Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 10:27:16 GMT -5
DH and I were talking about this the other day as he doesn't want to live in OR anymore but can't figure out where he wants to go. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) I love the people here and it's beautiful, the lifestyle is great, but it's economically depressed and the income taxes are high and going to go higher.
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Apr 11, 2013 11:13:25 GMT -5
I disagree. I LOVED the city where I was born, I missed it terribly when we left. I lived in MD for about 15 yrs and HATED it. We lived in MA for about 3 yrs - I couldn't get out fast enough. Now, I love where we are. Yes, you can take the good and disregard the bad, but it doesn't mean that if you don't like it somewhere, it means that you are going to be miserable everywhere. Since I said that I was an AF brat and this was how I was raised, you really need to consider the mindset. We had NO control of where we lived for my entire life, we went where the AF sent us. If you go into a place with the mindset that you are going to be miserable, you WILL be miserable. You can either figure a way to not be miserable or to take the good of a place and let the rest of the crap roll off your back. I have more favorite and less favorite places that I have lived. But I was not going to be miserable because of a location. I understand and your mom is 100% correct that you have to make the best of every place. I just don't think that if you don't like it somewhere, you are going to be miserable everywhere. I try to think back if I was miserable in MD or MA. I disliked both of those states A LOT!! I don't think I was miserable, but I was never able to think long-term goals there, if it makes sense
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dividend
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Post by dividend on Apr 11, 2013 11:34:13 GMT -5
I really love living in the Midwest.
The COL is very low, and salaries are not necessarily proportionally lower. I've got access to nice grocery stores and excellent very local produce/meat, and a restaurant scene that is really coming into it's own. Not much for upscale shopping, but the internet makes that sort of irrelevant - plus, people in general are less fashion-oriented, so it's cheaper to dress nicely.
The education around here is top-notch - my high school class graduated 18 national merit scholars, plus we've got tons of colleges and a major research hospital.
Four seasons keep it interesting - I'm not sure I'd appreciate a crisp fall day as much without the January snowstorms or the August heat. There are lots of green spaces around, with lots of trails and parks, including 50 miles of mostly contiguous biking trails.
We're centrally located, so I can road trip on the weekends to Colorado or Chicago.
Plus, I'm getting Google Fiber installed this month. I live right near the epicenter of the "silicone prairie", so this is a great place to be a tech worker. IT unemployment is running <2%, to the point where recruiters for jobs are offering large cash referral bonuses.
I think I would enjoy a lower quality of life for my salary in other places I might like to live. I feel like this is a good blend of bigger city convenience and smaller town costs, trends, and attitudes.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Apr 11, 2013 11:46:17 GMT -5
I enjoyed growing up in central NC. We were about 4 hrs from the beach and 2hrs from the mountains. We had 4 seasons (which I really miss). That being said, I now live in Austin, TX and have been here 13 yrs. I consider it to be my home and enjoy living here. We have lots of live music, culture, hiking and bike trails etc. Overall it has a great "feel" to it. We are also only about 90 miles from San Antonio, which I also love. I enjoy the Riverwalk, Sea World, Six Flags, etc.
I have been to Seattle a few times and enjoyed it a great deal. Seattle actually reminds me of Austin some - minus the 105 degrees we have in the summer. I absolutely HATE the hot weather in Austin during the summer but the fall, winter and spring are great so I guess that is the trade off.
I have traveled to many places and of them I have to say San Fransisco is one of my favorites; however, the COL is just too crazy for me. Most people think I am crazy but I could also see myself living in Las Vegas. Once you get off the strip it is a city like any other and since I enjoy state parks they are close to many of the places I love (e.g. Grand Canyon, Zion National Park in Utah, Red Rock Canyon, etc.).
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Apr 11, 2013 11:48:40 GMT -5
I don't think there is a universially "best state" for everyone. "The best" will vary from person to person.
I can't think of one best state for me. But I will say I do have preferences.
1. I'm not a big fan of HCOLA areas. I will never move to someplace like New York City or San Diego for this reason.
2. I'm not a big fan of HUGE cities. I don't mind big cities, but I'm not a big fan of the massive cities like New York, L.A, or Chicago. I like to visit but wouldn't want to live there.
3. I never want to move to the D.C area. Because of the high cost of living and the bad traffic. As a federal employee, this limits my career growth potential, but I think it's worth it.
4. I do like a change in seasons, and yes I do actually like having a winter. So I don't think I'd be happy in places like Arizona, Texas, or Florida. But I don't like winters to be too extreme either, so I don't like the far north states like Minnisota or Wisconsin either. But if in doubt, I tend to prefer harsher winters than the long hot summers.
Other than that, I'm pretty open. I do give a state bonus points if it's within a few hours drive from my folks.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Apr 11, 2013 11:51:16 GMT -5
I've lived in many different states. My two favorites so far are Indiana and Colorado. I have also lived in New Hampsire, Maine, and Virginia. I didn't like any of those as much.
I know the midwest gets a bad rap from many, but I like it. COLA is low, people are friendly (usually) and there's plenty of culture out there. Plus, at least to me, the land has it's own brand of natural beauty.
I like Colorado, except for Feb through April when we get lots of snow, we get lots of sunshine and relatively mild weather. The COLA is a bit higher than I would like, but better than some areas. And it's great being close to the mountains.
Virginia, at least the part I was in, was nothing more than urban sprawl. And crime was a major issue. I didn't really care for the harsh winters in Maine/New Hampshire. Plus there was a bit of a culteral clash with me being from the midwest and the locals being from the northeast, the locals just didn't seem as friendly.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Apr 11, 2013 12:06:02 GMT -5
I have lived in 4 or 5 states and visited most of them at least for a little while. From my visits the one state that felt the most "home" to me was Nebraska. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/huh.gif) I actually to this day have no clue why, but the people just seemed so freindly and welcoming at the time. As far as living in my dream place it will not come as a shock to anyone, Hawaii. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/grin.png) I have always wanted to live on the Big Island. I know the COLA isn't the cheapest, but in our case it would still be lower than where we are now. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) I will say that where I live in NJ is very nice. I am 5 minutes from the beach. My kids go to fantatic schools. I guess the COLA isn't as high as if I lived in No Jersey, but the job market here isn't as nice either. We normally have less snow and cold than inland and Northern areas and are cooler in the summer. Up until two years ago I would have said we don't get hurricanes very often at all. Once our youngest is done with HS I am pretty sure we are out of here. It is just too expensive and getting more and more crowded every year. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/sad.png)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 12:30:02 GMT -5
after 50+ years. i have lived in a lot of places
I was a navy brat, and then i was in the AF
Been thru 48 of the states...and lived in 8
Mo NC Va Md Pa Ca Tx ND
I loved Southern California....but that was late 70's....and my teenage years....now not so much I hated ND, except for their spring...and the state fair which was incredible
Based on what i have seen, and what i know, there is no perfect place.
Every place has its ups and downs....weather, traffic, natural disasters, col
We are going to retire in NM....which gives us what we want with as few minuses as possible
If the politics and economy were better, we might have retired in Spain (still on the grand plan as a possibility)
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souldoubt
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Post by souldoubt on Apr 11, 2013 12:35:52 GMT -5
Born and raised in Southern California and I do love it - great weather, diverse area, I live 2 miles from the beach, can be in the mountains in less than 2 hours, family and friends are here and there's plenty of opportunity to advance career wise. That said it's California and with it comes a high cost of living, a lot of people on welfare/wic/some form of assistance, around here you don't get a big plot of land when you buy a house, the state is in a world of hurt when it comes to it's obligations and the list goes on. Schools where I live are pretty good but you wonder how long until they suffer at the expense of other schools. I can definitely see myself retiring somewhere else some day but that's 30+ years off and by then I could have grandkids and we may not want to leave. If I didn't have things keeping me here now I'd strongly consider somewhere like Vegas, Denver or one of the less traveled Hawaiian islands and there are some pretty big differences between those places. In a dream world I'd go live on one of the Hawaiian islands and/or areas that isn't a huge tourist spot.
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on Apr 11, 2013 12:38:07 GMT -5
We live and Oregon and adore it. And I've lived in NM, AZ, MT,CA, and MO. (Hated the midwest!) And travelled to most of the country. Little snow, no tornados. I can deal with the rain for this. 2 hr drive to the ocean or the mountains. MCOLA. Blue State
Unfotunately the economy here sucks right now.
Since DH is a State employee, we will probably stay here after he retires, for tax reasons on his pension.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 12:42:39 GMT -5
I really love living in the Midwest. The COL is very low, and salaries are not necessarily proportionally lower. I've got access to nice grocery stores and excellent very local produce/meat, and a restaurant scene that is really coming into it's own. Not much for upscale shopping, but the internet makes that sort of irrelevant - plus, people in general are less fashion-oriented, so it's cheaper to dress nicely.
The education around here is top-notch - my high school class graduated 18 national merit scholars, plus we've got tons of colleges and a major research hospital.
Four seasons keep it interesting - I'm not sure I'd appreciate a crisp fall day as much without the January snowstorms or the August heat. There are lots of green spaces around, with lots of trails and parks, including 50 miles of mostly contiguous biking trails.
We're centrally located, so I can road trip on the weekends to Colorado or Chicago.
Plus, I'm getting Google Fiber installed this month. I live right near the epicenter of the "silicone prairie", so this is a great place to be a tech worker. IT unemployment is running <2%, to the point where recruiters for jobs are offering large cash referral bonuses.
I think I would enjoy a lower quality of life for my salary in other places I might like to live. I feel like this is a good blend of bigger city convenience and smaller town costs, trends, and attitudes.
I thought you moved to Hawaii...or am I thinking of another poster?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 12:44:39 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 12:49:23 GMT -5
I was just telling Goose this morning "If I have to move back to the U.S., you have to promise me you will not move me to the Midwest!!" I really did not like living in th Midwest even though it is LCOLA. He wants to move to Texas, but it would have to be Austin or San Antonio where there is a diverse cultural scene. I guess we will go wherever the job is, but I hope and pray it is NOT in the Midwest.
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souldoubt
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Post by souldoubt on Apr 11, 2013 12:53:40 GMT -5
San Fran is awesome but I've learned from my travels that I'm not wired to live inside a big city. Sonoma and Napa are awesome but I wouldn't want to live outside the city and have to commute in for work. Sonoma would be a cool place to retire to but when I had a friend living up there maybe 5-6 years ago houses weren't cheap much the same they aren't in parts of SoCal so doubt I would end up there.
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ginpin
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Post by ginpin on Apr 11, 2013 13:02:03 GMT -5
I live in a suburb of Denver. I was born in Colorado, and have never lived anywhere else. I generally like it here. We have these days where it will be like 60 degrees in the winter, then we'll have a blizzard the next day. The snow never stays long. It usually melts in a day or so (at least in the foot hills, not talking about the mountains). The COL is higher here, which sucks, but it isn't the worst. My job is relatively secure, so I don't worry too much about that.
I did want to live in Montana, as I think Montana is a beautiful state.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Apr 11, 2013 13:05:19 GMT -5
I was just telling Goose this morning "If I have to move back to the U.S., you have to promise me you will not move me to the Midwest!!" I really did not like living in th Midwest even though it is LCOLA. He wants to move to Texas, but it would have to be Austin or San Antonio where there is a diverse cultural scene. I guess we will go wherever the job is, but I hope and pray it is NOT in the Midwest. Austin and San Antonio are great. They are actually the only 2 cities in TX I would live in. I have always said that if I move away from Austin then it will be to another state. I have to travel to Dallas and Houston a lot for work and I don't like either of them.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Apr 11, 2013 13:05:27 GMT -5
I love California and Arizona, but only certain regions in each. Colorado was really cool too. Mississippi I wasn't a fan of, but New Orleans is the shit.
New Mexico and Missouri suck.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Apr 11, 2013 13:07:53 GMT -5
What I REALLY want is to live in Austin Oct. - Apr. and somewhere cooler May - Sept. Not sure that will ever happen but I can dream...
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goldensam
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Post by goldensam on Apr 11, 2013 15:45:19 GMT -5
I was just telling Goose this morning "If I have to move back to the U.S., you have to promise me you will not move me to the Midwest!!" I really did not like living in th Midwest even though it is LCOLA. He wants to move to Texas, but it would have to be Austin or San Antonio where there is a diverse cultural scene. I guess we will go wherever the job is, but I hope and pray it is NOT in the Midwest. Austin and San Antonio are great. They are actually the only 2 cities in TX I would live in. I have always said that if I move away from Austin then it will be to another state. I have to travel to Dallas and Houston a lot for work and I don't like either of them. I've lived in Dallas and Houston and agree. I could probably do Austin, but I just don't like Texas overall. I need some winter.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Apr 11, 2013 15:50:39 GMT -5
Austin and San Antonio are great. They are actually the only 2 cities in TX I would live in. I have always said that if I move away from Austin then it will be to another state. I have to travel to Dallas and Houston a lot for work and I don't like either of them. I've lived in Dallas and Houston and agree. I could probably do Austin, but I just don't like Texas overall. I need some winter. I do miss having winter. We get about 3 weeks in Austin
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Apr 11, 2013 16:03:19 GMT -5
I was just telling Goose this morning "If I have to move back to the U.S., you have to promise me you will not move me to the Midwest!!" I really did not like living in th Midwest even though it is LCOLA. He wants to move to Texas, but it would have to be Austin or San Antonio where there is a diverse cultural scene. I guess we will go wherever the job is, but I hope and pray it is NOT in the Midwest. Austin and San Antonio are great. They are actually the only 2 cities in TX I would live in. I have always said that if I move away from Austin then it will be to another state. I have to travel to Dallas and Houston a lot for work and I don't like either of them. I used to travel to Houston for work and I HATED it. What a craphole. I've been to San Antonio and enjoyed it, but was only there for a few days. Texas overall does not appeal to me but I keep hearing that Austin is great and not like the rest of Texas. I grew up in the south (Georgia and Florida), and would very much like to move back to a warmer climate one day. I don't live in the South anymore and I can't stand winter. I would move back to the small beach town in Florida where I went to high school, but there really aren't jobs available. I loved living in Miami, but I'm not sure that I could deal with the insane traffic and crowds there anymore. I'm not sure where that leaves me. Atlanta is a possibilty I would consider.
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Apr 13, 2013 0:46:04 GMT -5
I've lived in many different states, traveled quite extensively around the world.... and moved to Seattle (Washington state) because of it's beauty, nature, culture, vibe, etc. It fits well into my persona. I'm a crunchy outdoorsey type person, and it just melds with me. Zooming (or creeping) down I-5 to work and seeing the Olympics on my right, the Cascades on my left, and Mt Rainier in front of me... it just takes my breath away. I'm like Heidi... 'where are the mountains ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/huh.gif) ' Going south from Seattle past Boeing field in the afternoon with the sun shining is wonderful. Mt Rainier shines and planes are landing so close you can see the entire bottom of the plane. It is a rare and beautiful sight since you don't always have sun and planes landing at the same time. A perfect moment in time.
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ktunes
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show your world to me...
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Post by ktunes on Apr 13, 2013 2:13:21 GMT -5
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Apr 13, 2013 2:23:35 GMT -5
I'm going to put in another vote for Seattle. One can complain about the rain if they want, but Seattle actually gets less rain than a lot of places. It does rain more often, but that is part of what makes it such a beautiful place. Green is a much nicer color than brown....
Almost anything you want in nature is at most a couple hours away. Mountains (on both sides), lakes, rain forests, the ocean.... All easy daytrips. We have four seasons, but do not have extremes in any of them. We rarely go under 10 degrees or over 90, and almost never hit zero or 100. Culturally it's wonderful. For the most part, IME, it is very much a live-and-let-live place.
There are an awful lot of nice places to visit, but I can't imagine many being a better place to live.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on Apr 13, 2013 9:52:44 GMT -5
I really love living in Portland (well, we're just north of it in WA). I actually like it better than Seattle because of the MCOL and IMO it is closer to more natural attractions than Seattle (ocean/mountain/river/etc). I drive over the Columbia Gorge every day and it is beyond beautiful. I detest Seattle traffic. The only negative I feel about the PNW (besides the rain ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) ) is that it is pretty isolated. Other than Seattle/Portland, there is nothing else urban...whereas if you were in the NE you could easily visit ten major cities (and most of them offer more attractions than SEA/PDX). We aren't really urban people - I'd rather spend the morning hiking in the gorge than shopping - but sometimes I miss the idea of seeing so many museums or checking out national history stuff.
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moneymaven
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Post by moneymaven on Apr 13, 2013 10:40:49 GMT -5
I live in a suburb of Denver. I was born in Colorado, and have never lived anywhere else. I generally like it here. We have these days where it will be like 60 degrees in the winter, then we'll have a blizzard the next day. The snow never stays long. It usually melts in a day or so (at least in the foot hills, not talking about the mountains). The COL is higher here, which sucks, but it isn't the worst. My job is relatively secure, so I don't worry too much about that.
I did want to live in Montana, as I think Montana is a beautiful state. I too am a Colorado native and have only lived here. Wouldn't trade it for the world. COL ranges from low to high depending where you are in the state. There's access to plenty to do (arts and cultural, outdoors, etc). 300 days of sunshine a year and 4 seasons in fair proportion. We have a lot of space where we live for a reasonable cost with an amazing school district. We will be here forever.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2013 10:56:06 GMT -5
@formerly SK said: ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/thumbsup.png) Sweet!
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