Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
100 Best Small Towns
Old 08-16-2011, 06:17 AM   #1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Purron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,596
100 Best Small Towns

From CNNMoney:

Best Places to Live 2011 - Top 100: 1-25 - from MONEY Magazine

Here are the top 10 -

1. Louisville, CO
2. Milton, MA
3. Solon, OH
4. Leesburg, VA
5. Papillion, NE
6. Hanover, NH
7. Liberty, MO
8. Middleton, WI
9. Mukileto, WA
10. Chanhassen, MN
__________________
I purr therefore I am.
Purron is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-16-2011, 08:43 AM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Nemo2's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
One place, (out of many), I recall enjoying was Danville, VA......4 or 5 years since we were there, but they were fixing up the old tobacco warehouse area, turning some old buildings into condos, etc.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."

The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
Nemo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 08:54 AM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
harley's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 8,764
As a current legal resident of Leesburg, there's no way it's a small town. Basically a DC suburb (used to be rural), and is directly connected to Ashburn and Lansdowne. I can guarantee there are more people/cars on Rt 7 at 8:00 AM in a one mile stretch than whatever their definition of a small town contains. Having said that, it's still a good place to live. DGD starts kindergarten there in two weeks.
__________________
"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." - Anonymous (not Will Rogers or Sam Clemens)
DW and I - FIREd at 50 (7/06), living off assets
harley is offline   Reply With Quote
While Belmont, NC isn't Top 100...
Old 08-16-2011, 10:12 AM   #4
Recycles dryer sheets
DougViages's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Belmont
Posts: 160
While Belmont, NC isn't Top 100...

We will be moving there next spring . It is west of Charlotte, has a lovely small town feel, and 10,000 residents. While we will live in a smaller town, it's 10 minutes to the airport, and 20 - 25 minutes into "uptown" Charlotte, and the eclectic near south side ot the city. Mt brother & SIL live just 7 minutes awy, across the Catabwa River.
__________________
Work is the curse of the partying class!
DougViages is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 10:20 AM   #5
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 3,851
Quote:
Originally Posted by harley View Post
As a current legal resident...
Do I need to ask you for your green card?
rescueme is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 11:11 AM   #6
Full time employment: Posting here.
flyfishnevada's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Smith
Posts: 743
These kind of lists are good if you remember that the criteria used to develop the list isn't always the criteria you would use. For instance, I notice a lot of these take outdoor activities like kayaking, mountain climbing, etc. into account, but rarely fishing and hunting. They aren't PC and rarely practiced by the urbanites that write these articles. Other bias can be found too. Not that the lists aren't useful, you just can't assume the reasons used to pick the best would be the same reason you would use.
__________________
Retired July 4th, 2010 at age 43
Trout Bum, Writer, Full-Time Dad and Husband


flyfishnevada is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 11:28 AM   #7
Recycles dryer sheets
Col. Klink's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Citrus Hills
Posts: 235
I used to work in Solon OH and lived one town over. It is a nice town, great for a family with small kids. It would not be my choice for my retirement
Col. Klink is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 11:32 AM   #8
Recycles dryer sheets
slingshot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Scottsdale
Posts: 91
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyfishnevada View Post
These kind of lists are good if you remember that the criteria used to develop the list isn't always the criteria you would use. For instance, I notice a lot of these take outdoor activities like kayaking, mountain climbing, etc. into account, but rarely fishing and hunting. They aren't PC and rarely practiced by the urbanites that write these articles. Other bias can be found too. Not that the lists aren't useful, you just can't assume the reasons used to pick the best would be the same reason you would use.
We are looking around Norfork Arkansas. Bass fishing, fly fishing, deer, turkey, bear.
Also mosquitos, humidity, and no economy.
Hmmmm....
Anybody here from small town Arkansas?
slingshot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 12:01 PM   #9
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Lisa99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,440
No thank you! All the towns have one thing in common...SNOW.

Some less, some way more, but any snow is not in my retirement cards.
Lisa99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 12:24 PM   #10
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 507
Quote:
Originally Posted by Purron View Post
From CNNMoney:

Best Places to Live 2011 - Top 100: 1-25 - from MONEY Magazine

Here are the top 10 -

1. Louisville, CO
2. Milton, MA
3. Solon, OH
4. Leesburg, VA
5. Papillion, NE
6. Hanover, NH
7. Liberty, MO
8. Middleton, WI
9. Mukileto, WA
10. Chanhassen, MN
We had dinner and walked around Louisville, CO on our trip to CO last year. Was one of those perfect days (weather, vacation, vacation). Had a real nice downtown within walking distance to a lot of the homes. Did not suprise me when I saw it in the top.
SJ1_ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 12:44 PM   #11
Moderator Emeritus
Nords's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
Quote:
Originally Posted by Purron View Post
And in 100 towns across the nation, residents are saying "Aw, crap, there goes the property taxes neighborhood..."
__________________
*

Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."

I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
Nords is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 02:44 PM   #12
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
RunningBum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 13,203
Quote:
Originally Posted by harley View Post
As a current legal resident of Leesburg, there's no way it's a small town. Basically a DC suburb (used to be rural), and is directly connected to Ashburn and Lansdowne. I can guarantee there are more people/cars on Rt 7 at 8:00 AM in a one mile stretch than whatever their definition of a small town contains. Having said that, it's still a good place to live. DGD starts kindergarten there in two weeks.
Likewise, Papillion is a suburb of Omaha. It looks like they went strictly by the town population, but I would say that most anything in a large metro area does not really qualify as a "small town".
RunningBum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 03:24 PM   #13
Moderator Emeritus
W2R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,474
Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningBum View Post
Likewise, Papillion is a suburb of Omaha. It looks like they went strictly by the town population, but I would say that most anything in a large metro area does not really qualify as a "small town".
Same for Webster Groves, MO, which is an older suburb of St. Louis and is on the list.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.

Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
W2R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 03:25 PM   #14
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
youbet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,151
Quote:
Originally Posted by slingshot View Post
We are looking around Norfork Arkansas. Bass fishing, fly fishing, deer, turkey, bear.
Also mosquitos, humidity, and no economy.
Hmmmm....
Anybody here from small town Arkansas?
You'll find few, if any, mosquitos in northern Arkansas. But, yes, heat and humidity are bountiful in the summer.

My mom was from Arkansas and she and dad retired near Norfork in Mountain Home. We visited often and enjoyed trout fishing on the White and North Fork rivers and fishing Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes. Lots of Chicagoans living there as well as folks from Iowa, Mich, Wis and, lately, Calif.

Definitely a spot for the outdoorsy crowd. It's about a 1.5 hour drive to either Little Rock or Memphis for urban activities.
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
youbet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2011, 05:12 PM   #15
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 410
Most of these places on the list aren't true small towns. They're in or on the fringes of large urban areas. I think if you're within an hour's drive of the downtown area of a big city, you don't really qualify as living a small town lifestyle. True small towns are 90 minutes or more from a metro area, and have a Super Walmart and not much else. The writers for Money magazine wouldn't consider living in one. Also, their selection criteria is likely different than what an individual considering a small town lifestyle is looking for.
__________________
ACC USN-(Ret)
BLS53 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 09:36 AM   #16
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
kyounge1956's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,171
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa99 View Post
No thank you! All the towns have one thing in common...SNOW.

Some less, some way more, but any snow is not in my retirement cards.
Mukilteo is near Seattle. It does snow sometimes, but not every year and (except the amazing winter of 2008) the snow usually stays for less than a week. I will say though that when there is snow on the roads around here, it messes up traffic and transportation like you wouldn't believe.
kyounge1956 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 10:08 AM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
FinanceDude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,483
My town is on there.........
__________________
Consult with your own advisor or representative. My thoughts should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results (love that one).......:)


This Thread is USELESS without pics.........:)
FinanceDude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 10:17 AM   #18
Moderator Emeritus
Bestwifeever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
Very very hard to move into a true small town that's not a suburb (you'll be considered a newcomer for the rest of your life). The three Illinois "towns" on the top 100 list are all suburbs that run right into other suburbs but do have cute downtowns and fall within the income qualifications (less than 200% of the state average per the article).
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Bestwifeever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 10:41 AM   #19
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 143
Liberty, MO is a suburb of Kansas City. It is an old town that has retained it's town square, but in recent years has grown by leaps and bounds with lots of housing and shopping additions. Nice enough place to live, but not really a small town atmosphere.
bhoferp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2011, 03:14 PM   #20
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 410
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever View Post
Very very hard to move into a true small town that's not a suburb (you'll be considered a newcomer for the rest of your life). The three Illinois "towns" on the top 100 list are all suburbs that run right into other suburbs but do have cute downtowns and fall within the income qualifications (less than 200% of the state average per the article).
Come to the extreme southern end of Illinois, and I can show you at least a couple dozen of "true small towns". 6 hours from Chicago and 2 hours from St. Louis, and nothing close to being suburban. But the good thing is, you don't need a 7 figure portfolio to ER in them.
__________________
ACC USN-(Ret)
BLS53 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Which Small Cap to Add? Senin FIRE and Money 7 06-25-2011 06:49 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:06 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.