Hi everyone!

I'm at an exciting point in my life! I'm about to graduate in may with my BFA in Interior Design, and I'm starting to look for full time employment as we speak. The problem is, I know I want to move, but I'm not sure where to.

Currently, I live in Iowa near Des Moines with my partner Mike. We both grew up here, haven't traveled a ton, and really just want a change of scenery. I'd love to go somewhere warmer, but I still like having an inkling of all 4 seasons. Mike would prefer somewhere where he can fish, ideally a coast. We're looking mostly at larger cities because they have more job opportunities for me - Mike is a welder so he can find a job anywhere we go. We'd love to find somewhere with great restaurant, nightlife, and outdoor recreation options.


- The one place I have traveled to is the Seattle area. I have family there and I love it but am worried about the cost of living (I have college loans to pay off) and traffic. Also, Mike hates rain, lol.

- Houston or elsewhere in Texas might also be an option. Cost of living seems cheaper but again, traffic is a downside. Both Houston and Dallas have a lot of great firm options for me but I don't know much else about the area.

- North Carolina is high on our radar, specifically Raleigh-Durham. Raleigh-Durham has some great firm options for me and is closeish to the coast. We've seen mostly good things about it, but we're looking for honest opinions if any of you live there or have visited. Mike lived in SC for a year and loved it so we have a good feeling about this one. 


We plan to narrow down our selection and visit over my winter and/or spring breaks, but it's a big decision and has been pretty overwhelming. Really, we're open to anything warmer than Iowa and looking for any suggestions/advice you all might have.

Thank you! 

So, update:

Mike and I finally sat down and talked everything through, and came to a totally different conclusion. We still plan to move, but have decided to hold off and stay in Des Moines for a few years before we do. We decided that since I have very little savings and student loans to pay off, it would be more practical to stay and get our bearings. Mike has a great job here and would be losing a good amount of his salary if we picked up and left. Because Des Moines is growing, there are also some really great firm options for me. So, we plan to live more comfortably here and move when we're more financially stable. We love everything about Des Moines except the winters, and the low cost of living makes it worth it for now.

This gives us time to get married surrounded by friends and family (as Mike keeps hinting), and time to make a more informed decision about where to relocate. We plan to continue researching and travel to our top contenders over the next few years. I really appreciate everyone's input and will definitely continue referring to this as we weigh our options! Thank you!

I live in NC! I grew up in NC and lived in South Carolina for two years and then moved back to NC. The Raleigh area is wonderful I have friends who live right outside of Raleigh in wake forest area! 

I gotta agree with Yama about the snow lol I live about 3 hours from Raleigh and if we see a flake everyone freaks out! I also agree with Yama about the price point Raleigh is expensive but if you venture out land and price of living is a bit cheaper. I live in a small rural town and it’s pretty quiet and reasonably priced land compared to Raleigh area. 

oooooo K.Roc where do you live, if you don't mind me asking? 

I’m right outside of Charlotte!