I see the warning signs and looking to go to where part of my wife’s family is from. Looking at WV, how is the current market for work?

Depends on your field and the location.  There are some pretty good ones in some parts.  Some parts are harder to find Good work. https://www.indeed.com/m/jobs?l=West+Virginia

What profession?

Automotive.

Sales or wrenching on 'em?

Winchester plenty of dealers

Woodstock va has big city dealers moving in

Front royal more big money going into dealers

Martinsburg plenty of dealers

Cumberland has a good dozen dealers



Look for a place In. Capon bridge or wardensville or paw paw

Huntington / Barboursville is going through huge growth right now.

That is good to hear for jobs, but I need to live outside the city, already drive to the city to get to work so that is not a big deal. I just hope it is a conservative state that my research tells me it is.

Wrenching though eventually want to get out once established. I am big into fishing, shooting, hunting of particular game and it is where my wife’s grandfather lived (I think Fairview was most recent, Point Pleasant long ago) and was also into that as well. Hoping for this to be my last move so I can finish raising the kids and then enjoy nature away from dumb fuck liberals (what Arizona is turning into... ).

I81 corridor is supposed to boom over the next 20-30 years.  You could get a decent amount of land west of it that borders or is close to a WMA and not spend a ton of cash, but still be within an easy drive of good medical facilities in Winchester, VA or even Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, which is something to consider as you age.

We don't have cities here.  Really, all are towns by the definition of the term.  Most are spread out pretty good.  And, in WV, you really have to commute to get to anything.  Rural property is cheap.. often $1K per acre or less.

I was a dealership wrench for 20+ years in WV. Even the dealerships are seasonal here. There are some slow times if you are working flat rate so be ready for that. If you are planning on starting your own business, figure on repairing lots of older 4wds that have been beat to death coon and bear hunting. I got lucky and 17 years ago got a job in the garage for a utility company that furnished my tools and paid for any training I needed. Age and bad joints are catching up with me, so I switched to equipment operator a couple years ago. Helps to have some backup skills to earn a living. I haven't seen a Joe/Hoe campaign sign in a 20 miles radius around my AO, but some of the larger towns have a few liberal idiots scattered about. Hunting and fishing are a way of life here, whole state almost shuts down in November for gun deer season. Be ready to join a club to get access to good hunting acreage though. Constitutional carry state and my yearly gun range dues are $25. I love it here.

Good to know, thanks!

Move to Fairview...definitely enjoy nature out there!
The Harry Jones Range is there someplace, one of the
few 1000 yard ranges in N central WV.
Close to University Toyota/ Mitsubishi/Mercedes Benz
of Morgantown,  they are always looking for good techs.
Dan Cava in Fairmont is a better bet.

Do you know diesel at all?  Ever work on big trucks?

No big trucks/semis. My expertise is purely automotive.