Your opinion of the best cities for young, single doctors?

[doomer_md]

Uhhh ok? Yes, everyone has their own priorities and needs to balance, I'm glad you caught on. OP included factors like racial/cultural diversity, dating scene (OP could be LGBTQ too), young professionals, nightlife, and "etc" - i didn't see cost of living as their most important factor) so again, I'm really not sure why you're trying to pick an argument and act so pretentious.

I'm not making assumptions about OP's background, maybe money isn't a dealbreaker for them so why would I tell them to eliminate those cities off the bat? There are so many medical students that flock to (or at least try) NYC, chicago, boston etc. despite debt and CoL in mind because of the previously mentioned. Even residents enjoy NYC, chicago, etc. on their relatively meager salaries, debt and can find relatively decent, affordable housing too. Plus if people want to stay there long term, when they're an attending and making much much more money it makes sense to consider residency there.

There are many positives to these cities in addition to the negatives, so it's also not really helpful and kind of absurd to just dismiss them (rudely) for the negatives, like some people here, not just yourself, have; this thread just starts to turn into an echo chamber and could turn away others with different perspectives on these places that may be helpful to OP. One can disagree with locations while being respectful and acknowledge the positives, especially since there are likely users here, posting or lurking, who are from and/or live there, so why not be considerate and nicer?

OP was asking for personal opinions, but a lot of people won't really know if they'll hate or love a place until they actually move, live and work there, so even if you've experienced NYC or another place and hated it, OP may have a totally different experience there and there's nothing wrong with trying. And yes, I could've elaborated more in my original post, but given how vague and broad the original post was and how many areas I thought could fit the bill, I figured it was better and more time-efficient to just list a lot of them and answer specific questions.

Rent is literally the first thing OP listed but ok (followed by traffic lmao).

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Qwerty122]

So this is what Shakespeare must have felt like when 8th grade teachers overanalyze his writing

 

[Qwerty122]

Fyi the list I made isn't based on my personal rank of important factors to consider when moving to a new city. I'm more interested in what your personal reasons are for choosing whatever city you're choosing (hence the post title). I'm not trying to find advice for me specifically, but just to gather the diverse thoughts and opinions on this matter.

I listed out some factors to consider just as examples to jog the reader's mind.

 

[2021Hope]

I'm biased, but Madison, Wisconsin is wonderful. It is growing fast, has a great medical and research scene, the city is beautiful, traffic isn't bad, and it isn't super expensive compared to larger cities

 

[ballet01]

Tulsa/OKC if you want really affordable living. May have to sacrifice a bit on the weather though

 

[Notascab]

If you choose Charlotte be prepared to be abused by the near monopolistic health care organization there. Ask your interviewer to blink twice if they are happy. My bet is there will be a lot of blinking.....

 

[Moses4123]

OP here. What do y'all think about the midwest cities like Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Des Moines, etc?

I live in Ann Arbor and think it’s wonderful. Dating scene is decent with lots of young professionals - home prices are high but not astronomical. Hospital systems are robust and there are several options.

 

[JudgeIsInTheHouse]

I visited Pittsburgh during summer, and I thought it was quite nifty. Some very interesting neighborhoods and landscapes. Has a very clean yet industrial vibe to it. Loads of bridges and hills. Has a huge biking culture there, which I found ironic given the hill situation.

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised if you didn't write off NYC as a whole. Lots of people love living in Brooklyn and Queens, where rent and COL tend to be lower than Manhattan.

 

[mojetter]

I’m pretty biased, but I think the Minneapolis-St Paul area is an awesome metro. Pretty reasonable cost of living for a big city, tons of parks and bike paths, lots of dining, art, basically every major sport has a franchise here, and Minneapolis consistently ranks as one of the highest paying cities in the US for physicians.

Hmmm.... How's the policing up there? It matters to minorities

 

[PathoMD]

NYC or nothing.

 

[deleted1065184]

OP here. What do y'all think about the midwest cities like Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Des Moines, etc?

Never been to Ann Arbor.

St. Louis is very cheap to live in (cheapest on this list, by far) with tons of stuff to do (including free stuff in Forest Park, which is also awesome)...but everybody who spoke about the segregation is spot on. Most major cities are pretty damn segregated, but St. Louis is among the worst even in this category. I don't think the dating scene is the greatest.

Columbus and Cincinnati were fun to visit, don't know much about living there.

Nashville is not a Midwest city, it's a Southern city in Tennessee. Having said that, it is a really fun city and especially good for single young people to live in. The music scene is amazing (and not only country music...it was actually named "Music City" because of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, not the booming country music industry), and the bar scene is great too. The one downside is that due to recent gentrification, it is rapidly becoming more and more expensive to live in. My sense is that Nashville kinda wants to be another Atlanta.

Indianapolis also has tons of stuff to do, reasonably affordable, and within driving distance of several other major cities (including a few of the ones you mentioned on this list). The dating scene is pretty good here.

Don't know about Des Moines.

 

[parquetshorts]

Hmmm.... How's the policing up there? It matters to minorities

Discriminatory use of force towards people of color in the entire Twin Cities is a serious and long-standing issue. I have some black friends who are considering moving out of state given the numerous examples of police brutality in the last year alone. It's certainly one of, if not the most glaring and prominent issue in the metro area, and unfortunately a fair number of Minnesotans are perfectly content with pretending that it isn't a problem.

 

[viszlaking]

NYC is a poophole 😎. Got all the problems of San Francisco w out the weather. Unless you are really wealthy and can afford to live in your own bubble, the place seems to be going downhill. Homelessness on the rise, transportation systems experiencing more violent crimes, and the prices have always been high. Plus I hear many of the residency programs are toxic.

 

[mojetter]

Discriminatory use of force towards people of color in the entire Twin Cities is a serious and long-standing issue. I have some black friends who are considering moving out of state given the numerous examples of police brutality in the last year alone. It's certainly one of, if not the most glaring and prominent issue in the metro area, and unfortunately a fair number of Minnesotans are perfectly content with pretending that it isn't a problem.

I appreciate your honest reply, cities and towns need to realize if they're going to attract young educated forward thinking professionals that the police force cannot be brutal towards it's members

Nobody likes crime not debating that ....but if the police are heavy handed or domineering then no way we can bring our resources, educated work forces, and certainly not our future children into communities like these

The local people always seem to support the status quo and what they were used to in the past but the world is changing and these companies and hospitals need to know we're not coming there if your police department is going to support killing minorities or if the local people are going to harass minorities

All that being said I'm curious about Minnesota and would love to visit but I'm also afraid to visit

 

[deleted1076141]

Hmmm.... How's the policing up there? It matters to minorities

I wish I could really answer. Obviously there are some high profile examples of police violence against people of color. Is it better or worse than other major cities? I don’t think I’m really in a position to answer, not being a person of color myself.

 

[parquetshorts]

I appreciate your honest reply, cities and towns need to realize if they're going to attract young educated forward thinking professionals that the police force cannot be brutal towards it's members

Nobody likes crime not debating that ....but if the police are heavy handed or domineering then no way we can bring our resources, educated work forces, and certainly not our future children into communities like these

The local people always seem to support the status quo and what they were used to in the past but the world is changing and these companies and hospitals need to know we're not coming there if your police department is going to support killing minorities or if the local people are going to harass minorities

All that being said I'm curious about Minnesota and would love to visit but I'm also afraid to visit

I will clarify that the Twin Cities in general are a wonderful place to be, and if you live within Minneapolis or St Paul proper, you're likely to find many warm and welcoming people who are open minded, considerate, and pushing for change. I've always loved the amount of racial and religious diversity in MSP, and thoroughly enjoyed my time here. However, once you start going a bit further out into the suburbs, it becomes increasingly rare to see any people of color....and with that, attitudes towards minorities are certainly different in those areas. That being said, Minneapolis is in general a very safe place, and even the "rougher" parts are still not that bad compared to other midwest cities I've spent a fair amount of time in (St. Louis, Detroit, KC, Omaha, etc.). The last year has certainly been disheartening, but I would absolutely encourage anyone to check out the Twin Cities. I've since moved for med school, but I'd say that Minneapolis is the most vibrant place I've ever lived, and I very much want to move back for residency and to start a family. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any more questions!

 

[Steve_Zissou]

I’m surprised that seattle has only been mentioned once in this thread. It truly is the Emerald city, lots of parks, on the water, mountains just outside. The town has some of the best food I’ve had anywhere. Lots of trendy areas where young people go to coffee shops and upscale eateries. Booming night life scene, the clubs are super fun and there are a few hotspots for whatever kind of nightlife you want. It’s a young, vibrant city with a whole lot of culture.

The more important factor for me, and likely what will bring me back after residency, is the outdoors access. Glaciated mountains to mountaineer, world class rock climbing nearby (index is very well known), mountain biking, skiing, etc.

If I were to choose any big city, it would be Seattle. Slightly smaller city, Boise for sure.

 

[BronxBomber]

NYC is a poophole 😎. Got all the problems of San Francisco w out the weather. Unless you are really wealthy and can afford to live in your own bubble, the place seems to be going downhill. Homelessness on the rise, transportation systems experiencing more violent crimes, and the prices have always been high. Plus I hear many of the residency programs are toxic.

NYC is dirty but this reads like someone who’s never spent significant time there or tried to explore the city. I’ve lived here for the better part of a decade and never witnessed a crime. Taken all manner of trains and walked all manner of neighborhoods at all manner of hours. The city has gentrified to such an extreme extent that Manhattan below 100th on either side is extremely safe (almost certainly safer than all the other cities on this list if you look at crime statistics). Most gentrified parts of Brooklyn are similar and if you’ve never been to BK or Queens, I highly recommend it. There are infinite bars, infinite restaurants, and infinite experiences. Programs seem to self select for people who don’t want to start families until their mid to late 30’s but instead want to live in the largest and liveliest city in the US. Its a more European experience and a trade-off. You have to decide what you want. You will not own a home. You’ll have a studio or 1 BR apartment (or roommates), but there is no other city except SF that comes even close to the density of things to do and explore. I’m not from nyc and I’m not staying (for all the reasons I’ve mentioned), but it’s a completely different beast than the other cities listed here (most of which I’ve visited and enjoyed). Those cities number in the dozens and are much quieter and easier to grasp. NYC is unique, ungraspable, and always moving (not for everyone). Rumors of the city’s demise have been around for decades. It’s only grown. It’s not going anywhere

 

[candbgirl]

OP here. What do y'all think about the midwest cities like Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Des Moines, etc?

Yes to some. Indy for sure and Cincinnati. Add Louisville. Nashville is great but mostly for visiting(at least that’s my view). Parts of St. Louis are beautiful, there is lots to do but I’m not sure I’d want to live there. I’d just go to Chicago or Milwaukee. I’m not sure about DesMoines. Ann Arbor and Columbus are nice if you like the prevailing college town atmosphere.

 

[kpeezy24]

Bakersfield, CA is where it's at - keep it hush hush though

Lmao my SO is from Bakersfield and I moved there for about 2 years. It’s an ok place to live but there’s absolutely nothing to do lol.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

The trouble is that in winter, Nature makes a very serious attempt to kill you!

Two words: Global Warming.
(Plus seriously--don't you think that Gulf Coast and Florida hurricanes, Texas heat, and California drought wildfires will kill you just as dead...)

 

[Qwerty122]

Heard great things about the future of Raleigh/Durham. Anyone have experience living in these areas?

 

[kpeezy24]

Definitely Nashville. I did my undergrad there. Hated my school but the city saved me lol. Loved it. There’s so much to do and explore, good nightlife and dating, lots of outdoor activities, the people are awesome, food is good, pretty cheap COL, low crime rate, good mix of summer and winter weather. There’s nothing bad I could say about it. It’s the perfect “small” big city. But I could be biased since I’m from the south and used this style of living.

 

[Thesimplelifeofamyloid]

I’m surprised that seattle has only been mentioned once in this thread. It truly is the Emerald city, lots of parks, on the water, mountains just outside. The town has some of the best food I’ve had anywhere. Lots of trendy areas where young people go to coffee shops and upscale eateries. Booming night life scene, the clubs are super fun and there are a few hotspots for whatever kind of nightlife you want. It’s a young, vibrant city with a whole lot of culture.

The more important factor for me, and likely what will bring me back after residency, is the outdoors access. Glaciated mountains to mountaineer, world class rock climbing nearby (index is very well known), mountain biking, skiing, etc.

If I were to choose any big city, it would be Seattle. Slightly smaller city, Boise for sure.

How much is rent? 3000 a month for a studio isn't pleasing

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

I’m surprised that seattle has only been mentioned once in this thread.

One word: rent.

 

[doomer_md]

NYC is a poophole 😎. Got all the problems of San Francisco w out the weather. Unless you are really wealthy and can afford to live in your own bubble, the place seems to be going downhill. Homelessness on the rise, transportation systems experiencing more violent crimes, and the prices have always been high. Plus I hear many of the residency programs are toxic.

Hey don’t sell SF short. No one beats them in the heroin needle department (and rent).

 

[culturekweenXx]

Heard great things about the future of Raleigh/Durham. Anyone have experience living in these areas?

Great area if you like cities that aren't overly large imo

 

[Steve_Zissou]

How much is rent? 3000 a month for a studio isn't pleasing

One word: rent.

You can easily live outside the city in a relatively cheaper area and commute in. Every BIG city is expensive, if it is truly desirable.

Also, I’m basing this on being an attending and making attending money. If you really want to save and live in the city while also having great access to the outdoors, go to Boise, ID or Billings, MT. You won’t have the similar big city culture, but it’s a city at least.

 

[tevvie]

How much is rent? 3000 a month for a studio isn't pleasing

NGL rent prices here are ridiculous if you dont have a roommate. I was able to get better housing for cheaper in the jersey shore area.

 

[Qwerty122]

You can easily live outside the city in a relatively cheaper area and commute in. Every BIG city is expensive, if it is truly desirable.

Also, I’m basing this on being an attending and making attending money. If you really want to save and live in the city while also having great access to the outdoors, go to Boise, ID or Billings, MT. You won’t have the similar big city culture, but it’s a city at least.

No yeah, I agree. Rent can be expensive, but it's good to see the whole picture of a city to see what you're trading for a more expensive COL. Money is important, but not the only important thing

 

[viszlaking]

NYC is dirty but this reads like someone who’s never spent significant time there or tried to explore the city. I’ve lived here for the better part of a decade and never witnessed a crime. Taken all manner of trains and walked all manner of neighborhoods at all manner of hours. The city has gentrified to such an extreme extent that Manhattan below 100th on either side is extremely safe (almost certainly safer than all the other cities on this list if you look at crime statistics). Most gentrified parts of Brooklyn are similar and if you’ve never been to BK or Queens, I highly recommend it. There are infinite bars, infinite restaurants, and infinite experiences. Programs seem to self select for people who don’t want to start families until their mid to late 30’s but instead want to live in the largest and liveliest city in the US. Its a more European experience and a trade-off. You have to decide what you want. You will not own a home. You’ll have a studio or 1 BR apartment (or roommates), but there is no other city except SF that comes even close to the density of things to do and explore. I’m not from nyc and I’m not staying (for all the reasons I’ve mentioned), but it’s a completely different beast than the other cities listed here (most of which I’ve visited and enjoyed). Those cities number in the dozens and are much quieter and easier to grasp. NYC is unique, ungraspable, and always moving (not for everyone). Rumors of the city’s demise have been around for decades. It’s only grown. It’s not going anywhere

Ah I actually grew up in Brooklyn New York. There are pros there like food and ?? Just the food yeah.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

No yeah, I agree. Rent can be expensive, but it's good to see the whole picture of a city to see what you're trading for a more expensive COL. Money is important, but not the only important thing

Yeah, for a while I was thinking rural WA would be great, and it still might be, but Seattle is just such an amazing city. Out of all the cities I’ve spent a decent amount of time in (LA, NY, DC, Honolulu, Baltimore, ATL, Richmond, and a couple of others) Seattle is my favorite. Portland was pretty cool, but I didn’t get to spend enough time there to say how much I really liked it.

 

[Qwerty122]

Yeah, for a while I was thinking rural WA would be great, and it still might be, but Seattle is just such an amazing city. Out of all the cities I’ve spent a decent amount of time in (LA, NY, DC, Honolulu, Baltimore, ATL, Richmond, and a couple of others) Seattle is my favorite. Portland was pretty cool, but I didn’t get to spend enough time there to say how much I really liked it.

Since you're into outdoor activities, have you considered Utah? Salt Lake City maybe? I think that Utah's residency programs specifically look for outdoorsy people since they know it's such a big draw to the location.

And what do you think about the homelessness and weather of seattle? Is it as bad as others say?

 

[AW0320]

Never been to Ann Arbor.

St. Louis is very cheap to live in (cheapest on this list, by far) with tons of stuff to do (including free stuff in Forest Park, which is also awesome)...but everybody who spoke about the segregation is spot on. Most major cities are pretty damn segregated, but St. Louis is among the worst even in this category. I don't think the dating scene is the greatest.

Columbus and Cincinnati were fun to visit, don't know much about living there.

Nashville is not a Midwest city, it's a Southern city in Tennessee. Having said that, it is a really fun city and especially good for single young people to live in. The music scene is amazing (and not only country music...it was actually named "Music City" because of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, not the booming country music industry), and the bar scene is great too. The one downside is that due to recent gentrification, it is rapidly becoming more and more expensive to live in. My sense is that Nashville kinda wants to be another Atlanta.

Indianapolis also has tons of stuff to do, reasonably affordable, and within driving distance of several other major cities (including a few of the ones you mentioned on this list). The dating scene is pretty good here.

Don't know about Des Moines.

Definitely agree with your comments about St. Louis. I lived there for several years, and there are tons of free/cheap things to do. Plus COL so cheap it makes me cry. Fantastic place to live in those regards. But definitely not a great place for dating and there are obviously a lot of issues that need to be addressed regarding race, poverty, policing, etc. I think there are a lot of people/organizations that are trying to push the city in the right direction, but it's a painful and slow process. That being said, if you're someone that wants to really get involved in your community, I think there are a lot of opportunities to help make an impact.

 

[LadyDustyBlue]

OP here. What do y'all think about the midwest cities like Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Des Moines, etc?

I’m just going to add that Madison, Wisconsin might be a good place to work if you can stand the cold and like affordable living. From what I’ve gathered (my little sis and her bf live in Pleasant Prairie but tell me some stuff about WI. They originally were from burbs of Chicago, IL and moved away because rent was cheaper in WI) from family to friends who moved out of WI to California, they’d prefer it over bigger cities. It depends on your personality. I haven’t traveled to Madison but it’s on my list of schools to maybe consider in the future because of proximity my little sister. However, I’m San Diego, so you can imagine how I’d feel about the weather. 🥲 But who knows how I’d feel down the line...

Though I will say I’m surprised I didn’t see anyone say, “move to San Diego” because of the mild weather most of the year, the amount of activities you can do as a single person or dating person, etc.

 

[ArdorAyurveda]

Do you need a car to get around in St. Louis or Pittsburgh?

What are people's thoughts on New Orleans or Milwaukee?

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Since you're into outdoor activities, have you considered Utah? Salt Lake City maybe? I think that Utah's residency programs specifically look for outdoorsy people since they know it's such a big draw to the location.

And what do you think about the homelessness and weather of seattle? Is it as bad as others say?

Haven’t been to SLC yet, definitely want to check it out but not being close to the ocean also takes away some of the draw. The nice thing about Seattle is that you have both Vancouver BC (world class skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering) and Portland within 2 hours. Denver was nice too, forgot to mention that.

The homeless are bad, that part is definitely true. They’re all over, but more concentrated in some places than others. Generally unobtrusive in my experience, but others disagree. I’ve had worse experiences with homeless in Honolulu and Anchorage than anywhere in Seattle. The nice thing about Seattle is that all the surrounding areas are super nice too. Woodinville, Bothell, Kirkland, Greenlake, Renton, Bellevue, Shoreline, etc. if you totally want zero homeless, go to Bellevue. Bougie AF. If you are willing to drive out of the city, you have Leavenworth right on the other side of the mountains (beautiful German themed town), the islands surrounding Seattle (Orcas islands, Bainbridge, Bremerton, Vashon) which are beautiful and significantly more rural, and so many other beautiful places.

The weather really isn’t that bad. I saw plenty of sunshine throughout my time there. A little cloudy, but really not that bad. Honestly, much prefer that to a desert/high desert.

Seattle kind of functioned as a hub to see the rest of Washington, which has some of the most beautiful landscapes and mountains I’ve ever seen. The north cascades with their jagged rock spires and aqua blue glacial lakes. Mount Rainier and the massive amount of hikes surrounding it. Mt. baker, my first glaciated mountaineering objective, where you can see all of the northern cascade range from the top. Olympic national forest with its beautiful, dense greenery.

I really love it man.

 

[Qwerty122]

Haven’t been to SLC yet, definitely want to check it out but not being close to the ocean also takes away some of the draw. The nice thing about Seattle is that you have both Vancouver BC (world class skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering) and Portland within 2 hours. Denver was nice too, forgot to mention that.

The homeless are bad, that part is definitely true. They’re all over, but more concentrated in some places than others. Generally unobtrusive in my experience, but others disagree. I’ve had worse experiences with homeless in Honolulu and Anchorage than anywhere in Seattle. The nice thing about Seattle is that all the surrounding areas are super nice too. Woodinville, Bothell, Kirkland, Greenlake, Renton, Bellevue, Shoreline, etc. if you totally want zero homeless, go to Bellevue. Bougie AF. If you are willing to drive out of the city, you have Leavenworth right on the other side of the mountains (beautiful German themed town), the islands surrounding Seattle (Orcas islands, Bainbridge, Bremerton, Vashon) which are beautiful and significantly more rural, and so many other beautiful places.

The weather really isn’t that bad. I saw plenty of sunshine throughout my time there. A little cloudy, but really not that bad. Honestly, much prefer that to a desert/high desert.

Seattle kind of functioned as a hub to see the rest of Washington, which has some of the most beautiful landscapes and mountains I’ve ever seen. The north cascades with their jagged rock spires and aqua blue glacial lakes. Mount Rainier and the massive amount of hikes surrounding it. Mt. baker, my first glaciated mountaineering objective, where you can see all of the northern cascade range from the top. Olympic national forest with its beautiful, dense greenery.

I really love it man.

Great to hear that, and how bad's the commute to the areas you mentioned to UW? (To cities like bellevue, woodinville, bothell, etc.)

And yeah, you need to balance out your life with some color and action after spending all day in a dark room (I, too have turned to the dark side lmao).

 

[LadyDustyBlue]

Charlotte, Nashville, Houston, Austin, maybe Atlanta. A lot of southern/southeastern cities fit the bill. Denver is nice but people have already realized that and you may be too late. Nashville is peaking and will be in the same position before long.

I've heard great things about El Paso but have never been there.

I can tell you that despite the fact that I live in a generally-perceived nice medium-sized city with beautiful weather (San Diego), I’ve had young professional, single friends move to cities like Atlanta, Savannah, Miami, Ann Arbor, Houston, etc. and they haven’t moved back. But they weren’t at-all medical students, residents, or anything in healthcare. They were makeup artists, statisticians looking to work in government... and okay the one gal I know who went to Ann Arbor went to UMich for Public Health, but she looks so happy there

I'm biased, but Madison, Wisconsin is wonderful. It is growing fast, has a great medical and research scene, the city is beautiful, traffic isn't bad, and it isn't super expensive compared to larger cities

I keep thinking that Madison sounds like a great option whether you’re single or looking to make a family. As far as culture shock for OP, I wonder if it won’t be much of one considering s/he is already taking Minnesota as an option?

I’m surprised that seattle has only been mentioned once in this thread. It truly is the Emerald city, lots of parks, on the water, mountains just outside. The town has some of the best food I’ve had anywhere. Lots of trendy areas where young people go to coffee shops and upscale eateries. Booming night life scene, the clubs are super fun and there are a few hotspots for whatever kind of nightlife you want. It’s a young, vibrant city with a whole lot of culture.

The more important factor for me, and likely what will bring me back after residency, is the outdoors access. Glaciated mountains to mountaineer, world class rock climbing nearby (index is very well known), mountain biking, skiing, etc.

If I were to choose any big city, it would be Seattle. Slightly smaller city, Boise for sure.

It’s possible that people, when asked about where a young professional should live & have a great nightlife/dating scene, they think of cheaper cities they can start out or big cities with seemingly-big networks that could help give them a leg up.

Medical field is way different when considering these, so I’m just as surprised as you are. I personally daydream about Seattle because of the outdoors and the beautiful greenery.

 

[AW0320]

Do you need a car to get around in St. Louis or Pittsburgh?

What are people's thoughts on New Orleans or Milwaukee?

I'd definitely recommend a car in St. Louis. Public transportation is pretty subpar.

 

[deleted1065184]

Definitely agree with your comments about St. Louis. I lived there for several years, and there are tons of free/cheap things to do. Plus COL so cheap it makes me cry. Fantastic place to live in those regards. But definitely not a great place for dating and there are obviously a lot of issues that need to be addressed regarding race, poverty, policing, etc. I think there are a lot of people/organizations that are trying to push the city in the right direction, but it's a painful and slow process. That being said, if you're someone that wants to really get involved in your community, I think there are a lot of opportunities to help make an impact.

Completely agree. Lots of amazing organizing going on there. If OP is interested in being somewhere they can potentially make a meaningful impact in the community in 4 years, St. Louis is the spot. And there have been some recently elected officials who appear to really want the change and growth.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Great to hear that, and how bad's the commute to the areas you mentioned to UW? (To cities like bellevue, woodinville, bothell, etc.)

And yeah, you need to balance out your life with some color and action after spending all day in a dark room (I, too have turned to the dark side lmao).

I’ll write up some more later, but it can be awful depending on where you are.

 

[deleted1065184]

Definitely Nashville. I did my undergrad there. Hated my school but the city saved me lol. Loved it. There’s so much to do and explore, good nightlife and dating, lots of outdoor activities, the people are awesome, food is good, pretty cheap COL, low crime rate, good mix of summer and winter weather. There’s nothing bad I could say about it. It’s the perfect “small” big city. But I could be biased since I’m from the south and used this style of living.

Second this, although should add that COL is rapidly rising. I'm also from the South and biased, but Nashville is genuinely a city that is good for people from all regions. Tons of Southern culture, but also extremely diverse with a pretty nice-sized and steadily increasing Latinx population, and the country's largest Kurdish population.

 

[deleted1065184]

I'd definitely recommend a car in St. Louis. Public transportation is pretty subpar.

You don't need a car to get around in St. Louis. The train will take you most places and the bus system will take you pretty much everywhere the train won't. If you wanna do certain things in the county, a car is helpful. But all of the major neighborhoods are connected pretty well via public transportation. It isn't as good as Chicago or the Bay Area, but it's solid imo. Not like the South, where public transportation is basically non-existent aside from mediocre buslines.

 

[deleted1065184]

Do you need a car to get around in St. Louis or Pittsburgh?

What are people's thoughts on New Orleans or Milwaukee?

New Orleans is an awesome city with amazing people, culture, and most importantly FOOD. Access to the biggest river in North America and the Gulf Coast...having said that, the fact that it gets smacked with violent tropic storms every year would have me beyond anxious and stressed out lol

 

[deleted1065184]

You can easily live outside the city in a relatively cheaper area and commute in. Every BIG city is expensive, if it is truly desirable.

Also, I’m basing this on being an attending and making attending money. If you really want to save and live in the city while also having great access to the outdoors, go to Boise, ID or Billings, MT. You won’t have the similar big city culture, but it’s a city at least.

Houston, Philly, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Jacksonville. All much bigger than Seattle, all much cheaper. Even Chicago is a fair amount cheaper to live in. All big cities are more expensive than small cities, but not all big cities are Seattle-level expensive lol

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Houston, Philly, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Jacksonville. All much bigger than Seattle, all much cheaper. Even Chicago is a fair amount cheaper to live in. All big cities are more expensive than small cities, but not all big cities are Seattle-level expensive lol

I guess that’s why I added “desirable.” I’ve spent time in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Jacksonville, and I guess I just don’t consider those places to be very “desirable.” But, once again, my own opinion and I really value mountains/greenery/skiing.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Great to hear that, and how bad's the commute to the areas you mentioned to UW? (To cities like bellevue, woodinville, bothell, etc.)

And yeah, you need to balance out your life with some color and action after spending all day in a dark room (I, too have turned to the dark side lmao).

The commute can be super bad depending on where you’re at, but it’s also feasible to bike to work if you’re actually living in the city. A lot of young people live in Capitol Hill, which is pretty close to UW. Shoreline is also really nice and not too far. The area surrounding UW is pretty nice too, but definitely expensive.

For me, with attending pay, would definitely live in or around Seattle. Worth the cost imo. Washington, as a state, takes the cake for beauty.

Edit: all pics I’ve taken or pics including me.

 

[deleted1065184]

I guess that’s why I added “desirable.” I’ve spent time in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Jacksonville, and I guess I just don’t consider those places to be very “desirable.” But, once again, my own opinion and I really value mountains/greenery/skiing.

I suppose, and you have every right to feel that way. The stats suggest the opposite though, as all of those cities/metro areas are growing VERY rapidly.

 

[DrOngoGablogian]

I didn't read the whole thread so not sure if anyone mentioned some of these yet but when you go south, everything gets better. People are nicer, weather is nicer, food is better. Charleston, Raleigh, Nashville, Charlotte-- can't go wrong.