Is the grass greener?

[Misfit_Cruiser]

Traveled the country for several months trying to figure this out. Quick down and dirty from my view. Here's what I looked for! <1hr to full amenities. Outdoor activities and ease of access, common sense guns laws (I like guns), climate that was without snow >9 months.

West Virginia, eastern Virginia, Tennessee and northern NC --UPS gorgeous area, amazing people, rich land lots to do with short drives. DOWNS humid, hurricanes, bugs, no mountains unless in the blue ridge.

North west Arkansas. Ups- three forests. Nicest people I've ever meet, fairly central, nice climate and great cheap land.

Texas/ UPS... Umm? The food? Cheap housing. Downs... Long drives to any real outdoor stuff, arrogant people not all but higher than average.

Northern new Mexico is breathtaking and tons to do but I found the housing expensive

Colorado. Place is a damn near outdoor activities smorgasbord. Housing can be found cheapish. Great beer.

Idaho and Wyoming. Like Colorado but little less cool.

California is amazing. Could be better then Colorado. But everything is way more extreme in Colorado. California in my own opinion has been ruined. Its to expensive to live. That cost is felt in almost everything. The gun laws make no sense.

You'll find me in Colorado shortly. Feel free to ask about other states pr clarification


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[Graeman]

Not that I like living here in AZ, but it has everything on this list <1hr to full amenities. Outdoor activities and ease of access, common sense guns laws (I like guns), climate that was without snow >9 months.
That being said I am moving to Denver in 2 weeks from Phoenix.

 

[Misfit_Cruiser]

I kinda forgot Arizona. But I would only be looking near flagstaff and maybe down by Prescott


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[Randy P]

Great list! Although I missed southern Utah on your list. Talk about over-landing potential!

The next dimension is cost of living/taxes.

I'm looking at "greener grass" mostly for my retirement years. That means I've got to make my pension dollars stretch. I'm starting in California, so- basically EVERYTHING is better than here! Just moving to a non-income tax state would be like a 10% raise! Then factor in almost 10% in California sales tax

Then housing/land costs- as I am looking for at least a couple acres.

I think even the Texas people are nicer than Californians!

My wife says she can't deal with a lot of humidity, so that also excludes some.

Randy

Traveled the country for several months trying to figure this out. Quick down and dirty from my view. Here's what I looked for! <1hr to full amenities. Outdoor activities and ease of access, common sense guns laws (I like guns), climate that was without snow >9 months.

West Virginia, eastern Virginia, Tennessee and northern NC --UPS gorgeous area, amazing people, rich land lots to do with short drives. DOWNS humid, hurricanes, bugs, no mountains unless in the blue ridge.

North west Arkansas. Ups- three forests. Nicest people I've ever meet, fairly central, nice climate and great cheap land.

Texas/ UPS... Umm? The food? Cheap housing. Downs... Long drives to any real outdoor stuff, arrogant people not all but higher than average.

Northern new Mexico is breathtaking and tons to do but I found the housing expensive

Colorado. Place is a damn near outdoor activities smorgasbord. Housing can be found cheapish. Great beer.

Idaho and Wyoming. Like Colorado but little less cool.

California is amazing. Could be better then Colorado. But everything is way more extreme in Colorado. California in my own opinion has been ruined. Its to expensive to live. That cost is felt in almost everything. The gun laws make no sense.

You'll find me in Colorado shortly. Feel free to ask about other states pr clarification


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[Misfit_Cruiser]

Don't get me wrong I spent a few months living in Utah. But their 4% beer thing killed me. Check out grand junction Colorado. All the amenities. Small town feel. Hour outside Moab, great beer and which access to the best parts of Colorado


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[Glenn]

Same boat here. About 2 yrs from retirement and it aint happening in Connecticut. Following this thread gleefully...

 

[Longshot270]

While y'all are buying up houses in Texas, save a cheaper one for me. They are still a little high for someone early in their career. Lol

 

[eloist]

Obligatory Tennessee recommendation here.

Nashville and middle TN is beautiful, safe, and the economy is booming.

The only downside is all the carpet baggers moving down here from the north [emoji16]

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[Graeman]

Is a carpet bagger like a snowbird? That is a new one for me - carpet bagger..

 

[eloist]

Haha it's a term from the post civil war, reconstruction period when enterprising business men from the northern states came down south to take advantage of the poor Southerners.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpetbagger

I'm making a joke in case it was lost in translation.

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[Graeman]

Thanks for the clarification. Here in Az we have snowbirds - northerners/Canadians who only live here in the winter. But, they don't take advantage of us. Lol

 

[eloist]

In all seriousness, all the new arrivals to the Nashville area has made it a much more diverse and fun place to live.

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[XL.Overland]

Tennessee has been on our list for a while. Everything about it seems perfect for us, but there are a couple downsides to it that have kinda pulled us away from it. Those downsides being: hurricanes, and being so far from our families. My Dad is planning on moving to Utah, and the rest of both of our immediate family is here in California. I don't mind being away from any of our family, but we would like to be within a days drive. Right now we're heavily leaning on Colorado, but we won't know for sure until after our family trip there this summer. I have a feeling we're going to love it. Planning a two week trip that starts in California with stops over a few days in Utah's mighty five (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Moab), then on to Silverton CO for 5 days and exploring the surrounding area, then 4 corners monument (I'm and land surveyor and have to see it), then to the north rim of the Grand Canyon for a couple days, and back home. This trip is going to be epic and can't wait. Just hope our middle son's hernia surgery doesn't end up scheduled when we are planning to be gone. That could throw a wrench in the whole plan.


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[southernfire97]

We live in Southern MS, right on the Gulf Of Mexico. We ( my wife and I) are looking at moving to Eastern TN ( Elizabethton) area. The biggest thing with picking somewhere to move is employment. If you can't find work, then it doesn't matter how nice it is. Good luck with your decision.


2005 Jeep Wrangler
2005 GMC Sierra
2014 Jeep Wrangler

OB#4392

 

[eloist]

Tennessee has been on our list for a while. Everything about it seems perfect for us, but there are a couple downsides to it that have kinda pulled us away from it. Those downsides being: hurricanes, and being so far from our families.

There's zero threat of hurricanes in Tennessee. I'm a born and bred Tennessean and I have never had to deal with threats of hurricanes.

Tornadoes on the other hand... those happen. We get crazy thunderstorms too, but definitely not hurricanes.

 

[Graeman]

There are no hurricanes in Tn., hurricanes are coastal storms and Tn is over 300 miles from the coast. I have a friend who is a land surveyor in Durango. That is some really nice country. I like all of the areas that you are going to visit except for 4 corners. Been there many times and until you hit Colorado not much to see. Silverton to Montrose to Gunnison to Lake City to Durango loop is one of - if not my most favorite of all areas to visit. You will love the mighty 5.

 

[Graeman]

We live in Southern MS, right on the Gulf Of Mexico. We ( my wife and I) are looking at moving to Eastern TN ( Elizabethton) area. The biggest thing with picking somewhere to move is employment. If you can't find work, then it doesn't matter how nice it is. Good luck with your decision.


2005 Jeep Wrangler
2005 GMC Sierra
2014 Jeep Wrangler

OB#4392

I have 2 friends that live in the Elizabethton/Johnson City area and after I spend a year in Denver I will be trying to transfer there. Beautiful country living for sure.

 

[southernfire97]

I have 2 friends that live in the Elizabethton/Johnson City area and after I spend a year in Denver I will be trying to transfer there. Beautiful country living for sure.

I will be up there in 2 weeks to run an overland rally. Looking forward to experiencing the back roads of eastern TN.


2005 Jeep Wrangler
2005 GMC Sierra
2014 Jeep Wrangler

OB#4392

 

[Graeman]

They are a bit narrow so be careful if you are pulling a trailer.

 

[eloist]

I lived in Gunnison for a year and change back in the late 90's.
It's epic out there. It's just too dang far from SEC football for me to go back full time though :)