Where should you move to? Where will you feel at home? These are complicated questions with many variables to consider, so today we're taking a look at tips on finding the right neighborhood (or city or state) for you, and maps and statistics that might reveal why some areas would be more or less attractive than others for you.
Many of these tips are US-centric—simply because most of us Lifehacker writers and readers are in the US—but not all of them are. (Regardless, the state data maps might be as interesting as maps visualizing the internet.) There are also basic, widely applicable guidelines you might want to follow too below. The key is to check out not just one of these information points, but all of them together to pick the best place to live. (At the very least, it's better than throwing a dart at a map on the wall.) Here are ten things you might want to consider:
10. Where You Should Live If You Want to Avoid a Natural Disaster
This may or may not be at the top of your mind when you're thinking about the best place to move to: the chances of Mother Nature coming after you just as soon as you're settled. Some areas in the US, however, are more prone to natural disaster than others. It doesn't mean those in the Texas or neighboring areas should head northwest right away, but if you know you'd be anxious about emergency storm warnings and the like, this is a good map to consult.
Tornadoes and earthquakes aside, perhaps you just want to find the cities with the most pleasant weather year-round. There's a clever US map for that too.
9. The Best and Worst States to Earn a Living
Besides being near family and friends, probably the biggest consideration for where to live —at least for those of us who are still working—is whether the area pays enough for you to survive there. We've highlighted a Money Rates analysis of the 10 hardest and 10 best states to make a living here (based on average salary, cost of living, employment rate, and workplace conditions). Another in-depth study found the minimum amounts—by state, county, and metropolitan area—an adult or family would need to cover basic expenses. (Think of it as a "this is how much it'd cost to live here at the bare minimum" guide.)
If you're retired or nearing retirement, consult AARP's lists of the best/most affordable cities or US News and World Report's roundup.
8. The Most Prominent Jobs in Each State
To get a more personal look, you'd probably want to find out where the jobs are for your given line of work. This previously mentioned interactive chart visualizes the most prominent job by state and salary. You might also want to do a search for "best states [or cities] for [your occupation]." For your occupation and industry, you want to go where the job opportunities and long-term growth are.
7. What It Costs to Live There
Cost of living is another huge consideration. Can you even afford to live there? Would it be smarter—money-wise—to move to a different area? $100 in Mississippi goes a whole lot farther than $100 in DC when it comes to spending power. In terms of just making enough to be happy living there, a study a few years ago suggested that $75,000 a year is the household income happiness tipping point—beyond that, your happiness and well-being might not be substantially improved. So what's the magic number for each state (after which you can stop worrying about making more)? Here are the numbers.
6. How Long Your Commute Will Be
Salary isn't everything when it comes to finding the right place to live. For many, a short commute (or no commute at all!) would be ideal. In fact, just moving 20 minutes closer to work could save your health (and savings account).
5. Whether You'll Rent or Buy
Housing is the biggest expense in our budgets, so it pays to compare the rent prices for different locations as well the disparate average home buying costs and mortgage rates by location (Rhode Island had a low 3.395% average mortgage rate in August, compared to Nebraska's 4.102% rate). In some places, renting is better than buying; in others, buying is better—and that can make a difference if you're intent on being a homeowner or not or even if you want to make some extra money as a landlord.
4. How Well the Area Matches Your Lifestyle
Enough about work and money, we want to know if you can actually live there. Here's how to quickly vet a neighborhood. Many of you Lifehackers have also spilled the secrets to your local hotspots and . This is a lifestyle question: Some people might prefer a neighborhood with a great nightlife, entertainment, and shopping opportunities within a quick walk; others might prefer well-maintained public play areas and noise nuisance laws. That said, don't discount a totally different lifestyle than you're used too—like rural living if you're from the city—because you might be surprised if you gave the other kind a chance.
3. How Weird or Restrictive the Area Is
On the other hand, you don't want to go through all the trouble of moving only to discover your town has a one-dog limit and you've got two (or more) dogs—and similar strange laws (like bizarre driving laws). Before you make a major moving decision, read through your renter's agreement and rights, at the very least, or your town laws (especially for those buying a house).
2. The "Type" of People Who Live in the Neighborhood
Although it's not right to stereotype everyone by Zip Code, communities often do have characteristic socio-demographic leanings. Some towns may match your political opinions more than others, for example. Marketers use where we live to group us into segments; depending on where you live, your neighborhood might be full of "Urban Elders," a "Bohemian Mix," and/or "Big Sky Families" (here's the previously mentioned Nielsen PRIZM Zip Code lookup tool). As gross as this might seem, it could come in useful when you're looking to maintain a certain lifestyle.
1. Check Out a City or Neighborhood for Yourself
In the end, you're going to have to do your own research to get a feel for a new city. You can do that without having to actually live there. This comes in handy when you need to decide whether or not to move to a new city to look for a job or are just exploring your options for the next place you should live. Still, it's good to at least visit for a while. I like City-Data, other "best cities" lists and maps and so on, but there's nothing like being in a place until you have a good feel for it to help guide your (difficult) decision.
Photos by Perfect Vectors (Shutterstock), Kevin Hutchinson, Nicholas_T, yskii (Shutterstock) and yskii (Shutterstock).