[Autumn Night]

I'm thinking about taking early retirement next year and moving out of Illinois. I don't think the super small town I live in offers many opportunities for a young retiree. I don't live in or near to my home town. My family is not very close. I really want to continue working full time after I retire, so I need good job opportunities. I work for a University, so I was looking at some out-of-state university towns. Can anyone comment who lives in or very near to a town/small city with a University? What do you like and what do you not like (or hate) about living where you do? I was looking at Indianapolis and Evansville, but those towns get horrible reviews from past and current residents. I lean more towards the socially and politically liberal side, so I don't want to move somewhere extremely conservative. Cost of living is also a factor. My pension will not be huge, hence the need to keep working. Cost of housing will be very important. I'd be looking to buy a small house, nothing fancy. A low crime area is very important to me. I also very much want to make real friends who share common interests.

I'd also like to hear from people who have done just what I am proposing: retire then move somewhere for a second career.

[vwdeano]

hmmm, sorry you didn't get much of a reply. I'm originally from Evansville, and while I don't live there now, I have quite a bit of family there. While it's not exactly a big city, it's a pleasant enough place to live. No real complaints, and the traffic is certainly easy to deal with. Cost of living is reasonable.

Not sure if that helps. I wouldn't have a problem relocating there, but my wife thinks otherwise because of family.

I can heartily recommend Knoxville, TN area though. Great university, friendly people, and all kinds of stuff to do with mountains and lakes... And reasonable living expenses, too.

[NemesisClaws]

I recommend that you travel for a while and see what areas you might like to move to.

[Nightowlrn]

If you can tolerate living in Kansas - Lawrence is a GREAT university town

[Blicca]

Spokane is a fairly small as cities go (approx. 215,000 people), and has three universities (two private, one public), as well as a couple of community colleges. The job market here is great, and the cost of living is pretty low. As as additional upside, Washington is the only state without a state income tax. It's a beautiful area, with a lot to offer for people who enjoy the outdoors. Washington as a whole is politically liberal, though the area that Spokane is located in is a little more conservative.

As for the negatives, we get a decent amount of snow and rain here, which can be a pain. The weather can also vary wildly throughout the day.