Anyone absolutely Hated Where they moved to?

I can find something to hate about anywhere I move to.

C’mon people, I opened this thread to read specific complaints about specific cities.

I feel that if you hate a place it should be easy to articulate why. “Too expensive and not enough trees”: what kind of complaint is that? I want the juicy details of what you really hate.

I hated Eugene Oregon.

I moved there for college because I had always envisioned the PNW as a rugged, outdoorsy kind of place. It is- but Eugene is a city full a white people that wear dreads and think smoking pot is a hobby. It was sooo obnoxious. I didn’t find my crowd there at all. I thought there was something wrong with me.

The moment I moved out, I magically was able to make friends again.

I know there are good parts of Texas but the number of people I know who moved there and came straight back within a couple years is probably over 90%.

Wanted to live in WA state to be closer to family but without WA housing prices. Found a really good fix-up in Kelso, WA. On paper the area didn't seem terrible for a small town. Has a mall, lots of grocery shops and decent restaurant selection, A pretty lake to walk around, lots of quirky shops in its downtown district, close proximity to outdoor recreation like the columbia river, ape caves, and Mt.St.Helens. Oregon right next door for saving money with sales tax, and both Portland and Vancouver fairly nearby. Sadly we quickly found out why property prices are low in Longview and Kelso (spoiler: Tweakers, Meth heads, mentally unstable folk, homeless, property crimes, and a very depressed local economy). Once had an undercover cop snooping around our house, who "supposedly" didn't realize it had sold, once had homeless people try to use our BBQ, and another time had a homeless guy sleep on our porch. (Our property had a lot of land/acreage that attracted homeless). Constantly had to call cops to get people out of the woods in the back (setting up tents). Oh and I think the Cowlitz river floods practically EVERY year, causing a lot of issues. Its just weird. We sold our house and got out of there asap.

Moved from Cincinnati, OH to Denver, CO for a job that turned out to be completely toxic. It made me really dislike being here. I ended up getting another job in the city and am very glad I did. Now that I don’t hate what I do 40 hours a week, I realized even though I miss the trees, living here isn’t so bad. Still planning to move back to the eastern side of the Mississippi at some point, but I still have more to explore in this region.

If you want to give Boston a fair shot, you could look for another job in the city to see what you think when you’ve escape a toxic work situation.

I moved from a major East Coast city to a medium-sized town in AL once and it was horrible. I moved for a job, and the job turned out to be fantastic, so that was reason enough to stay for a few years. However, when it came time to buy a house, my partner and I simply could not stomach the idea of living there permanently so we left.

Quality of life is a mix between family, job, and location. Not all of these things need to be perfect, but in my opinion there has to be some tradeoff between the three -- it really doesn't work if one is bad.

i spent a couple years in a very rural area on the side of a mountain in the middle of the woods. it's like everyone's comment on how they want to give up on society and move to a cabin in the middle of the woods... it was that. charming for about 6 mos then the boredom sunk in. it was a long drive to the grocery store, to the pharmacy, to anyplace to eat, to anything to do. the people weren't particularly friendly, and the town was generally going downhill. there were not a lot of places to walk, ironically, cause of the dangerous twisty mountain roads. we had 1 set of kind neighbors and a lot of unneighborly neighbors that made a lot of noise... so it was hard to enjoy the nature when it was nice out because it was always noisy. noisy and isolating. not a fan. might be fun for a month but once you're in for the long haul without an exit plan the fun wears away pretty quickly, even as someone who is easily entertained by indoor things (tv-games-etc). was pretty happy to leave and move back to a more populated area. every night with takeout is magic now.

I got stuck in Florida for 10 years. I absolutely hated it. I guess to "cope" I did the best I could to enjoy the beach as much as I could because I am a beach lover. We hated it there so much that my ex took a job that was going to send us literally anywhere. They paid for our move. Ended up in Colorado. I love it here. But I love California more. It's not in the cards for me to move anymore. But that's OK. It's a short plane ride to Cali.

Is anyone realllllly surprised that a 22 year old from the south didn’t enjoy moving up north to one of the most expensive parts of the entire country?

Much of Boston is priced like much of California, but the benefits are much different. The people who enjoy MA are the people who can afford to pay a dramatic premium for the proximity to a highly educated population, safety without much thought in many places, great education for kids, overall good environment for kids growing up, old money spots (hi Nantucket/cape cod), and a good job market / network for those in a position to take advantage of this.

This is basically the opposite of what any 22 year old wants and can afford.

Moved to the Bay Area - first was in the East Bay, now I’m in the North Bay. Lots of tech bros and annoying rich people, and the COL is just unsustainable. I’m moving back home to the east coast next year. Never thought I’d look at DC/Northern Virginia as affordable until I lived here.

It sucks though, because California is arguably one of the most beautiful states. Absolutely love going up to Tahoe or heading out to the coast.

Boston is not a mid-tier city. Boston has a larger population than Atlanta.

Anyway... to answer the OP's question...

HOUSTON.

I knew the moment the plane landed, before I even interviewed for the job, I'd hate Houston. And wow was I right.

The job was great and the people were mostly great, but what an awful city in an even more awful location and then zoning laws that enforce extreme and eternal awfulness.

Houston is a humid swamp of a place, just far enough away from the Gulf of Mexico to prevent a sea breeze from reaching it, but close enough to get all of the humidity, which gets pushed in with nowhere to go.

Sprawl is the only thing Houston excels at. The city is in a giant floodplain, and since there are so few regulations, most of it cost ten bucks and a limp handshake to build, so when any of it gets washed away by the next tropical storm, they'll just build it again, even cheaper.

Houston can be summed up as follows:

Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.
Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.

Go a mile, ten miles, twenty miles in any direction. Strip mall, strip club, shithole, church.

Lone Star: It's not a slogan. It's my review.

Girl, the Northeast is a totally different world from the south. What were you thinking? Take it as a learning experience. We all do.

Moved to NYC from Bay Area and I now know what it's like to live in a city that is too extra for me. Was happy for people who love it in NYC but it was a rough year.

Also a Boston transplant who wants to move 😂 no advice since I'm in the same hole 

The US is increasing in cost across the country. The key is to find a place with a balance of pros and cons to it. For me, Georgia is the best and worst of South has the heat and sometimes snow. If you don't mind winter, I would stay north. I have lived in los angeles Miami and New York. I now avoid places with tons of congestion. I realized home is where the heart is. If I was going to move anywhere by choice, it would be medium-sized cities Akron Ohio, Pittsburgh Pa Lansing Michigan. DC is good while you are young unless you make it big-time rich. Looking for a medium-sized city would be your best bet. Make a pros and cons list of where you live now and figure out why you hate it and avoi0d those things.

Baltimore to Twin Cities. I had wanted to move there when I was 22 but didn't get to until I was 28-29. On paper, everything looked good: LCOL, park system/green space, decent job market, blue state. Visited on vacation and really liked it. Winters didn't bother me but never felt at home once i moved there. I just did not mesh with Minnesotans. At best, people were polite-but-distant and at worst, navel gazey and pretentious (about being from Minnesota). The best folk I met there were transplants from southern states.  

Moved from Cleveland to Orlando 5 years ago (just before COVID) and hate it. On my way back to Ohio in 90 days!

For me, that was the DC / northern Virginia area. Great place to visit but it sucked to live there. I was delighted when I was finally able to leave. But each place hits people differently.

Yes I moved to Florida from a large east coast city and was absolutely miserable. I made it less than a year before running back.

Moved from ATL to STL for work. Man did i hate it 😂

The grass is always greener somewhere else! Or at least that is what people try to tell you.

Yep, more than once. Make a plan, work the plan, celebrate and enjoy what/who you can along the way.

Moved from Seattle to DC for law school. Really not a fan of DC, but it's fine because I can go back for the summers and after graduation, or onto a different city if I feel like it. (I probably won't, I really like Seattle--didn't realize quite how much until I moved away.)

I kinda think of it as a learning experience. Seattle and DC are so, so different, and it was surprising to me that two places in the same country could be so unalike, and it made me think a lot about what I value in a place to live.

Everywhere sucks

I once read DC described as being a combination of Southern efficiency and Northern charm. No, I didn't get those reversed, and yes, that is what DC is like. I hated it.

This sub hates Boston, you've found your people.

I did get a chuckle out of not enough trees, so thanks for that.

I moved from Minneapolis to Vegas and absolutely hated it. I finally left late last year and do not regret it at all

I moved to the PNW (rural) from a mid-size desert city. 🫠 I hate it. Everything is super far away. Everything is wet. The bugs here are gross and plentiful. None of my food stays fresh. I keep like everything in the fridge and have barely any room. Things bake funny here. Everyone here is weird, a methhead, and unfriendly or churchy. The amenities in the nearest town are okay and even further out there’s actual city life but I am tired of driving and I hate commuting in the rain with a toddler. The fire season is worse than I had in a desert somehow. There is also no trees that are like, in the town? Like there’s forest around but the town is just barren it’s so weird. Also the small town gossip and drama is off the charts. Like, holy crap. Downright scandalous and petty. In my mid size city you could be anonymous if you wanted or you’d never really see someone you didn’t like again if you didn’t want to. Not so much here.

I’d love to move back to my hometown but I think we’re going to try to get closer to Seattle and maybe that’ll be better?

If you think Boston's expensive, I have some bad news regarding New Zealand..

not enough trees

How did you manage to find a part of Boston that doesn't have many trees?? Must be like Mission Hill area lol

I'm the complete opposite. Went to college in Boston and absolutely loved every minute, by far my favorite city in the world. My only complaints are that it's too expensive and winter lasts a tad too long. Now live in DC and like my apartment and (some) of the people but hate just about everything else.

Move. Life is too short.

Moved to NOVA, I HATE it, moving to Richmond in a month then trying out Pittsburgh

I moved to Tampa about a year ago for a job that paid $20k more and to be an hour from the inevitablely aging parents. I don't hate it but I don't love it and miss my SC life pretty much every day. My parents were recently on a three week vacation with little contact and it made me realize what life might be like when they pass and I realized I do not want to be in Tampa. People are strangely money obsessed here in a way that's even worse than DC (which is saying something!) and I, as someone who makes less than 100k, somehow don't fit in. It's also a sprawling city which makes it even harder to meet people.

I'm here for at least four more years to take advantage of free tuition for my PhD but then I'm trying to get back to SC.

This happened to me 3 times... because each time I learnt something new about what I wanted for my own life.

Every place has its dark alleyways but it could also just be you've realised you really like trees.

No shame in that. Good plan and good luck.

Trying not to hate Austin - moved here from Philly. I know this sub would appreciate that. It was not by choice.

It’s just kind of insane how little culture outside of conspicuous consumption and Manhattan priced restaurants there is here, unless you want to get into anti woke stand up or like, the cheapest, most derivative street art I’ve ever seen (the kind of art that lives by the philosophy ‘art should only be about hot people doing cool things or cool people doing hot things!’) - there’s plenty of good music thanks to some of the hold out venues and the weirdo noise scene my partner was a part of lives on in a truncated version, but in general tech bro new money breeds the worst culture and it’s all still in the process of being built and filled by people who won’t be sticking around anyway.

I don’t hate Austin, but Philly is a REAL city and Austin is a town being forced to be something else, a city for the rich with the slow apocalypse on its way.

I hated moving to Chicago. Very little nature or wilderness. No terrain. Food was just ok. All types of transportation sucked (transit was late, roads are terrible, walking is dangerous, biking is even more dangerous).

This always surprises people, but I really hated Boulder, CO.

I found the local residents there to be low-key kind of... mean. It was probably the most classist place I've ever lived. Never before in my life had I been asked what my parents did for a living. It's not diverse, both ethnically and economically. They are the type of people who cry about the environment, but then run any whiff of Section 8 housing out of town. Stop Global Warming, Fuck Poor People.

Also, the Flat Irons are not that beautiful. Sorry. The nature and outdoors activities are overrated.

I grew up in the Portland, OR metro for whatever it's worth. After Boulder, I dipped out to Denver, which was much better for me.

OT: I'd love to live in Michigan or Georgia somewheres :P

I am from Boston

I find it funny that you say they are less trees. I think there are way more green spaces here then other major cities I have visited.

Moved to SF from LA. Now I don’t particularly hate SF but it didn’t deliver for me what I needed. I don’t want to blame everything on Covid but it really did have a really profound impact on San Francisco, I would say more than most other cities. It’s been four years and the city as a whole and especially downtown is still in deep recovery. So many people moved away and businesses closed. Everyone I met in my short time in SF pre-Covid all moved away quickly (practically ran) once it hit. The transient nature of tech doesn’t help either. That combined with the high cost of housing doesn’t make people want to stay more than a few years. If they want to start a family or own a single family home.

Columbia, SC. Had to move here for job but I moved from CA. Absolutely loathe it. Not a lot to do. The national park here is swampy and gross. Food is terrible and way over salted. Don’t want to learn about segregation and the terrible things this country did to people of color, namely black Americans which people out here seem to be proud about. Never seen so many confederate flags in my life. The humidity and the amount of roaches the size of my finger is insane. Have to drive far distances to go to see or do anything enjoyable (imo). Can’t wait until I can leave. CA isn’t the greatest state by far but yes I don’t think anywhere in the south is for me. Only saving grace is that things and cost of living are cheaper out here, compared to CA.

I have lived in both Boston and D.C. The quality of life in Boston beats D.C. by leaps and bounds every single day. And there are so many trees in Boston as a city, I’m wondering if this post is fake.

Why would you move to one of the most expensive cities in the US simply on a whim? I think Boston is overpriced but definitely wouldn't say it's a mid-tier city. If you're looking for nature primarily, most big cities aren't going to give you that in all fairness.

My wife (who I had not met yet) moved to DC after getting an MPA and landing her dream GS policy making job with the federal government. Thought it would be a great city and she’d be “in the room where it happens”. Lived there for five years and hated every minute. Said it’s was all transients climbing the greasy pole and everyone was all about “what can you do for me?”. The workplace was toxic, so much shenanigans and goofing off going on.

When Congress passed and Obama signed a law authorizing remote work for feds she immediately requested it. They said no and she said she would quit. I know she would have because she was miserable. Her director reluctantly signed it and my wife was told that after she signed it she threw the folder on the floor in anger. Whatever.

She’s been happily doing her job remote now for 12 years and is consistently a top performer. And it’s a bonus for me because I met her after she moved back.

I moved to a place that was awesome and now can’t wait to leave because it sucks now.

Moved from Nashville to Houston a few years back for my spouse’s job. While I try to focus on the positives, I am constantly reminded that this city is not for me, and we’ll be looking to leave in the next year or so. But this was maybe a different situation for me as I already wasn’t a fan of Houston before moving here.

Grew up in a cold climate. Moved south then moved back north. Couldn’t get south again fast enough, I’m just too thin and scrawny for temperatures under 40

Texas.

But not for cultural things.

Allergies. Just awful for me. Couldn't work out outside. Got fat (worth it. Breakfast taco game too strong).

Allergies is just a year round thing in Central Texas and it's gotten more intense.

I can deal with the heat and the roughness of it all but some allergen down there just got me good.

Well if you moved and didn’t like Boston how do you know that your going to like being over seas in Asia or New Zealand?

I moved to a college town in central Texas for grad school (no points for guessing the university) because I really liked a specific professor and his research. Overall I'm happy with my choice, but there are definitely things I don't like. 

I don't like that there is not a lot of nature and public land (and what is there is not the best). I don't like that it is extremely car dependent. Walking or biking anywhere is pretty difficult and dangerous (trust me, I've tried). I don't like how hot it gets (I've always liked cold weather better than hot weather).

That being said, I think it's important to recognize the good in where you are. There is amazing food here. The cost of living is very cheap (I am managing to save money while in grad school which is unheard of in most places). And I really love my research. 

What paht of Boston do you live and work in?

I lived half time in Pittsburgh for the last few years for a long distance relationship and ABSOLUTELY FUCKING HATED IT.  Pittsburgh is ugly, expensive and boring. The homes are decrepit, overpriced and atrocious looking. There are very few trees because of power lines and telephone poles in front of homes rather than in the alleys like Chicago. The job market is complete trash. There's nothing to do other than watch professional sports teams. Flights to and from there are extraordinarily expensive because there is no competition. There's a city income tax of 3% and a state income tax of 3.07%.  The cost of living was on par with Chicago. 

 The people are a whole other story. The only people who stay there have substantial generational wealth or are weird losers. All the successful people leave because it's impossible to make a decent living there.  

 In order to make that relationship work, I was going to have to move to Pittsburgh full time. Every time I thought about leaving my beautiful neighborhood and beautiful condo in Chicago in order to move to Pittsburgh, it broke my heart. I was never, ever going to be happy there, especially as a childfree woman in her forties. 

Grew up in Georgia moved to Boston in my teen years and I still hate it every time I visit my family there lmao. I can attest that Boston never got better for me. It looks great on paper but it sucks in so many ways and everyone from Boston just cannot fathom that anyone would want to live anywhere else. My advice is get a hobby to get through the winters like ice skating or skiing (even if it’s just a cheap ski hill), just because everyone else is miserable in the winter doesn’t mean you have to be. Maybe take a trip up to Maine or NH, there are a lot of hidden gems up there that are a nice break from the city. But honestly I agree with everyone else just move as soon as you can. If you truly feel like your life is wasting away by staying there then you need to leave. I left 4 years ago and have no regrets

I didn't like Boston either, and also wasn't happy in SF. Loved D.C., which is an unpopular opinion in this sub, but one I stand by. Just moved back there and am very happy to be "home."

I think I tolerated the places I disliked by making plans to leave, having people in my life who agreed with me and with whom I could commiserate, but also -- crucially -- by focusing on the things I did appreciate and enjoy about living there that I wouldn't be able to experience anymore after I left. Even the cities that I didn't love had some good characteristics, and I found it helpful to make a list of things I wanted to experience (restaurants, museums, day trips in the area, whatever) and try to get through as many of them as possible in the time I had left. Same thing with making sure to savor favorite coffee shops, favorite scenic walks, and things like that while I still had access to them.

Knowing that I wouldn't be there for much longer actually made it easier to find things about it to enjoy, probably because having an exit plan meant I no longer felt trapped.

San Diego. The beaches look nice, but the water is too cold. The air temp is too cool for me most of the year. The COL is crazy for what the city is. There is a lot to like about the city, but it was definitely one of those places that look much better on paper. Also the salary to COL ratio is terrible in San Diego.

My fellow lifelong Bostonians will hate me for saying this but... Montreal is a much better city than Boston.

DC as an adult is not like DC in college, unless you still know tons of people there to get into their friend circle. At least you have something to work off, I guess. I was thrilled to leave after growing up there. Never looked back.

Orange County California. Obviously expensive. But American History X is basically a documentary. The dating scene is a cross between Clueless and Keeping up with the Kardashians. Sure you have the beach but parking is expensive. Everything is within 2 hours and everything costs more money than you have. Walkability? Don’t make me laugh. Recreational drug use and petty thievery is more common than what is reported. Old people there are basically Super Karens and will gladly inform you about everything you are doing wrong. The tax situation is stupid. Sure income tax. But also hidden taxes like vehicle registration is based upon value of your vehicle not a simple fee. The surfers were cool unless you interrupt their mojo and then they get mega douchey. OC is a lie.

My husband is military so we’ve been forced to live in the worst places imaginable. He was stationed in the middle of the desert. Hours from any civilization, no job market, nothing to do, expensive, 120 degree summers, etc.

Just remember your situation is only temporary! Making the best of a shitty situation is how everyone on that base got through it. I surprisingly made the best friends I’ve ever had and we’re all buying houses next to eachother in a different state. Life is funny

Boston sucks, I’ve always hated it

Boston fucking sucks unless you’re from there and have to pretend you love it! Cold as fuck and nasty ass people

It might just be Boston! I'm moving out of Boston next week. I lived here from ages 18-29. Loved it in college and for a few years after. Then when I was 27, I realized I couldn't stand it anymore. A lot of people come for college or to start their careers and leave around the time they are my age, which is what happened to most of my friends here. I think you have to be either in the college bubble or very wealthy to enjoy it, but if you have money there are better places to be. My closest friend who grew up here lives in NYC now and pays less than I do in rent.

I also couldn't leave immediately once I was done with it, so I coped by saving up some money and looking into future destinations.

Yes, hubby and I moved from Montana to Colorado Springs. We enjoyed the newness for a year. Then we moved back home a year later. People were extremely conservative and we don’t do church. Colorado was also much too crowded for us.

You liked DC but don’t like Boston? That is wild.

Boston is an extremely difficult place to move, especially when you've known greener pastures. My best advice is to get out as soon as you can. Save your mental health. Be happier. If you cannot move, spend weekends away. Get out of that depression vector called Boston. It's not worth it. I've done it. It was the worst time of my life. And don't let two weeks of nice weather in the summer gaslight you into thinking that hole of a town is ok.