Best American City to Live?

So I've got a turn in life that is forcing me to move within the next two-ish weeks.

I've got a couple of 'safe' options:

1) move back in with my parents or back to their city where I know people, can get a shitty job, etc., but I lived there for years and it's a relatively small city in Louisiana and I'm really concerned I'll get stuck there wallowing in the past and old long-dead friendships trying to zombie that shit and that sounds miserable and I'm worried that'll lead to years of the same old bullshit.

2) move to New Orleans where I know quite a few people well and could probably get help with finding somewhere decent to rent/work, but New Orleans is a bit of a shithole along with all its wonderful character and history, as anyone who's been there would attest. Still, it's an option (ironic that it's considered a safe option in this context).

Here's the unsafe option that I request some first-hand testimonials on: if I ignore the safe options and move out of state, where should I go? I've had a strong desire to live on a coast (not for surfing or anything specific, I just really love being near the ocean), and will stay away from big cities. I've heard good things about the Carolinas, are still a part of the South (which I love and would love to stay in) and they're near enough my family (Louisiana/Missouri) that I feel I could get back and forth often enough to visit. Specifically I've heard Charlotte, Charleston, and Asheville mentioned as a good place to move. I've also heard good things about Portland, Maine. The other coast is very tempting as well, in the Northwest specifically: Oregon and rural Washington are supposedly pretty cheap as far as COL goes (this is also important, I'm not rich). Drawbacks are that I know almost nobody in those areas, and it's a very long way from friends and family. I'm of course open to any other suggestions, non-coastal or wherever.

For the record, yes I'm looking up information on testimonials and suggestions via random blog hunting, Reddit, etc., but if anyone has any good source for me to research further I'll take it. Also yes, Trump's America will likely suck for various reasons no matter where I go, but moving out of the country doesn't seem feasible.

tl;dr Where would be a good place in the US for a person to move to and live?

What kind of work do you want to do?

  On 12/10/2016 at 5:59 PM, doublename said:

What kind of work do you want to do?

I taught for a year and would consider getting in-state certification for teaching high school (English most likely), if it was worth it (if they of course allowed me to teach while getting certified which is usually the case afaik). Otherwise I've done retail and food management and customer service shit for the whole of my life, so that'd be an easy get with my résumé. Open to other options, certainly. If there's some legitimate 'we'll pay you damned good to come work for us for a year' I'd probably go for it in a heartbeat right now, planning to research options like that.

The most IDM thing would be to live in the woods somewhere and work remotely.

  On 12/10/2016 at 6:06 PM, auxien said:

 

  On 12/10/2016 at 5:59 PM, doublename said:

What kind of work do you want to do?

If there's some legitimate 'we'll pay you damned good to come work for us for a year' I'd probably go for it in a heartbeat right now, planning to research options like that.

I'd definitely look for maternity/medical leave openings at public and private schools in any city that you'd be willing to live in.

  On 12/10/2016 at 7:04 PM, doublename said:

 

  On 12/10/2016 at 6:06 PM, auxien said:

 

  On 12/10/2016 at 5:59 PM, doublename said:

What kind of work do you want to do?

If there's some legitimate 'we'll pay you damned good to come work for us for a year' I'd probably go for it in a heartbeat right now, planning to research options like that.

I'd definitely look for maternity/medical leave openings at public and private schools in any city that you'd be willing to live in.

Defiant an option, yes. Was honestly looking more for high paying high hours sorts of options though, something I could sign up for and do for a year and walk away if I chose. But anything is an option.

  On 12/10/2016 at 7:01 PM, AdieuErsatzEnnui said:

The most IDM thing would be to live in the woods somewhere and work remotely.