Reviews & Comments
Gillette, WY
Best of both worlds -
4/26/2024Not sure why the people relying to the negative comments with positive comments don't make their own reviews.
Gillette has the same problems that similarly-sized towns and cities in this region have: difficulty attracting good teachers, doctors, etc. Plus, some low-level property crime. Overall, though it's a safe and welcoming place. And it lacks the level of poverty that much of the state faces. Yes, there are no glitzy mountains nearby, thank God. If there were, it would be Jackson, which nobody wants to see. Gillette is the third-larges city in the state, and has much more to offer then Jackson has, and it is the last bastion of affordability in the West. The average household earns enough to buy the average home in less than 4 years ($93.5K is the median household income, and the median home price is $312K). You cannot find that anywhere else west of the Mississippi. And for this price, you are getting a house, not a condo, like in big cities. And most houses are built in the past few decades, not like in older cities farther east, like Minneapolis or KCMO.
Politically, it's live-and-let live as most of the mountain west, but with a friendly Midwest element that you won't find as much if you go any farther west. To me, it's the bets of both worlds - Midwest cost of living with a Western frontier feel.
Fort Wayne, IN
A Gem in the Midwest -
12/10/2023Fort Wayne is what America used to be. Hardworking, unpretentious, welcoming.
There are problems, like anywhere, including crime on the east side, but nothing like Indianapolis.
Also, they had some flooding downtown a few years ago, so be careful buying a house near the river.
W inter is a thing here, but not as cold and windy as Chicago and less snow than cities on the Great Lakes.
Summers are fairly comfortable, though a/c is still a great thing to have.
There are plentiful jobs, and the cost of housing is one of the lowest in the country.
Schools are good overall, and SW Allen schools are excellent.
There are some universities, but it's not a college town.
It's not a big city, but has enough to do for most people, and if not, there are bigger cities close at hand (Indy, Chicago).
Try to live west of downtown, though (46804 or 46783, which is technically Roanoke)
Beebe, AR
Under-rated town -
12/10/2023Beebe is small and quiet. It has affordable housing and decent schools. It's safe and friendly.
It's a classic Arkansas town, with access to Little Rock without the problems of the big city.
Strangely though, it's rated on this website much lower than Cabot, just down the road . This seems unfair, as Beebe is not much different from Cabot, Ward and Austin (Ark). Beebe even has a small state university, which none of the others have.
Overall, a great place to live for families not looking for glitz and glamor, but a solid community of good folks.
Snowflake, AZ
The West at its best! -
1/9/2022 This is quite likely the best hidden jewel of a community in all of Arizona, along with Snowflake.
It has all the essentials: Walmart, Ace Hardware, Bashas, a community college, great schools.
It is super safe/low crime and has some of the cleanest air in the US.
No traffic at all. Great, family-oriented people. Open and tolerant, without being 'woke'.
And Show Low has a major hospital, many specialist physicians, Home Depot, Lowes, etc., plus an airport with reasonably-priced flights to PHX.
Skiing nearby for winter, lakes nearby for summer.
The climate is amazing: winters are sunny and highs in the 50s, summers are dry and not too hot.