Michigan (Flint and Grand Rapids)
The only people who live in Flint are gang members and hoodlums with the occasionally, unfortunate Kettering University student. Flint is the worse city I've ever been to and parts of it actually make Detroit look good. I'm sorry you had to go there.
I'll be living in Grand Rapids at the end of the week and I've found parts of it to be excellent while other parts to be horrid. Seems like it's a hit or miss city, but compared to what else we have in Michigan it's a great city.
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As for where to live? I like the West Coast but my god is it expensive, I was in California (Fresno) back in October for two weeks and I couldn't get over the cost of everything. Gas was $4.75+ a gallon and upwards of $5.25 in San Francisco while gas back here was in the $3.60 range. Food was also about 30-40% more than it is here in Michigan even though everything is grown in California to begin with. Also while flipping through the newspaper it looks like housing out there is almost triple of what it is in Michigan. Everyone seemed to complain about the taxes too, which I have no idea what they are like but I assume high.
I like California quite a bit but I'd never want to live there or suggest anyone live there either.
I'd pass on St. Louis, it's considered the 3rd most dangerous city in America right after Flint and Detroit (hooray Michigan makes a list!). I've been there a few times and it is more or less like Detroit if Detroit was further south with better weather. I'm sure the metro area is fine though, just like the Detroit Metro area is relatively safe in many parts.
I liked Houston, TX when I was there but I couldn't live there mainly because I can't stand the Texas attitude so many people have. They reminded me of less rude New Yorkers who all thought they were cowboys despite working in an office building. I'm sure the entire area isn't like that, but after a week there I don't ever want to go back, just like I never want to go back to New York City or Chicago.
I really like the Tennessee/North Carolina area in the Smokey Mountains, although the summers are extremely humid. Everything was inexpensive though, the food was good, the people were friendly and the scenery was gorgeous. I'm not sure how the job market is though in eastern TN and western NC. I did receive a couple job offers from companies in Nashville though and I guess their economy is starting to take off. It's the south though and you have to remember the south isn't at all like it's often portrayed, yes they love NASCAR and Jesus, but they don't live in trailers and have relations with their sisters.
Weirdly North Dakota is probably a place you should look at too, it has one of the fastest growing economies. The only issue is that it's a million miles from no where and you deal with awful winters. Boise, ID is similar too, I was looking to move out there but the job fell through and I ended up staying here. The economy is growing in Boise and it's relatively inexpensive to live there. Plus you're only a day's drive from the Pacific Coast, so it's a little less remote than North Dakota.
I'm not sure where you currently live, but that will determine where you'll probably want to live. If you're coming from a warm climate chances are you want to stay out of the northern area of the country because winters can be awful. For an example in Michigan the sun goes behind some clouds around Thanksgiving and we don't really see it again till sometime in late March, then the temps drop below 30 and stay that way for 4-5 months.
Downsides are awful drivers as previously mentioned and very high housing costs (if you want more than a shack, you'll probably need at least $600,000).
, just saying I've passed through it (although I think the McDonalds there was nice! :lol).
