What cities are very warm and welcoming to newcomers?

[Anonymous]

Title sums it up. Some places can be really hard to move to because it's hard to make connections and the people can be cliquish or just not friendly to outsiders. Where have you lived where people are very welcoming, even if you don't have existing ties to the community?

Also interested if people feel DC is welcoming to outsiders or not. Our household is divided (I think it can be under some circumstances, DH thinks it's not at all).

[Anonymous]

I think DC is extremely welcoming because most people here have moved here from somewhere else so they have experience with being a newcomer once. I personally have found Chicago and the Midwest unwelcoming because many people there are from the Midwest itself and have deep roots and old friendships, so it can be hard to break in as an outsider.

[Anonymous]

DC is pretty welcoming; people are used to people moving in and out. Big cities are easier, smaller cities in the South or Midwest or New England are tough. Richmond is awful. The Seattle Freeze is real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think DC is extremely welcoming because most people here have moved here from somewhere else so they have experience with being a newcomer once. I personally have found Chicago and the Midwest unwelcoming because many people there are from the Midwest itself and have deep roots and old friendships, so it can be hard to break in as an outsider.

Lol no not a chance!

[Anonymous]

Not Boston.

[Anonymous]

Anywhere that is relatively young is going to be more welcoming to people who are not from there. Or transient -- relatively transient, like DC, is on the more welcoming side when it comes to newcomers.

I went to law school in New Orleans -- practicing there if you weren't from there wasn't the best opportunity.

[Anonymous]

The South

[Anonymous]

Midwest imo.

[Anonymous]

Denver

Anyplace with lots of transplants

[Anonymous]

Minneapolis, MN!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is pretty welcoming; people are used to people moving in and out. Big cities are easier, smaller cities in the South or Midwest or New England are tough. Richmond is awful. The Seattle Freeze is real.

Odd. I’ve found Richmond very welcoming, and it too is full of transplants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think DC is extremely welcoming because most people here have moved here from somewhere else so they have experience with being a newcomer once. I personally have found Chicago and the Midwest unwelcoming because many people there are from the Midwest itself and have deep roots and old friendships, so it can be hard to break in as an outsider.

I moved to Chicago from elsewhere in the Midwest and it’s not particularly welcoming because most people have high school friends, extended family and so on and aren’t looking to meet anyone new.
However a woman from the UK moved to our town and the other moms went absolutely nuts trying to befriend this lady. They threw her a baby shower, invited her to all their homes, they were in love with her and she was ambivalent. She ended up moving away and they still talk about how great she was even though she was completely average. So if there is something special about you like a British accent, Chicago is very welcoming

[Anonymous]

You need a big city like DC, Denver, Austin, NY. anywhere small like providence and you got people still hanging out with their high school friends and will never seek out new experiences. Small town big hell

[Anonymous]

I think it takes 20 years. Anywhere, unfortunately. Before that you're the new person

[Anonymous]

Not the “family part” of Seattle.