One thing: It’s kind of important to me that my kids don’t have to worry about getting shot in their schools and that they’re around people who don’t look and think like them……….
Schools are safe in Canada. Our sensible gun control is a huge relief after the anxiety I felt worrying about random gun violence and mass shootings while living in the US.
People can breathe free here in Canada. Anyone who can emigrate here, I recommend it.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can buy residential properties here, but the federal moratorium on foreigners buying Canadian residential real estate is still in effect due to our housing shortage. Foreigners can still buy cottages and other vacation properties.
We like Northern Colorado. Good schools, a smattering of diversity (though maybe not enough). But as a Canadian, I am happy to vouch for Southern Ontario and BC lower mainland.
My son's elementary school in the south SF Bay area had students that, among them, spoke 14 different languages at home, and got virtually all of them reading at or above grade level. "A California Distinguished School"
Montgomery County MD is nice for kids. My 11-yo has a modicum of freedom and pool club culture is as bougie as it sounds but it feels like eutopia once your kids are strong swimmers and you can chill w a book and a seltzer 😎
I mean, the “not getting shot” thing (and presumably other violence as well) rules out all of the US, and the “not looking like” basically rules out all of Canada, Europe, and Australia or NZ. Oh, maybe other Pacific islands like Fiji or Samoa? Some parts of Central/S. America?
I was living in NJ and working in NYC. But when I had kids I lived to the Kansas City metro because it is a good racial mix of people. My kids are part Puerto Rican. KC is 52% white, 25.8% black, 12% Hispanic. And the sports and activities were excellent.
Asheville, Buncombe County, NC. Safe schools, especially south Asheville. Great food, scene, music. Not nearly as expensive as many other areas although not cheap. Work from home and enjoy the scenery.
I haven't lived there for years, but in the early 2000s one of the last historically black neighborhoods was getting gentrified and longtime residents were getting priced out--sad to see
Illinois is FAR from perfect, but at least we’re blue, and haven’t had huge wildfires or devastating earthquakes. Yes, the occasional tornado, and the inevitable corrupt politician.
Greenville, NC! Great schools, affordable, hospital and engineering industries paired with moderate political views, trendy shops, family friendly, town center and close to the crystal coast.
It’s not easy. But not impossible. Takes diligence and work and an understanding that they system is slow…if interested look at nomad visas or non lucrative visa.
I’m being pulled to New Mexico but my heart is in Jamaica. I’m just getting older and tired of cold. But both my kids are here - Cambridge MA and Brooklyn
Chicago. Much more affordable. It’s a real city. Convenient mass transit in town and air travel to anywhere else. Amazing restaurants (more Michelin stars per capita than NY). Great place to raise kids. Midwest nice but very diverse population. No ballooning population weirdness (boom/bust).
Looking at Delaware myself. Daughter went to UD. Great beaches around Lewes/Rehoboth., no state sales tax and property taxes seems reasonable. Just need to sell here on Long Island, but who knows whats going to happen now.
Baltimore is relatively diverse, has a strong arts community, the crime rate has dropped and it is very affordable for an Eastern city. It also has a lot of beautiful historic architecture.
Fancy a not-too-big midwestern college town? I can recommend Ames, Iowa where Iowa State University is. I lived there 2019 - 2023. Some nightmare politics In Iowa obviously but Ames is a nicely progressive island. I lived on Main Street in downtown with the farmers' market below my window. Loved it.
Tough to beat Boulder or its suburbs. We have a great university in town, so the schools are quite good (the town has a solid culture of education, and has for over a century).
I lived there from 1982 until 2007! (Since then, twelve years back in the UK, four years in Ames, Iowa and now in the Twin Cities for the duration as my son lives here.)
We need to see your work more. Maybe the new MSNBC will have enough intelligence to feel the same. I remember your passing interest in Austin years ago, but Texas is scary for your kiddos. Thank you for your work thus far, and stay safe.
I regularly real estate stalk the Northampton/Amherst area, Woodstock, Hudson Valley. If I were looking for another city, Philadelphia would be on my list. Also Charlottesville VA, although very different and smaller.
I sack out here when the going gets tough. Low cost of living and their main export is lobster. They got this bar on the beach that sells $1 micheladas and always has luchador wrestling on the TV. The local newspaper is basically a gossip rag about who's wife is sleeping with who.
Work remotely? Try Spain! Your kids not only will be able to go to school without fear, but they can take excellent public transportation to get there.
Colorado. We need more libs to start offsetting all the Texans that have moved here. There are some suburbs that are very inclusive. Boulder county. Arapahoe county. It's expensive here though.
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People can breathe free here in Canada. Anyone who can emigrate here, I recommend it.
just sayin
I mean, the “not getting shot” thing (and presumably other violence as well) rules out all of the US, and the “not looking like” basically rules out all of Canada, Europe, and Australia or NZ. Oh, maybe other Pacific islands like Fiji or Samoa? Some parts of Central/S. America?
https://wrkr.com/sault-ste-marie-2100/
She also told me she thinks they expressly do not want Americans to immigrate there. That was her impression.
Or anywhere else on the west coast.
There is no better place to live.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York,_Lincolnshire