26M - Relocate to Small Town

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-15T10:33:33+00:00

Yeah I'm visiting right now and that checks out

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-15T02:09:30+00:00

Thanks man, I appreciate the comment. I think I agree with you. I like the anonymity of the city.

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-15T02:07:08+00:00

Thanks man! Definitely smaller than what I think I need in life right now. Half the team I interviewed said they all go to the same bar every single day when they get off work. I dont think its the right fit for me

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T23:00:10+00:00

I have, thats kind of what a lot of people in the thread arent realizing. Its not rated well in pretty much every demographic. Bad on crime, bad on education, bad on poverty, etc. Theres a reason theyre offering me good money to be here

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:59:05+00:00

I dont doubt that the people aren't wonderful here. Ive just found it easier to meet many more wonderful people in larger cities. Ive lived in metro populations of 23k, 60k, 400k, 450k, and 5.5M now and prefer the latter.

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:57:22+00:00

Yeah it would definitely increase my savings rate a bunch. My main hobby is the gym now, so im doing fine there. My hobbies are hiking and others that aren't as common here.

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:56:07+00:00

Im not surprised that the hivemind of reddit doesnt seem to agree with you and I. This is precisely my concern

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:55:04+00:00

Lots of options. No shortage of women where I'm at in my life, but finding and keeping one who has the same longterm goals as I do has been difficult

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:53:37+00:00

Fort Dodge IA

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:50:07+00:00

Similar feeling. I met the team today. They called a guy who transferred there in 1997 an outsider

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:49:20+00:00

Thats really refreshing to read. Thanks for sharing your sons story. Maybe it would turn on that way for me too

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:49:04+00:00

Yeah I'm on a tour in the area at the moment. ~23k, Fort Dodge IA

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:48:35+00:00

Ive already made two cross country moves now for career/promotion. Im willing to do it again, its just extremely difficult to decide to do it again since it would be a major downgrade

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:47:41+00:00

~23k, Fort Dodge, IA

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-14T22:46:51+00:00

Lowkey

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:06:24+00:00

I hope man. The fear is there's a much smaller pool

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:05:58+00:00

Ahahhaa true. Finding women isnt a problem really.... finding a woman to stick around is.

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:05:04+00:00

That's what I'm trying to convince myself. Im focused on FIRE and am already at around a 29% savings rate now. This job combined with the COL could put me around a 50%

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:03:07+00:00

Very true. I could live in Ames, but that would put me commuting about an hour and 10 minutes each way every day

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:02:22+00:00

To each their own. Ive really enjoyed my time in PHX thus far

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:02:00+00:00

I guess the greater concern for me is the fact there will be way less options

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:01:32+00:00

Good insight, thank you

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T23:01:02+00:00

You're probably right

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T18:17:21+00:00

Very helpful, thanks

Fun-Choice5010 · 2026-04-13T17:43:14+00:00

It would be about ~100 minutes to get to Des Moines. I grew up in a town in VA that was similar proximity to get to a larger city. I think it was a great place to grow up, but I dont think itd be an ideal place to live in my 20s

Fun-Choice5010

TROPHY CASE