If you could live anywhere in Virginia, and you wanted to live in a super safe, charming small town, where would you go? Think Stars Hollow or Mayberry. The kind of place where people greet each other as they pass, there are annual town festivals or traditions, the architecture is charming, maybe historical, crime is so rare that many leave their doors unlocked, children roam reasonably "free range" without fear, etc. |
what is your budget?
do you want to be near a city, airport, hospital, etc.? do you care if it's mostly liberal or conservative? does the racial makeup of the town matter to you? |
I don't think this exists anywhere, and I have not lived in Virginia in several years, but towns that I would say came close when I knew them, at least, were Crozet or Haymarket. |
1 + 2. I'm trying to get a sense for what's out there. So as of now, assume it can be anywhere. A lower cost of living than DC would be nice, but as to budget, I'd just say "homes that are no more expensive than in NoVA and preferably less expensive." 3. Moderate? Conservative is fine too, although some political diversity would be really nice. Probably not super liberal, because a small town that is liberal is likely a college town. 4. High social trust, and a safe, welcoming atmosphere are what I'm looking for above all. If it's a very desirable place to live I assume there will be at least some level of diversity, but if there isn't, it's not a dealbreaker. This is not high on my list of priorities. |
Lol what’s the problem with a college town? |
I don’t know about Virginia. But there are MD towns that might work, like St Michael’s. |
Public drunkenness, loud noise at night from house parties, lots of protests. I am looking for somewhere serene. |
Well we just got back from visiting Grinnell College in Grinnell Iowa and we all commented on how similar it seemed to Stars Hollow. Lovely and safe. An hour to Des Moines. |
Washington, VA |
1932 and try to be white. ![]() |
Irvington or Floyd |
It’s very obvious that you’re looking to move to 1950 where there are no minorities and no liberals. |
Unfortunately random murders are happening everywhere these days. |
Oh brother. Sounds like she wants to move out of dc. Many people get sick of city living and move to the suburbs, OP. Maybe that's far enough away without moving to a small town. We lived near a metro station in the 'burbs and saw dear every morning, and heard owls at night and were 20 minutes away from all the sirens and mentally ill panhandlers. |
One of our kids is a Grinnell grad. Loved the school and made lifelong friends. There are town/gown issues though. And OP would absolutely hate it because the students are too liberal and would pollute her vision. |