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Arkadelphia,
Arkansas
Amiable
Arkadelphia (population 10,300), situated along
the Ouachita River about 30 miles from the
Ouachita Mountains in southwestern Arkansas, is a
peaceful, rural spot with a friendly, Southern
country ambiance that feels a thousand miles away
from modern city life. It is one of the oldest
hamlets in Arkansas, and the name comes from the
first part of the state name, Ark, and from the
Greek name for "place." And a nice place
it seems to be. Unassuming and affordable,
Arkadelphia is the kind of town where "good
deed doers" are sought out and publicly
recognized on the city's website. The cost of
living is nearly 20% below the national average,
and the median home price is just $110,000 (and
many homes date from the 19th century).
Albuquerque,
New Mexico
Albuquerque,
New Mexico (population 850,000 in metro area), at
the foot of the Sandia Mountains, is a fast
growing city with a laid-back, slightly bohemian
character and a very diverse mix of cultures,
including Hispanic, Anglo and Indian.
The city was founded as a Spanish military outpost
in 1706 and was designed with a central plaza
surrounded by government buildings (today the
section is called "Old Town").
Famed Route 66 runs through the city, and roadside
structures from the highway's heyday still remain.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Albuquerque suffered
through a period of decline, but today the
downtown is revitalized and becoming an urban hot
spot, attracting artists and others who can no
longer afford pricey Santa Fe.
Tyler,
Texas
Tyler (population 100,000) is
located on the eastern edge of Texas, 90 minutes
from Dallas, and is a very pretty city that
gardeners in particular may want to consider.
Nicknamed the "Rose Capital of
America," the city boasts the largest
municipal rose garden in the U.S. (40,000 bushes
and 500 varieties) and hosts the renowned Texas
Rose Festival every fall. Each
spring, the Tyler Azalea Trail, two scenic
routes that wind through established
neighborhoods and past spectacular gardens,
draws thousands of visitors. It seems that
nearly anything can grow here, and the abundance
of roses, crepe myrtles, azaleas and dogwood
trees only adds to the city's appeal. The city
is racially diverse and very conservative with a
cost of living roughly 10% below the national
average. The median home price is $135,000.
Elkhorn,
Wisconsin
Located less than an hour
away from Milwaukee
and just over an hour’s drive from
Chicago, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
(population 9,000) feels like the very heart of
America’s heartland. A wholesome, conservative,
family-oriented small town, rural Elkhorn
is nestled in gentle hills and surrounded by
fertile farmland and pretty lakes.
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