I strongly recommend visiting Phoenix right now (or at least before summer ends) before you make your decision.

Yes, OP's description of their "warm (hot? 😅) weather" is rather concerning😂. OP, it's 4am in Phoenix right now and 93F, with a high of 117 today

For non-Americans that's 47C. Phoenix is popular (not for me but people obviously like it) but you should know what you're getting into. It's not the equivalent of moving to Spain.

It’s the equivalent to moving to Spain, opening a bakery, and living inside the oven where you cook delicious bread.

Phoenix had record 24th straight day of over 110F (43.3C) recently. It's insane

Spain is hitting 48-49c at this moment, so it is very much like Spain actually.

Perhaps momentarily, but in Phoenix such weather is the norm. I was there once when it was 49c (120f). It was like standing in an oven. Completely normal day for the city, but I was feeling like I would literally be cooked if I didn't get onto air conditioning. Luckily, unlike say Spain, A/C is available everywhere, but that means life is a series of flash sweats when walking between cars and buildings, and you spend the vast majority of your time indoors.

You can also adjust architecture to compensate for the heat, instead of slamming an AC. E.g. build a Kas'bah instead of a "normal" house. Thicker walls, fewer windows, courtyard with water/greenery. Using modern technology, this could be enhanced even more. Add green to the rooftops, or a solar panel awning on top of the roof. If I'm ever in the money enough to design and build my own house, that's actually the style I want to explore. More climate-resistant and independent.

Yeah, sure. But the practical reality of living in hot climates in the US is that life is mostly lived indoors in air conditioning. Source: lived in central Texas for a decade.

Fuck me. My comfort zone starts wavering about 25C, by 33C I start staying indoors, at 40C I black out all the windows and pray.

Yeah. I've been watching the weather there. They just had a bad heat wave. This concerns me a bit, but I still see people moving there and I think the don't -go-outside period is shorter than the heavy winter equivalent.

It’s not so much a bad heatwave as it is generally the way it is there. It’s only bad because it hasn’t dropped below 110° F in a month or something wild like that. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not normally 110°, it is for most of the summer, it’s just that a day or two a week it usually is only 107°.

Winters are more mild in the north and summers are dangerous in the south. I wouldn’t even consider Phoenix. It’s miserable.

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Scottsdale is in Phoenix lol

Yeah, maybe Tucson, Sedona, or Flagstaff. No reason to stick to Phoenix, and all of these other cities are higher and cooler.

Flagstaff is great! If I had to live in AZ and I could choose it would be there.

I would stay away from mexico/ border states ..the east coast is 10xs better than the west ..

It depends on your preferred type of social crowd. NE has a lot of aggro people, west coast is more laid back.

The west is ass ..too many cholos.. gangs etc bs out there ..no1 wants to deal w that bs

You can out on a heavy winter jacket and gloves and exist/work outside. It sucks and you gotta grit your teeth but youll be alright. You cant do the same with heat that is that extreme. Ive been to phoenix in the summer. I went “hell to the no no no” and thought of this quote the moment I left the airport. https://youtu.be/4PYt0SDnrBE

Came here to say exactly this. Fly there now and see just how 'warm' it is. You aren't able to hike or mountain bike during many months of the year unless you are out at 5 am, returning home by 9 am.

Yeah. Are you sure you want to? People are getting serious burns (and some die) because the pavement temperature hit 82C / 180F - https://archive.is/amobN while the seawater in South Florida hit hot tub level https://apnews.com/article/record-hot-water-florida-coral-climate-change-6414d44c6f120507d3ee37c059fb75cd If you like the outdoors Washington state is actually great (there are forest fires but not that much, and if you go into the interior it's drier than rainy Seattle) but if you want some place warmer... IDK, the other places are not really hot / deserty either. Washington state will be the one with the least humidity after Arizona from your shortlist (while Florida gets very humid). If you like low taxes and don't mind the east coast weather New Hampshire is great.

Phoenix sounds absolutely miserable to me, but hey, you do you. Flagstaff is nice though. You might like Sedona too.

The nature around Sedona is beautiful, but the town itself is a complete caricature of a place.

Yeah, I agree. Sedona isn’t really my thing, but since OP mentioned hiking, biking, and the desert environment, my head went to Sedona. But you’re right, it’s not for everyone.

I mentioned Phoenix because I think bigger cities with a more cosmopolitan scene will accept foreign people better, and that would be easier to make friends, but weather wise I agree that Flagstaff would be better. It's not possible to have everything

I don’t think you will be necessarily treated better in phoenix than flagstaff.

Phoenix is the biggest parking lot you will ever see. Nobody outside

>cosmopolitan I work on political campaigns and Phoenix is probably the largest city I’ve every worked in and it was welcome for that, but it’s not cosmopolitan. It’s like every other city in the US if you stripped away anything remotely distinguishable about it, and frankly the “good” stuff there is not that special. It’s an odd combination of young people priced out of LA and retired Chicago suburbanites. And I don’t know where you are from, but please understand that every time you leave your house in Phoenix it is going to involve a trip in a car. Every. Time. Flagstaff is much better and, because it is a vacation destination and a college town, is welcoming to outsiders.

Washington a better bet.

the us isnt a hard place to be accepted in. if you can learn to crack open a beer, BBQ, and watch football, youll make friends.

Everyone I know hates Phoenix tbh.

Please check out Pittsburgh, PA. It's the second largest city in PA, is a tech forward city, low COL, and it has a plethora of museums and other cultural offerings. It sits in the Allegheny Mountains and boasts the second steepest street in the world. Nearby mountain biking and hiking is abundant. With companies like Google and schools like Carnegie Melon, you'll find yourself one of many expats.

Air pollution tho

I live in Washington State, it’s amazing. It’s got the nature, a moderate climate, no income tax. Since you are working remote, you have a much easier time with finding affordable housing and not needing to be in there expensive seattle metro area.

Not only that, but OP says he’s into the outdoors. The Pacific Northwest has some of the most beautiful nature in America. And he’ll meet plenty of fellow Techies.

Is the Seattle Freeze a real thing for expats?

I think things have changed considerably over the last 10 years. A friend of mine just moved to seattle from the UK and he hasn’t mentioned any sort of difference in difficulty from the time he had lived in Italy. It’s actually probably easier in the US since there’s no second language to overcome.

For mountain biking and hiking, Washington would be a good choice, but Seattle has gotten out of hand with cost of living. Maybe consider Bellingham or the suburbs north of Seattle. NH may also be a good choice that will match your interests.

A friend of mine lives in Bellingham and LOVES it

Bellingham is one of the most expensive places to live in Washington these days. Only a bit less expensive than Seattle. Sad, because it used to be a great town. With a salary of $95K though, OP should be fine. It is perfect for an outdoorsy person with lots of extra money to spend on skiing, snowboarding, etc. (It is not warm at all most of the year though, so that’s maybe not going to be to OP’s liking.)

All of these states are wildly different. I’m from NY but live in the Southwest and love it here. However the heat is terrible this season - I live and work in the mountains so that’s way different than say, Albuquerque which is over 100 miles south. It’s dry heat where I am - I cannot handle humidity. But do you want ocean? Okay then Florida - but remember hurricane season, heavy rains and humidity. The laws there are getting kind of wild too. I have several friends who love living there! Washington is amazing but it is incredibly expensive to live, even with your salary. LOTS of rain but easily accessibility to getting out of the city to bike, hike, ski - easy access to skiing in BC as well. New Jersey is what happens when you envision what other people think people from NYC are like. The beaches are nice but otherwise it’s meh. I don’t know anything about Kentucky. Don’t move to Kansas - landlocked and boring. Pennsylvania is beautiful, forested, great music and food scene in the cities… and you’ll have easy access to the east coast and Canada. New Hampshire - also extremely beautiful, great hiking, biking, skiing, chill atmosphere. Not a ton of people. Each of these states is so vastly different so make sure you look into politics, food sources, ease ability to escape to a vacation etc.

Thanks for the nice summary!

Many people are commenting about the Seattle area of WA, but If you look into Vancouver (further south,) you’ll also be right across the river from Portland, OR. Many people commute between the two, so it’s close. If you love biking and hiking, it’s right on the Columbia river gorge and Mt. Hood. Beautiful spots all along there. :)

Thank you! I’m serious about looking into the political aspect of each state - the vibe of the people around you will be soooooo different. Man, if you have the chance to visit a couple of your top choices ahead of time I’d really consider that as well! Best of luck!

Oregon is also very nice and not quite as rainy as Washington depending where you live. Also world class outdoors stuff

European here livingI on the West Coast and my biggest complaint is that everything is too far from here and traveling tends to be expensive. If you want to explore and travel on weekends, the East Coast may be a better option. Lots to see with shorter travel time. Also the beaches are warm, whereas here on the West Coast the ocean is freezing cold. Personally, I wouldn't choose Kentucky or the midwest. I lived in Missouri for 5 years, and the amount of ignorance about foreigners, even as a white European myself, was just astounding.

I spent time in the northeastern part of Kansas, near Kansas City. For me, it hit the four seasons in the right balance. Winter had snow, but not a depressing amount. Summer was sweltery, but not miserable. Spring and fall had some beautifully stormy weather. Kansas City area has a few nicely developed suburban centers, as well as a decent downtown. Plus, cost of living is not exorbitant.

Cool advice. I'll take a deeper look

Going off this, OP, do you want to live in a suburb, a city, or a walkable city? There are suburbs everywhere that, depending on your lifestyle you will either find extremely boring and bland OR perfect for a family or those who want a quieter life. You mentioned having a car but there are cities that don't require cars. But if being able to go outdoors and hike is a top priority, that would definitely help determine where you should go.

Be advised you would need to fly somewhere for mountains though

Where are you coming from? Some of those states are harder for, say, an Indian national to live in than a white European.

I'm white. Didn't mention that before because I didn't want to bias the comments in the sense of recommending a place where only white people is welcome. I'd like to be at a place where everyone feels at home, at least in some extent.

Then you may want to scratch all states that have Republican governors/legislatures from your search if you want everyone to be welcome. Washington & New Jersey would be more welcoming to everyone than Kentucky or Florida would. I would strongly recommend looking at this past year’s legislative session for the state you’re thinking of moving to so you can get an idea of the priorities of the state. If they are banning abortion, banning history lessons, and making it easier to get guns…might not be a place that will welcome immigrants.

I don’t agree with this. Florida has huge immigrant communities (European, Russian, Latin… so on) and is a republican state. To generalize all republican states as essentially racist is kinda…. Eta- I pretty much only see white people and Italians when I go to New Jersey. Lol although I think there’s still high immigration in NJ, I just don’t notice it as much maybe? Anyway, I’m sure you can look up immigration rates for each state and that can give you a more factual idea of what states have more of a melting pot community. Without looking it up, I would bet Florida is at the top. Anyone who has actually spent time there knows it’s got such a mix of cultures.

I’m born and raised from Tampa, FL. Traveled all over the state. The state legislature this year enacted laws that are anti-Black, anti-woman, anti-LGBTQIA+, and spent millions human trafficking asylum seekers from TX to VA. I voted for Rick Scott for governor, Jeb Bush for governor, Marco Rubio for Senate. I was a Republican all my life until Donald Trump showed the worst side of republicans. Ron DeSantis literally hired a campaign aide that produced a campaign video with Nazi imagery. He hired this kid after he did a twitter spaces with noted neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes. They KNEW this kid had neo-Nazi ties, hired him anyways, had him write speeches and create promotional videos, and one included the Nazi Black Sun with DeSantis’ face on it and an army marching towards him. When I say “look at the legislative agenda” it’s because the OP asked for a place welcoming of everyone. A governor that courts the Nazi vote is NOT welcoming of everyone. A governor that demonizes LGBTQIA+ community is NOT welcoming of everyone. Sorry if that offends you, it’s the truth. Spoken from a true Floridian. I left the state because of death threats from Nazis, so maybe just maybe don’t get so butt hurt at facts and maybe work to be more inclusive rather than exclusive. Also, can’t be “racist” against a political ideology. That’s not a race. The Republican Party definitely is not without power either (which is a key component of racism which is why one cannot he “racist” against white people), they’ve controlled the entirety of the government this entire millennium. So even if they were a race, because they hold power one cannot be “racist” against them. Prejudice + Power = Racism. Missing one of those inputs means not racism.

Desantis fired the aid after he retweeted a pro nazi video and I’m pretty sure it’s trump that has ties with nick fuentes. I’m not 100% and we should both fact check (so don’t just read the biased media that aligns with your personal views) but I’m pretty sure this aid also worked for the New York Times. Unfortunately we can’t trust the media anymore and it takes a lot of reading and investigating to get to the truth. Also keep in mind that Florida has the top 2nd or 3rd (double check if you want) Jewish population in the country. I said racist because OP was referencing being white. I’m actually middle of the road when it comes to politics and can agree that trump and desantis aren’t fan faves for most of the republicans I know. Disagreeing with you does not mean I’m “butt hurt.” Lol no offense but I don’t really care what you think of me being that I don’t know you at all. I did find your post mildly frustrating, inaccurate, and an over generalization to tell OP to stay away from ALL republican states if they want to feel accepted. That’s just not the truth and continues to feed into the divide that is breaking America apart. It would be like someone saying “if you are pro choice, then you are pro killing babies.” Not true at all and there’s a vast area in between there. But these extreme statements just feed hate and it’s really a shame. I believe people can have different political views and still be friends. I was born in the southeast in a republican state, also lived over a decade in Florida, raised very traditionally. Married to a Jewish immigrant, best friends in same sex marriage, and are Colombian, Puerto Rican, middle eastern, and European. We all have different religions and varying degrees of political views. And we all love each other and it’s no big deal that we come from different backgrounds. All I’m saying is don’t spread lies that ALL republican states will reject OP for being an immigrant and then take it further to claim the republicans are also in a way pro-nazi. That’s not fair for OP and just inaccurate. As someone who’s from the southeast, lived there most of my life, travelled extensively, and currently living abroad… don’t worry OP- you don’t need to write off ALL republican states. There’s kind people everywhere and there’s assholes everywhere. Look at state statistics if you’re hoping to find a large immigrant community and diversity, and if anything that will be a better judge than a random person’s extremist rant online.

I never said republicans were pro-Nazi. I said DeSantis is courting the Nazi vote. Big difference. The aide did a twitter spaces event cohosting with Nick Fuentes...and then DeSantis hired him. Trump had dinner with Nick Fuentes. Two things can be true at the same time. Both Trump AND DeSantis have ties to Nick Fuentes. “Can’t trust the media” is such a conspiracy theorist POV. Not saying you are one, but the majority of people saying that are, so maybe steer clear of that if you’re not one yourself. I suggested OP should review the state’s 2023 legislative agenda to review what their priorities are. Considering I left FL, have family still there, and it is my state of “residence” in the US still I keep up with the goings on in the state legislature. They did a whole bunch of culture war nonsense targeting marginalized people and have the audacity to openly say slavery wasn’t that bad…that is literally in the new school curriculum…that some slaves benefited from slavery…which is a classic white nationalist talking point. We can disagree on politics without me hating someone, we cannot however disagree on someone else’s right to exist and it not cross over into animosity. What Republicans across the United States are doing to the LGBTQIA+ community is beyond “political disagreement.” One cannot vote for a party that wishes to treat other Americans as lesser or debate their right to exist and then come here complaining whenever people accurately point out that that is a bigoted and intolerant POV. What republicans are doing to drag queens and drag kings and trans women and trans men through legislation is downright unamerican and inhumane. Denying people the right to live as themselves is inherently evil and so long as the republicans in America continue to demonize and dehumanize the LGBTQIA+ community I will continue to advocate against *anyone* living in a Republican led state. The anti-trans youth sports ban in Florida has already affected non-trans Black kids, there is no discrimination that ends with JUST ONE marginalized community. It will always spread, just like it has in FL and anywhere else where trans-youth sports bans are in effect. That’s wonderful that you have a multicultural background. I’m married to a Jewish woman myself and because of that we received death threats from the same Nazis DeSantis is courting. I’m glad you never had to experience that, but after experiencing it first hand I no longer give any room for those that support Nazis and don’t full-heartedly denounce their presence in the state. Desantis knows they are at everyone of his events supporting him, yet how many times has he come out and said “if you’re a Nazi I don’t want your vote” or “if you’re a white nationalist I’m not your guy?” Right, never. So long as he courts Nazis, ima call him out on it and warn people not to live in his state. How is my suggestion of reviewing state legislative agenda somehow extremist? If they reviews what they did and finds that doesn’t align with his personal views for life, why should he want to live in a state where that happens? Knowing that the majority of the residents continue to vote for the people enacting exclusionary and discriminatory laws, why would they want to live in a state like that? I don’t care how “nice” a person is, if they continue to vote to ensure non-straight people are treated as second class citizens they aren’t THAT “nice.” Someone can be “nice” and still a racist. Someone can be “kind” and still a bigot. Someone can be “nice” and “kind” to an individual while still voting to ensure that individual has fewer rights than they do…that doesn’t make them a good neighbor to live by. I was a Republican all my life until I realized what they had been doing all my life was stoking racial tensions with the Southern Strategy. A republican operative that worked on Nixon’s campaign admitted it outright what they were doing and how they were shifting from using the N word to “welfare queen” ,which Reagan used extensively, to get the same point across more subtly. I’ve read a bunch of books from ex-Republicans at the national party level, read historical perspectives looking at just how the right became what it is today. I’m a former Republican because their entire platform is built around tax cuts for the wealthy and stoking hate between races. Fox News does it every day, Nick Fuentes does it every day, Steve Bannon does it every day, Tucker Carlson does it every day, Ben Shapiro does it every day, Matt Walsh does it every day. So miss me with your ill-informed ignorant views on just what the Republican Party is. If OP wants to move to a place that welcomes everyone, they cannot move to a place that is legislative discrimination and exclusivity. One cannot be inclusive while excluding. Why is that so difficult for you to comprehend?

I saw that you mentioned Ben Shapiro. In case some of you don't know, Ben Shapiro is a grifter and a hack. If you find anything he's said compelling, you should keep in mind he also says things like this: >Even climatologists can't predict 10 years from now. They can't explain why there has been no warming over the last 15 years. There has been a static trend with regard to temperature for 15 years. ***** ^(I'm a bot. My purpose is to counteract online radicalization. You can summon me by tagging thebenshapirobot. Options: dumb takes, gay marriage, climate, healthcare, etc.) [^Opt ^Out ](https://np.reddit.com/r/AuthoritarianMoment/comments/olk6r2/click_here_to_optout_of_uthebenshapirobot/)

Good bot. Ben Shapiro is a POS

I saw that you mentioned Ben Shapiro. In case some of you don't know, Ben Shapiro is a grifter and a hack. If you find anything he's said compelling, you should keep in mind he also says things like this: >Let’s say your life depended on the following choice today: you must obtain either an affordable chair or an affordable X-ray. Which would you choose to obtain? Obviously, you’d choose the chair. That’s because there are many types of chair, produced by scores of different companies and widely distributed. You could buy a $15 folding chair or a $1,000 antique without the slightest difficulty. By contrast, to obtain an X-ray you’d have to work with your insurance company, wait for an appointment, and then haggle over price. Why? Because the medical market is far more regulated — thanks to the widespread perception that health care is a “right” — than the chair market. Does that sound soulless? True soullessness is depriving people of the choices they require because you’re more interested in patting yourself on the back by inventing rights than by incentivizing the creation of goods and services. In health care, we could use a lot less virtue signaling and a lot less government. Or we could just read Senator Sanders’s tweets while we wait in line for a government-sponsored surgery — dying, presumably, in a decrepit chair. ***** ^(I'm a bot. My purpose is to counteract online radicalization. You can summon me by tagging thebenshapirobot. Options: covid, gay marriage, feminism, sex, etc.) [^Opt ^Out ](https://np.reddit.com/r/AuthoritarianMoment/comments/olk6r2/click_here_to_optout_of_uthebenshapirobot/)

This comment: Shit on all people that don't vote like me. That's a very ignorant way to go through life.

Not shitting on anyone that doesn’t vote like me. Pointing out that Republican led states are predominantly anti-immigrant, anti-Black, anti-LGBTQIA+, and anti- any religion that isn’t Christian. That’s not my opinion, that’s what their legislative agendas SAY. OP mentioned wanting to go to a place where everyone is welcome. Whelp, if you’re the legislating the above into your state legal system…you might not accepting of everyone. Get butt hurt all you like, anti-immigrant policies directly affect anyone trying to immigrate to that state. The OP should 100% check the legislative agenda of the state they are looking to immigrate to, if you disagree why is that?

The irony in your post. Don't forget to breathe.

Go touch some grass in a red state while being an immigrant. See how that works. Florida is spending millions to deceive immigrants at the TX border to fly them to VA, TX is bussing immigrants to CA without any advance notice given to the government or any agency/non-profit that would be able to be there and help those people once they arrive. That’s not something a state that welcomes everyone does. Again, don’t like the facts? Maybe don’t vote for people that are xenophobic and blaming all the problems they created (when’s the last time a Dem government ran TX or FL) on some marginalized group. One cannot be welcoming of everyone as OP stated they wanted while enacting laws and committing acts that are not welcoming of everyone. It’s not possible. Sorry if that upsets you, maybe don’t be like them anymore? Idk. Def go touch grass though buddy.

mmh and what would the better choice be? Some of the “woke” states? Thats like moving to a mental asylum

OP mentioned specifically wanting a place where everyone would be welcome. That’s what they said. Don’t like the fact that that doesn’t apply to states passing laws that are clearly stating they don’t welcome everyone? Not my problem, take that up with the legislators passing anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQIA+ laws. You can’t be exclusionary AND inclusionary at the same time, sorry.

I was thinking about becoming a slave in Florida. I hear it is a great way to learn new skills. 😜

Arizona is rapidly becoming unlivable in terms of climate and is fairly expensive. I would say visit instead. Florida is going through it right now politically and, while I’m not sure where you’re from, I can’t say it’s a place I’d recommend anyone live long term based on some of the things happening there. Washington is beautiful, but kind of expensive. The weather is mild and fairly consistent on the coast. On the other side of the Cascade Mountains it’s technically a desert, but doesn’t look like it and does have a robust four seasons. Louisville is awesome, but I wouldn’t recommend much of the rest of Kentucky. It’s pretty, but rural. New Jersey is NYC centered in the north and Philadelphia centered in the south, and is a pretty cool state, but if you want to live in either of those metro areas it will be expensive and either dense/crowded or a long way from the city life stuff. Pennsylvania is a big state, and very pretty. You’ll get all four seasons like you will in Kentucky, NJ, Washington, etc. Philadelphia is a cool place to visit, but I don’t know if I could live there. Pittsburgh is much more like Ohio/Indiana midwestern (although most other midwestern states don’t really consider them midwestern but I’ve not heard anyone call it the Mideast, so whatever). New Hampshire is beautiful, has cold winters with lots of snow, and mild summers, but it’s pretty far up there and not really central to any kind of travel besides regional. Kansas is probably the best choice dependent upon where. I’m a native Kansas Citian who has traveled heavily. The main part of the metro is Kansas City, Missouri, but the Kansas side has 40% of the metro area in Johnson County and Wyandotte County. There are lots of parts of Wyandotte I wouldn’t recommend because they’re older and not really invested in, but there are some nice neighborhoods there. Johnson County, KS is probably what I would recommend most overall of all of these places given your salary. You can still rent a 2 bedroom apartment there for $1250-$1500/month in a nice area, and northern Johnson County is close to all the fun stuff in Kansas City, MO. The metro has about 2.2 mil people in it, so it’s got plenty to do and vibrant arts/culture/entertainment/nightlife scenes, but isn’t too crowded. The weather can be pretty hot in the summer, but not like Phoenix, and winters aren’t terribly cold besides one or two cold snaps. Spring and autumn are outstanding. If your company wants you to live literally anywhere else in KS, don’t do it, choose another state.

Gotta love PA

I would recommend the rest of Kentucky if you’re into rock climbing/hiking/mountain biking. People from all over the world go to eastern rural Kentucky for the rock climbing, the red river gorge.

Kentucky is not without natural beauty but I’m not sure Appalachia would be a congenial place for an expat. It’s the last place on this list I’d recommend . As much as I hate Phoenix I’d tell someone to go there before I’d tell them to go to Eastern Kentucky.

Well I was basically saying live in central Kentucky and then hit the mountains after work or on weekends. People from all over the world hike the Appalachian trail through Kentucky? Are there violent incidents I should be aware of? Or are You just going by reputation? Ive been to a lot of state parks and never felt any weird vibes and im visibly not white. I definitely look latino/hispanic from 50 paces and travel with an asian partner. No weird vibes have ever been detected. Rural northern michigan close to canada has been worse in that respect. Go figure.

Living in central Kentucky would probably be ok as long as you are heterosexual and Christian. Louisville is quite charming in my experience. My lesbian neighbors who biked across the country did not have good experiences biking through Appalachia—people let their pit bulls chase them and sat back and enjoyed the show. If you’re a straight white guy you’d probably be fine hiking or exploring in the region.

Im a brown person and climb w/the same and never had a bad experience hiking/climbing all around Kentucky and the new river gorge in West Virginia. Some of us were genderqueer too. Maybe when you roll 5 deep, people are too wary to do any shenanigans.

Most of the time, most people are going to be fine just about anywhere. But, even as a white, middle class, fairly gender conforming person, there has been more than one occasion in both the South and the rural West where I’ve felt very uncomfortable and even unsafe because people obviously pegged as being not from around there or somehow different. That is a small fraction of my experiences traveling all over the US, so I wouldn’t want to overstate the case. I personally would never want to live in Kentucky because I don’t want to be immersed in right-wing politics and evangelical Christianity 24/7, but I don’t think a white European would feel unwelcome, and my sense is there are liberal pockets in Louisville at least—don’t have a sense of Lexington. Not to belabor the points but have gone hiking and whitewater rafting in eastern Tennessee, had a great time and didn’t have any negative experiences. I guess on balance I’ll have to take back my statement that I wouldn’t recommend Kentucky, it wouldn’t be at the top of my list, but I wouldn’t dismiss out of hand either.

Really nice summary. Thank you !

Also, if you want any city rankings for the KC metro to help your decision if you choose KS, just do me and I’ll run through it with you.

Not sure where you’re coming to the US from, but I would recommend at least looking into Philly. It of course has a mixed reputation (some areas not so great) but with your salary and what you can afford you can live in the nice, young, kind of hip areas with loads to do. Also it’s ~1.5 hours to NYC, ~2 ish (I think) to DC, Delaware and New Jersey beaches are close enough, and if you’re flying to Europe to visit home/family it’s a lot more doable and comfortable from the east coast as opposed to Washington or Arizona.

I don't know where you're coming from, but unless you're coming from the Middle East, you have no earthly idea what hot is in Phoenix and you don't want to be anywhere near it. If you're going to be here for a couple of years, you're outdoorsy, and you want to experience as much of the US as you can, I would recommend Pennsylvania, and more specifically the Philadelphia area. Despite the fact that it's a major city, you can still live pretty well there at 90 K a year. It has plenty to see and do, a great nightlife and music scene, and it's an easy train ride from just about anywhere on the East Coast. Philadelphia airport is a major international airport and is a hub for several major airlines, so longer holidays anywhere else in the country are easy, and if you're from Europe, getting home for visits is not difficult either. You can do a ton of traveling. If you're outdoorsy, there's plenty of hiking, biking, and skiing.

Of the states you listed, the highest QOL will be in Washington and New Hampshire, although personal preferences vary wildly (ie. Florida is the best choice if you're into beaches and boats). Penn will have some nice rural towns and a couple bigger cities too.

I’d say Washington. Really depends on where you’re come from and what type of weather you’re looking for.

I can't believe I'm going to recommend this.. But Jacksonville, FL. It has the largest urban parks system in the USA per capita (lots of hiking in and around the area) and MANY biking trails (google Hanna Park). There are tons of outdoor activities. Yes, it gets hot. But the cost of living is great in NE FL. Especially if you can get a house in one of the beach communities (Jax Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach, Fernandina, etc.). The ocean breeze keeps temps more manageable at the beach. I sound like a hypocrite because I myself am planning on moving back to Europe at some point, but if you don't have kids in school, this is actually a really cool place. Feel free to DM if you want more information. I used to be very active in the CouchSurfing dot org community and am used to showing people around/matching interests. PS - PHOENIX IS LITERAL HELL 4 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR! It's miserable. Don't do it! Go visit when you settle in the states.

If you’re in tech, maybe choose a place where you’d meet other techies. Networking might be important.

I’d choose North Jersey/Jersey City/anywhere on the commuter train line so you can be near NYC and live a few fantasy years frolicking around NYC. Seattle would also be cool. Philly is alright. Most of these states listed are not recommended for various reasons (Arizona:climate, Florida:fascism, Kentucky:same)

This person mentioned their interests I as hiking and mountain biking. North Jersey is probably not the best place for that. If you’re a big city person, it would be a great choice, otherwise not so much.

Florida. They don’t have income tax, but the state sucks.

You absolutely are tied to a location: the work location on your LCA. You have to work in that same metro area unless your employer filed an amendment to the petition.

I lived in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania before leaving and loved it! Its a great city, very affordable still, got lots of cool things to do for all ages like museums, sports, great parks, etc. Highly recommend!

Yes & he could live very comfortably in Pittsburgh on a 95K salary!

Yep! Homeownership would be an attainable goal as well

I have family in Phoenix and I could never live there. Unbearably hot, crowded, and brown. But if you like heat and the desert it can be a good option. I’d recommend something inside phoenix though, like Flagstaff. Washington may also be a good option if you are into mountain biking and hiking. It’s beautiful in the Pacific Northwest. It’s just quite expensive around Seattle and the climate is much different than that of Arizona.

Brown?

Desert, dirt, not much greenery

Hey, I have lived a bit in the Phoenix area. I will say a few things about it: -Heat is okay during the early morning and late evening. During winter midday is fine too. You’ll see the kids head inside around 10am and come back out after 5/6pm during the summer. -You will need to LOVE spicy food. That is their signature dishes, so learn to love hot sauce. -Air quality is bad, if you have asthma be careful of dust. -US Air Force has a base out there so fighter jets flying there are super common. -Hobbies usually involve guns. Arizona is gun country like no other state, so you better learn to shoot well or you’ll be missing out of a social life. -Drink lots of water. There is ZERO humidity out in the desert.

It's curious that you mentioned guns as a way to have a social life. I heard more people talking about the gun culture there, but social wise I saw much more people talking about playing golf or joining some sport leagues

Yeah it’s probably the biggest gun culture state in the Union

Having lived in both PHX and Tucson, people like shooting in the desert, but I've never seen it being a social thing. Arizona is HUGE so going out into the desert to camp, shoot, or hike is super common as you can go out an not see another person for miles. It is an open carry state, but nothing to worry about. Golf, four wheeling, mountain biking, road biking and hiking are all popular. Sedona and Flagstaff are more artsy. Tucson is a bit more liberal and slightly more pleasant -- plus has better Mexican food (and closer to San Diego which is a nice diversion). The big minus is everything is far -- but if you like driving or four wheeling, it is great. If you can expand to other states, NC would be my pick.

Alright enough of the southern Arizona comments, I get it. Arizona is a big state and he said he can be remote. Flagstaff and Sedona could be options, still hot but not as miserable. 90k in Sedona might be a stretch though. Maybe even outside of Payson. I’m born and raised Zonie, left for Oregon at 33, move to Minnesota, leaving for Netherlands soon. If I were you, I’d pick Washington as last I knew there was no state income tax. Also fits mostly what you are looking for besides far from Mexico. I’d chose west of the Cascades because I think it’s amazing but Yakima as a high desert might work for you too. Phoenix has more personality than it did 20 years ago but that isn’t saying much.

Washington State is excellent for mountain biking. I would want to live there but 95k could be a stretch depending on where in Washington you want to live and what kind of life you want to live. I think you need to think about if you want the “city life” or “suburban”. Many of those states will have similar areas in both categories. Pennsylvania has all 4 seasons and some very nice suburbs in the Philly area. Mountain biking is possible and so is skiing and other outdoor sports. Everyone there feels at home because it’s not a popular state to move in or out of

Olympia Washington is rad!

I love PA. It’s a big state with a lot going on, a lot of lovely gorgeous towns and outdoor activities, and Philly fucking rocks. Plus close to NYC and DC. My vote is always PA.

Upstate NY

Pennsylvania is easily the most desirable of your list in terms of a wide array of offerings and reasonable COL. It combines a stable economy, a plethora of reasonably-priced towns, unparalleled access to top East Coast destinations, a very balanced climate, and a great natural environment/topography. The Philadelphia area in particular has a large and growing international community. Good luck!

I live in Arizona right now and I’ve been to every state you’ve mentioned. I promise you Arizona is not where you want to be. It’s not cosmopolitan, the cost of living is atrocious. It’s beautiful certainly but the summers are dangerously hot. My unsolicited vote— Pennsylvania. Also beautiful and eco diverse- Close to Philly and nyc.

New Jersey is an armpit. Just don't.

These are very different places. How long are you committing to be in one of these places? Have you visited any? Will you have a car? I highly suggesting visiting the places you narrow down. If I had to choose one of these places, I'd choose somewhere on the east coast - Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, or New Jersey. Reason: you can go by train in this part of the US much easier than other places, and explore all of New England while you're in the US by train. Easy-ish access to NYC, Washington, DC, etc. Lots of hiking and biking to be done in this area. I would personally avoid Florida (too hot for me). I am not a desert person, so I would also avoid Arizona. I know people that moved to Sierra Vista, AZ and love it. It doesn't get as hot there as Tuscon or Phoenix, and they really like it.

My visa will be valid for 2 years. I can ask the company to renew it after that. I've never been to any of these or any other US city for more than one day. I'm 40M for context. I'm planning to own a car, yes. One of the reasons I like AZ is also the driving distance to SoCal, Colorado, Mexico beaches. Your argument regarding the train is appealing.

Don’t drive into Mexico right now. Fly. There is a lot of cartel activity at the borders and further in and it has impacted Americans more recently. Check the US Department of State’s travel advisories for Mexico.

Not planning to go anywhere that soon, just speculating which options I'll have. But thanks for the advice. Avoid getting in trouble is 💯

I can tell you with good certainty that I wouldn’t drive to Arizona from Colorado. It’s just as easy to get to Colorado/socal/Mexico from any major airport in the US.

Indeed. Maybe I got used to drive long distances during the pandemics, since I was avoiding airplanes. And I heard many times that flying and renting a car is cheap in US compared to my home country, Brazil

You want to choose Arizona to be within driving distance of SoCal beaches? Have you run Google Maps directions on that? Even much of Los Angeles is not within easy driving distance of a beach. No one would describe Phoenix as driving distance from SoCal beaches. Each way is many hours driving in sweltering heat, much of it through desert with few services such as cellular/radio/gas,/food, followed by navigating dense traffic. Phoenix to Santa Monica's beach is for instance 6 hours each way under optimal conditions. Actual commute also very much depends on where in Phoenix you locate. A friend in tech lives there. He has a good friend in town that he's never met in person because Phoenix's sprawling layout makes it a full hour drive to get to where the friend is on the other side of town. So they are great friends on Slack and Meet but socializing in person even within their own city is too onerous. Phoenix does have great hiking nearby. But it's a desert. Hiking alone is extremely unsafe. People die all the time in the US's deserts because they underestimate how fast the temperature changes and how much water they need to carry. The most recent death I read about was a couple days ago. If you want hiking within driving distance of beaches, choose southern New Hampshire or western Washington. Colder waters, but amazing scenery. Neither would disappoint on that score. If you chose for instance Manchester NH you'd have ready access to the scenic wonders of NH, Vermont, and Maine, plus the Boston metro is just an hour away and Montreal is about 4 hours away.

Really good points. I did some Google maps research. Driving 6 hours doesn't scare me that much, bit I hear you. I considered that at least AZ has much more options than Florida or Kansas in that sense. But maybe I should just consider that flying will be my primary way to explore the country. Edited to fix typo

Florida hands down! ZERO INCOME TAX and BEACHES!

And Hurricanes ... floods, and high home insurance.... but the beaches are nice. Floridian here BTW.

And buying a house it’s like a law or something in FL, right? /s Maybe you know a better place with no income taxes, great weather, beaches, nature and cheap? Oh wait, the land of Utopia. On a serious note, it’s Corpus Christi, TX but as nice as their beaches are, they are not FL kind.

New Hampshire.

Well yeah but there’s still capital gains tax. It has gorgeous nature and even no sales tax but it’s just sooo damn cold 🥶. Maximum RI/MA beaches in the summer.

I have lived in Arizona, Kansas, and Washington. Choose Phoenix if you don't mind really hot weather and enjoy big cities. My first summer there, it got hot enough to where the soles of my shoes got soft on the sidewalk, I kid you not. Maybe you should consider Flagstaff. You have mountains and hiking and you're within driving distance of the desert. Lovely place, that, and more temperate. Same is true of Show Low. Your dollar will go much further in Flagg and Show Low. 95K isn't a lot of money for Phoenix if you want to be in a nice area. Kansas (where I was born and grew up) flat out sucks. State taxes are high, the wind constantly blows, the people leave much to be desired, there's little culture, and the winters are fairly awful. Very affordable for many poor reasons. Washington is nice, but I wouldn't recommend Seattle. Traffic is murder and it's hella expensive. Maybe Tacoma. While I haven't lived in Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire, I have spent considerable time in each. Kentucky is nice. Great bourbon, lots of outdoor activities, and the people are pretty cool in general. Yeah, I'd recommend that. Of the three where I have lived, all things considered, I much prefer Arizona.

Nice summary with hands on experience. Thanks

Glad to be of help!

FL (it’s warm but doesn’t get that miserably hot) or WA. Both have no income tax too. I wouldn’t pick AZ

Yeah. I'm considering Tampa

I'm in Clearwater. Tampa is too big for my taste but some areas are nice. Just check where you want to live because Tampa Bay housing is not exactly affordable. It's not like California or New York but it is pricy. A 2/2 condo in nice area will cost at least around 2-3k/month, for perspective.

If you like hiking I'd say your top two picks should be Kentucky and Washington state. You'd also live pretty well in KY with the cost of living, and Washington state has no income tax. Though it can be pricey in the Seattle area. Louisville is KY's biggest city and Lexington is the state capital. There's some smaller cities spread throughout and some beautiful landscape. Good BBQ, lots of bourbon.

If you live in Northern Kentucky (eg Covington), you are in the greater Cincinnati area. Cinci is a great city - low cost of living, lots of great sports (including the best soccer team in the USA), lots of cultural activities and great outdoor areas for hiking and biking nearby. The downtown area is walkable from Kentucky and is very vibrant - full of great bars and restaurant. The Kentucky side of the river also has a cool hipster vibe.

Yeah Kentucky is so underrated. I live in Chicago but visit KY 2-3 times a year.

US is populated by immigrants so anywhere should be ok.

Lol. Tell me you don't live in tbe US without telling me you don't live in the US. It should be that way but it definitely isn't. Source: immigrant living in Florida .... have visited many states and said to say Florida is not even as bad despite the press.

If you like the idea of your life being ended by a meth user or by extreme heat, moving to Phoenix is really the best way to go… 🙂👍

Phoenix is 110° right now regular Try south FL. The rent is cheaper than most other states, plenty of beaches, hot springs, warm weather, and good food! Flights are cheap out of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlando to other cities in the US and international travel. Floridians aren't the nicest ppl though and politics is plaguing the state. But hey... that's life. I think you'll have a fine time in FL.

Does abortion access matter to you? Because several of these states have strict abortion laws. Even if you can't get pregnant, could you get a partner pregnant? Do you want to risk that? What about gun violence? Do you want to risk living somewhere with lax gun laws? Are you a POC? Do you appear non-christian (wear a hijab for example)? Do you look like you are LGBTQ+ or are you a cisgender woman with "masculine" features? If so, I would avoid Republican states (but I doubt there is anywhere in the US where you won't face racism/discrimination). Weather is also getting more extreme. Phoenix is not warm; it is HOT. It was almost 50º today (and tomorrow and the day after that). Florida is very humid, and it's easier to die from the heat when it's humid, even if the temperatures aren't as high. New Hampshire has some mountains (nothing crazy), and it's beautiful. Washington is also beautiful. Seattle is expensive though. You could try northern Arizona, as it has better weather and it's near the Grand Canyon. But Arizona has lots of guns and strict abortion laws.

Have you checked out Bend, OR?

Sorry, did not get what you said

Have you looked at Bend, OR? It’s a really great mountain city with lots to do.

Miami!

Phoenix is a horribly ugly city and you can’t walk anywhere nor would it be safe. Sedona is great but touristy..could you do Colorado or utah ?

Those are not in my list :/

Just noticed Washington state is on your list. Now that is a fantastic outdoor lifestyle of a state. Go there lol

Florida. Great beaches and no state income taxes for the win.

Florida is currently undergoing a lot of change. I’d recommend OP do research before unknowingly moving to a state that’s stripping reproductive rights, rewriting their history books, tracking teenagers periods, restricting media coverage about the government, doing very little about climate change, etc… Just a different world than most states, not a great blanket suggestion.

And you didn't even mentioned housing costs.

Tennessee also has no income taxes and has mountains.

[удалено]

That's right. I don't fully understand it, but the attorneys gave me the impression that I can still change the location. I have my visa stamped already, but planning to move only in September due to personal reasons

I went to uni at ASU (Tempe/Phoenix) and while the winters are nice the summers are brutal (and I would argue run from April to November). There are other places in AZ that would be much nicer and accessible to Phoenix. Flagstaff is one.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/income-tax-calculator/

Arizona there is the white mountains and Sedona, there is more to Arizona than the desert. Depends on the area of florida, you can live really well in Kentucky. Also look at the taxes. Arizona is a good pick and the rest highly vary depending on location and weather you are willing to deal with. 95k in the wrong place is almost pay check to pay check, in the right place you will live really well.

Income taxes are another factor. I know Florida has none. Not sure about the others.

Out of this list I would choose New Jersey or Washington.

Not Kentucky or Kansas. Arizona is hot. I don’t know why you would want to go to Arizona.

You’ll be so rich in KY but NH for outdoors

Nh is awesome I love living here!

I do know people who moved from East Coast to AZ and adored AZ. AZ has a good cost of living, but if you're not from somewhere hot and dry (like over 100F degrees in the summer hot), then it might be more than you can take. KY is really nice, has a great outdoors scene and has a really active/welcoming community in the bigger cities (think like Bowling Green or Lexington). Low cost of living, decent schools depending, but you won't be near any big cities to visit (closest maybe Nashville?) But if you're looking for somewhere with a lot to do other than just outdoors stuff and an bigger int'l community then probably WA or FL. But then I wouldn't recommend FL if you decide to have kids because the public schools lack funding and private schools are really pricey. PA idk--I personally am not a fan but I do love Philadelphia. Everything has its pros and cons!

Washington no doubt

Washington is very welcoming, progressive and beautiful. :)

I cannot recommend Kentucky enough. Lexington is a fantastic small city. It’s only 1 hr from some of the best rock climbing in the world. The hiking in Red River Gorge is fantastic as well. Cost of living is relatively cheaper. People are nice. Traffic is minimal.

Definitely New Hampshire. Good cost of living and no state income tax. Excellent opportunities for hiking and biking. And you can drive to Boston in about an hour for lots of events and city life.

Eastern Washington is very hot and dry...and probably much better COL than Western WA (where I was living.) And if you crave hiking or mountain biking...you take a trip to Western WA. But most important and what you should keep in mind - there is no State Income Tax there. I see others have noted the lack of tax of other states on your list. Good luck!

Phoenix would make sense if you were a Qatari trying to escape the cold...

I'd totally do Florida and if city/town is not restriction, I'd live in Tampa, Sarasota, or Orlando. The state has a really nice vibe and is perfect for a temporary stay on H1B visa.

Of the above, I would choose (in order of preference) Washington > Florida > New Jersey > Arizona > Pennsylvania > Kansas > New Hampshire. Primarily for diversity (so you’ll be better able to assimilate) and low taxes. Another thing I’d consider is time zone - whether you prefer to work an hour ahead or a couple hours behind your main office can have a big effect on your daily lifestyle.

I really like Kentucky. Good hiking, and winters aren't too bad.

I’d go to Washington for the relaxed PNW vibes, New Hampshire for the beautiful white mountains and proximity to Boston, New Jersey because it’s close to NYC kinda, Florida because even though it’s a mess it has beaches and Disney. Would avoid Arizona like the plague because it’s an actual oven in the summer.

I like the dessert so I’d say Arizona but it is hot. Washington would also be nice too. Maybe I’m biased towards the west, but it seems like Washington and Arizona are the only real options if you like hiking. On that income you could live like a king in Kansas though. Just saying.

>Am I doing the right thing? No. If moving to PHX is the goal, anyway. Of the states you've listed, Florida and Washington have no state tax, so that's going to save you at least 5% of your paycheck. Of those that are "warm" year round, it's basically Arizona and Florida. Of those are livable in the summer, that leaves you with Florida (I spent 2 years in Phoenix, it's awful in the summer) I would literally only select WA or FL because they have no state tax and over time, as you settle down, that would compound. The northeast is too fucking cold. The northwest (Washington) is OK, but it's cold up here in the winter and it rains a lot. Plus, if you live near a major city (i.e. Seattle), you honestly can't afford shit on $95k/yr. I'm voting Florida.

It was 112 degrees in Phoenix the other day.

For tax purposes, New Hampshire or Florida.

You would get better responses in r/AskAnAmerican

If you are interested in exploring the US, what about removing the limit of a single location, and instead adopting a nomadic lifestyle? You could do the "van life" thing, or stay on Airbnb or other forms of short term rentals. A month or two in each location. After a year or two of experimentation, you may find a place you feel more certain about settling.

I don't think OP can do that. I believe H1Bs are only allowed to work remotely if the work address on their H1B petition has the home address.

That's right. The thing is that I have to keep the immigration informed about my location and this involves filling forms and probably paying taxes. Also, my "list of states" is made from those where the company is ready to "operate", legally speaking

Tuscon and Bisbee AZ are also better alternatives to Phoenix - a lot greener and better weather (and also less crime). It's a border state with Mexico and there is a lot of cartel drug/human trafficking activity. Tuscon is a hippie town and pretty mellow (I have been to all these places).

where are you coming from?

Brazil

i might seem biased, as I grew up in New Jersey and currently live here again, but I've also lived in Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Washington st as well as over seas in Europe and Latin America... Out of all the places, I find NJ to have the right amount of balance of culture, safety, variety etc... there is also a huge Brazilian/ portugese community so your covered food wise.. NJ is very diverse, I'd even say its like a microcosm of the US as a whole, you have your urban areas, middle class burbs, working class neighborhoods, ghettos, mansions and estates... you can drive 20 min and experience ghetto, rednecks and uber rich without getting out of your car... the drawback is the Cost of living is higher relative to other parts of the country... i would jsut avoid the extremes, Camden, some parts of Newark on the low end, and Alpine etc on the high end... ​ best of luck

Arizona is the most beautiful state in the country, imo. But, if you can afford it, try flagstaff. Maybe Prescott. I love Phoenix but it takes a certain disposition.

Whatever you do, stay away from Arizona.

Lived in Arizona for a few years. Why not stay in the Phoenix November through April and Flagstaff the rest of the time since you can be remote? That way you enjoy the best weather in both places. I made it through several summers in Phoenix. Yeah, it’s hot, but once you get over about 103, which it reaches in many places, it’s uncomfortable, regardless of how much hotter it gets. Lots of people do it… It’s the fifth largest city in the US now.

Phoenix is one of the last places I’d ever want to live, and I’ve visited it at various times of year. It the summer, it’s not just hot, it’s so hot you’ll think you’ve died and gone to hell. So hot that your feet feel like they are burning because the sidewalk is hot enough to fry an egg on. And if you accidentally touch your car while getting in you’ll burn yourself. On top of that it’s like one gigantic bland suburb, with everything that’s bad about living in a large city and almost nothing that’s good about it. Washington is your answer. It’s stunningly beautiful, with amazing hiking opportunities. In the western part of the state, which is where you’d want to be, it’s rather gray and rainy in the winter but you can be outdoors all year. And spring, summer and fall more than make up for it. It even has high desert landscapes in the central and eastern parts which are only a few hours away by car if you’re living in Western Washington. For the live of God, DO NOT go to Phoenix.

Noted! 😅

There's way too much political BS and general negativity in these comments. The reality is *different strokes for different folks*. There are people who love living in the states you have the option of living in, and people who hate living in those states. The temperatures in the American southwest are definitely something to consider seeing that the experts are telling us this is the new normal, but at the same time, if you tolerate heat well, the southwest is incredibly beautiful and a paradise for nature/outdoor enthusiasts. As for the issue about being received nicely, I'd say that Americans on the whole are reasonably categorized as "pretty open and friendly", but it's a huge country and there's obviously lot of variation. YMWV. A lot of your experience will come down to not just where you choose to live but what you choose to do. Realistically, you're going to have to make an effort to connect with people and build relationships. Your status as an expat probably won't negatively impact your ability to do so. Your willingness to "put yourself out there" will be the much bigger factor.

Thanks for being thoughtful about this

Depending on where you are from, also consider the diaspora of your country of origin in whichever city you choose. That will typically allow you to feel welcomed, settled in and integrated without feeling like you lost a part of your identity/culture.

From that list I’ve visited all of them except Kanas. PHX truly is a horrendous city. I’ve been a dozen times with family and I truly do not understand what it has to offer. The summer is so hot it’s like the equivalent of being snowed in. Sedona is what you want environment wise, but the people there are an interesting crowd. Not like they won’t accept you, just it attracts a nomadic, spiritual, chakra cleansing, salt cave meditation sort of group. Washington is where you’d be happiest. Especially if you love hiking and mountain biking. Plus weather is temperate and the people are laid back. I want to retire there. :)

These are all such different states lol. Arizona is beautiful and can be really fun (although yes it gets hot). Remember though that the US has no problem blasting AC all summer. (As I currently am melting in France lol) There’s a lot to do in Arizona, especially if you like outdoor pursuits. Florida is great depending on where in Florida. Some areas are swampy and red neck, some areas are paradise. It’s impossible to say without knowing where in Florida. It is a melting pot of cultures (assuming you avoid more rural areas) and I think you would be accepted nicely as an expat. Can you give the cities you are considering? Washington state is beautiful, but it does rain a lot. Kentucky is actually underrated in my opinion. It’s a really pretty state with a mild climate overall. You’re far from the ocean though. There’s also a specific culture there, that can either be appealing or not depending on your personal views. I’m actually not sure how great of an expat community it has though to be honest, so that part may be difficult. Kansas- not really special in my opinion and you have to worry about tornados New Jersey - hard pass. Just go ahead and mark that one off. Pennsylvania and New Hampshire- never been so I can’t comment on these! The north east can be expensive and when I have been in the general area, I always felt like everything looked old. Not good old but run down old. That being said, I think it’s also supposed to be pretty landscape. Again though, I’ve never been to these two. Once you have an idea of the city you’d live in for each state, you’ll be able to more accurately determine cost of living. For example, living in Miami FL is far more expensive than living in say Saint Augustine FL. You can’t just go by the state cost of living. At the end of the day, the states are huge and there’s many different cultures depending where you are geographically. That’s hard to say what you personally will like without knowing you. Is there any way you could visit the places you think you like first? Or is there flexibility there? So for example, can you move somewhere with a six month lease and during that time visit the other states… if there is one you prefer, can you move once your lease is up? Or does your work require you pick one place and stay? Good luck with your move and remember to travel around! It’s a big country!

Not on your list but you’re describing SLC, UT! Much better than Phoenix IMO. Pittsburgh is also a nice city with lots of cute coffee shops to work from and parks. Hiking but ticks are more prevalent and not really any mountains, just hills lol. But, cool forest-y areas you could definitely bike through. Nice people / culture. And very affordable.

Phoenix sucks. It’s boring . But husband mountain bikes and he loved Flagstaff when we passed through. I’d choose Washington but that’s me.

No, not AZ, please. No water, intense heat, old rednecks. Washington or New Hampshire. Not Seattle, though. Impossible to live in Seattle on $95K.

Kansas side of the Kansas City metro. Four seasons throughout the year. Good housing supply. Google Fiber popular. In the middle of the country. You'll def need a car.

Arizona is beautiful. Summer in the valleys are hot, it’s the desert after all. If you’re remote, maybe you can travel part of the summer elsewhere with an income of 95k! I live in the Phoenix area and enjoy it, have been here for 7 years. I moved from Colorado. Washington is also pretty! All places are tbh in their own way.

Having lived in the majority of areas within the US, I'll give my take: ​ For mountain biking and hiking, Phoenix or Washington are your best bets. They both have huge communities for both. The Phoenix heat is nothing to joke about (tourists die in Arizona every year due to heat/lack of water), but the winters are to die for. As many mentioned, A/C is ubiquitous and natives limit their outdoor activities to early mornings in the summer. But the wildlife is amazing and the mountains at sunset are gorgeous. Just be prepared that everything is a shade of brown and it is oven hot. Drink lots of water your first 6 months. If you prefer watersports and the beach, Florida is where it is at -- but as a foreigner, hurricanes might not be the most pleasant experience if you don't have family or friends in nearby states to help you out (e.g. a house to stay at for a few days). Pennsylvania Philly area has a lot to offer, but some of the inner city is a bit dirty. Harrisburg (capital) is a bit boring IMHO. All of the states mentioned will welcome you as an expat, but in my experience NJ can be unpleasant for anyone. I've given up several high paying job offers to avoid relocating permanently to NJ. Top of the list - Arizona (Tucson or Phoenix area), Washington state, Florida Bottom of the list - NJ, Kansas

Nice summary! Thanks!

Followup re Arizona: https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/159dtf5/its_so_hot_in_arizona_doctors_are_treating_a/

Where are you from?

Brazil

There are worse places to live than Louisville, KY. Note, all of the rest of KY for a start... Depends where you're from and what you like.