Spokane, Wa.
Yes. Since the beginning of my childhood, it's only grown on me.

Rural Central Mass

Love it.
Good schools especially relative to the rest of America
Close to zero crime
Safe road riding on lots of recently paved tiny roads through the woods that lead to other tiny roads all with very little traffic. I need to stop at a traffic light a few times per year.
Nearly endless mountain bike, running, x-c ski trails <1 mile from home
And in the words of Family Guy, Massachusetts: Enjoy our potato-headed women.

However, I've lived in a lot of different places, from the middle of Toronto to the middle of nowhere in Spain, and liked almost all of them.

You are speaking from the perspective of a person who has enormous flexibility due to winning the "real estate" lottery AND someone who disliked their work (sounds like a bunch of folks there didn't particularly like their work). I also live in the midst of a wealthy area. Folks who have truly "made it" get off the treadmill all the time. The ones who stay on (for the most part) enjoy their job, don't work that hard, and get paid outlandish amounts for what they do. The concerns about paying for college/retirement/vacations and the opportunity costs of early retirement may keep some at jobs they hate, but most folks with the flexibility make choices based on their own priorities. More power to them....

Troy, MI - suburb north of Detroit.

So-so.

On one hand, the climate is moderate, cost of living isn't too high, and I don't have to worry about hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires, or tornadoes. On the other hand, there aren't any mountains (or significant hills for that matter), large forests, or oceans nearby.

I'd love to move closer to the ocean (NC, CA) or mountains (CO, WY, NM, WA), but job and family are here so I'm not moving any time soon.

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

Do you know Helen?

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Are you sure about that? In 2012, 100 houses were demolished in my home town in Washtenaw county. $10M in damages. There was a F2 that went right over my house in 1990. And a F1 in 1982.

A lot of people say the Great Lakes are just as good as the ocean. They are wrong, but people say it ;)

I think we've covered my habitation situation plenty

https://www.eater.com/...s-unknown-new-jersey

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

I would accept that though i also did choose to spend 7 years in a place few people are willing to to make money. So whilst i may have won one lottery i was also willing to do things many would not.

Who's Helen?

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

Compared to other areas of the US, Michigan does not have a lot of tornado activity. I said I wasn't worried (much) about tornadoes here; I didn't say they were non-existent.

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

Sounds kinda Bourne Identity to me

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Just moved so I am figuring it all out, but I was spoiled growing up so I will probably never be able to reach that ideal again.

I grew up just over the hill from where you are now and we used to make fun of people who lived in Silicon Valley and thought it was a miserable place to visit.

I had some wonderful adventures in Delaware back in the day [surfing, playing in bands, and so on], and LOVE Dogfish Head 60 Minute Ale [been drinking it consistently since DFH first started making it in the late 90s]

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_of_Troy

:|

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

Charlottesville, VA- absolutely!

Formerly Marion, IL- no, no, no
Ft. Myers, FL- loved it
Marathon, FL- loved it

South Denver Burbs

I've been here 40 years. If you asked me 10 years ago, I would have said love it no way I'll move. Today, I'm sick of the growth, traffic, urban sprawl, etc and will find a new place once I retire in six years.

Exeter, NH. Love it.

Great outdoor activities...excellent road/mtb riding on low traffic, smooth and scenic roads and a range of MTB trail systems. Lots of local races of all sorts...running, mtb, road, CX. Group rides of varying levels (mtb and road) just about every night of the week. I clip into the pedals in my garage at the start of a ride and won't have to stop again until I'm back in the garage.

Great community for a family (I have a 4th and 7th grader).

Ocean is 10 minutes away, White Mtns are 1.5-2 hrs away. Lots of restaurant opportunities, and with Portsmouth 20 minutes away and Boston and Portland, ME an hour no shortage of activities.

you're only about 30 miles too far west!

I live in Coeur d'Alene, and love it. skiing in the winter, lake in the summer (so, also skiing). great access to trails and western montana, and jobs (I poach a living via spokane).

But I've also loved living in Bozeman, MT (but way too expensive) and Bloomington, IN (but had to GTFO of grad school)

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mckenzie

Do you know what happened to your youth Summer swimming club? Last year it was Exeter neck and neck with my town, Bedford @states and this year there was no Exeter.

No idea...we managed to avoid youth swimming...although the friends of my daughters (12 years old) who swim and are any good swim for Seacoast.

Helen of Troy

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Just outside of Greenville, SC.
Absolutely...a great place!