Variety of individuals transferring out of San Francisco up 21%. 5 different cities to think about

The capital of Rhode Island, Providence.

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Lots of people are saying goodbye to the Bay Area: Between March 2020 and September 2021, the number of newcomers to the Bay Area fell 45% and the number of departures rose 21%, according to a new report from the University of California. High housing costs can play a role. The average home value in San Francisco is now over $ 1.5 million, according to Zillow, and the cost of living, which includes prices for transportation, groceries, utilities, taxes, and childcare, is 169% above the national average for the United States. According to Sperling’s Best Places. Undoubtedly, Bay Area residents departing the Bay Area will miss many things in San Francisco, including culture (the Bay Area has over 40 museums), quality food (more than 4,400 restaurants, including 50 with at least one Michelin star ) and loads of jobs, especially in technology, with Silicon Valley right on the peninsula from the city. But these alternatives, which let you buy a home for $ 550,000 or less – added bonus, mortgage rates stay near historic lows – have some of these advantages at a much cheaper price.

“The Nearest Silicon Valley”: Boise, Idaho

Boise surrounded by its distinctive landscape.

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This Idaho city was recently dubbed “Surge City” by Inc. magazine and says Boise is on track to become the next Silicon Valley. This Idaho city has a lot going for it in terms of both career opportunities and outdoor amenities. If you love the natural beauty of the Bay Area, then you might also love Boise, which includes the Boise River Greenbelt, a 25-mile (25 miles) trail of hiking trails and parks that runs through the center of town. Boise is also in close proximity to a variety of waterfalls, hot springs, and hiking trails, including the one that leads to Table Rock, a plateau overlooking the Red Desert Basin. Real estate is about a third the price in Boise compared to San Francisco, and the overall cost of living is lower, although Boise has plenty to do, good food, and access to culture, including exhibits at the Boise Art Museum. One downside is that Boise residents are tied to land (unlike the Bay Area, which has easy access to the Pacific Ocean).

Typical home value: 519,081
Cost of Living: 3.6% higher than the US average
The typical house values ​​are from Zillow and shift from month to month. The cost of living comes from Sperling’s Best Places.

For the lifelong learner who loves good food: Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island, has fewer than 200,000 residents but is connected to Boston by suburban trains and Amtrak.

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Home to the prestigious Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, plus six other colleges, Providence has plenty to offer if you crave culture. See exhibitions at the RISD Museum, take a river gondola ride through the city center, or give a guest lecture at one of the universities. The city, home of Johnson & Wales University, the largest culinary school in the world, has a varied and impressive dining scene with over 100 restaurants that source food from the sea and the countless small farms in the area. College Hill, a steep incline heading towards Brown, will remind you of the sometimes challenging topography of San Francisco. If you’re missing a big city, take a quick trip to Boston for all kinds of entertainment, or hope to catch the train to New York. However, Providence, which remains surprisingly affordable for the urban northeast, is getting a C-class from Niche for its public schools.

Typical home value: $ 319,142
Cost of Living: 5.1% higher than the US average

For a small town feel with big city amenities: Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is home to NC State and represents a point in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

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Raleigh, sometimes referred to as the Silicon Valley of the East due to its multitude of technology jobs at city-headquartered companies like Cisco, IBM, and GlaxoSmithKline, was recently named the 12th capital of North Carolina State University by Livability.com The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Museum of History, and the North Carolina Museum of Art. It is known as the “City of Oaks” because of its flowering treetops. The city has a thriving eatery scene and is home to a handful of celebrity chefs, including former Top Chef candidate Katsuji Tanabe. Housing is still affordable, but if you are looking for some exciting nightlife you may be disappointed.

Typical home value: $ 390,571
Cost of Living: 2.3% higher than the US average

For culture lovers: Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Twin Cities metropolitan area has a total population of approximately 3 million.

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San Francisco was ranked sixth in the Trust for Public Lands’ annual ParkScore ranking, which measures access to public parks for city dwellers. Minneapolis ranks third with 98% of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park. That’s not all that makes Minneapolis unique. In 2020, eight of the city’s chefs and three of its restaurants were named 2020 semi-finalists at the James Beard Foundation Awards, meaning those who love fine dining will find plenty to love in Minneapolis. The city is home to a number of Fortune 500 companies, notably Target, United Healthcare, Best Buy, 3M, and General Mills. It houses the Walker Art Center, a world-class contemporary art museum, as well as countless performance rooms, including the Guthrie Theater. The public schools are good, the housing is affordable, and the prices are only 6.5% above the US average. The disadvantage? Get ready for winter when the average daily highs are well below freezing.

Typical home value: $ 325,796
Cost of Living: 6.5% higher than the US average

If you enjoy spending time outdoors: Knoxville, Tennessee

Downtown Knoxville.

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Knoxville is one of the Appalachian’s largest cities, with lots of rolling hills and ample access to outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and biking. It is home to the University of Tennessee and also has the Forensic Anthropology Center, where researchers study degradation of the human body on the Body Farm. (And you thought the Bay Area was weird!) Enjoy a beer at one of the city’s many craft breweries, attend a concert at the Sunsphere, which was built for the 1982 World’s Fair, or spend a weekend canoe paddling in Mead’s Quarry. located in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness Center, 500 acres of woodland just outside of town. There is no public transport in the city. So if you don’t want to drive a car, take a bike.

Typical home value: $ 274,440
Cost of Living: 14.5% lower than the US average