Walkable cities with good arts scene but lower COL than DC

[Anonymous]

Ok so I hated living there but Columbus Ohio might be what you want. Bc of the Werner center you see art that stops just at BAM and the WEX and sometime to Seattle or LA. Lots of visual and performing artist in the city. Walkable. Big food scene. Midwestern friendly. Cheap.

I personally just hated being landlocked but I grew up on the water so am particularly sensitive to that. Many people I went to grad school with either stayed or moved away then moved back.

[Anonymous]

Charleston
Philly
Asheville
Hudson Valley (Beacon)

But none of these places are really cheap.

[Anonymous]

Chicago. Everything else mentioned in this thread is far from walkable/bikeable/transit as Chicago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Minneapolis -- arts of all kinds everywhere. It pervades the city. Cheap COL.

This. Get a good coat and boots and it’s walkable 50 weeks of the year. Arts here are incredible, particularly performance arts. But, if you want a larger city, Chicago also seems like a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Savannah. SCAD is there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Richmond - Museum District or the Fan. VCU is an art powerhouse and there are tons of galleries and emerging artists. Amazing antiques too

https://www.museumdistrict.org/
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Richmond/3330-W-Franklin-St-23221/home/55445658
https://rerva.com/the-fan-district/

Yes, museums, ive music, indoor & outdoor venues, the River, and great food. Like Sub Rosa Bakery one of the best in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Minneapolis -- arts of all kinds everywhere. It pervades the city. Cheap COL.

+1 on Minneapolis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond - Museum District or the Fan. VCU is an art powerhouse and there are tons of galleries and emerging artists. Amazing antiques too

https://www.museumdistrict.org/
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Richmond/3330-W-Franklin-St-23221/home/55445658
https://rerva.com/the-fan-district/

Yes, museums, ive music, indoor & outdoor venues, the River, and great food. Like Sub Rosa Bakery one of the best in the country.

Richmond arguably has a better arts scene than DC. It’s also unbelievable how far your dollar goes in Richmond. 3,000 sq. ft. fully renovated 1800s row home in the beautiful fan for less than $1M. People are also nicer there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ive also been hearing great things about Richmond
If you really like a city feel, how about a condo in Jersey City? Or Hoboken?
Providence is possible
Denver, though it didn't appeal to me
Nashville or memphis (Im not into the South either)

Hoboken had the highest rent increase in nation last 12 months and inventory is scarce. Manhattan is cheaper

+1 I think I just read an an article about jersey city having on of the highest median rents in the us.

[Anonymous]

Chicago fits everything on OP's post to a T.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've got to get out of the DMV -- COL is insane here and we'll never catch up. But we're struggling to find somewhere to move. We need to be in a city, preferably something fairly walkable (we're okay having a car but would like to be able to commute and do most day-to-day things on foot/bike/public transport. We also need a decent arts scene, with museums/galleries, some live music, and some performing arts. We understand that a lower COL city won't have the same high quality of arts as DC, but we just want a lively scene that attracts some decent visual and performing artists.

Any ideas? Assume schools and work are not an issue -- we have quite a bit of flexibility there.

Detroit — and no, I’m not joking. Look around Woodbridge/Corktown.

[Anonymous]

When you say art scene, do you mean you are into creating art or looking at it? I ask because they are usually two different types of places.

[Anonymous]

Bloomington Indiana

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Minneapolis -- arts of all kinds everywhere. It pervades the city. Cheap COL.

+1 on Minneapolis

You've got to really love the cold, though. The weather is pleasant for a few months each year, and is pretty much a frozen wasteland the rest of the time. Great if you like ice-fishing and other cold-weather outdoor activities, but pretty limiting otherwise. Most people I met there had been transferred there by their employers (my situation) or were natives. Few people seemed to choose to move there voluntarily, and the inhospitable climate is the reason why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond - Museum District or the Fan. VCU is an art powerhouse and there are tons of galleries and emerging artists. Amazing antiques too

https://www.museumdistrict.org/
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Richmond/3330-W-Franklin-St-23221/home/55445658
https://rerva.com/the-fan-district/

Yes, museums, ive music, indoor & outdoor venues, the River, and great food. Like Sub Rosa Bakery one of the best in the country.

Now I feel bad I didn't make the 30-minute walk in 90 degree heat from the Convention Center last month.