u/Paree8653

As we explore a move from the DFW area, I have thought of this a lot lately…in the strange time that is 2026, where are the majority of kind people residing? What metro areas give you a feeling of high trust and kindness in just every day exchanges? Our child is three and the vibe of maybe “modern wholesome” comes to mind when I think of the environment I prefer for him. What have your experiences been?

What are your opinions on the Midwest regarding this? I feel like that is still the region with the most reasonable people overall.

A thread regarding our move…
https://www.reddit.com/r/relocating/s/fF2AcAcyC9

Hi to the sub…

What are your favorite suburbs with excellent public schools and strong white collar economies above the 40th parallel? Housing budget $650,000. From a home insurance and climate resiliency perspective, I think it is the smartest investment to make right now.

We have been heavily focusing on the Columbus and Philadelphia suburbs as our top choices. Raleigh on paper was appealing, but we have ruled that option out because of the hot weather and public schools.

We have been contemplating a move from the the DFW metro area. We are solely here for my husband’s job. We are originally from Northern New Jersey but want to avoid willingly moving to the tri-state area. We enjoy the weather and our friends and family in there, but not the overall vibe of the grind. We value high-quality things that matter and aesthetically well- kept areas.

Weather has always been an issue for us in DFW….Blazing sun and little rain with very mild winters and endless summers that have become hotter and more humid because of the concrete that has completely taken over. We are not summer or beach/pool people. We thrive in colder weather without a massive amount of snow. Our three year-old is vocal in disliking the heat. We keep our house at 67 and our ideal temperatures are between 32 and 65 for being outdoors. Weather is subjective and it really does impact everything.

Hi to the sub…

What are your favorite suburbs with excellent public schools and strong white collar economies above the 40th parallel? Housing budget $650,000. From a home insurance and climate resiliency perspective, I think it is the smartest investment to make right now.

We have been heavily focusing on the Columbus and Philadelphia suburbs as our top choices. Raleigh on paper was appealing, but we have ruled that option out because of the hot weather and public schools.

We have been contemplating a move from the the DFW metro area. We are solely here for my husband’s job. We are originally from Northern New Jersey but want to avoid willingly moving to the tri-state area. We enjoy the weather and our friends and family in there, but not the overall vibe of the grind. We value high-quality things that matter and aesthetically well- kept areas.

Weather has always been an issue for us in DFW….Blazing sun and little rain with very mild winters and endless summers that have become hotter and more humid because of the concrete that has completely taken over. We are not summer or beach/pool people. We thrive in colder weather without a massive amount of snow. Our three year-old is vocal in disliking the heat. We keep our house at 67 and our ideal temperatures are between 32 and 65 for being outdoors. Weather is subjective and it really does impact everything.

As we weigh our options on areas to make a move from DFW Suburbs…. I have thought a lot more about lots sizes, maintenance costs, and just overall neighborhood feel.

What is your opinion on large lots, say 1 to 2 acres verse smaller lots? Would you be turned off by living in an area that was mostly on septic and private water? This scenario I feel like we want to avoid.

Do you like a HOA managed neighborhood where you have sidewalks and more of a sense of place? In the strange times we are in, I do like the guard rails that an HOA provides and we have been in an HOA managed neighborhood here in the Dallas area. 11,000 sq ft lot, 2250 sq ft house, single story. We love this scenario that we are in, but we want it to not be in DFW. We detest almost everything about Texas…but if you throw a ton of trees into an HOA neighborhood, it that is something that we like about Raleigh for example. You still have the HOA managed neighborhoods, but with the scenery and the colonial character. Areas of New Jersey, for example that are popular on paper that we have visited and did not like to feel of…Westfield, Chatham. I do find that a lot of these areas are not well kept and the general urban suburban aesthetic feels off to me. As parents we like the idea of a strong community feel and very engaged neighbors.

We are most interested in the Raleigh, Philadelphia and Columbus suburbs so far and are familiar with all of them. We are from New York and New Jersey and do not want to willingly be in the tri-state area again. We love the idea of being closer to friends and family within a days drive though.

Hi to the sub. What is your insight on Newtown and Buckingham? How does your area differ from the main line suburbs? We are familiar with the region and have done extensive research but there is no way it to get on the ground opinions than from people actually living in the area. Are there any notable issues currently going on? Are there any zoning debates to be aware of? What are your opinions on school comparisons in each? Our child is three. He is a seemingly easy learner, early reader and gentle with a long attention span. Also, do you suspect that the house bill will pass regarding radon testing in public school districts? I was surprised that that was not already done.

We are originally from New York and New Jersey and we are solely here in the Dallas suburbs for my husband‘s job. We do not willingly want to do the tri-state area again and feel like Pennsylvania is a closely matches what we want in a state in general. We love the idea of being closer to friends and family than we are now in Texas.

We value four seasons, trees, common sense everything and high-end things that matter… a climate resilient area with good air quality, Whole Foods, safe neighborhoods with excellent public schools. We are not into sports and we by choice do not drink alcohol. The housing budget is roughly $650,000 and we do not want to be on a giant lot or have a major fixer-upper situation nor do we like urban suburbs. We do not like large houses and would stay close to about 2000 ft regardless of budget. We love 90s houses and colonials in general, a very suburban atmosphere.

We have narrowed it down the Philadelphia suburbs and the Raleigh suburbs for a move from DFW. We are both originally from New York and New Jersey and we are solely here for my husband‘s job. We do not willingly want to do the tri-state area again and feel like Pennsylvania and North Carolina match closest to what we want in a state in general. We love the idea of being closer to friends and family in either than we are now in Texas.

The public schools, the weather, the culture, the list goes on and on…this area is not where we want to willingly stay if we can avoid it. We value four seasons, trees, common sense everything and high-end things that matter… a climate resilient area with good air quality, Whole Foods, safe neighborhoods with excellent public schools. The housing budget is roughly $650,000 and we do not want to be on a giant lot or have a major fixer-upper situation nor so we like more urban suburbs. We do not like large houses and would stay close to about 2000 ft regardless of budget. Our child is three and we may or may not have one more. We love 90s houses and colonials in general, a very suburban atmosphere.

In a mass comparison of each metro area and the trajectory of each state, what are your insights?

Concerns about the Raleigh metro
are the public schools and the dangers of the economy being hit there with AI job losses. Neither of of us are in tech, but it still affects the whole area. The home insurance rates are and will be higher in the future, and the weather still leans hotter than our ideal.

We are currently researching suburbs to switch to from DFW metro area. We solely reside here for my husband’s job and have a three year old. We have have been researching every detail about our options so far and environmental factors are not an afterthought. So far North Carolina checks off the most boxes for us when considering total picture. What are your insights….

Which metro areas will be able to stave off data centers more than others? DFW is the number one data center market in the world and I am already seeing a push here to gaslight. Factually, there is almost no upside to an area that gets inundated with them.

Will Canadian wild smoke become more of an issue moving forward?

The water issues that some of these western states are having is not going away and I think that is going to be a slowly than all at once thing.

Which metro areas have the best balance of a strong white collar economy and overall low particle and PFAS pollution?

From an investment perspective, an area that has a lot of natural tree cover and four seasons seems to be the best bet moving forward.

Weather is subjective and so important. It impacts the quality of everyday life for yourself and your children and the costs can be both immediate and long-term. Homeowner insurance, AC and heating costs are unavoidable. It has dawned on me upon researching areas for a move…If you like a cold house, living in a hot climate is far worse than living in a colder leaning one to keep it cold. It is far cheaper to heat it to say 65-67 degrees than to maintain that when it is 85 plus degrees for the majority of the year.

We are currently in the DFW suburbs in a 2250 sq ft , 2010 house with a Trane HVAC unit. We keep a 67 degree house at all times during the day, home or out and 66 at night. We do not mind higher AC bills to achieve this and for the brief times it is not hot here now, those temps are easier to hit. Our small dog dislikes heat as much as we do. Yes,the weather in DFW is a major factor in our move. Our three year old often proclaims, it is hot and yucky, when outside here.

Our top three candidates for a move are the Philadelphia, Columbus and Raleigh suburbs. The natural weather and indoor temperature wants have me thinking about this a lot more and comparing.

What are your thoughts? what do you keep your thermostat set at?

I was thinking about how important this word is that is not used enough…competence. We are considering a switch from the Dallas suburbs where we are solely for work. We seek four seasons, a strong white-collar economy, kind people, good single-family housing stock (tasteful houses in good condition, say the opposite of Boston and New Jersey ) and excellent public schools. An expensive place does not mean competence and the general vibes of an area can be different despite what they may appear to be on paper. I have been to places that people rave about that I disliked and places that people do not talk about much that I thought were amazing.

Where are and where will the most competent remain? Where have you been where you feel that in the vibe that fits the above? Right now we are interested in the Raleigh and Columbus suburbs…but the transience of Raleigh reminds me a bit too much of Dallas along with the school situation in Wake County.

High trust suburbs with excellent schools and strong white collar economies. Four seasons are a must….

Hi to the sub…

Compare everything about the suburbs of the Raleigh,Columbus and Philadelphia metro areas…

We relocated to the Dallas suburbs solely for my spouse’s job years ago. This area has never been a match for us, but those feelings have been magnified after having a child. We had debated a move prior and now we are strongly considering it. The volatile weather/home insurance costs, constantly being inside, zombie consumerism, sloppy zoning and the schools are red flags for us. Four seasons, access to Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s and high-quality things that matter, a strong white collar economy, excellent public schools, a sense of place, nice people…important to us.

Housing wise we like an HOA community. Our idea of a good fit is about 2000 sq ft with a basement in a neighborhood with not tiny or massive yards. Housing budget, roughly $600,000.

Which would you choose and why? What are your opinions on all three?

Hi to the sub…

We relocated to the Dallas suburbs solely for my spouse’s job years ago. This area has never been a match for us, but those feelings have been magnified after having a child. We had debated a move prior and now we are strongly considering it. The volatile weather/home insurance costs, constantly being inside, zombie consumerism, sloppy zoning and the schools are red flags for us. Four seasons, access to Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s and high-quality things that matter, a strong white collar economy, good public schools sense, a sense of place, nice people…important to us.

Housing wise we like an HOA community. Our idea of a good fit is about 2000 sq ft with a basement in a neighborhood with not tiny or massive yards. Housing budget, roughly $600,000.

What are your lean cold without massive amounts of snow suburbs in metro areas that match this? We are trying to be within a ten hour drive to the tri-state area without willingly living there again…that is where most of our friends and family are.

Hi to the sub…

Everything weather and vibes, good on paper, but a no in reality….

We relocated to the Dallas suburbs solely for my spouse’s job years ago. This area has never been a match for us, but those feelings have been magnified after having a child. We had debated a move prior and now we are strongly considering it. The volatile weather/home insurance costs, constantly being inside, zombie consumerism, sloppy zoning and the schools are red flags for us. Four seasons, access to Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s and high-quality things that matter, a strong white collar economy, sense of place, nice people…important to us. We are most interested in the Columbus and Raleigh suburbs so far.

What I have learned from visiting the majority of large metro areas is that vibe and weather especially are subjective. What looks good on paper can be just that. What are your good on paper areas but in reality, hell no situations? What are your favorite Metro areas and suburbs when it comes to vibe and weather?

We have resided in the DFW suburbs for a while, solely for ny spouse’s job. A lot is not a match for us but after having a child who is now three, those feelings have heightened. We love trees and detest heavy sun and heat. The weather was almost a dealbreaker from the start but the job opportunity was too good to pass up. We see Texas as an economic zone and have had an “all business mentality” to being here. We are 44 and have been everywhere recreationally, we have a lot of direct experience to compare areas to. We value our friend and family relationships in New York and New Jersey but want to avoid willingly moving back to the tri-state area. We have been researching everything in general for our relocation…but especially schools. Without saying where our top spots are, which suburb would you choose that matches the following…

- Strong white collar economy
- No political policy extremes
- 4 seasons with the longest Fall possible
- Excellent public schools but willing to do private
- Good housing stock for a $650,000 budget…seeking under 2,500 square feet in an HOA community. We would never want a yard bigger than what we have now which is about 11,000 sqft.
- A suburb where the majority of the population is not sports obsessed and values healthy food, literacy and community involvement

Did you know that in most DFW school districts children have recess when the heat index is below 100? April, May, August, September and October are literally 85 plus degrees the majority of the time. It was not the case even twenty years ago. The heat index is taken in the shade. It has absolutely gotten hotter here from concreting over everything and having so few trees and shade. Just the sheer number of cars on the road adds to this. You have really hard water here and poor air quality as well.

Relocation…AI and the changing job market

What are your thoughts on the impact and has it changed your opinion on where you were thinking about moving? People who are not paying attention seem to underestimate the trickle-down effect. We have been debating a move from DFW area and this seemingly “new” economy will impact our decision. We seek a suburb in a tree-filled metro with excellent school districts and a strong white collar economy. We were thinking the Raleigh suburbs, but it is very tech and university driven there and I do feel like those two sectors are going to get hit hard.

Are we are in the phase of slowly then all at once? It feels like it. Essentially an economy needs people to have incomes. I do think some fears are overblown because of this simple fact. As an older millennial who grew up in a different time and now has a toddler, I would not trade today’s technology for anything, it is so valuable…but some humans have a hard time knowing when to stop or meet in the middle.

Compare everything… Raleigh in Boston suburbs/ Metros. Which area do you think is going to hold up better economically in these new times that we are in? Why and how will each shift and where is the white collar sector more protected? You have strong universities and the usual valid pros and cons for both but what is the ultimate comparison in your opinion on everything else as well?

We have narrowed down two areas for a potential move….Raleigh and Boston suburbs. We are curious people in general and research anything and everything and we have heavily researched this. We have been to almost every large metro area in the US and have extensive knowledge of a few places, including Raleigh and Boston.

We are originally from New York (Westchester) and New Jersey (central) and want no part of the tri-state area again. We value our close ties with friends and family there and would appreciate the short drive from either location. We have been in the Dallas suburbs for a while now solely for my spouse’s job. We are 43 and 47 and our child is three. We value an educated populous, four season weather, trees and reasonable policies across the board from the top down…at the state, county and specific town level. We love the idea of excellent public schools, but would also do private if we end up choosing a Raleigh suburb as I know that the school situation there is very mixed.

Things we want to avoid…

- Awful housing stock. Our budget is 600,000 for a single-family roughly 2000 2500 ft. We do not want a lot that is bigger than half an acre. We like father of the bride style modest, but architecturally classic colonial houses.

-After moving to DFW for career reasons, we will never again willingly choose an area that does not have an abundance of trees. I love the tree cover of the Raleigh Metro and I think especially for children, it is such an underrated feature. Trees make everything better not only environmentally, but aesthetically.

-Not living near Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, the closer the better.

-A lack of identity and high trust atmosphere in a suburb. A lack of community involvement and low vote turn out for elections.

-Parent circles we seek to avoid… those prioritizing solo trips and sports excessively, unintellectual. Parents who by choice do not pour a lot into their children’s upbringing in general when it comes to what matter. The 45 trying to relive college group of adults that seem more common now more than ever.

We have been debating a move from the DFW area. We are solely here for my spouse’s job and our child is three. We have been pretty much everywhere and have a good idea of what makes most sense but seek opinions.

Getting right to the point, which area would you choose that checks off the most…

- Suburb with excellent k-12 public schools and a sense of place. This is something DFW lacks.

- A metro area with as much tree cover as possible. The more forested the better.

- $600,000 house purchase budget. We seek roughly 2,000-2,500 square feet in preferably an HOA.

- The least intense heat year round without brutal winters. Four seasons.

- An educated, sensible populous that values things that matter. Think high voter turn out, putting carts away in parking lots, having a vested interest in the community.

- Good air quality, soft water, no plans for nearby data centers.

- I like the idea of rational guardrails at the state and county level…firework bans, state run liquor stores, car inspections, ordinances for modified muffler cars etc.

So much of choosing an area for relocation has to do with employment options. Regarding white collar job outlook by state and metro area…

What states and metro areas do you predict will be most stable for percentage of white collar jobs available and created? Where will viability be most robust moving forward?

The economy of say 20 years ago is completely different than it is now. I do not think that people who are not well read in general truly understand how different things will be moving forward.