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best city for homeschooling and raising a family?


Prahl
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Hi there everyone, we're planing in moving in about a year or so but would like suggestions on the best and worst city for raising a family and homeschooling? We want a city that's kid friendly with culture and diversity. We are an interracial family and would like to be in an area where we wont be discriminated. We have currently been to St Louis mo , SAFB IL, Charleston SC. , and Miami FL, we best liked St. Louis. And Miami. Thank you for your help in advance

 

Gloria.

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Iowa City, Iowa.

The homeschool support is amazing. Tell them what you plan to use at the beginning of the year and a short list of what you covered at the end of the year. Doesn't matter how you choose to homeschool, just check in with them throughout the year...check ins could be a phone call, email, or going to one of their outings. Outings every week which consist of hiking and visiting places, coffee hour with guest speakers, or a science day at the homeschool building. The homeschool building has curriculum you can borrow free, manipulatives and other things to borrow, books, and 2 amazing people who will do what they can to help you.The city is small but is known as one of the top literary city. Library makes you giddy with it's offerings. Bus system. Culture (concerts, art, museums, book festivals, children's events) and diversity (from every culture to lifestyle). It is a University town, the university is spread throughout the town. One of the top children's hospitals is located here. Clean parks with children's equipment plus access to the public schools outdoor play equipment (once the school day is over). Bike trails and hiking trails are numerous and easy to get to. We absolutely love it here.

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we moved last year from charlotte NC. it is everything you mention and more. the homeschooling community is phenomenal! there are tons of homeschool classes, two homeschool stores, lots of homeschool groups & co-ops, several university model schools, etc. the city of charlotte is diverse and there's lots to do!

 

we now live in north florida near the beach. we really love it here too!!:)

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Pick Greenville, SC!!! For all the positive reasons listed above associated with my "sister cities" :001_smile: Easy to homeschool in our state, lots of extra-curricular activity options, co-ops, dual enrollment possibilities, many homeschooling families, churches, educational opportunities, sports, plus Greenville was voted the 6th best city in the U.S. to relocate to, for its family-friendly environment, great downtown activities, jobs, etc.

 

http://www.greenvillesc.gov/

 

Stay in the Southeast!!!

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You can just pick anywhere to live, based on those reasons?

 

Job, cost of living, weather, etc don't come in to play? Most importantly, JOB does not come into play?

 

Many of these places may be great to live and homeschool, but doesn't mean they are great to try to find a job.

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Oklahoma City/Moore/Norman, OK is a great place. Nothing to file or do for homeschooling. Lots of support groups, co-ops and extra classes. We have a great art museum, several science museums, history museum, a ballet, opera, and more theatre companies than I can name. We even have a Shakespeare company. There are lots of classes for kids and plenty of sports to sign up for. We also have a baseball team, hockey team, amd.basketball team.

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We live in SC just below Charlotte NC and we love the area. There are so many great resources for homeschoolers around the area. I would say move around the Charlotte area. It's absolutely great for homeschool. You would never run out of things to do.

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we moved last year from charlotte NC. it is everything you mention and more. the homeschooling community is phenomenal! there are tons of homeschool classes, two homeschool stores, lots of homeschool groups & co-ops, several university model schools, etc. the city of charlotte is diverse and there's lots to do!

 

we now live in north florida near the beach. we really love it here too!!:)

:iagree:

Charlotte is full of Homeschoolers of all "types". As quoted there are tons of groups, religious and secular all over town. Lots of resources and educational opportunities here. The Parks and Rec even has special classes at local nature centers just for HSer's. It took us a little while to find all the groups.... Yahoo groups was the best for this. Also we have a longer warm season so plenty of outdoor activities. It is a big city but has some really nice quiet communities in and out of Charlotte. As for the racially mixed family.... no one would even look twice. The job market in specific sectors is doing great, others only so-so. Housing I think is a bit high but you can still find a good deal. The nicest thing about Charlotte for me is how much greenspace there is. Compared to some of the other cities I've lived in, Charlotte is very green. Tons of Parks, lakes, trees everywhere.

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Salt Lake Cty, UT. I know what you're all thinking, that Utah isn't diverse, but that mainly applies to th suburbs and other parts of the state. SLC is totally different. Homeschooling is way easy in Utah--you only need to file an affidavit saying that you're homeschooling. Very active homeschooling community. AND SLC has been featured in several magazines as one of the best cities to raise a family.

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Check out Bloomington Indiana. Indiana has by far the easiest homeschool laws in Us. Only have to provide info if requested that is all. Otherwise complete freedom :). Bloomington is a huge college town and diverse. It is also very crunchy, lots of coops and farmers markets. Everyone is beyond open minded. Cost of living is super low as well.

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You can just pick anywhere to live, based on those reasons?

 

Job, cost of living, weather, etc don't come in to play? Most importantly, JOB does not come into play?

 

Many of these places may be great to live and homeschool, but doesn't mean they are great to try to find a job.

 

I'm not the OP, but we are looking to move soon and job is not one of our top constraints. Self-employed. If we have internet access and possibly access to an interstate or airport, we can work.

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Well, I only have experience homeschooling in one city - Huntsville, Alabama.

 

It has a lot going for it - lots of homeschoolers, very educated population, lots of groups and opportunities, a great public library system, science center with science classes for homeschoolers, etc, etc. I also think living in a mid-sized city (as opposed to either a small town or a large city) has a lot of advantages.

 

However, don't look to the state of Alabama for much (ANY) support. Ever. You are more or less 100% on your own, with the exception of a few special needs. On the plus side, the state doesn't bother you, either.

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I'm not the OP, but we are looking to move soon and job is not one of our top constraints. Self-employed. If we have internet access and possibly access to an interstate or airport, we can work.

 

Where can I find one of those jobs! What a great way to be able to raise a family! :001_smile:

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Iowa City, Iowa.

 

Opinion based on multiple trips through Iowa City - don't move here if you have more than the standard two kids. They looked at me as if I had two heads to go with my five kids. (I also heard someone refer to me as, "Mom and Tribe.")

 

:confused:

 

I'd be making spreadsheets with cost of living, real estate status, & homeschool friendliness to cross-check with the names here. But that's just me. :001_smile:

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Come up to Canada. :)

 

There are many nice homeschool friendly cities. I also think racial problems over all are fewer in Canada then the US.

 

:iagree:

 

I live just outside Vancouver and it is a great place to live and homeschool. Most schools give a generous homeschool budget for curriculum to homeschoolers, you can have as much teacher involvement/uninvolvement as you like and there is a wide homeschooling network of very supporting families. We are also tremendously multicultural. Only disadvantage to living here is the wet climate, though we do have nice summers :)

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I second Austin, TX. Cedar Park, a suburb, was named one of the best cities to raise a family a few years back. Austin inner city has pretty high real estate prices, but the suburbs are EXTREMELY reasonable. Texas in general has a low cost of living. Texas is probably the most homeschooling friendly state in the U.S.

 

Austin has a large active secular homeschool population as well as several large Christian groups. ACC has a great dual enrollment program and there are tons of enrichment classes around town. Even the YMCA has homeschooler friendly classes. (Almost everyone does) Beautiful scenery, tons of recreation, parks, etc. And some really unique funky festivals and activities. (Did I mention the city's unofficial motto is 'Keep Austin Weird'?)

 

The only downside I can think of is the dry HOT summers. Coming from the sauna that is Houston I prefer dry heat, although not the wildfires.

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