[hkarthik]

My vote is Austin, TX.

Crime is low, very affordable, and politics are progressive (but the rest of the state is staunchly conservative). Nightlife is good, due to the large University of Texas being nearby and the tech scene is really exploding. Weather is pretty hot though, so you need to be prepared for that.

[rdouble]

Austin isn't small, though. It's got more people than San Francisco.