best place to live

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: rjundi

This point lingers on to OP, move to an area that is hot bed for your career while young. Establish yourself and then settle somewhere.


Exactly. What is the point of low cost of living if you can't find a high enough paying job to sustain it?

Downtown Detroit is pretty cheap, but what will you do when you are there?

Also about taxes. They get you one way or the other: sales tax, property tax, income tax, pick your poison.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Also about taxes. They get you one way or the other: sales tax, property tax, income tax, pick your poison.

Agreed. The state needs to get their money somehow, one way or the other. If it doesn't then chances are the state's services are in such a bad shape, you don't want to be living there in the first place.

 

[bradepb]

http://www.trulia.com/MI/Detroit,3819,Downtown/
Downtown Detroit cheap?

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Like a few people have mentioned, look into employment opportunities and have a job lined up first. You have a family, if I remember correctly, so education will be a second concern. If you have the luxury to do it, go visit some possible places to see what they're like yourself.

The only time I moved somewhere for the place itself was when everything I owned would fit into a Plymouth Duster. Since then, I have gone where the jobs took me.

I find that the realities of daily life and everyday people are much less "either/or" than the way they get portrayed by various media outlets. A lot of people base their opinions on one issue, but that single issue doesn't capture what it's like to live somewhere. I have lived in the so-called blue parts of red states and the red parts of blue states, but it all seems mainly purple on the ground.

The city data website is a good place to start seeing what different towns are like. Also check out their forums, where people considering a move often interact with people who live or lived there. That can tell you a lot about specific localities and even parts of a state where you would fit the best. If your town has enough big government to run a library, there are also books like "Places Rated Almanac" and "Cities Ranked & Rated" that give a lot more detail about the atmosphere of specific cities. Those books have been pretty accurate, in my experience. You can also find things like cost of living calculators online, and sites that have you answer some questions and then suggest the best places for you.

You're right to think about this move so far in advance. That gives you a lot of time to research, to find what really matters to you, and to weed out the odd opinions from the general truth about a place.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: bradepb
http://www.trulia.com/MI/Detroit,3819,Downtown/
Downtown Detroit cheap?


http://www.trulia.com/foreclosure/3080845742--Woodward-Ave-Detroit-MI-48226

1600 sqft 4 bedroom for $32k is darn cheap.

 

[kkreit01]

ND of course. It has the lowest unemployment rate, low crime, 4 REAL seasons, very few people.

In 2010, ND had 10 murders. Missouri had 420.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
No offense, chevyboy, I enjoy a lot of your posting, but you really make yourself sound like a classic, close-minded, southern hick.

...and that's coming from a very conservative person as well!


MO is next to IL, so the Yankees can have it.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: bradepb
http://www.trulia.com/MI/Detroit,3819,Downtown/
Downtown Detroit cheap?


http://www.trulia.com/foreclosure/3080845742--Woodward-Ave-Detroit-MI-48226

1600 sqft 4 bedroom for $32k is darn cheap.


And according to Trulia, built in 2000. That is insanely cheap, even for a townhouse. You can't even find that kind of $/sq ft here and there are tons of vacant properties. One neighborhood down the road has been half completed for years because construction just ceased in 2008. 4000 sq ft houses sitting in mud. Maybe "Mudfields" would be a good name for the subdivision.

The MI listings on eBay's real estate section are scary. Actually for $4K or so you could do worse, except that if you renovate the $4K house you're still likely in a really bad neighborhood.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: kkreit01
ND of course. It has the lowest unemployment rate, low crime, 4 REAL seasons, very few people.

In 2010, ND had 10 murders. Missouri had 420.


144 were in St Louis, ranked 2nd highest US crime rate (cities of 100,000 to 499,000 population). Which drags the whole state down, ranked 19th highest crime rate. But O'fallen MO is responsible for it not being even higher, ranked 1st for lowest crime in US (Cities of 75,000 to 99,999). It says there are a few nice areas of MO.

Nevada is ranked the highest crime state in US, followed by states LA, NM, SC, TN, FLA

NH is ranked the lowest crime state in US, followed by states VT, ND, ME.

 

[TireDude]

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Wyoming?

What's wrong with Wyoming?

 

[bradepb]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: bradepb
http://www.trulia.com/MI/Detroit,3819,Downtown/
Downtown Detroit cheap?


http://www.trulia.com/foreclosure/3080845742--Woodward-Ave-Detroit-MI-48226

1600 sqft 4 bedroom for $32k is darn cheap.


Not to get to nitpicky but that is not downtown,its called midtown and is a different area but yes, in the worst neighborhoods you can get a house dirt cheap but you sure would not want to live there!

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: HWEaton
Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Wyoming?

What's wrong with Wyoming?

Other than very cold winters, and a difficult employment picture, I actually think Wyoming is one of the most beautiful states in the union. I'd trade states right now if I could keep my same level of income.

 

[lewdwig]

Originally Posted By: joaks
I was going to suggest Indiana also. Nice mix of everything. Nice people. Not too hot.


106 in Ft. Wayne...Great Lakes states - fresh water.

 

[kkreit01]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: kkreit01
ND of course. It has the lowest unemployment rate, low crime, 4 REAL seasons, very few people.

In 2010, ND had 10 murders. Missouri had 420.


144 were in St Louis, ranked 2nd highest US crime rate (cities of 100,000 to 499,000 population). Which drags the whole state down, ranked 19th highest crime rate. But O'fallen MO is responsible for it not being even higher, ranked 1st for lowest crime in US (Cities of 75,000 to 99,999). It says there are a few nice areas of MO.

Nevada is ranked the highest crime state in US, followed by states LA, NM, SC, TN, FLA

NH is ranked the lowest crime state in US, followed by states VT, ND, ME.


And pretty much the rest were in KCMO -- with a few in-between.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Hey chevyboy, you and I seem to have a lot in common (except that I'm a moparboy!): we prefer small towns, cooler climates, and less gov't.

I agree with those that say Indiana would be worth looking into, though I've only been through there once for about 3 days.

I live in SD, in a town of about 12,000. The climate here can see extremes (the highs here have been around 100 all week), but overall, I like having the four distinct seasons. In my area, many people still have pretty traditional values. There's good pheasant hunting, if you're into that kind of thing, and also fishing and deer hunting. SD has no income tax.

Anyway, it's a pretty decent place as far as we're concerned. If you want to know more, feel free to PM me.

Here's an interesting quiz: www.findyourspot.com

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
NHHEMI: I recommended NH later on, don't take things so personal "homie".


You made it personal with your reply.

 

[Pablo]

Supposed to be 69°F today. 74°F tomorrow. The weather wackos are saying 80°F (maybe on Sunday)

Frankly I have seen lots of the USA and lived up and down the west coast. I'll take OR/WA over my native Cali any day. That state at some point went insane. WA is nearly as crazy (voters here just see a "D" and vote, it's REALLY bad). Yet, for now, there seems to be some respect for personal freedom.

If you want warm, try Southern OR. Try anywhere east of the mountains for dry and warm. I like green. It's practically a jungle this year, without the heat. Call it a temperate rain forest. Sometimes the rain can be irritating, but doesn't bug me. Some years no snow, other years crazy snow.

Other than the politics here, the other sour thing are the real estate prices. This place went crazy and was slow (and predictable) to dive. There are some deals now, though still high compared to the central belly of the country. Oh yeah and some areas now the traffic really sucks.

Clean air, close by water, mountains, etc. Not too many people you will need to shoot. Good beer culture. Good eats. Dog and bike friendly.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
Here's an interesting quiz: www.findyourspot.com

After filling out all the questions, they ask you to create an account and will send you a confirmation email before showing you the results. Still waiting for that confirmation email...

 

[zrxkawboy]

I dunno Pete, it worked OK for me.

 

[GMFan]

I've done a decent bit of traveling in the Eastern US from New England down the Carolinas and I can tell you that the simple fact I've found is that country folks are much nicer. There are jerks in EVERY state.

One of the reasons I like NY is that it is insanely diverse land wise...you have the massive NYC metro area with booming industry and 100+ miles north you feel like you are in Appalachia. A lot of folks are able to work in NYC and get great well paying jobs and can also live in the country.

Pennsylvania is a great state too...it is pretty cheap to live outside the big cities and jobs are plentiful.