Where in the US to Move

[A Mafan]

I'll second the Houston recommendation.

The Chinese part of town is pretty extensive. They have a locally-published Chinese newspaper...or, at least they did 10 years ago. Street signs in Chinese, too.

Of course, there is plenty of Asian melting-pot there, not just Chinese; but still: lots of really good, authentic Chinese restaurants, supermarkets, etc.

The cost of the living is extremely low for such a large, convenient metropolis, too.

 

I hear Austin, TX, has a significant Chinese population, as well, but no China/Asia-town.

 

For the most part, nearly any sizeable population center will have at least a few Chinese folks. Even in San Angelo, TX (pop. 88k), there are a dozen total native Chinese speakers working at various restaurants and teaching at the University. I ask them how they hear about San Angelo, and they say that they had a friend who told them about it...

 

For example, Montgomery Alabama has a big enough Chinese community to have at least one Chinese church (although as of 7 years ago, it lacked its own building and met in an established church's sunday school room).

[Mike62356]

I'll second the Houston recommendation.

The Chinese part of town is pretty extensive. They have a locally-published Chinese newspaper...or, at least they did 10 years ago. Street signs in Chinese, too.

Of course, there is plenty of Asian melting-pot there, not just Chinese; but still: lots of really good, authentic Chinese restaurants, supermarkets, etc.

The cost of the living is extremely low for such a large, convenient metropolis, too.

 

I hear Austin, TX, has a significant Chinese population, as well, but no China/Asia-town.

 

For the most part, nearly any sizeable population center will have at least a few Chinese folks. Even in San Angelo, TX (pop. 88k), there are a dozen total native Chinese speakers working at various restaurants and teaching at the University. I ask them how they hear about San Angelo, and they say that they had a friend who told them about it...

 

For example, Montgomery Alabama has a big enough Chinese community to have at least one Chinese church (although as of 7 years ago, it lacked its own building and met in an established church's sunday school room).

Thanks A Mafan, where you been?

[LaurenAmber]

For example, Montgomery Alabama has a big enough Chinese community to have at least one Chinese church (although as of 7 years ago, it lacked its own building and met in an established church's sunday school room).

 

 

In Huntsville we have about 3 Chinese churches (could be 4 by now) and they're actually in very nice buildings

[LaurenAmber]

One thing you might want to think about is college. Georgia is the only state that uses their lottery for primarily scholorships. ANY kid in Georgia that maintains a B or better grades in the last two years of high school is guaranteed a scholarship at any Georgia State University or College. That was the rule when I lived there, but I left in 1997. I don't think they changed the rules since then.

 

 

That all applied if you did most of your schooling in Georgia. It really is a great system.

Edited November 19, 2008 by LaurenAmber (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

Here is a link to a ranking of elementary schools state by state

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USthreeRsphp/S...CountyID_0.html

Middle schools

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USthreeRsphp/S...CountyID_0.html

[pkfops]

The SF Bay Area will work.

[Dennis143]

Yeah, I spoke to some ppl here (Chinese) who lived in Atlanta. They didn't like it either.

 

I am not a big fan of Irvine, I live up in LA county. I like this area better. I live in South bay. Not so many Chinese, but a lot of Koreans and Japanense. Quite a few Chinese, but they are spread over the cities. I see the chinese school every saturday morning and it is packed. If you want a good chinese school, you might want the southbay area or the Alhambra area or Irvine. I know these areas all have large good chinse schools for extra work. I have to work some in Irvine now, maybe full time there soon. Some thing about Irvine leaves me cold.

 

Many of my Caucasins friends from the upper midwest all want to move to Huntsville. I am not sure of the Asian population, but Huntsville has done well with high tech and the early Walmart money. I guess Sam Walton got many early investors from the Hunstville area and now they are doing well.

Just for the record Don, Alhambra public schools aren't that great. Alhambra High is predominately Latino. Not to disparage Latinos, but they generally are not as academically motivated as Asians.

 

In the San Gabriel Valley, Arcadia and South Pasadena Public schools are the cities where Asians want their children. I have helped a few Chinese families relocate to South Pasadena for this reason. Both families wanted to get their child out of Alhambra public schools.

 

 

BTW, I purposely sold my Pasadena home and moved to South Pasadena and now rent our apartment here...reason was to have the best school for my former Nanning lady's daughter to attend.

[Dennis143]

Well, I would much rather live in Orange County than LA. The traffic alone is a plus. I've been to Monterey park, Rowland Heights and lived in Orange County for 6 years. The traffic is much better in Orange County and it has newer roads, etc. Why would you like LA better? I guess if you didn't have to drive much it would be ok but I remember everytime I had to go to LA I cringed.

OC has fewer roads?

 

OC is a big county, so is LA. Not many people know where either end or begin. SoCal or the greater LA area is all encompassing, (sorry OC) that includes OC too.

 

Sure, if you're not on the freeway, some communities have less traffic than others. But, for the most part, it's hard to differentiate one SoCal community from the other.

 

Bottom line, if my wife can drive here, so can you.

[HaoRan]

yeah, I'm not sure why I wrote there are fewer roads in OC but, the traffic on the freeways seem much less that in LA. That was my experience where I lived.

[Mick]

Chicago has a LARGE Chinatown and Chinese culture but it's also very close to a bad part of town.

 

Here in Huntsville, AL there's a LOT of Chinese culture. We have lots of international companies staking claim here because the cost of living is so suprisingly low. (Gotta love paying $650/month for a 3 bdrm/2bth home on a corner lot with a huge yard) We've got various Chinese things going on and lots of mixing of cultures and asian supermarkets.

 

Than again i'm biased lol, but it really is great here for cost of living and amount of asian culture

What she said! Huntsville is a great city to live in - not too small, not too big. Lots of Chinese culture, several top notch universities, climate not too bad, unless you can't deal with humidity. I was born there and now live across the border in Tennessee, about 23 miles north of Huntsville.

 

The city is very cosmopolitan, unlike the rest of Alabama. This is due in large part to the space industry. The Saturn rockets that put up the moon shots were built here, as was most of the Space Shuttle. NASA has a major presence in Huntsville.

 

Crime is not too bad, and cost of living is quite low compared to other places.

 

It is unlike the rest of Alabama. I often used to compare Huntsville to West Berlin. An oasis of sorts in a sea of Red. In the case of Berlin, red as in Commies....In the case of Huntsville, red as in ....well....necks.

[Mick]

One thing you might want to think about is college. Georgia is the only state that uses their lottery for primarily scholorships. ANY kid in Georgia that maintains a B or better grades in the last two years of high school is guaranteed a scholarship at any Georgia State University or College. That was the rule when I lived there, but I left in 1997. I don't think they changed the rules since then.

Tennessee also has the same program, funded through the Lotto. Pretty much the same deal. Need a B average and the state is loaded with colleges and universities that are state schools.

 

Nashville is not a bad place to live. Lots of Chinese there. I live about 80 miles south of Music City. Of course, Trigg is much closer but then, he has a rubber goat.

[Don]

Yeah, I spoke to some ppl here (Chinese) who lived in Atlanta. They didn't like it either.

 

I am not a big fan of Irvine, I live up in LA county. I like this area better. I live in South bay. Not so many Chinese, but a lot of Koreans and Japanense. Quite a few Chinese, but they are spread over the cities. I see the chinese school every saturday morning and it is packed. If you want a good chinese school, you might want the southbay area or the Alhambra area or Irvine. I know these areas all have large good chinse schools for extra work. I have to work some in Irvine now, maybe full time there soon. Some thing about Irvine leaves me cold.

 

Many of my Caucasins friends from the upper midwest all want to move to Huntsville. I am not sure of the Asian population, but Huntsville has done well with high tech and the early Walmart money. I guess Sam Walton got many early investors from the Hunstville area and now they are doing well.

Just for the record Don, Alhambra public schools aren't that great. Alhambra High is predominately Latino. Not to disparage Latinos, but they generally are not as academically motivated as Asians.

 

In the San Gabriel Valley, Arcadia and South Pasadena Public schools are the cities where Asians want their children. I have helped a few Chinese families relocate to South Pasadena for this reason. Both families wanted to get their child out of Alhambra public schools.

 

 

BTW, I purposely sold my Pasadena home and moved to South Pasadena and now rent our apartment here...reason was to have the best school for my former Nanning lady's daughter to attend.

 

Cerittos, PV and Torrance all have very good schools. So if that is important, than consider some of them. Plus, in torrance you can walk or ride bus many places. The car is not really needed. PV is very pricey, but nice. Cerittos is pricey, but has very good schools and looks more like OC.

[LaurenAmber]

Chicago has a LARGE Chinatown and Chinese culture but it's also very close to a bad part of town.

 

Here in Huntsville, AL there's a LOT of Chinese culture. We have lots of international companies staking claim here because the cost of living is so suprisingly low. (Gotta love paying $650/month for a 3 bdrm/2bth home on a corner lot with a huge yard) We've got various Chinese things going on and lots of mixing of cultures and asian supermarkets.

 

Than again i'm biased lol, but it really is great here for cost of living and amount of asian culture

What she said! Huntsville is a great city to live in - not too small, not too big. Lots of Chinese culture, several top notch universities, climate not too bad, unless you can't deal with humidity. I was born there and now live across the border in Tennessee, about 23 miles north of Huntsville.

 

The city is very cosmopolitan, unlike the rest of Alabama. This is due in large part to the space industry. The Saturn rockets that put up the moon shots were built here, as was most of the Space Shuttle. NASA has a major presence in Huntsville.

 

Crime is not too bad, and cost of living is quite low compared to other places.

 

It is unlike the rest of Alabama. I often used to compare Huntsville to West Berlin. An oasis of sorts in a sea of Red. In the case of Berlin, red as in Commies....In the case of Huntsville, red as in ....well....necks.

 

 

Haha veyr well said. Huntsville really is an oasis in Alabama haha.

 

We should get together sometime since Ardmore's so close!

 

But yes a definite second to everything he said about Huntsville too. Don't let the state fool you, Huntsville is very different from the rest of Alabama

[HaoRan]

Well, that sounds cool about Huntsville but I looked for Acupuncture listings which is usually a good indicator of Chinese presence but found no "Chinese" shops. All seemed to be Chiropractic or ppl of the west practicing Acupuncture.

 

Does Huntsville have a "China Town" area or is the Chinese population all spread out?

 

Thanks,

[LaurenAmber]

Well, that sounds cool about Huntsville but I looked for Acupuncture listings which is usually a good indicator of Chinese presence but found no "Chinese" shops. All seemed to be Chiropractic or ppl of the west practicing Acupuncture.

 

Does Huntsville have a "China Town" area or is the Chinese population all spread out?

 

Thanks,

 

 

There is definitely acupunturist, you just have to ask. Most of them work through a Chiropractic office.

 

The Chinese are trying to attempt to build a China Town. I don't know thier definite plans for it, but it seems to be in the works. However, Huntsville is small enough that all of Chinese people and places are actually all very close together. There isn't a REAL China Town par sey, just that all the Chinese people and good shops are very close together.