User Panel
Posted: 10/7/2005 4:13:41 PM EDT
OK.
My wife and I have thought about moving out of the North East for some time. But not having spent much time in other regions, I would like an ARFCOM opinion. The following are my main criteria, albeit not complete or in any particular order of importance. Please rate your state and give me the pros and cons of what you like about living there. 1) Gun friendly. (Obviously CA is out!) 2) Conservative home schooling laws. (This is one area that CT actually does well, but not enough to keep me here.) 3) Reasonable land/property values. ($300,000 for a raised rance on .2 acres, IS NOT reasonable!) 4) Good economic potential/job potential. 5) Preferably lots of rural space. (Getting sick of the crowds...) 6) Diversity in wildlife. (I love being out in the sticks looking for creepy crawlies.) 7) General consrervative values. Ummm. That it for now, please let me know! Thanks. |
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Texas meets all of the above, but I think Florida may be more gun friendly (although we do love our guns here too!)
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Real Estate is too expensive in FL. Well at least the majority of FL. |
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AK is great. But land/housing/general cost of living is high.
But what other State gives you free money? |
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I live in NV but would say Arizona. Texas doesn't allow open carry, that is not gun friendly.
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If you don't want to move too far, New Hampshire and Vermont are both very easy about CCW, and no assault weapons issues at all.
NH needs a permit for CCW, but is a "Shall issue" state, with no course to take, just go to the local police station with $20, and it's in the mail the next day after a background check, just like you get when buying a gun. Good for 4 years. Vermont requires no permit for CCW. |
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I'm from Canada and I live in Florida. There is only one other state in the Union I'd consider and that's Texas.
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Pick up a copy of Bostons Gun Bible. He ranks states on which are the best and which are the worst in regards to gun laws. Plus the book has lots of other good info in it. FL is nice but property is too high so I might leave because of that. Homeschooling also sucks here and I am not too happy with the public schools.
Kentucy is one of the best states for gun laws I think, I am considering moving there bt the wife maynot like the winters so I am not sure. You could look at the Free State Wyoming movement and check out Survival Blog.com Some of what you are looking for is similar to what a survivalist looks for. If you find that perfect state let me know, I'll move down the road! |
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Certainly is: MEXICO |
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AZ is full. |
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New Mexico, specifically Roswell New Mexico. I hear there are there as well which is always an added bonus
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Arizona.
Class 3 toys are OK, no silly AWB. Open carry no permit needed. Shall issue CCW Private sales are truly private sales. No registration of weapons. But we're full up. Try Texas. |
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paradise comes at a price. |
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Hmmm.... with Texas you get: Illegals, misquitos, refugees (NOLA's finest), difficult-to-get-a-carry-permit, super hot and miserable summers, humidity, drought, tornados, hurricanes.... And this would be your second choice? |
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Thanks. we're looking at both those states. We have friends in VT, that keep encouraging us to move there. Southern NH has to many tourist Massholes for my liking. |
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Any areas of Texas or Az that won't get too much above 90 in the summer or below 10 in the winter?
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Oregon is a very nice place, as long as you stay away from Eugene/Portland/Salem.
Eastern Oregon kicks ass. |
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Montana has the best gun laws, open carry, keep one in your car, no problem, hanging on the gunrack in your truck, no problem. I lived in Texas for 39 years, Montana's gun laws are the way they were in Texas 30 years ago. You won't make a lot of money here but no one comes here for the money and 61% of the State is from somewhere else ...
This really is the last, best place(as long as we can keep out the damn Californians) ... |
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Thanks for the info pirate. I will look into both those resources. Homeschooling is important to us, and also my wife likes to be a bit of a homesteader. She wants a small farm - grow, raise and hunt what you eat! PA is appealing, but I know nothing of the job market and fear a spread of NJ liberalism into bordering states! Texas is very appealing to me, but my wife likes the cold better than the hot. Is there an ideal state? Well, they used to all be ideal at one point... |
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In AZ everywhere sees triple digits. But in the winter, Phoenix is a balmy 72 and Flagstaff is snowy....Easy work shoveling sunshine... |
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I love it here in Austin, Texas. Decent sized city but you are out of the "urban" parts in just a short 15 minute drive.
Only downfall.........the liberal capital of Texas!! But that can also make it fun........plenty of people to piss off and they don't have enough to sway state issues, but unforunately they do control the city level. |
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Rural NV is amazing. No registration open carry, the only laws are pretty much federal that applies to all states.
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Idaho meets every criteria on your list.
I don't live their but Northern Idaho is the most beautiful place i've been to. |
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don't over look louisiana. we recieved something like a f minus on the bradys gun report. education is pretty good, if you cut out new orleans we would be ranked some where around fifteenth in education. you just have to bear the super high humidity and the hot weather.
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Fl real estate and property taxes are completely insane "Starter Home" = $300,000 Property Taxes = $6,000. per year + HOA, CDD, etc. = another$3,000 or so Can't wait to escape!! |
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+1 AZ gives you all your criteria |
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Alabama, hands down. Picked up a CC licence in about 10 Min. and 20 bucks. It costs at least $200 in TX, including the class.
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FWIW.:
I live in TX. I love it here. Gun laws are semi-cool. I travel 10 months out of the year, all over the US....Only two other places I'd live. CO. MT. Based on your criteria, including your wife, I'd suggest CO. The gun laws are resonable (Comparably AFAIK) and the place is friggin beautiful. CO is flat out the most beautiful place I've ever seen.....As far as terrain goes. I've found the peeps there...(outside Denver) as nice as any I've met in my time in the south. I really only have nice things to say about CO. Grand Junction is very, very nice. |
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That's what I liked about S.D. $10 & I had my CCL. Problem is they don't reciprocate with any other states that have CCLs. |
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I live in IL, but I would say Indiana. Good state, conservative. class 3, CCW, full auto.
Stay out of the cities of Gary, and Hammond, and you'll be fine. |
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CO is nice but I'm guessing you've probably never experienced North Idaho. |
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Open carry, Shall issue, class III friendly, Homeschool haven. Our church alone has a graduating class of up to a dozen home school kids each year. We have about one hundred home school families in our church alone. Both my wife's family and mine homeschooled and now we do as well. Next door family home schools as well. |
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Idaho has counties bigger than WV! |
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For me, besides gun laws, I'm on the lookout for non-restrictive motorcycle laws. i.e. it's up to me, not anyone else, whether or not I wear a helmet.
GL |
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Hey, we can trade places! No mandatory helmet law in CT! (Just don't bring your 'banned' AR's with you or a small bank account!) Thanks for all the suggestions so far. This country truly is a wonderful place. The most incredible landscape, fascinating people, etc. I love to hear what people have to say about the state they live in, and it really will help us make a desision. Thanks. |
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