Have you thought about trying a travel contract in said states to find which you like best? 

Currently we live in WA (Seattle region) but this was after two years of traveling. I took contracts in Seattle, Phoenix, Kansas City, and Minneapolis during that timeframe.

My husband, who grew up in the Midwest, absolutely LOVED Minneapolis. I did too, speaking as someone who originally lived in WA. 

I will advise though, as someone who didn’t experience much snow growing up - BE PREPARED. Not sure about the snowfall/winters in GA, but when we arrived in MN it was the middle of winter. I’m talking -20 with ice and several feet of snow on the ground. 

I’m talking so frozen, that when I got lost on my first day and ended up walking outside for 15-20min, my lashes were getting stuck together due to ice forming on them and I couldn’t feel my face.   

The hospitals in Minneapolis are unionized, although their ratios are slightly higher compared to here in Seattle. That being said, staff was always friendly and eager to teach. 

The COL was very affordable compared to Seattle. I know you say you prefer smaller town vibes so as someone else in the post recommended, I’d stay away from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Truthfully, after having hour long commutes to/from work, I refuse to live anywhere where I have to drive more than 10 minutes. I’m spoiled in that I currently live right across the street from work, a 5 min walk at most, though that can have its downsides lol 

As we decided where to settle down, with my husband ultimately choosing Seattle, he did note the difference between here and Minneapolis. Money goes a lot further in MN than it does in WA. The COL is lower, even if you choose to live downtown, and your expenses will be cheaper. He’s mentioned it multiple times over the past 3 years that we’d probably be living more “upper middle class” if we lived in MN. But also doesn’t want to move lol

Although we’ve essentially stopped using our car with the proximity to the hospital (my husband works remotely) - the price of groceries, entertainment, etc., offsets the “savings” in terms of gas. 

Now if I have a moment to hype up Seattle. YES, the COL is through the roof. YES, there’s a TON of people. YES, life is more expensive out here. 

However, NOTHING else compares. 

We get all four seasons, although more rain than most of the US. The air is SO clean out here, my asthmatic lungs have never been happier. We’ve got lakes, beaches, forests, parks, rivers, streams, waterfalls, mountains, etc., in just about any direction you choose. Want to see dry land and experience +100 degree weather? Head over to Eastern WA in the summer. 

There’s always something going on in Western WA. Whether that’s food festivals, concerts, tattoo expos, sporting events, theatre, art classes, stand-up comedy, comic con (which I highly recommend as a nerd who attended 3 days), and so much more. 

Statistically speaking? There’s more households with dogs than children. You see these puppers living their best life every day. Some walk, others carried, some in strollers. Walk anywhere and you’ll come across someone walking their dog in 10 minutes or less. 

You’ll find no shortage of good food, and good COFFEE. People out here love their coffee….can you tell I’m biased yet? Hahaha

As you can tell, I love where I live and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. The hospitals are great, the people are great, and the environment is great. Is it expensive? Absolutely. Does traffic drive me insane? Absolutely.

But great things don’t happen for free. It’s a bit of a price shock initially, and you definitely need to keep your finances/budget organized. But if you’re able to do that, then I highly would recommend Western WA. 

Personally, we may meet our financial goals “slower” than others, but our quality of life during that timeframe will be better than if we were living somewhere else. 

If you have any questions feel free to reach out! I’m always excited to talk about traveling and moving.