Posted: 7/19/2026 2:44:35 PM EDT
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I'm currently in the Charleston, SC area. It's getting very peopley around here. My wife and I are looking for a little place in a small, rural community to live out our days in peace. So far, TN and WV are on the list of candidate states. KY is out. I spoke with a friend who lives there and he said that even though the people are great (in his area), taxes are crazy and politics are bipolar. I don't really know much about NC. What's the inside, real-deal scoop, taxes, political trajectory, etc., for a retired couple wanting a quiet life without excessive government meddling? |
| Higher taxes including fuel, more liberal politicians and out of control population growth. I'm a NC native and the western end of the state is being overrun by political refugees, NY, CA, halfbacks from Florida etc. If you're trying to find a less "peoplely " place this ain't it. I love my home state, my grandfather 8 generations back fought in the Rev War and settled here, post covid for real it's like locust stripping the land with all the influx. As we say NC is full try South Carolina! PS stepson and family are near Charleston and we are there pretty regularly, I see the change there as well. |
We should have been working on a vaccine for Liberalism rather than a vaccine for COVID. gunham
PFG # 195
PFG # 195
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I can pretty much concur with the previous poster regarding east TN as well. The amount of blue invaders are on the rise and in my opinion, post Covid is to blame. Now, many people can work remotely and they have decided to flock here mainly due to no income tax and lower taxes in general. Those from CA, NY and other predominantly blue states are coming here and bringing their blue politics with them. Nashville (middle TN) is a prime example. They have turned it completely blue. Within the city limits of Knoxville is also blue and their tentacles are reaching into the county. They screwed up their states and now they’re screwing up our state. |
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Originally Posted By oldcatawba: Higher taxes including fuel, more liberal politicians and out of control population growth. I'm a NC native and the western end of the state is being overrun by political refugees, NY, CA, halfbacks from Florida etc. If you're trying to find a less "peoplely " place this ain't it. I love my home state, my grandfather 8 generations back fought in the Rev War and settled here, post covid for real it's like locust stripping the land with all the influx. As we say NC is full try South Carolina! PS stepson and family are near Charleston and we are there pretty regularly, I see the change there as well. ^^^correct^^^ the liberals are moving here in droves, and the state is changing and turning blue. |
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Originally Posted By NCUrk: Pretty much the same for Eastern NC also. |
We should have been working on a vaccine for Liberalism rather than a vaccine for COVID. gunham
PFG # 195
PFG # 195
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Unlike others who have been here a while, I just moved here a couple of years ago. For background, I lived in Hawaii for 38 years and when I was retiring the wife and I decided to move back to the mainland for several reasons including cost of living, shitty liberal politicians, useless state response to emergencies (specifically the Lahaina fire), shitty gun laws and anti-gun sentiment, remoteness from aging parents/family, and the weather. The wife did extensive research into northern GA, SC, TN, NC, KY, and VA and settled on NC due to cost of living, taxes, weather, availability of health care, central to family in Ohio and Florida, availability of being rural with urban amenities, and how much we might like the scenery. We settled on NC as the right balance of what we were looking for and spent multiple trips scoping out what part appealed to us and settled on west of I-85 due to hurricane impacts and the desire for something other than flatland. Eventually we bought a house right outside of Hickory near the Catawba River and we love it. We are very happy here and think we made the right decision. Healthcare, which is important as you get older, is plentiful and top notch with access to healthcare systems from Wake Forest, UNC, and other big names. Cost of living is great even if it may be lower in other places. We found a nice mix where our house is on ten acres in an area mixed with large house lots and agricultural plots but close to major shopping and other amenities. Plenty of outdoor activities including boating, fishing, and hiking. Pretty much everyone shoots on their property and no one cares. The people are the biggest plus, our neighbors are great and everyone we have interacted with have been nice and friendly even if they tend to "over share" a bit. My inter-racial interactions have been overwhelmingly positive as well. Yeah, I've run into the occasional "halfback", Yankee transplant, or southern liberal but so far they have been pretty much avoidable. I guess my take is that some of NC is as described by others but I think you can avoid that by staying outside of the big blue cities like Charlotte, Assville, Raleigh, Winston, etc. |
an event "of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,"
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I guess my take is that some of NC is as described by others but I think you can avoid that by staying outside of the big blue cities like Charlotte, Assville, Raleigh, Winston, etc. Problem is, those are now very large metro areas, not specific cities. It's very difficult to "get away" when they have expanded to encompass literally the surrounding areas even counties. Look at a map, draw a semi-circle from Wilmington to Charlotte. That takes in most of the lower coast, the RDU-CH zone, Gboro,WS, then the Charlotte zone. Put a blob around Ashitville and a smaller blob around Boone. Consider OBX to be Outsiderville and Greenville to be a small blob like Boone. We should probably put a small blog around Fayettenam just because the growth from Ft. Bragg is chewing that area up. You've just about covered the entire state.  |
There's nothing wrong with a little personal baggage, it's owning the whole luggage store that's the problem.
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Originally Posted By LesBaer45: I guess my take is that some of NC is as described by others but I think you can avoid that by staying outside of the big blue cities like Charlotte, Assville, Raleigh, Winston, etc. Problem is, those are now very large metro areas, not specific cities. It's very difficult to "get away" when they have expanded to encompass literally the surrounding areas even counties. Look at a map, draw a semi-circle from Wilmington to Charlotte. That takes in most of the lower coast, the RDU-CH zone, Gboro,WS, then the Charlotte zone. Put a blob around Ashitville and a smaller blob around Boone. Consider OBX to be Outsiderville and Greenville to be a small blob like Boone. We should probably put a small blog around Fayettenam just because the growth from Ft. Bragg is chewing that area up. You've just about covered the entire state. |
We should have been working on a vaccine for Liberalism rather than a vaccine for COVID. gunham
PFG # 195
PFG # 195
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I moved here from Las Vegas a little over a year ago. I live in the CLT area and I can tell you that that they are mowing down all the woods to put up high density housing without investing in any infastructure particulary the road system. Traffic is horrible and there really is no long term plan to fix it. The best part of NC is being chopped down, Crime is everywhere even outside normal areas North Carolina will be Atlanta in 5 years |
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I have posted it a million times: NC ain't what you think it is. EVERYONE wants to move here and "buy a couple acres for myself" but it "has to be somewhere there isn't a lot of people" but "land and taxes are cheap". GTFO of here. That sentiment has literally ruined this state. It is one more election from turning blue. You want less "people-ly"? This sure as HELL ain't it. |
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Originally Posted By REAPER2502: I have posted it a million times: NC ain't what you think it is. EVERYONE wants to move here and "buy a couple acres for myself" but it "has to be somewhere there isn't a lot of people" but "land and taxes are cheap". GTFO of here. That sentiment has literally ruined this state. It is one more election from turning blue. You want less "people-ly"? This sure as HELL ain't it. Used to be a big Democrat county here. They used to check your voter registration for jobs. As far as the blue ridge parkway area and small towns near it. Don't even think about buying anything, because the lot probably won't perk or you'll need 2 more to be build able. Small towns look quaint until you get to politics. I've worked for a town, and it went broke. Recent news, the old town I worked for, town manager was charged with embezzlement, but the next town he worked for has come out broke too. No charges there, yet. Buddy buddy politics. Oh, politicians won't call you back either. Local, state or fed. |
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Originally Posted By fishing_cabin: Used to be a big Democrat county here. They used to check your voter registration for jobs. As far as the blue ridge parkway area and small towns near it. Don't even think about buying anything, because the lot probably won't perk or you'll need 2 more to be build able. Small towns look quaint until you get to politics. I've worked for a town, and it went broke. Recent news, the old town I worked for, town manager was charged with embezzlement, but the next town he worked for has come out broke too. No charges there, yet. Buddy buddy politics. Oh, politicians won't call you back either. Local, state or fed. I don't know where you came up with the part in red but its definitely not the case in my area and I live less than 4 miles from the parkway |
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Originally Posted By JosephTurrisi: I don't know where you came up with the part in red but its definitely not the case in my area and I live less than 4 miles from the parkway Bought a small place here south of the parkway near the VA line. It had 3 small lots. County changed from basically no zoning, to acting like I'm about to be annexed by a city. Took time but bought 2 more lots next to me to perk to current standards. Old septic county couldn't find any records so I am not supposed to use it. I wouldn't ask much about post inspection... Plenty of places advertise small lots, so buyer beware, ensure it can perk before purchase. Cousin owned it prior and had no issues for years. |
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Originally Posted By fishing_cabin: Bought a small place here south of the parkway near the VA line. It had 3 small lots. County changed from basically no zoning, to acting like I'm about to be annexed by a city. Took time but bought 2 more lots next to me to perk to current standards. Old septic county couldn't find any records so I am not supposed to use it. I wouldn't ask much about post inspection... Plenty of places advertise small lots, so buyer beware, ensure it can perk before purchase. Cousin owned it prior and had no issues for years. After being in the game for years I tell everyone when it comes to perk test forget the county inspectors and hire your own soil scientist or engineer. Once you get a system with a stamp the county has no say. |
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Originally Posted By JosephTurrisi: After being in the game for years I tell everyone when it comes to perk test forget the county inspectors and hire your own soil scientist or engineer. Once you get a system with a stamp the county has no say. This! County/state has no say if you hire a GEO. |
| 10 acre lots down at the end of my street. $ 150,000 each. 6 are halfbacks. I been neighborly. They thought the land is do cheap. I thought damn that’s jacked up. North Carolina is know as the New Jersey of the South. Taxes taxes taxes. It might be cheaper than other places out of the South. But it ain’t cheap if you get to closer to a liberal shithole city. And yes pack appropriately. Gobblins aplenty. |
| Been here my whole life ( other than military) and N.C. Is ruined . Nothing is spared from growth around the whole state that I’ve seen . If it is , it won’t be much longer . The whole state is changing for the worst at a very rapid pace. Seems like half the people aren’t even from here anymore , and that makes a huge difference! The whole culture is disappearing and it’s sad. |
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Originally Posted By zusmc: Been here my whole life ( other than military) and N.C. Is ruined . Nothing is spared from growth around the whole state that I've seen . If it is , it won't be much longer . The whole state is changing for the worst at a very rapid pace. Seems like half the people aren't even from here anymore , and that makes a huge difference! The whole culture is disappearing and it's sad. |
We should have been working on a vaccine for Liberalism rather than a vaccine for COVID. gunham
PFG # 195
PFG # 195
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Charlotte to Winston-Salem is close to becoming a single city at this point. Gastonia is filling up. Sure there are nice small towns around, but the sprawl is happening so bad. I am 4.5 years from being able to retire at this point. Which at this point, sell my house for 500k+ and move out to Wyoming or something. |