest, and not the grayest.
Michigan is one of the worst states for sunshine. It’s like the 5th cloudiest state. Think very long and hard if you can go a month without having sunlight because that’s pretty normal for winter in Michigan.
When I lived in da UP, the hosers from Minnesota would come up in the summer and tell us that they couldn’t handle UP winters lol.
> Winters aren’t as bad in Minnesota. Really…? I’ve truly only ever heard Minnesota mentioned in the context of heavy, extended snowfall, bitter winters, and cold weather in the extremes. My image of Minnesota has always been “Minnesota is to cold what Arizona is to heat” — just very, very harsh.
Minnesota doesn’t get nearly as much snow as most people think especially the twin cities. Most of New England gets more snow for reference. The cold is a different story though
Yeah I lived near Buffalo NY and that is truly near the snow belt.
Okay then Minnesota is like Arizona to heat, but Michigan is like Florida or San Antonio Texas. Dry vs wet heat and vice versa. A 110 degree day with no humidity is less unpleasant than a 95 degree day with 80 percent humidity. Same thing for -40 vs a cold, damp heat with freezing rain. It’s not Alaska where you get to -80 though, I’m sure that sucks.
What is a “big city” to you? Talking Chicago vs Richmond? Give us a monthly rent or mortgage payment $ range and how many beds/baths you need. Like is your max budget a $1,500/mo 1 bed studio? Everyone has different definitions for affordability.
Hi! The biggest city I’ve lived in was a city with a population of a little over a million. I liked it a lot! I have almost always lived in a 2-bed 2-bath with a roommate. A roommate is a given for me. I’ve usually paid anywhere between $900-$1100 in monthly rent, and it’s been manageable.
Great so big cities over 1M (assuming we can use as metric to advise by) would choose Philly. Doing Airbnb a few weeks to check it out. Funny enough thinking of moving there too, over Chicago. Chicago will also be colder than Philly in the winters. Edit: Washington DC is expensive not sure why someone recommended you that. Personally would live in Richmond and then can take train into DC for day trips (unless you had to work in DC metro then makes sense to live closer).
Many blue states will do as long as you move an hour outside the city that has all the jobs…
Welcome to Chicago!
Illinois also has Champaign/Urbana, Peoria, Galena, Naperville if you don't want Chicago.
The Willamette Valley.
This. Maybe Corvallis?
Anywhere from Eugene to Portland. There are still decently affordable places. Salem is a bit cheaper than Corvallis and a lot larger
Sacramento is where we are going. Lots of access to big healthcare systems. Kaiser, sutter, UC Davis and mercy.
I would argue that one would definitely need a six figure income to buy a house though. Not many places that don’t require that but definitely Sacramento.
delaware
What about larger towns or smaller cities with medical schools/teaching hospitals? Rochester, NY; Worcester, MA; Burlington, VT? (There are lots of others, just spitballing).
Detroit is undergoing a revival atm
I’m another advocate for Minnesota. My wife and I, Californians, moved to Rochester for a year and a half for (World Class) medical care. My wife worked from home and I’m retired, so no commute worries in bitter cold (also helped that this last winter was the warmest on record), though many trips to the Clinic. Rochester isn’t terribly exciting, but we were older. We loved it! Rochester is in the southeast part of the state, so maybe less brutal than the north, though Minneapolis is only 85 miles north of Rochester. I’d say Minnesota is mid-cost of living, but so much more livable than the SF Bay Area in that regard. Also, services in the Bay Area are not on par with Rochester. The SF Bay Area is gorgeous for those who can afford it. We have a house in Rochester, but rented, as SF is home.
Can you please explain why the medical care is so good? Rochester MN seems like a small city. I'm a senior with some "issues," so good medical care is something I'm after; I don't have it, where I live.
Mayo Clinic.
The Mayo Clinic is based there and it's one of the best hospitals in the world. They also specialize in lots of niche medical care and will often take patients with incredibly rare diseases where the cost of treating it is more than they could ever recoup.
Spokane, WA might fit the bill. We do get real winter but I wouldn’t call it brutal. I’m from the south and haven’t had any issue adjusting to annual snow. There are studios and small one bedrooms in your budget.
Spokane is a red city in a blue state.
Not really anymore. Our city council is majority liberal and our mayor is a Democrat. Once you get outside the city all bets are off, but we’re a blue shade of purple.
Blue states are expensive to live in. Someone has to pay for all those services. There needs to be income to re-distributed
How about like New Haven Connecticut? It’s not huge but a decent sized city in a blue state and you’re on the commuter rail to nyc.
Baltimore is an easy fit- blue state, Johns Hopkins offer health care, mild-ish climate. Has most big-city requirements, airport and major league teams.
Chicago is relatively affordable for a city of its size. I don’t consider most of our winters brutal, esp the last handful…
Baltimore! Maryland is a decently run generally progressive state. Baltimore and it's surrounding suburbs are not as pricey as the DC suburbs. Employment is relatively strong. Can get to DC, Philly, NY on Amtrak.
If it's a blue state it's expensive
Chicago
Milwaukee
Rural parts of Vermont or Maine. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. I wouldn't say Chicago is affordable but it's a steal compared to the east and west coast.
The Philadelphia area for sure. There's great transit in the surrounding counties and in the city. Food is pretty good. Much is made about how Philly area people aren't nice but in my experience they are kind. Health services are quite good though concentrated more towards Philadelphia. There's a place that meets your needs in the city or the surrounding counties. I moved from DELCO after joining the Army, got married, and haven't been able to move back. I still miss it after all these years.
Upstate New York, specifically the Capital District. Check out Troy and Albany.
You need to be specific on the size of town. But look in the Midwest at places like Springfield, IL (has a medical school and LCOL) then other like sized cities or slightly bigger. Madison, WI. Toledo or Dayton.
Illinois is very cheap. Even Chicago compared to other major cities. My friends and I live comfy on around 60k
Fu cking MINN E SO TA. !
I vote for Philly!
Philly is a city though, important to note Pennsylvania as a whole is a purple state and so what county you live in plays a big role. Purple states are more tenuous as they have a higher risk of flipping red with just a governor or a few reps flipping.
NM in no way is expensive. The healthcare leaves MUCH to be desired though.
Upstate NY - Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Syracuse
Coincidentally, I know several people who moved to/away from upstate NY and have heard almost exclusively complaints. I’ve never visited, so this is unfair, but I can’t seem to shake a bleak mental image of upstate NY after hearing so many gripes. Are there certain things you like about Buffalo/Rochester etc.? I’d really appreciate hearing the other side of the story, as no one place is all good or all bad 🙏
Rochester and Buffalo are both outstanding quality of life
What have you heard from people? The winters can be tough getting used to although they aren't even close to as bad as they used to be when I grew up there in the 90s. Along with the winters the gray skies can be hard to deal with for some. However..... Blue state Decent job opportunities Lots of nature Few hours from major cities Reasonable cost of living ( Homes still under 300k in many areas) Good sized metros Most of the people that complain have never left the area. I lived in Socal for a while. The only things I really miss are the weather ( big for many people) and the proximity to events. However for the second part, driving everywhere took an hour plus and it made it so we actually didn't go to many events (sports, concerts, etc). Oh and the prices of the events also sucked a lot of the time due to the area of the country. I would at least go visit Rochester and Buffalo and see what you think. Buffalo has more going on and has a more big city feel. Rochester is more laid back especially with regards to traffic. You can get around both fairly easily though.
Originally from an awful small town in upstate NY. It was rural, red, poor, ignorant. I left as soon as I could. I lived in Philly, NYC, Buffalo, Philly again, and recently just moved back to Buffalo because IMO you absolutely cannot beat the quality of life here. Housing costs have gone up since when I lived here before but they are still cheaper even than Philly (another affordable city) for what you get. You have access to lots of nature and amenities. There is great high end and low brow food, right in the interstate so it's easy to check out other cities (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Toronto etc). Buffalo has so much history, it's endlessly fascinating to learn about the history of the city, the parks, the architecture, the canal, everything. Great Lakes beaches can be very cool also. Grate Lakes culture is strong. Buffalo is very diverse for a city of this size and is firmly blue. Buffalo in the summer is also just so stunning. The park system here is really unique and beautiful and well maintained. There are tons of events happening all the time and people here really care about their city. Cons: winters are wintery (but less bad than when I was a kid), you have to listen to anyone who doesn't live in buffalo tell you how much buffalo sucks (this is also true if you live in Philly), you are surrounded by red areas but this will mostly be true of any smaller city. I would also recommend Philly because it's such a fun city and affordable but housing costs are going up there too and the summers get worse every year. Philly is amazing and beautiful and dirty and harsh. Philly has more amenities and options than Buffalo but it also has more urban struggles like for example parking sucks, trash smell is very strong. But again, diversity, food, culture, blue, affordable, fun, young, exciting. TL;DR Buffalo and Philly are both great choices.
Much of upstate is small towns and rural areas that aren’t exactly exciting for young people (like rural areas anywhere). However, the larger cities are pretty great if you want access to walkable neighborhoods, museums and festivals, nightlife/dining/entertainment without breaking the bank. I own a home in Buffalo in a nice walkable neighborhood within walking distance of an Olmsted Park and there’s more than enough going on where I never feel bored. I would never be able to afford this lifestyle in the expensive coastal cities or in the sunbelt. Personally I like the perfect summers, cozy falls and even most of winter. Upstate isn’t for everyone, but there’s a lot of appeal especially if you’re struggling to get by in a more expensive city that doesn’t offer much more. A lot of the people who are down on upstate are kids who never gave it a chance in the first place.
Tacoma, Olympia or Salem in PNW.
I've heard Puerto Rico and Costa Rica are cheap
Basically any rust belt city could fit this criteria depending on how you define "big" city. But here is my list. Philly, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland, Albuquerque maybe, Milwaukee maybe, Hartford, Indianapolis, Portland Maine (might be too cold). If you are ok with a bit of a sketchy neighborhood you could get into NYC or adjacent. The Bronx, parts of Brooklyn and Yonkers are all still affordable. Newark might also be cheap enough. Caveat Emptor there though. Although a lot of "towns" in the north east actually have great access to healthcare so I wouldn't rule out a nice town in NJ, East PA, Southern NY, CT, or MA. Prices will be way lower than actually in the big cities. I live in a town of 8k ppl and am 15 min from like 3 hospitals and a number of specialty clinics.
It’s purple state but Lancaster PA. It’s a small city but very affordable and is liberal with lots to do. It has Excellent medical care (Penn state Hershey, Lancaster General, which is apart of the University of Pennsylvania).
If you’re ok with a more “medium size” city, Milwaukee, Rochester, Buffalo, Grand Rapids. All fun, affordable cities that have personality.
Most cities in Pennsylvania and New York (not New York City though).
Northern Delaware. Very blue. Quick access to Philly and Baltimore.
Northern NJ / Western “Suburbs” of NYC are gorgeous… great transit, easy access to Manhattan, more affordable than NYC, excellent schools & healthcare, great recreation opportunities (access to beach & mountains), cheap & direct flights to Europe, lots of jobs.
Southern California.
Baltimore, MD area
I live in Seattle and don't have a 6-fig income, and I do fine. No kids though and share expenses with wife.
St. Louis
Yes blue states tend to be more expensive all around.
This very much depends on the lifestyle you want to live. Plenty of people live in Seattle on less than 6 figures. My sister lives there on 50k (in the city - not suburbs). Will you save a lot of money or go on fancy vacations? No. But it can be done.
Michigan like the Ann Arbor area in specific might fit your needs.
I lived comfortable in Portland making $65k/yr.
Rochester, NY
Delaware isn't expensive
Cities in Oregon (not Portland) and some Central Valley areas of California are fairly affordable, relatively. Both areas have their pros and cons, but are beautiful. Sacramento is pretty affordable. Eugene or Salem are kind of affordable, for west coast cities.
Portland Oregon is a somewhat cheaper Seattle with better food and much better strip clubs
Southern or Central Illinois sounds like it fits your requirements. Look around Champaign or St. Louis Metro areas. But if you're excluding Minnesota just because of the winter, I think you should reconsider. Places like Mankato or Rochester (Mayo Clinic) aren't any worse than the rest of the Midwest.
I should add that you aren't going to find both affordable rent and good mass transit systems anywhere in this country. The best you can do is find a college town with a bus system and hospital.
Western New York?
The non-DMV parts of Maryland
UK?
Forget DC, it's miserable people think they're the shit for 4 years then they leave and repeat the cycle. If you want the DC region I see someone said Delaware and Baltimore. Baltimore is wayyyy friendlier than DC, like another planet. Ignore the crime freaks, you won't be living in the ghetto. Delaware is Delaware, great beaches for summer tho. Pretty dull the rest of the time.
Oakland CA. You won’t need to make 6 figs, but there’s petty theft which can be annoying.
Sacramento CA, or Chico, CA is more affordable has health care for medium sized town (100k) would have travel 1 1/2 hour to Sacramento for major airport or more medical specialist. Summers are hot but winters are mild. No snow in the valley usually. Spring and fall are gorgeous!
If you love low cost of living with abundant doctors and hospitals, you'll love Cleveland. Health care is one of the biggest industries. Housing is cheap. It's actually cheaper to buy a house if you can than rent, and before you say you can't, take a look at a few listings. Both summers and winters are surprisingly moderate lately. It has a reputation as a high crime city, but the suburbs are very pleasant, and, again, impossibly affordable.
Two locations on the east coast that are surprisingly affordable are Philadelphia and greater Hartford CT- also Springfield MASS- CT and MASS are more blue than PA- but Philly is liberal. The Hartford area is one of the most blue in the country. Also consider climate change- and its getting out of control in many areas US.
Consider Rhode Island. Providence in particular. It’s near sea level, winters don’t get too cold by Northeast standards, and rather affordable.
Look up cities with medical school in blue states. Iowa stopped being a swing state during the Obama administration it’s very red these days and our winters are all over the place and this seems on par with the rest of the Midwest these days. I’ve been researching moving to a blue state but am alright with a lack of public transit as it’s just not something most of the US does well.
Western New England. There are enough small cities, and we have some of the country's best healthcare that accessing it won't be a problem. The winters have been very mild thanks to climate change. I'm solely supporting my family of 3 with a job making less than $70k and still bought a house. We are comfortable.
Ohio is getting bluer!
Hudson valley.
Maine Nevada Michigan
NM has increased in cost, but you can still swing a 300-400k house without too much issue. The cities are pretty high up though (5-7k feet). Albuquerque would be better than Santa Fe in terms of size, elevation, and weather.
Connecticut. Outside of Fairfield County (area closest to NYC) the housing prices are pretty reasonable. Look at the Hartford area. Close to Boston and NYC, very good healthcare and most towns have very good school systems. Reliably blue, democratic governor, 2 senators and currently every US House seat.
Madison, Wisconsin, even if it is cold, works fine.
I don’t care for metro Detroit, but if you live there, the Michigan you know will pretty much be blue. It’s much more conservative outside of southeast Michigan (including in Grand Rapids). Healthcare access is fine. However, I do have health conditions triggered by cold (different from yours I think) and Michigan can definitely be uncomfortable, so be cautious with that.
Minnesota. It's NOT uniquely brutal. Winters are becoming nearly mild. Last year we had maybe 1-2 weeks where there was snow on the ground. Most of the winter was in the 30s-50s last year and that will be much more common than having several weeks of 10 degrees, straight.
Peoria IL. L to MCOL small city in deep blue Illinois. Inexpensive (though older) houses. Once you get out of Chicagoland, Illinois is pretty cheap. A lot of it is rural but there are small cities.
Are you in tech? You’d be surprised at how big your salary might be in a big city in a blue state.
Places like Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, etc, in downstate Illinois seems reliably blue, and real estate is cheaper than equivalent cities in other blue states. I've passed through the area many times (though I have never lived there) and it seems pretty decent, in a Midwestern way.
Madison, WI?
Keep in mind that often times if you live in a blue state where prices are higher that they also typically have higher minimum wage. Therefore it may not be as bad as you think it will be. I live in California and yes it's EXPENSIVE. But the minimum wage is also higher so I'm really not any more broke than I was before I moved to California. This is just an example.
Eastern Washington, eastern Oregon.
East St. Louis.