NYC. Ticks off all but the last two. But salaries are more than high enough to make up for the high rent - especially if you’re willing to make some compromises about living by an urban rather than a suburban standard.
I love it here. There’s a great tech scene and tons of career opportunity without the pathological monoculture of SV.
You most definitely don’t need a car, though if our current elected officials have anything to say about it, 5 years from now the subways will stop working entirely and the city will come to a standstill because there is quite literally not enough road space for everyone to travel by car.
That last bit (plus, yes, the insane US approach to health care) is why I’m looking into getting out of the city; but in the meantime it’s a surprisingly good place to build a career and save a bit of money.
Here are the downsides of NYC that I don't miss (relative to Austin):
- High income tax
- Far from anything west coast (skiing, mountains, outdoors, SF/LA, etc)
- Cold winters. Much easier to get to the caribean in the winter.
- Hard to get "out" of the city during the summer that doesn't have stupid logistics (e.g. hamptons). You can get to one of the lakes 15~60 min depending on where you live in Austin.
- Everyone talks about work (austin, people don't care what you do for a living)
Downsides of Austin:
- It's a small town. If you're social, you'll know everyone in about a year.
- Opportunity is limited.
- Satellite airport (gotta connect via HOU and DFW)
NYC. Its still expensive obviously but more diverse. Not a mono-culture. Cold/long winters are not much fun. But there are nicer small classic american town in NY and Long Island, which can be affordable. Train commute is ok if you can work remote a couple days per week and get some work done on the trains. Beaches are close, skiing upstate is decent. Lots of opportunity in NYC/Brooklyn. A very nice home (4 bedroom, good schools, 1 acre, pretty area) can be had for under $1M.
The weather and people there are crap if you're used to the west coast. Winters suck and the rudeness of NYC people is insufferable in the long run for me.
Not that I disagree much, apart from one thing - that places like NY have 'everything'. If you like nature, mountains, adrenaline sports, weekend adventures without crazy commute, then NY has none.
Irrelevant to some, but folks like me couldn't be bothered to even consider it even if my take home salary went 10x.
Again, well said. I agree with you. I, too, have some good friends who live out there (cannot fathom why).
I like the raw energy of NYC, something no place in CA has, not even LA, and I lived out there for almost 4 years. NYC trumps any large US city for pure energy and things to do. I can be in Europe in a few hours, Canada in no time, the food is second to none, the weather is decent, as you tend to get four seasons instead of warm and cooler.
I've lived in Europe, Asia, and 7 US states. NYC is by far my favourite place in the US to visit, and perhaps one day, live. NYC is walkable, something few US cities can boast. Not even Chicago comes close to NYC in amenities -- and Chicago cannot seem to get a grip on their gun violence problem, something NYC has all but stamped out.
Let's not even mention the plethora of museums, restaurants, theatre choices, educational institutions, and more that NYC has going for it. No other US city can compare.
NYC will get there when they move the city to the west coast. There is something different about the west: wide open spaces, mountains, good weather, that you can't really replicate in the east.
IMO if there’s any place on the east coast that can handle this (other than maybe NY but then again maybe not) it’s you guys. Every time I’m up there the metro lines and VRE get longer and there are one or two more high-rise apartment buildings. The price for a starter apartment is about the same as it is in most small American cities because of that.
Could it be better? Yes but I don’t think it’s better anywhere else.
Moving to New York with my wife and two-year old. We've always wanted to experience the city and it's a major change from where we are now (Maine, 15 minute bike to work along the ocean). It scares the crap out of me but it's important to show my daughter how to have adventures.
I am actually thinking on doing the opposite move. NYC is great If you earn a lot of money and don't mind spending it.
Also everything that is a commodity elsewhere, in NYC is a luxury. (A car, washers and dryer, etc.). It's also unbelievably overcrowded.
In the end it can be tons of fun, but if you like good weather, less crowded, cheaper places and more laid back relaxed environments then NYC is not the right place.
I would much rather prefer san Francisco or Santa Monica
I've tried living in NYC. Wasn't a fan. Too many cars, too much trash all over the place, too hard & expensive to get out of the city on the weekend.
Right now I live in a small New England town, which suits my hobbies and walkability desire pretty well. The biggest con, of course, is the difficulty finding other young folks with similar interests... but I found that tough in NYC, too.
What made NYC "one of the most desirable cities" to you? I suspect you're more interested in night life, museums, theatre, etc. than me. If you're not interested in that stuff (I mostly just want places to hike, bike, run, and good food/craft beer)... NYC's value:cost ratio really falls apart. But I understand that different people have different preferences.
Sidenote: if anyone reads this and knows of a moderate size town that's walkable, bikeable, close to nature (preferably by bike), has good food and beer, low crime, where I don't have to deal with huge volumes of cars on a daily basis... I'd love to hear about it! Right now Fort Collins, CO and Montpelier, VT are high on my list.
Some things are also just a matter of taste. If you're really into theatre for instance, it's hard to beat NYC. If you don't care about that but you really hate cold weather then obviously you're going to choose differently!
having lived in NYC, which has a more intense albeit similar vibe, I have come to appreciate having a comfortable place to go back to at the end of a day. I think that makes a total difference on your experience. That and commute time. Cities like that offer so much, but I personally prefer to take bites of it whenever I feel like it. I think the biggest wins are the job market, career progression, the business opportunities, the fact that it's one of the best travel hubs in the world, and the insane amount of quality and diverse food, entertainment, and shopping options.
I love and live in NYC right now, but I wouldn't mind moving to Salt Lake City, UT. Political climate is a bit silly, but the outdoor recreation is just amazing. Skiing, mountain biking, climbing, fishing... all in your backyard. Cost of living is pretty low, but salaries/job diversity seem pretty low along with it, so I'll probably stay with NYC for a while.
Just love it here.
Big beautiful sky line
Fair amount of greenspace including parks, rivers, forests, and beaches
Even more greenspace easily accessible with a bike or car or by train
Bus trips to Vermont for snowboarding all winter (not as great as West coast, but still decent)
Antenna gets me TV for free!
Tons and tons and tons of cultures and restaurants and plays and movies and clubs and music
Close to family (for me!)
Lots of great people watching
Getting more and more bike friendly by the day
24 hour subways, restaurants, supermarkets
## Cons
Expensive
Crowded
Loud
It ain’t for everyone, but I love it here, no reason to leave.
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