General Discussion

Saving Hawaii

(441 posts)

10. I live in a pretty affordable and very liberal community.

Thu Apr 26, 2012, 01:23 AM

Apr 2012

But there are not many jobs here.

It's a college town out in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Amazing canyons and creeks literally a jog away. Trader Joe's just down the street (from my house anyway). But we have over 10k college students here and that drives the local economy. There are some other good opportunities available but I know many a college student who tried to stay after graduation and simply couldn't find a way to make a respectable living here. Plenty of people do very well but you have to be in the right businesses and trades.

You know, unfortunately, liberalism seems to be tied very closely to population density. And population density is tied very closely to land value. And that means that most liberal locales are not very affordable. There are some (like mine) but you have to find a niche to be able to live in places like these. I'm very happy I was able to.

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Why are liberal areas always so damn expensive. It always seems if [View all] RKP5637 Apr 2012 OP

Madison, WI is fairly low cost (if you can stand the winters). My Dad coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #1

Thank god for Lawrence! I think it's pretty well over that bout of hipper-than-thouness it had goin' patrice Apr 2012 #39

I just can't take KS anymore. With the new Brownback regime in place RKP5637 Apr 2012 #54

Winters? What do you mean? Scuba Apr 2012 #68

I think of a typical Madison winter much the same way Samuel Johnson referred coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #71

Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is fairly liberal Art_from_Ark Apr 2012 #2

Love! Eureka Springs! several nice festivals, Beaver Lake, cool old hotels & restaurants, highqualit patrice Apr 2012 #14

Beautiful country is right Art_from_Ark Apr 2012 #21

I'm pretty sure I have stood there and daydreamed on at least a couple of occasions. patrice Apr 2012 #38

If you have been to the military park, Art_from_Ark Apr 2012 #41

Yes, I have been there & up and down the highway through there. Love the little patrice Apr 2012 #43

I love US 62 north of Rogers Art_from_Ark Apr 2012 #67

Would love to live there, but besides working for Walmart there is not much employment Snake Alchemist Apr 2012 #29

I used to live up in Boston years ago, but that was before they gutted rent control laws. Selatius Apr 2012 #3

About Boston getting rid of rent control Daalalou Apr 2012 #26

Those of us in affordable communities aren't telling. Competition for housing would drive up prices. LeftyMom Apr 2012 #4

Do you live where I do? Saving Hawaii Apr 2012 #12

From your description I think I'm about an hour and a half south. LeftyMom Apr 2012 #58

More culture, I'm guessing... MrMickeysMom Apr 2012 #5

Because we vote to pay our fair share in local taxes. stevedeshazer Apr 2012 #6

What you said... only more so... Bigmack Apr 2012 #63

Hail, Hail. nt bluestate10 Apr 2012 #78

How is Ames, Iowa? RandySF Apr 2012 #7

. Go Vols Apr 2012 #8

Are there less expensive areas in the northeast? Places like Vermont? pnwmom Apr 2012 #9

I live in a pretty affordable and very liberal community. Saving Hawaii Apr 2012 #10

I feel your pain. I live in an expensive liberal community. Zalatix Apr 2012 #11

Welcome to the Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Population 3,487. limpyhobbler Apr 2012 #13

Oberlin as well... WCGreen Apr 2012 #20

Good one! TheKentuckian Apr 2012 #48

Berea, KY too. LeftyMom Apr 2012 #57

Yeah, great people but I don't even think about living there. TheKentuckian Apr 2012 #79

Haven't you heard? ashling Apr 2012 #15

There are liberal communities within safeinOhio Apr 2012 #16

Detroit, Michigan PassingFair Apr 2012 #17

Vermont. cali Apr 2012 #18

Always wanted to move to Vermont, but what would I do? Snake Alchemist Apr 2012 #28

Montpellier is VERY comfortable culture, but you're right, other than the GREAT farms/farm-stores patrice Apr 2012 #37

Vermont has one of the lowest unemployment rates cali Apr 2012 #44

I was describing Montpellier in particular, not all of Vermont. patrice Apr 2012 #46

Thanks, but still Montpelier's economy is definitely not cali Apr 2012 #50

What do you do now? What do you want to do? cali Apr 2012 #49

I currently work for the Federal Government. Snake Alchemist Apr 2012 #51

Vermont is one of my most favorite places but... Little Star Apr 2012 #31

I think MA is far more expensive to live in than VT cali Apr 2012 #45

The total tax rate in Mass is lower than that in Vermont and 25 other states. bluestate10 Apr 2012 #81

Always? Heh. Brickbat Apr 2012 #19

More people kctim Apr 2012 #22

Why don't we look at crime rates by state? 2ndAmForComputers Apr 2012 #65

Why not be accurate kctim Apr 2012 #73

I only found state data from the Census. 2ndAmForComputers Apr 2012 #74

The OP says "liberal areas" kctim Apr 2012 #76

Because who wants to live Aerows Apr 2012 #23

Because they are nicer places with better schools and commons so that every one wants to Cleita Apr 2012 #24

Anyone know anything about Bloomington Indiana? crazylikafox Apr 2012 #25

Yes, I think college towns are probably more liberal. ananda Apr 2012 #27

There's always the woods, pretty easy to find running water snooper2 Apr 2012 #30

LOL!!! RKP5637 Apr 2012 #33

Because NOT living in a cesspool of hate costs money. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2012 #32

I'm in one, in MD - 40 minutes' drive from both D.C. and Baltimore. Waiting For Everyman Apr 2012 #34

ok, u got me. Where are u? crazylikafox Apr 2012 #35

Yes, you guessed it. Waiting For Everyman Apr 2012 #36

Thank you! I'll have to take a ride out there soon to look around. crazylikafox Apr 2012 #42

Fwiw, just to give an idea... Waiting For Everyman Apr 2012 #52

great pics. I grew up in the PA mountains, so it looks like home. crazylikafox Apr 2012 #62

There are Waiting For Everyman Apr 2012 #69

Thanks! crazylikafox Apr 2012 #72

That looks like a lovely area of Maryland LibertyLover Apr 2012 #75

My best friend lives in Boonsboro. Tommy_Carcetti Apr 2012 #55

I like it too, your friend picked a good spot. Waiting For Everyman Apr 2012 #70

I've been there (to the Civil War journalist monument). Tommy_Carcetti May 2012 #82

This is why we need committed efforts to create & to build co-operatives. nt patrice Apr 2012 #40

We really do. Even with the recession the cost of housing in many areas is RKP5637 Apr 2012 #47

back just before the election in '08 I took a drive around midcoast Maine magical thyme Apr 2012 #53

they start out as poor neighborhoods students and artists can afford to live in librechik Apr 2012 #56

That is so right on. Zorra Apr 2012 #60

thx, Zorra--I'm a Colorado native, so I know exactly what Henley is talking about! librechik Apr 2012 #61

Liberal areas are more desirable -- more culture, better restaurants, usually prettier areas Arugula Latte Apr 2012 #59

Better education too. Dawson Leery Apr 2012 #64

More culture, more educational institutions, more jobs,more interesting people all = more demand. nt stevenleser Apr 2012 #66

Liberals are typically smart, well educated people that do well financially. bluestate10 Apr 2012 #77

Yep, that's pretty much what I've observed too. Thanks! n/t RKP5637 Apr 2012 #80