San Francisco is awesome, but it's expensive. I'd recommend the suburbs if you're going to move to that area though. The actual city of San Francisco is a nice place to visit. It's also a nice place to leave.

Might I suggest San Bruno, Millbrae or Daly City. All within earshot of affordability yet still close to the inner city with the endless number of cool things to do and see that it has to offer.

You can also move to the east side of the bay to areas like Lodi and Stockton. These places are a bit of a journey to get to San Francisco itself and have some bad areas in regards to the crime rate, but housing prices are very affordable. If you want to go in to the city, you can simply drive to a park and ride near Antioch and take the BART to anywhere you want to go.

Two answers:

-Wherever I am right now. Amor Fati. It happens to be Philadelphia. My point is, embrace wherever you are. It is what you have. Longing for somewhere else is self-imposed misery.

-Having said that, I lived for a year in Eugene, OR. Beautiful, progressive, small enough to be easily manageable but large enough to have a lot going on. Affordable. A fair number of woo-woo's but they are for the most part harmless and entertaining. Craft and artisanal everything. An amazing food culture. For you weed fans, I'm not sure anyone noticed when it was legalized. Everyone was already stoned.

I have moved 23 times in my life. I was military, married my ex who was also military and stayed in til he retired, and then moved 3 times after he retired from the military and then 4 moves after divorce. So I have lived all over the US and overseas, and have ended up 50 miles from where I was born. That was not in the original life plan... Anyway, I loved Western Washington State best of all. We lived in/near Tacoma/Seattle/Everett area. So beautiful, so liberal, so many activities to do. Second favorite was the Kansas City area. I enjoyed the East Coast, so much history. Loved being close to DC, but hated the crowds, the traffic, the crumbling infrastructure. I loathed being in the south, don't deal well with heat/humidity/insects the size of cars/attitude. I also loved living in Germany, the distance thing though, can't get in the car and drive to my sister's house.

New Orleans. But it's not for everyone...just my personal pick.

Washington state for sure! There is so much you can do, and you live close enough to see Mount Rainer, or even close enough to go to the Dalles in Oregon. Plus they have longer summers and shorter winters compared to let's say Michigan..

Right where I am at, Clearwater Florida.

I have lived in Liverpool most of my life. Bar a brief stay in London. So this city is my only and best choice. However the question was where is the best place you have lived? That prize has to go to my ex. Sunnyside, a road built into Princes park circa 1835. The park was originally private and the houses part of the development. Now split into flats but with a back garden gate into the park and a frontage that looks out onto a wooded copse. I could look out of my front window and watch the birds and squirrels. Then wake up overlooking the tennis courts and park. No traffic noise yet only 2 1/2 miles from the city center. At one point our house was the Bolivian embassy and I entertained notions that Butch Cassidy may have visited there. I do not miss my ex but I sure do miss that flat.

Somewhere in upstate NY. NYC itself is nice to visit, but not a nice place to live, too noisy and dirty, imho. And too much crime. Upstate is quieter, and a bit slower paced.

I loved living in Florida near Tampa you were always an hour or so from any beach. Although I usually didn't go as much as I could have I miss it now. Moved back to Tennessee to be close to my aging mother maybe will retire there with all the rest.

Austin in the 70's and 80's
Louisville, Ky
Taos, NM

I lived in Japan for four years. That's my absolute favorite place to live. But I've also been to Spain and Israel, to name a few others I'd live. If I had to pick a state, I think I had the most fun living in Chesapeake Virginia.

Right here in New Mexico. I have lived on both coasts the city life is just stressful and polluted.

Haven't found it yet.

St Louis, I really miss the sound of gun shots, lol

Cologne - Germany

edinburgh architectures spot on culture is amazing and though reserved people are generally nice and helpful to strangers and friends alike plus we have an extinct volcano plug bang in the centre

That would be Burlington, VT where I lived for 3 years. Always something to do, had a circle of friends and beautiful scenery. Where I am living now with Dan is a geographically beautiful area and only 2 hours away.

Every place I have lived have it's own magic and place in my heart. All different and each unique in it's own way. I think any place is what we make of it.

Huntington Beach, CA.

Santa Barbara, CA.

I've lived in 11 states in the USA and spent extensive time in Great Britain.
I've been to 48 of the States in the USA and 63 countries total

I can be happy anywhere I can garden, have internet, and make money....and where humans can live and work freely by their choice.

I’ve lived in CA, IL, and NJ, and I’ve spent a lot of time in OR and WA. I would move to OR or WA in a heartbeat.

My place.

My favorite place to live is Planet Earth.

Oh, you want me to be more specific? Okay ... How about Washington state? The land is beautiful, and the people are generally liberal. Very refreshing, after living in the "conservative" Bible Belt.

(P.S. I put the word 'conservative' in quotes because I don't know what it is they are trying to conserve. Certainly not the government; they want to reduce it to the size that they can drown it in the bathtub. Certainly not the environment; they want to continue polluting it. Certainly not human rights, the rule of law, or American values; they trash them as often as they can. Oh, the ignorance!)

Kounipidiana Village minutes from the city of Chania, in the island of Crete, Greece. In the 90's. The wife was 7,000 miles away. Cost me a Divorce... I will do it again. It was like living on Spring Break from late February to late November. Except the Women were Sophisticated, European Young Ladies down to Earth to Party Hearty. There is Nothing like Island Living!!! Best time of my life. I was born in an Island after all! I just relocated to the city in a crater of the moon. Away from anyone that knows me! Can't smell the Ocean in the air!!! But it will do me fine. Until I am ready to return to Europe, maybe one of the Baleares Islands. Since I already lived it... I just want the noise of Party in the background. "Island Living fer Life!!!" Growing up in San Juan was not bad at all!!! I was the Prince of Santurce. Despised by all the girls in my neighborhood because I never dated anyone from my hood! Thank You Poster for the Memories!!!