Where in the USA would you choose to live?

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by grocerylist

Funny, I've been trying for years to convince my wife to move 3 hours North to BC.

Watcha got against tent cities and derelict motorhomes?

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Murf993

Like you a Red State, and honestly if we did it I don't want winter anymore.

Feel free to bring your boat down to South Carolina and try out the lake that our property is on. It does dip below freezing, but not enough to make people take their boats out of the water. When I drove past a boat ramp last February, there were five trucks/trailers parked there from people out on their boats.

The outdoor hockey does suck without ice, though.....

[erickonphoenix]

One of our regional managers is from West Virginia and says he really misses the states beauty. Apparently good paying jobs are hard to come by unless you have family connections or have a unique skill which it sounds like your wife may have. It is a very red state and likely to stay that way.

[wtwo3]

Whatever you do, don't move to Illinois. This place is a hellhole.

If it were up to me we'd probably look into moving to Arizona. I've been there quite a few times and love it out there. Beautiful landscapes, great driving roads, low taxes, and in my experience a pretty relaxed vibe.

[grocerylist]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

One of our regional managers is from West Virginia and says he really misses the states beauty. Apparently good paying jobs are hard to come by unless you have family connections or have a unique skill which it sounds like your wife may have. It is a very red state and likely to stay that way.

You could make nearly 80k/year as a coal miner in WV.

[chassis]

Indiana and Georgia are pretty conservative.

Agree that Florida has a lot of Canadians and I also describe Florida as a third world country. Some things you see in Florida are only found in Florida. While there are many conservatives in Florida, there is also a fair amount of anarchy/free-for-all behavior. It’s not high on my list of places to live. Summer weather is oppressive.

Indiana while flat has the advantage of being close to a big city (Chicago) if you want that, and the central location has attracted and will continue to attract business investment in logistics and manufacturing industries. Healthcare orgs are IU Health and Franciscan, plus others. Weather will be milder than anywhere in Canada except Vancouver. I would target the suburban Indianapolis area. Northwest Indiana is where people fleeing Chicago are moving. It’s a dense cluster you-know-what.

Georgia has nicer weather and nicer landscape (mountains and forest) than Indiana. Atlanta has grown tremendously over the past 30 years which has good and bad aspects. Lots of employment opportunities. Emory is one of the larger healthcare systems.

PA, MD and VA are high tax areas but in my experience living in that region for 15 years, you get what you pay for. Politics are balanced and most people don’t talk about politics in my experience. Proximity to NYC, DC and the coast are great. Tons of employment. Housing is expensive but probably similar to Canada or maybe cheaper. Natural beauty is excellent with mountains and forests. Western MD is near the top of my desired places to live for all of the reasons given above.

[F32Fleet]

Minnesota.

Red States almost demand private schooling.
High humidity is prevelant is a majority of red states.

I live in Atlanta Ga.

[RickFLM4]

We’ll probably never leave Florida permanently. The summers suck, but November through April are awesome and no state income taxes. We love it here and find it amusing to see it described as a third world country.

Next choices would be Carolinas, GA (but well outside Atlanta if you want red) or maybe VA.

[shaneguags]

as far as for your future for your kids, I'd say stick to the east coast. the east coast has some of the best schooling in America. as well, it is nice for me to have close access to NYC and a great car scene. However, if you don't like the cold or high taxes, I know Florida is a great option. I currently live in Connecticut and go to college at the University of Tampa. Connecticut has all around good schooling but lacks entertainment. as well, Florida has been way less strict with covid restrictions so that helps too. it all kinda depends what you're primarily focusing to have.

[TCom]

Franklin, TN outside of Nashville. Just enough winter to see it and be done with it. Great school system and outside the crazy of downtown Nashville. Tennessee also has no state income tax.

Chattanooga, TN is a great outdoor recreation option but the school systems have particular pockets with quality and other areas with issues. The school system today told the teachers they will not close so so what you need to do to make it work.

North Georgia is nice but I would avoid Atlanta like the plague.

Tampa, FL has some awesome Suburbs and their governor seems pretty ready to keep things open and get things moving again.

Huntsville, AL just passed Birmingham, AL as the largest city in the state and Huntsville is a very nice city with rocket scientists, engineers, and other well paid positions.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

I don't know about solid red, but I'd say north FL. Jacksonville and the surrounding beach towns are nice. Good for taxes. Not too hot in summer, and some change of seasons. Not prone to all the hurricanes. Same with the upper west coast of FL.

Jax is literally the worst city in FL...

[shaneguags]

Originally Posted by ASAP

Jax is literally the worst city in FL...

lol facts rather be in Tampa

[Alfisti]

I haven't voted liberal since Chretien and still have no idea why you'd want to leave here for the USA. The coastal cities have a similar cost of living to here, the northern states are just as cold and the southern states are either land locked dull and/or you're dealing with the god and guns crowd.

I don't get it.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I haven't voted liberal since Chretien and still have no idea why you'd want to leave here for the USA. The coastal cities have a similar cost of living to here, the northern states are just as cold and the southern states are either land locked dull and/or you're dealing with the god and guns crowd.

I don't get it.

You get milk in a fucking bag… does he really need any more reasons???

That being said I hate people and FL is fucking full! Every time I come back from NC the amount of people here is just becoming unbearable. My gf went to the local Walmart grocery store (forgot what they are called) for the first time in probably a year or more since she has been using the grocery delivery shit. It literally took her like 2 hours (the store is 5 min away). She said there was soooooo many people in there it was incredible and the lines were ridiculous.

Tried going to some nature walk park area on Sunday… there was no fucking parking and it looked like I was driving up to fucking Disney World! Tried another park near that one, same fucking thing! Can’t wait to go back to NC.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

You get milk in a fucking bag… does he really need any more reasons???

I have no retort to this, i mean it's milk in a fucking bag.

[Esteban]

Maybe he's lactose intolerant?

Problem solved.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by infinitekidM2C

North Dakota

Why?

Originally Posted by Murf993

My wife and I have this discussion regularly, like you I don't like what's happening here, and I don't see it going back to some kind of normal anytime soon. I'd like it to but honestly I'm losing faith. Like you a Red State, and honestly if we did it I don't want winter anymore.

I hear you...I'm only 40, but I also mentioned it might be nice not to have winter anymore. It is truly a shame that the government is acting in such an irrational and illogical manner. I honestly don't want to move, and perhaps I'll find another out here where I can stay put as aside from the government, there are lots of things I love about Canada.

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Wait, do I have to live in that house with you, or do I still get my own once I bring the Hispanic vote?

Would your answer change depending on my answer?

Tell you what - if I come to power and you bring the Hispanic vote, I'll let you decide whether you want the privilege of living in the same house as me or go it on your own instead. How's that? Now get cracking!

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I haven't voted liberal since Chretien and still have no idea why you'd want to leave here for the USA. The coastal cities have a similar cost of living to here, the northern states are just as cold and the southern states are either land locked dull and/or you're dealing with the god and guns crowd.

I don't get it.

We come from different viewpoints on the COVID restrictions though, I think that's why you don't understand.

I see these school closures as the government targeting and harming my children and my marriage, simply because they are taking away the multitude of benefits that kids get from being around other kids in a school situation, as well as the structure of school, the academic learning, and the discipline (so to speak - they've taken most of that out now, but whatever - I got the strap when I was in school). By keeping them at home, I've seen a noticeable change in my children's behaviour towards other kids - a lack of desire to interact and play and they've become more closed off. And this is the kid who everyone else followed around and wanted to play with at his school. When we finally got him into summer camps, I saw again a change, where he began to open up again, but still isn't the same as what he was.

It's bad on marriages as well, because one of us is now a teacher by day, and then we both have to work at night...the one who teaches to catch up on what they didn't do during the day and the other to try to pathetically get ahead a little for the next day which is going to be spent teaching...but that doesn't really work so we are both constantly working at night. Which means we don't see each other, and when we do we are tired and irritable and take it out on each other for the smallest things. We'll implode if we keep going like this.

But you think the government cares? Nah. Just "make it work for a little while longer"...ad nauseam. But they certainly want me to work so they can collect their tax dollars. Feel trapped, because the other alternative is I quit, but then I have to rebuild my business when we get out of this (if we ever get out of this, which I'm starting to doubt based on the government's actions), and that would be extremely difficult.

I feel trapped, frustrated about that, and angry at the government for coming after my kids. I need to figure out what I do to protect them.

I want them to have the same or better chance I had at life...not less. And the government is doing their level best to make sure their chance is "less". It is like Idiocracy is happening in our education system right now.

[Joekerr]

Thank you all for your responses so far - extremely helpful!

One thing I was surprised about was in looking at places like Jackson Hole / Jackson for example was how small the population is. I just assumed given the population of the US that places that are popular like this would have a pretty significant population.

It is interesting. I think my wife is having some eye opening experiences reading what it takes to get a job in the states. Pretty hard because seems like you have to prove you aren't taking a job away from an American.

I'm honestly hoping to stay, but I appreciate all this info as it may become useful if we decide there is no other options.

[chassis]

Inter mountain areas like Jackson Hole that are not airport hubs are thinly populated. If you want a mountain location, Denver is good. Mix of politics and lots of growth (new money). The mountains are fantastic. Salt Lake is too cold for me as a year round place to live. Winter in Denver is very livable because of the large amount of sunny days. 2 feet of snow can fall and it will be gone in 2-3 days because the sun makes it go away.

The job situation cuts both ways. I have worked in Canada under a work permit and the process to obtain it was fairly onerous and miserable. Not defending either country’s procedures, they are what they are.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

Thank you all for your responses so far - extremely helpful!

One thing I was surprised about was in looking at places like Jackson Hole / Jackson for example was how small the population is. I just assumed given the population of the US that places that are popular like this would have a pretty significant population.

It is interesting. I think my wife is having some eye opening experiences reading what it takes to get a job in the states. Pretty hard because seems like you have to prove you aren't taking a job away from an American.

I'm honestly hoping to stay, but I appreciate all this info as it may become useful if we decide there is no other options.

There are labor shortages in the U.S. right now, particularly in healthcare.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by ASAP

Jax is literally the worst city in FL...

I used to travel to Jax for business and would extend my stays to get some beach time. I really enjoyed Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Pointe Verde.

[Alfisti]

You've only got yourself to blame for the closures. When governments try to get ahead of the curve and put mild measures in place early, people lose their fucking minds. Then the shit hits the fan and they are forced to shut it all down because the health system cannot handle the volumes we are seeing.

I have been pro lockdown but feel we should let this variant rip as it is mild but we are out of nurses, we literally do not have the staff to handle the influx. I am not sure what other option there was?

Re. Eye-opening for the wife, I am telling you right now, this is way harder than you realise. I travel to the US maybe three times a year to meet with managers there that report to me and it is at the point i need to apply for a visa because I keep getting hammered for it by border control. Their position is simple, if you need to be there three times a year, you need to hire someone in the US.