Off the list above, how about San Diego?
Thats debatable:D
I was going to suggest this. Mountain High is about 2.5-3 hours away from San Diego, the weather is wonderful, the beaches are great, and best of all, you don’t have to live in LA or Orange County.
Mountain High is 1.5 hours away from Orange County, the weather is wonderful, the beaches are great, and best of all, you don’t have to live in LA or San Diego.
Cleveland, counting the outlying areas to meet the population criteria ;).
That would be my winner too, on paper. Cost of living is a strike against it, but beyond that it seems like the place to be. However, I mentioned my desire to move there to a friend of mine who lived in Houston for a number of years. Her gut reaction was horror–apparently the heat and humidity really got to her after a few years.
I like NYC but it clearly isn’t for everyone.
I found Denver, CO really nice when I visited there last year. You have the outdoors. A trendy downtown area with lots of restaurants and bars. The only thing I didn’t like was how friendly everyone was. Coming from NYC, by GF and I thought everyone was trying to get us to join a cult so they could rape us.
I am horrified by the idea that houses in Pittsburg cost as much as a down payment on a Manhattan studio appartment.
Brit here, I’ve visited a fair few American cities but theres none that I would really,really want to live in permamently.
My favourites are Orlando,Pensacola, Seattle and S.F.
I was surprised that some of the places that look so attractive on t.v. and in the movies are so unpleasant in reality, Miami springs to mind
.(Sorry Miamiers, nothing personal)
No Houstonian would flinch at Austin’s heat & humidity. We may be a degree or so behind in summer temperature, but we’re definitely ahead in the humidity department.
Perhaps your friend is an Austin lover who wants to Keep it Weird for her occasional visits. It is a very cute little city.
Well, she’s lived in Omaha for over ten years now.
I think this puts *that *theory right to bed 
First off, we don’t want to be a “secondary version of NYC”. We are Chicago, we are unique, we have our own history, and we like our streets clean. Hell, we even like our alleys clean, where our garbage awaits pick-up. Not out in front for everybody to stumble over, not to mention the smell.
What is this thing you have about Frank Lloyd Wright? I’ve read you go on about him and Chicago before. Sure, he was a rat bastard, and his buildings are an acquired taste. But it’s not like Chicago is jam-packed with with Wright buildings on every corner like Starbucks or something. Get a grip.
And you are just plain wrong about the food. It would take too long to list the world class chefs that reside here. And the little hole in the wall places are a formidable force here too. And if we Chicagoans are a little heftier than coastal folk, it’s because we aren’t friggin’ neurotics about eating and enjoying our food. It’s our food. It tastes wonderful. And we’re gonna eat as much as we want of it, goddammit.
What makes Chicago great? Sports, community theater, opera, street festivals, the neighborhoods. Plus we don’t have fucking cobras slithering around.
awwww, whosa cute widdle snake
Actually, obesity rates in Chicago aren’t much different than those in New York City and both places are in the bottom quarter. People downstate in Illinois are a little more likely to be heavier than in New York state (by 1.8%), for whatever that’s worth.
And I like Chicago plenty but anyone who doesn’t is welcome to stay home. More parking for me.
I live near Eden Prairie. It is so bland, it doesn’t even have a flavor.
Montreal gets my vote. Hey, the OP didn’t say “USA”.
Runners up are:
Washington, D.C.
Edmonton, Alb.
Portland, OR
I rather like the Twin Cities overall, but like most places it is because there are really great pockets of community. Excepting Eden Prairie. 
I’ll give you traffic and cost, though I’d point out that excellent public transit makes traffic a non-issue if you let it. I’ve lived in and around DC nearly five years now - never needed or wanted a car.
But as for crime - nonsense. Sure, parts of DC are dangerous. Any large city has dangerous neighborhoods that skew city-wide stats. But the bulk of the city is very, very safe.
Most be San something may be SanFran…
Portland, followed by Denver. Cite: I’m an urban planner, and I know my shit. QED.
Denver - a day’s drive from more cool stuff than you’ll ever have a chance to see in a lifetime.
If you ever feel the need to “get away,” that is.
NYC of course. It’s got everything. If the US ever got medicare (no joke, aside from the fact that SCOTUS is virtually certain to veto it, it is such a distortion of medicare that it does not deserve the name), I would move to NYC the next day. It is not my home town (Philly is), although I lived there for two years nearly 50 years ago. But public transit to die for, museums, wonderful public libraries and concerts and theaters galore. I cannot imagine preferring any other place. Not that I don’t like Montreal, but it is just not in the same league. It is also the best place for walking I have ever seen.
Haven’t been to Denver so can’t comment, but I found Portland grey and depressing.
Mind you I am only a foreigner so my opinion doesn’t count.
Loathed L.A. as well, what a let down.