Posted: 7/11/2014 5:56:44 AM EDT
|
I've been looking at moving due to the population increase in my area. I want a place that will most likely remain a good survival location for the next 30+ years. I don't want to hit my 70s and be stuck in a high crime neighborhood like a relative of mine. When they moved in the neighborhood was nice but 30 years later it's a bars on the windows place. Other considerations are employment, a decent medical, low property taxes, and good gun laws. I live in WV now which in my opinion is one of the best states on the East Coast from a survival perspective. When compared to surrounding states, WV has low crime, good gun laws, low taxes, low population density, and cheap property. My area has built up pretty fast though, too many city people have been moving here over the last 10 years so I have no doubt things in this area will change for the worse. I might be able to have work pay me to relocate. I'd like opinions on these areas 1. Southern or Central WV 2. Ashburn area in NC 3. Utah near Ogden 4. North and South ID Thanks |
|
Quoted: I lived in Ogden for a while stay far far away from Ogden. I have land in central Texas I love there, people are very nice in the country. Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. |
|
Quoted:
Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. Quoted:
Quoted:
I lived in Ogden for a while stay far far away from Ogden. I have land in central Texas I love there, people are very nice in the country. Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. Drugs (Meth) had gotten out of hand when I was there and from a couple of people I've talked to since, It hasn't gotten any better. But I will say it is beautiful there. |
|
LOL I just scrolled through recent topics and found this.
Provo, nope hasn't gotten any better. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1643682_Utah_police__woman_said_meth_was_a_birthday_gift.html |
|
Quoted: Drugs (Meth) had gotten out of hand when I was there and from a couple of people I've talked to since, It hasn't gotten any better. But I will say it is beautiful there. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I lived in Ogden for a while stay far far away from Ogden. I have land in central Texas I love there, people are very nice in the country. Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. Drugs (Meth) had gotten out of hand when I was there and from a couple of people I've talked to since, It hasn't gotten any better. But I will say it is beautiful there. Thanks that's the kind of thing I wanted to know. Unfortunately that's getting to be a problem around my area also |
|
Having lived in seven different states, I've learned a few things. Your criteria is good but the thing most people leave out in their planning is taxes. Things like income tax and property tax can make the difference between a cracker box of living in a house. It needs to be prominently figured into cost of living. A person making 30K a year lives in a lot nicer place in a state with no state income tax and low property taxes. In the same thread of thinking, retirement and a fixed income are also a concern. Some areas will freeze taxes upon retirement, others no taxes, but most are the value keeps rising so does your tax burden.
I know folks on the east coast who worked all their lives to buy their home to only find if their kids don't pay the taxes, they can't afford to live there anymore. Some states, it cost more in taxes than what people pay for their homes in the states they live before the move. All those moves I made my company gave me cost of living adjustments, some were as high as 30%, and it still wasn't an even trade. Tj |
|
Quoted: Having lived in seven different states, I've learned a few things. Your criteria is good but the thing most people leave out in their planning is taxes. Things like income tax and property tax can make the difference between a cracker box of living in a house. It needs to be prominently figured into cost of living. A person making 30K a year lives in a lot nicer place in a state with no state income tax and low property taxes. In the same thread of thinking, retirement and a fixed income are also a concern. Some areas will freeze taxes upon retirement, others no taxes, but most are the value keeps rising so does your tax burden. I know folks on the east coast who worked all their lives to buy their home to only find if their kids don't pay the taxes, they can't afford to live there anymore. Some states, it cost more in taxes than what people pay for their homes in the states they live before the move. All those moves I made my company gave me cost of living adjustments, some were as high as 30%, and it still wasn't an even trade. Tj Taxes are a big consideration of mine, especially property taxes. Last thing I need is a real estate bubble driving up property values after I'm retired and on a fixed income |
| I'll second or third the concern about taxes. I've lived just a few miles from Texas for most of my life (and in Texas for a short while). I've wanted to move to Texas for most of my life. BUT, the property taxes are a killer. There is no way I can earn enough to cover a mortgage and the taxes on anything worth owning. In contrast, property taxes in my state are dirt cheap. I know people like to through out the line about Texas not having an income tax. However, it is not an even trade. My income taxes and property taxes combined are still less than comparable Texas property taxes. |
|
I really like MN, as far as terrain, threats, landscape, etc. Politically, other than our pretty good carry laws, we are an over-taxes libtard blue state. If you get into the right counties, you can get rid of super high property taxes. If you are anywhere close to resembling metro area, prepare to take it dry. That said, our property taxes are right about $500/yr. However, we live in an 1885 house that needs siding and no sheds to speak of. I expect that to go up once we get some projects done around here.
|
|
Quoted: I'll second or third the concern about taxes. I've lived just a few miles from Texas for most of my life (and in Texas for a short while). I've wanted to move to Texas for most of my life. BUT, the property taxes are a killer. There is no way I can earn enough to cover a mortgage and the taxes on anything worth owning. In contrast, property taxes in my state are dirt cheap. I know people like to through out the line about Texas not having an income tax. However, it is not an even trade. My income taxes and property taxes combined are still less than comparable Texas property taxes. Property taxes and illegal immigration are why I didn't consider Texas. Otherwise it looks like a great state to live |
|
Quoted: I really like MN, as far as terrain, threats, landscape, etc. Politically, other than our pretty good carry laws, we are an over-taxes libtard blue state. If you get into the right counties, you can get rid of super high property taxes. If you are anywhere close to resembling metro area, prepare to take it dry. That said, our property taxes are right about $500/yr. However, we live in an 1885 house that needs siding and no sheds to speak of. I expect that to go up once we get some projects done around here. Too cold for me. I used to work for a company that got bought by a MN company. They flew me up there a couple times (always in winter). I don't think I could deal with that long of a winter |
|
Southern Georgia - south of Macon, north of Ft. Stewart. Lots and lots of farmland, small woods, small ponds and lakes.... beyond immediate threat of Tsunamis (Viejo Cumbre or whatever) and Hurricanes (which for S.GA are very rare events anyway....). You are an hour off the beaten path of I-75 or I-95, in genuine 'fly over' country.
Big military installations are all either south or east of you - so fallout (say from Chicom or Ruskie nukes) will probably not blow over you. Now of course this all presumes there's not already a super sikret COG facility nestled in the pine groves but still..  it looks pretty much like that area will remain rural for a while.
If Zombies or Simian flu made Atlanta evacuate they'd not venture due south of Macon - as there's nothing there but small towns. But those small towns....a couple hundred good ol boys with some backhoes could block off the little roads (bordered on both sides by impassible swamp) and viola, wall their county off. Oh, and lots of small airfields too - you'd be amazed how many light aircraft are hidden here and there with their own little one strip runways across S.GA. I think farmers or local businesses own them - I've met a few owners myself and they're all decent small to mid-size businessmen who love to fly and tinker. The region is full of former military (Navy, Army, USMC). Racial tensions....so far as this Yankee can tell, the South is about as 'over' the whole race thing as it gets. Helps that families have grown up around each other for a long time. There's more heat between 'mericans and Hispanics than between whites and blacks (which was astounding for this Detroit native to realize. I've been shamed for harboring more fears of race wars than the natives - it's just a non-issue down here, a real live and let live. In 12' I was worried about riots if Obama lost - none of the locals (on either 'side') even considered it. Religious issues - none that I've seen so far. 50% of the population is 'unaffiliated' and everyone else seems to just focus on their own group. "anglos' vs hispanics is more controversial than Protestants vs. Catholics (probably because half the hispanics ARE Protestant of one type or another). Growth potential....the Coastal Empire - islands and strip of land running along I-95 is growing - in 30 years the whole coast from Jacksonville to the Carolinas will be bought up, developed and populated. But 50-60 miles inland will most likely stay relatively undeveloped. |
|
Quoted:
Property taxes and illegal immigration are why I didn't consider Texas. Otherwise it looks like a great state to live Quoted:
Quoted:
I'll second or third the concern about taxes. I've lived just a few miles from Texas for most of my life (and in Texas for a short while). I've wanted to move to Texas for most of my life. BUT, the property taxes are a killer. There is no way I can earn enough to cover a mortgage and the taxes on anything worth owning. In contrast, property taxes in my state are dirt cheap. I know people like to through out the line about Texas not having an income tax. However, it is not an even trade. My income taxes and property taxes combined are still less than comparable Texas property taxes. Property taxes and illegal immigration are why I didn't consider Texas. Otherwise it looks like a great state to live Even that depends. Texas a big state, not everywhere is little Mexico. I lived there about ten years. I call it a young mans state for a bunch of reasons but foremost because when looking at taxes, one has to look the total tax package. TX like TN is a no income tax state. That means whether it is a bargain depends on your income. Using round numbers, if a person makes $100,000 a year paying a $2,000 a year property tax is nothing compared to paying $6,000 a year in state income tax. Even if you figure in a higher sales tax, that's variable depending on how you spend your money. Texas compared to say an Illinois or Ohio where you'd pay the $6,000 state income tax and the $2,000 property tax is a hell of a deal. What this usually comes down to is avoiding the Blue states that have massive state government and social programs, which are states that the people don't look at the cost and vote on stuff like money grows on trees and it sounds like a good idea. In the long term, states with Balanced Budget Amendments are very desirable. They will face budget cutbacks regularly but future tax increases will be held to a minimum. That gets us into the whole wealth redistribution thinking which is what causes all those high taxes. States that businesses are moving in rather than moving out are less likely to be increasing taxes for more revenue. That means right to work states. Companies don't move into closed shop states unless what they would lose in wages is offset by tax incentives which means you pay more taxes in the long run. Having lived in blue states, I find it hard to discard any southern state. I've lived in northern ones, they not only had high property taxes and a 6% state income tax but city income tax the one you lived in and one you worked in with personal property tax on the contents of your home and annual tax on your vehicles value. Where I live now, its no state income tax, $24 for car tags, low property tax frozen upon retirement, but a 9% sales tax. We have a balanced budget amendment. I like that. Our social welfare doesn't pay that well and we even have a get arrested for anything law and no government housing for two years. Guess where they move to? Tj |
|
Quoted:
Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. Quoted:
Quoted:
I lived in Ogden for a while stay far far away from Ogden. I have land in central Texas I love there, people are very nice in the country. Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. Parts of Ogden have a big problem w/ gangs, as well as drugs -- pretty much go hand in hand. I have friends that live just west of Odgen and just north, both are nice areas. Rawles is a huge proponent of Idaho. Skousen likes parts of the intermountain West (parts of UT, ID, WY, and CO). |
|
Quoted: Parts of Ogden have a big problem w/ gangs, as well as drugs -- pretty much go hand in hand. I have friends that live just west of Odgen and just north, both are nice areas. Rawles is a huge proponent of Idaho. Skousen likes parts of the intermountain West (parts of UT, ID, WY, and CO). Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I lived in Ogden for a while stay far far away from Ogden. I have land in central Texas I love there, people are very nice in the country. Could you tell me some of the problems? I looked it up on City Data and north of the city didn't look too bad. I'd only be working in Ogden. I'd plan to live at least 30 minutes away. Parts of Ogden have a big problem w/ gangs, as well as drugs -- pretty much go hand in hand. I have friends that live just west of Odgen and just north, both are nice areas. Rawles is a huge proponent of Idaho. Skousen likes parts of the intermountain West (parts of UT, ID, WY, and CO). ID is top on my list if I can find a job that will pay relocation. I started off reading the Rawles top ten states and I agree with a lot of what he says. I know he thinks any state east of the Mississippi isn't a good location but it would be nice if he did an east coast comparison. |
|
Quoted:
I've been looking at moving due to the population increase in my area. I want a place that will most likely remain a good survival location for the next 30+ years. I don't want to hit my 70s and be stuck in a high crime neighborhood like a relative of mine. When they moved in the neighborhood was nice but 30 years later it's a bars on the windows place. Other considerations are employment, a decent medical, low property taxes, and good gun laws. I live in WV now which in my opinion is one of the best states on the East Coast from a survival perspective. When compared to surrounding states, WV has low crime, good gun laws, low taxes, low population density, and cheap property. My area has built up pretty fast though, too many city people have been moving here over the last 10 years so I have no doubt things in this area will change for the worse. I might be able to have work pay me to relocate. I'd like opinions on these areas 1. Southern or Central WV 2. Ashburn area in NC 3. Utah near Ogden 4. North and South ID Thanks Texas 
About Utah (and even Idaho in some areas) make sure you know what you're getting into. I love how tidy it is, and it looks great on many key categories but the huge Mormon community can be an issue in some cases. dont get me wrong, they can be great people, but if you're not one of them you have have a BIG problem fitting in the community. Some folks dont have a problem but I would say that most have had some issues, some pretty damn bad ones. From not getting jobs "because youre not a Mormon" to not letting their kids play with yours because they dont go to your same church. Its understandalbe that in a tight community some of this may go on, but I've read of enough people that couldnt leave fast enough after experiencing some of these problems in Utah. Just something to keep in mind. FerFAL |
|
Quoted:
Texas
About Utah (and even Idaho in some areas) make sure you know what you're getting into. I love how tidy it is, and it looks great on many key categories but the huge Mormon community can be an issue in some cases. dont get me wrong, they can be great people, but if you're not one of them you have have a BIG problem fitting in the community. Some folks dont have a problem but I would say that most have had some issues, some pretty damn bad ones. From not getting jobs "because youre not a Mormon" to not letting their kids play with yours because they dont go to your same church. Its understandalbe that in a tight community some of this may go on, but I've read of enough people that couldnt leave fast enough after experiencing some of these problems in Utah. Just something to keep in mind. FerFAL Quoted:
Quoted:
snip Texas
About Utah (and even Idaho in some areas) make sure you know what you're getting into. I love how tidy it is, and it looks great on many key categories but the huge Mormon community can be an issue in some cases. dont get me wrong, they can be great people, but if you're not one of them you have have a BIG problem fitting in the community. Some folks dont have a problem but I would say that most have had some issues, some pretty damn bad ones. From not getting jobs "because youre not a Mormon" to not letting their kids play with yours because they dont go to your same church. Its understandalbe that in a tight community some of this may go on, but I've read of enough people that couldnt leave fast enough after experiencing some of these problems in Utah. Just something to keep in mind. FerFAL This may have been true 30 or 40 years ago, but not today, especially in the larger cities. Salt Lake City is roughly 1/3rd Mormon - but out of that 1/3rd, you're only going to see 15%-20% that are actually active Mormons. The rest are Mormon by birth and therefore identify themselves as such, but are non-practicing. Where you'll find stronger Mormon culture is in the small, rural, towns, which have a higher percentage of Mormons. In these towns, you might, run into the above stereotypes, but definitely not in the larger area, such as St. George, and anywhere from Draper to Ogden. |
|
WVAR15
I live in the eastern panhandle as well. Been here 35 years born and raised and I have seen the changes. I live as far out in the Mtns as I could afford and still be in good driving distance of real paying jobs. I refuse to leave. I'll defend my area from the scum. Their are 30+ of us prepper types that hang out in our area. Wouldn't leave right yet :) Hell we have even hung out with Ops :D |
|
Quoted:
The eastern panhandle Quoted:
Quoted:
I live in between Fayetteville/ansted/Gauley Bridge WV Love it here. WHat area are you in now? The eastern panhandle Different world than Central/Southern WV I like JohnnyUtah live in the Southern WV Area. I have lived and worked from one end of the state to the other. I am not from the southern part, more from the central. I can give you thelow down on about all of it. PM me if you need to know about a certain area. |
|
Quoted:
This may have been true 30 or 40 years ago, but not today, especially in the larger cities. Salt Lake City is roughly 1/3rd Mormon - but out of that 1/3rd, you're only going to see 15%-20% that are actually active Mormons. The rest are Mormon by birth and therefore identify themselves as such, but are non-practicing. Where you'll find stronger Mormon culture is in the small, rural, towns, which have a higher percentage of Mormons. In these towns, you might, run into the above stereotypes, but definitely not in the larger area, such as St. George, and anywhere from Draper to Ogden. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
snip Texas
About Utah (and even Idaho in some areas) make sure you know what you're getting into. I love how tidy it is, and it looks great on many key categories but the huge Mormon community can be an issue in some cases. dont get me wrong, they can be great people, but if you're not one of them you have have a BIG problem fitting in the community. Some folks dont have a problem but I would say that most have had some issues, some pretty damn bad ones. From not getting jobs "because youre not a Mormon" to not letting their kids play with yours because they dont go to your same church. Its understandalbe that in a tight community some of this may go on, but I've read of enough people that couldnt leave fast enough after experiencing some of these problems in Utah. Just something to keep in mind. FerFAL This may have been true 30 or 40 years ago, but not today, especially in the larger cities. Salt Lake City is roughly 1/3rd Mormon - but out of that 1/3rd, you're only going to see 15%-20% that are actually active Mormons. The rest are Mormon by birth and therefore identify themselves as such, but are non-practicing. Where you'll find stronger Mormon culture is in the small, rural, towns, which have a higher percentage of Mormons. In these towns, you might, run into the above stereotypes, but definitely not in the larger area, such as St. George, and anywhere from Draper to Ogden. All the accounts I've seen are pretty recent, other than SLC, I'd check VERY well before making the move (if you're not Mormon, that is) City Data or even just a quick google search shows tons of similar stories, this isnt limited to some small rural town and most def. not something that only happened 40 years ago. I dont have anything against LDS or anyone else, just pointing out what has clearly been an issue for a lot of people that have moved there. FerFAL |
|
Quoted:
Southern Georgia - south of Macon, north of Ft. Stewart. Lots and lots of farmland, small woods, small ponds and lakes.... beyond immediate threat of Tsunamis (Viejo Cumbre or whatever) and Hurricanes (which for S.GA are very rare events anyway....). You are an hour off the beaten path of I-75 or I-95, in genuine 'fly over' country. Big military installations are all either south or east of you - so fallout (say from Chicom or Ruskie nukes) will probably not blow over you. Now of course this all presumes there's not already a super sikret COG facility nestled in the pine groves but still.. it looks pretty much like that area will remain rural for a while.
If Zombies or Simian flu made Atlanta evacuate they'd not venture due south of Macon - as there's nothing there but small towns. But those small towns....a couple hundred good ol boys with some backhoes could block off the little roads (bordered on both sides by impassible swamp) and viola, wall their county off. Oh, and lots of small airfields too - you'd be amazed how many light aircraft are hidden here and there with their own little one strip runways across S.GA. I think farmers or local businesses own them - I've met a few owners myself and they're all decent small to mid-size businessmen who love to fly and tinker. The region is full of former military (Navy, Army, USMC). Racial tensions....so far as this Yankee can tell, the South is about as 'over' the whole race thing as it gets. Helps that families have grown up around each other for a long time. There's more heat between 'mericans and Hispanics than between whites and blacks (which was astounding for this Detroit native to realize. I've been shamed for harboring more fears of race wars than the natives - it's just a non-issue down here, a real live and let live. In 12' I was worried about riots if Obama lost - none of the locals (on either 'side') even considered it. Religious issues - none that I've seen so far. 50% of the population is 'unaffiliated' and everyone else seems to just focus on their own group. "anglos' vs hispanics is more controversial than Protestants vs. Catholics (probably because half the hispanics ARE Protestant of one type or another). Growth potential....the Coastal Empire - islands and strip of land running along I-95 is growing - in 30 years the whole coast from Jacksonville to the Carolinas will be bought up, developed and populated. But 50-60 miles inland will most likely stay relatively undeveloped. Pretty spot on. Prefer to be about 2 hours from the interstates myself. |
|
Quoted:
All the accounts I've seen are pretty recent, other than SLC, I'd check VERY well before making the move (if you're not Mormon, that is) City Data or even just a quick google search shows tons of similar stories, this isnt limited to some small rural town and most def. not something that only happened 40 years ago. I dont have anything against LDS or anyone else, just pointing out what has clearly been an issue for a lot of people that have moved there. FerFAL Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
snip Texas
About Utah (and even Idaho in some areas) make sure you know what you're getting into. I love how tidy it is, and it looks great on many key categories but the huge Mormon community can be an issue in some cases. dont get me wrong, they can be great people, but if you're not one of them you have have a BIG problem fitting in the community. Some folks dont have a problem but I would say that most have had some issues, some pretty damn bad ones. From not getting jobs "because youre not a Mormon" to not letting their kids play with yours because they dont go to your same church. Its understandalbe that in a tight community some of this may go on, but I've read of enough people that couldnt leave fast enough after experiencing some of these problems in Utah. Just something to keep in mind. FerFAL This may have been true 30 or 40 years ago, but not today, especially in the larger cities. Salt Lake City is roughly 1/3rd Mormon - but out of that 1/3rd, you're only going to see 15%-20% that are actually active Mormons. The rest are Mormon by birth and therefore identify themselves as such, but are non-practicing. Where you'll find stronger Mormon culture is in the small, rural, towns, which have a higher percentage of Mormons. In these towns, you might, run into the above stereotypes, but definitely not in the larger area, such as St. George, and anywhere from Draper to Ogden. All the accounts I've seen are pretty recent, other than SLC, I'd check VERY well before making the move (if you're not Mormon, that is) City Data or even just a quick google search shows tons of similar stories, this isnt limited to some small rural town and most def. not something that only happened 40 years ago. I dont have anything against LDS or anyone else, just pointing out what has clearly been an issue for a lot of people that have moved there. FerFAL I was not at all impressed with Utah. |
|
Quoted: WVAR15 I live in the eastern panhandle as well. Been here 35 years born and raised and I have seen the changes. I live as far out in the Mtns as I could afford and still be in good driving distance of real paying jobs. I refuse to leave. I'll defend my area from the scum. Their are 30+ of us prepper types that hang out in our area. Wouldn't leave right yet :) Hell we have even hung out with Ops :D I've been thinking about moving further out maybe towards Berkley Springs. |