OT: If you had to move

johnson86-1

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Aug 22, 2012
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If this question was asked on the message board of any school in the other 49 states, how many responses indicate a desire to live in Mississippi?
If they were taking affordability into account, there would be a small number of people that might pick the coast if they knew about it. But otherwise, no.

But in fairness, that's probably true of half the states in the US. I'm sure there are plenty of nice places to live in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, etc, but nobody is going to choose to live there without some personal connection to them. Hell, Texas is a state that clearly attracts a lot of people to move there, but I'm not sure how many people would put any place in Texas as the place they want to move to.

The lists will be dominated by places with good weather and beaches, then skiing (which places also tend to have other good outdoor activities and beautiful scenery), then places with non-skiing but still beautiful mounts, and then iconic cities, then places with some combination of good places to live with relatively easy access to mountains and/or beach (e.g., North Carolina).
 
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johnson86-1

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I assume a large portion of this board lives in Mississippi or the surrounding states when I ask this question…if you had to move to a different state tomorrow, which would you choose? I think I’m going with Colorado
If we're talking realistically, pensacola. Good beaches just across the bridge but also a real town/city with real jobs that don't revolve around tourism, while also being reasonably close to family.

Ignoring the family part, probably south Florida. Utah and/or Colorado would be awesome, but I'm more of a warm weather person and think ultimately having to fly to mountains is better than having to fly to beaches.

North Carolina has good cities to live in while also being reasonably close to the beach and to mountains, but I feel like their beaches are second rate and their skiing (which is what I would really care about as far as mountains go, although I would like hiking and white water rafting also), is second rate.
 
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horshack.sixpack

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Oct 30, 2012
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I assume a large portion of this board lives in Mississippi or the surrounding states when I ask this question…if you had to move to a different state tomorrow, which would you choose? I think I’m going with Colorado
If I had to move, it would mean that I was not going to be near family any longer. If for some reason family was not a priority, I would consider a number of states, but I might also look at some country that would allow me to retire early because it is friendly to ex-pats and cheap, near or on a beach. Being near or on a Florida beach is not in the scope of my finances...
 

o_Hot Rock

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I would move up north for summers and south for winters and make it different every year. Chicago one summer, Montana the next, Vegas one winter, Miami the next or how about San Diego or a Yacht moving from Island to island... Damn, I need some more $$$ as the south of Spain seems like it's due for a visit.
 

Maroon Pug

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Anywhere on the I-17/I-10 (Tucson, AZ to Flagstaff AZ), Salt Lake City Utah area, or Boise, Idaho.
 
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HRMSU

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Texas (Hill Country)
Colorado
NW Arkansas
Gulf of America
Carolinas
 

klong-dog

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Aug 22, 2012
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Well, I hate the humidity here in the summer, so a place where humidity isn't a factor. Out west, Colorado i guess?
 

Maroon Eagle

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Some Cons: I'm not even entirely sure what. If I had to put my finger on it, there's been significant growth in all of the Upstate especially in Greenville and Spartanburg counties, but very little investment to increase and improve infrastructure. One of our best family friends is a former Sous - Chef in Charleston, Asheville, and Los Angeles. His wife is from Spartanburg, so when they had kids they came home to the area. He will tell you the restaurant scene is terrible in the area. I wouldn't go that far, but compared to other places I've lived I would agree that it's not as good. It's also very suburban sprawly basically from the second you get out of downtown.

Yeah, the suburban sprawl is real.

So you think that plus your concerns about infrastructure investment lessen the sense of place there?

Pros: Live music scene is good for a midsize city that is sandwiched between Asheville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Charleston. It's been a great place for my kids. They go to a private school here, and I can't rave about it enough. The opportunities(educational, athletic, and nearly any other interest they could have) for them here are wonderful. We live in an older historical neighborhood which has been fantastic. Because I mentioned our friend's view on the restaurant scene in the CONS. I will also say there are a ton of great hole in the wall, divey restaurants especially outside of downtown. You just have to look for them and seek them out. I had some of the best cuban food of my life earlier this week, and we regularly get pizza for a mom and pop place that makes you think you are in NYC.

That sounds great.

I love the food offerings I’ve had. There are good places downtown and what little I’ve experienced with the breweries — I really need to try out Yee-Haw — are great. That Cuban place you mention intrigues me and I’m always a fan of pizza.

I’ve noticed that Greenville has excellent live music offerings. I’m halfway considered buying ticket to shows there while I’ve been out that way. The Swell Season gig at Peace is the latest one I’m kind of sort of thinking about.

But, I do feel like the city is just missing something I can't quite put my finger on it. It could simply be that it's growing so fast, and it's just growing pains.

Sorry for the ramble-y post, your question just got me thinking.

Yeah, I can see that growing pains are present. The I-85 work has been going on and on but at least it’s north of Greenville now?

That is right, right?
 

ckDOG

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Too hard to say. I think those decisions are heavily dependent on your individual job situation. I can think of plenty of great places to live but I'm not doing it for less purchasing power or no jobs I want there (which is often the case given I live in west Tennessee). Where will I retire? Probably have a small place in NW Arkansas or East Tennessee with a nice RV to go chase good weather.
 
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Maroon Eagle

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If I had to move, it would mean that I was not going to be near family any longer. If for some reason family was not a priority, I would consider a number of states, but I might also look at some country that would allow me to retire early because it is friendly to ex-pats and cheap, near or on a beach. Being near or on a Florida beach is not in the scope of my finances...
I get that.

My Mississippi family is smaller and smaller.

Extended cousins die every few months. I only have one first cousin living here and every other close relation other than my parents are out of state.

One of the things about being on the Spectrum is that my sense of belonging anywhere is nearly nonexistent.

Is it any wonder that my eyes wander?
 

msualohadog

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Oct 25, 2014
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Not sure about a specific location, but here is the criteria I would look for.

1. Rural. Large cities have zero appeal to me.
2. Has all 4 seasons and shot at a white Christmas.
3. Mountains
4. Place that doesn't routinely get Satan's nutsack hot or extremely cold. I don't like 100 and humid or windchills of -20.

So places like West Virginia or somewhere along the Appalachians would get a hard look.
Look at north Georgia. I moved here 5 years ago. I live at 2,200 feet and can see North Carolina off my back deck. 27 holes of golf, a pub, and a pontoon boat all in my neighborhood. I don't plan on moving anytime soon. Snows once a year. Only down side is 30 minutes to Kroger.
 

ll Martain ll

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Oct 5, 2014
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If money and career were no object, I'd live in Ocean Springs November to May with a place to crash in Starkville for basketball and baseball, and Traverse City MI May to November with a lot of summer trips to Chicago and the UP. Northern Michigan has so much to do and has great weather most of the summer.

If I'm not limited to the US, I'd probably pick a town in the German countryside a short train ride to Munich, like Regensburg.
 
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Oct 29, 2009
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I debate this with myself all the time...

Wyoming
Northwest Arkansas
Florida

split evenly on that I can't decide
 

The Peeper

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I think we obviously need pics to know whether Pensacola is really where we all need to move or whether you just have low standards, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Yeah, my experiences w/ Waffle House servers is that they are almost always "unfortunate" looking. Super nice and friendly, competent. But when it comes to looks, most of them were assaulted with a big ole ugly stick
 

OG Goat Holder

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I have seen NW Arkansas listed here 7 times. I know it's growing. I just really don't get it, though, as far as people just dying to get there.

To me, NW AR is about like the Coast......a good area to live and work if you like the outdoor recreation around it. Just don't have to worry about hurricanes. 500K vs 400K population. And yes, I've been there. Nice place, but not some destination. Just like the Coast, and other places, like Huntsville, AL and Greenville, SC (obviously listed here too).........it's fine to live/work, but there's always somewhere better, especially with the rising prices just as high as elsewhere.
 

dorndawg

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Sep 10, 2012
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I have seen NW Arkansas listed here 7 times. I know it's growing. I just really don't get it, though, as far as people just dying to get there.

To me, NW AR is about like the Coast......a good area to live and work if you like the outdoor recreation around it. Just don't have to worry about hurricanes. 500K vs 400K population. And yes, I've been there. Nice place, but not some destination. Just like the Coast, and other places, like Huntsville, AL and Greenville, SC (obviously listed here too).........it's fine to live/work, but there's always somewhere better, especially with the rising prices just as high as elsewhere.
It's pricier than you'd think if you're anywhere close to civilization and just a very corporate culture. But if you want to hang out with 28 year old SEO optimization assistants and ride mountain bikes you're gonna be happier than a puppy with two peckers.
 

Maroon Eagle

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I was taken aback the other day when listening to a financial podcast. The caller was recent retiree from a high tax state, and mentioned moving to Mississippi. If the priorities are lower taxes and a larger plot of land, then I could see it.
If you didn’t say the word “podcast,” I’d be wondering if that was my stepfather.

He moved to Mississippi from California for those very reasons.
 
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Lucifer Morningstar

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Not sure about a specific location, but here is the criteria I would look for.

1. Rural. Large cities have zero appeal to me.
2. Has all 4 seasons and shot at a white Christmas.
3. Mountains
4. Place that doesn't routinely get Satan's nutsack hot or extremely cold. I don't like 100 and humid or windchills of -20.

So places like West Virginia or somewhere along the Appalachians would get a hard look.
For the record my nut sack is usually very comfortable in terms of temperature.
 
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johnson86-1

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Aug 22, 2012
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I have seen NW Arkansas listed here 7 times. I know it's growing. I just really don't get it, though, as far as people just dying to get there.

To me, NW AR is about like the Coast......a good area to live and work if you like the outdoor recreation around it. Just don't have to worry about hurricanes. 500K vs 400K population. And yes, I've been there. Nice place, but not some destination. Just like the Coast, and other places, like Huntsville, AL and Greenville, SC (obviously listed here too).........it's fine to live/work, but there's always somewhere better, especially with the rising prices just as high as elsewhere.
I think most people are taking proximity to family and/or affordability into account.

You give me a trust fund where I don't care that everything is twice as expensive and that I have to fly anytime I want to do anything different or see family, and maybe I choose to live in the Bahamas instead of somewhere like Pensacola. But I think most people are thinking about places they could live with something like their existing income, or at least income adjusted for the market where they'd be moving, and also maintain ties to their family and places like MSU without it being a major expenditure.

Plus there is the issue that a lot of the places that are "better" may be places that are better to visit than to live. If you give me the option for living somewhere for a year, maybe it's Park City, NYC, Seattle, the Bahamas, Miami, LA, or wherever. But with the possible exception of Park City, most of those places are places that I would consider tough to beat for a month to a year, but maybe not where I want to be for decades. Those places like NW Ar, Huntsville, Greenville, the Coast, etc. may not be high on anybody's bucket list to visit, but they are places that are all probably better places to live than to visit.
 
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J-Dawg

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Mar 4, 2009
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1) Texas, preferably Hill country
2) Montana
3a) SCarolina, Mt. Pleasant area
3b) SCarolina, upstate area
 

tbaydog

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It's pricier than you'd think if you're anywhere close to civilization and just a very corporate culture. But if you want to hang out with 28 year old SEO optimization assistants and ride mountain bikes you're gonna be happier than a puppy with two peckers.
and trout fishing in your backyard'''''''
 

hdogg

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Nov 21, 2014
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Only after you spend time there. Take my religion out of it and it is still a great state to live in.
Agreed on Utah.
I drove w/ the wife and 2 kids from Texas to Montana (Glacier Park) 2 summers ago and spent 3-5 days in each of our stops. Stayed in the Mountain time zone the whole time (NM, CO, UT, AZ, WY, MT, maybe missing one).
Utah was way up there on the places we would actually live. There is so much to do, and such a variety of outdoor things to do (skiing in winter, hiking or paddling in summer). But what really stood out was just how incredibly clean everything seemed. We didn't see a single town that looked run-down, and the people are as nice as possible. We didn't go thru Salt Lake, drove mostly on the East side of the state. I can only assume the song "Sal Tlay ka Si Ti" from the "Book of Mormon" musical is accurate about how great the city is! (haha but seriously...)

Colorado would be the other option, for similar reasons but wife is concerned about getting tired of the snow.