Suggestions for places to live

[Cory]

My wife and I grew up in Otsego County, upstate New York.
We moved to and spent nearly 2 years in Clark County, Kentucky.
We moved for family reasons to the gulf coast of Florida.

I desperately miss Kentucky. I tried very hard to convince myself that I didnt like Kentucky in the time before the move, because I knew moving was the right thing. Now that I'm here in Florida, the population is too dense. There is nowhere rural. The politics are a vote away from left leaning. This is New York without the winter, and if it isnt it will be in an election cycle. In Kentucky you can be in Lexington in 20 minutes, and the middle of nowhere 20 minutes the other way. The politics suit me, and there are growing companies. Im sure the school system leaves something to be desired, but simply being present as a parent will help alot. Different schools also may fair differently for performance. Kentucky has pride too. I like that. It does have the worst drivers I have ever seen... I was once told by a man with a straight face that his wife crashed her car because the road was "damp with fog". There is no excuse for the lack of driving ability, but otherwise i do like Kentucky.

I hope to move back to the Bluegrass someday, but I want my son to know his Grandparents and be close with them. I wasnt close with mine and want better for him with that. I dont know if I'll ever get to move back at this point.

-Cory

[Coyotesfan97]

Flagstaff might be another option. AZ, in general, doesn't have very good government schools but has a lot going for it otherwise.

Flagstaff is very red and expensive for Arizona. Prescott is very gun friendly and Payson is probably less expensive then Prescott.


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[Poconnor]

I can’t believe nobody is mentioning Texas. Did it jump the shark? Or are you all trying to keep it quiet?

[imp1295]

I'd second the sentiment about staying well out of the Triangle area of NC. Not a native, but I've been in the Fayetteville/FT Bragg area on and off since 2000. The Triangle has gotten more and more liberal. Just yesterday we had some people at a UNC sponsored RTI event - it was essentially an anti-Trump, anti-personal rights, don't offend me fest.

We are essentially in a conservative bubble due to the Ft Bragg community and there is still quite alot of liberalism/progressive rhetoric here as well.

If interested in NC definitely go west of Charlotte toward the mountains. However, when it's all said and done and we decide to finally Retire from Uncle Sugar we are headed to Central Texas - A hour or so west of Austin in the Bertram/Burnet area. We're staying south of the Mason-Dixon due to weather - no interest in shoveling snow anytime in the future.

Good luck

[fixer]

I can’t believe nobody is mentioning Texas. Did it jump the shark? Or are you all trying to keep it quiet?

Trying to keep it quiet.

Seriously.

If trends continue, we'll be solidly 'purple' in about 15-20 years. Then the race to be solidly blue will not be long after that.

[DC_P]

I wouldn't hesitate to move to Alabama.

Huntsville area is also beautiful and growing - probably very different from what most people envision when they think of Alabama. No idea about politics there, but lots of engineering type jobs with the NASA facility means education and infrastructure should be on the rise.

[CWM11B]

RDU area of NC is a traffic nightmare and liberal gave thanks to the three major universities and influx of blue staters. The piedmont triad is not much better. The city councils of both GBO and WS are shit shows. Crime in both cities is through the roof. Asheville is like a mini Berkley. Boone is also very liberal, and similar to Asheville with all the hippies. Most of the major cities are not very fun friendly. WS has exactly ONE true LGS in the corporate limits and a couple of big box places that sell. The city council will not approve an indoor range (many have tried) and the two on the outskirts of town suck. To get decent acerage you need to go rural. As mentioned, Charlotte traffic is a fookin' nightmare right now. WS is about to have at least a two year traffic debacle when I40 Business/421 get completely shut down for a rebuild. That starts later this year. As much as I love NC, I want to move. SC, GA, North FL, AL, TX, AZ, are on my wish list, with a strong preference for remaining in the SE. If I stay in NC, my preference is the eastern coastal plain or sandhills. You can still get land there. Finding NC natives in the cities is getting increasingly difficult.

[lwt16]

I'll throw one out -

Alabama.

Alabama is growing rapidly - Mercedes factory, the new joint Toyota/Mazda factory. Infrastructurally, Alabama has some of the best roads in the southeast. In terms of education? Not so good, but it will get better as new blood moves into the state. University of Alabama and Auburn are both quality universities to send kids to.

I wouldn't hesitate to move to Alabama.

Been in Huntsville, AL since 1998.......it has EXPLODED in growth........and the new plant they are going to build here is just going to add to it.

Questions about this area just fire me off a PM. I can tell you pretty much everything you need to know. I saw your housing budget/estimate was like 600? You'd have a huge house here......or a semi mansion with a bunch of land.

Tons of things for a growing family to do here. Lots of shooting/gun shops, lots of fishing, lots of jobs, public schools are fairly fresh and modern, relatively low crime.......

Detractors are that nobody here can drive.

You should have us on your radar. A visit here would get you a Space and Rocket center trip, Monte Sano state park, Lake Guntersville, etc.

Regards.

OH, just noticed your wife has a security clearance.........Redstone Arsenal is right here and they hire tons and tons of civilians with security clearances.

Auto mechanics are in demand as well. Tons of dealerships and smaller places. Toyota Mazda indeed coming here so I am sure they would hire you.

The more I read, the more it sounds like this area is the ticket. You want land? Look at Morgan county just to the south of us as land prices there are much more reasonable. Or just north of us is Tennessee and land is nice there too. Little bit of a commute but most folks I know in Tennessee that work here swear it's the best thing since sliced bread.

Buddy of mine lives in Morgan county and just built his own firing range. His wife works on the arsenal.

You'd likely love it here.

[dsa]

Anyvody's input on Meridian, Idaho would be appreciated with two young children

Growing fast, excellent schools, plenty of amenities and in 30 minutes you can be alone in the mountains. The only down side is that it is growing fast, property values are rising every day.

[blues]

I like really like NM. The weather is pleasant and there are no realistic natural disaster concerns. I currently live in ABQ where over a quarter of the state population resides and along with that comes the typical problems that people bring with them. Without getting into it, the are sociopolitical problems in NM that have me planing on moving (probably to AZ, probably somewhere around the Prescott or Payson areas) in the next 2-3 years.

That Prescott is still on so many radars surprises me somewhat. Before we moved up here to western NC, the Prescott area was one of a handful of finalists. One of the things that held us back at the time, going back 15 years, was that there were many reports that the infrastructure was unable to keep up with the rising population. Adding Arizona's being less tax friendly than NC, (due to its treatment of my pension), it was eventually crossed off the list (with some reluctance).

Has the area come to terms with its rapid growth and proven an ability to handle the population? Might have to reconsider if I ever decide to leave the Blue Ridge.