Where do you live? Do you like it there?

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Right now I live in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Cost of living here is VERY cheap. The house my parents bought was $375,000, but in California (where I'm originally from) it would easily go for over a million. The average house (3 bedrooms, 2 bath) can range between $75,000-$150,000. If you like lush green scenery then this would be the place to be. Its almost TOO much if you ask me. I might be wrong, but I think BG was voted the greenest city in America? Or maybe the south? I don't know...... And in the summer it can get very humid. The humidity is what kills me because I'm used to a dry heat. But as far as education goes we have some of the dumbest people in America. We rank 48th as far as education standards go. Healthcare is pretty bad too. Especially when it comes to those with disabilities. My brother (who is Autistic) is still in California for that very reason. People are actually very nice here. Strangers will stop and talk to you as if they've known you forever.....which creeps me out, but apparently its expected to be this friendly here. People are always willing to lend a hand if you need help with anything and I've yet to have anyone ask for anything in return. However, people here are (as expected) very religious, and very racist. White people out number all other ethnicities 10 to 1.

In some ways I like it here....but for the most part I just don't feel I belong here. I left California hoping for something better....and it is better here I guess, but it just doesn't feel like home. Even after 5 years.

I live in a place that's sorta in the middle of the US and not the place to live if you have something like AS or anything that affects your mind or nervous system, autism, or any other disorder.
People are narrow minded and judgmental and they stereotype others way too much.
If you want to live someplace nice, aim for a liberal state, not a super conservative one.
If I could wave a magic wand and end up anywhere I wanted, it would be the most liberal state in the US and skip the hassle of finding out the hard way by living someplace too conservative.

I live in Nova Scotia. I will always be a Nova Scotian girl at heart. This will always be home, and I love it here....there could be a few improvements though....

Tampa, Florida.
I grew up in one of the eastern suburbs and moved into the city after high school.
I don't like it here one bit, and had I the finances, would move far far away.

I live pretty close to Washington D.C. It's rather nice here, and there's quite a variety of people living in the area. I've never been anywhere else long term so I don't know exactly how it would compare though.

Atlanta, GA, USA area... and not really. I mean, I like most of places, but not most of the people.

Columbia, SC.

Primarily a government/college town - it's the State capital and the main campus of the University of South Carolina, as well as 10 other 4 year colleges/Universities and numerous 2 year and technical colleges. Due in part to this, there are a LOT more cultural activities than one might expect in a Southern town this size. Two ballet companies, a well-regarded symphony, numerous art galleries, several theaters, an active music scene . . . there's a lot going on!

It's a pretty city, also. Most of downtown is occupied by the USC campus and State offices, so there are lots of trees and green areas, and some rather nice architecture. Outside of the city center (which isn't much more than a mile square), most of the neighborhoods - even the not so nice ones - are characterized by wide, shady, tree-lined streets and houses surrounded by flowering bushes and trees. Springtime turns the entire city into a riot of colors!

We also have a wealth of good-to-very-good restaurants. There is a Ruth's Chris steakhouse, two excellent Italian places, wonderful Moroccan, Thai, Indian, Greek and "Fusion" restaurants, numerous French-inspired places and, of course, some fantastic Southern-style food. And that's just the fine dining places! There are dozens of places that serve very, very good food in more of a relaxed, bistro-type atmosphere.

Eccentricities are pretty well accepted, for the most part. As an example, I am aware of at least 8 gay clubs in/around Columbia. While that likely isn't directly of interest to you, I think it speaks to the nature of the area for there to be that many in a town this size - especially in the Deep South.

In addition to the plethora of institutions of higher learning, we also have several excellent private schools - some of which do offer scholarships to reduce, or even eliminate, tuition for some students. The Jewish Day School, in particular, is nationally recognized for their academic program. One does not need to be Jewish either to be accepted, or to receive a scholarship.

Columbia is located in the geographic center of the state, so one is only a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive from the beaches, the mountains, or the architecturally and historically impressive cities of Charleston, SC and Savannah, Ga. Charlotte, NC is less than 2 hours away, and Atlanta is only 3 1/2.

There is bad to go with the good, though. All those flowering trees and shrubs create huge amounts of pollen in the springtime - if you have allergies, you can expect them to give you problems for 2 straight months every year. Also, if you like cool weather, this may not be the place for you! Highs in the 90s (or above!), with matching humidity, are considered entirely normal for about 4 months of the year. Heat indexes above 110 are quite common in June, July and August. Let's put it this way - I went to Vegas in August last year, and it didn't feel hot to me.

Employment can also be an issue. This is a two-trick town - government and Education. If you have experience in those fields, you'll probably be ok, but . . . have a job before you move! Moving here with the intent of finding a job would probably not be a wise decision. Outside of those areas, well-paid jobs are not easy to find.

If you need services for ASD issues, you also may be disappointed in what is available here. This is not a rich state, so there is precious little help from the government. Even on the private side, things are pretty limited. One of the reasons I have not sought a formal diagnosis is the fact that I can only find one shrink in town who says "they can work with me." Oh, and she doesn't take insurance. $300 per session, pay out of pocket and try to get reimbursed. Even the Autism Society of SC was unable to recommend anyone IN THE ENTIRE STATE who regularly works with adults with ASDs.

I live in Milton, MA, a suburb of Boston, MA, USA. It's a very quiet peaceful town, but is also boring. I say boring because we don't have any supermarkets, pharmacies, shopping centers, restaurants, etc. Also, we only have 2-3 gas stations (located at the town lines rather than inside the town), 2 banks, 1 Dunkin Donuts (all Boston suburbs more than one Dunkin Donuts). We do have a very fair public school system with caring supportive teachers.

So the people of Milton will have to travel to Boston and other suburbs to do their errands, shopping, and entertainment.

Pittsburgh is fabulous all around and I never want to leave.

Seattle, WA is pretty accepting of eccentric characters as "strangeness" and eccentricity paints the town.

Northern Nevada. I very much dislike it. It never rains, it's too hot in the summer (except at night), and too cold in the winter.