If I had to choose moving to one of those states over death I think I’d choose Kentucky so I could watch a big bonfire and chug whiskey with Bristoe. Family is a mighty good reason to move. You won’t regret the time spent with loved ones when you’re older, time spent apart leaves an emptiness that can only be assuaged by reconnecting.
Best of luck. Fly back and rent a car to explore the places that interest you.
I guess I'll stay right here at the intersection of Bourbon, Harrison, and Scott county.
,....found a convenient store down the road, out in the country, that has tables set up over in the corner. You can sit there and have a bottle of beer fer breakfast or you can get biscuits and gravy at suppertime.
,..sittin' there in a pair of Liberty overhauls,..the waitress asks,.. "What you havin' this mornin', honey?"
Tellum', "Two eggs, biscuits and gravy and a Miller long neck".
SW Michigan, by St. Joseph, Bridgman, Holland, etc. is very nice. The weather is moderated by Lake Michigan. Inland, it's much colder in winter and hotter in summer.
Unfortunately, lake effect is exactly as hard to shovel as snow.
Lots more wild game there than here in Utah. Plenty of fish in the lake and in the rivers.
State is basically ruled by a few blue enclaves.
We moved there from the foot of the Sierras, and my kids derisively asked, how do you make a ski slope in Michigan? Just find a fire hydrant and pack snow up against it. The lower peninsula does have a little bit of skiing, but no real mountain resorts. Da UP is another story. (Say yah to da UP, eh?)
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
Indiana, Kentucky. Tennessee, & Missouri: "It's not the heat, it's the humidity!" I live in Missouri but vacation in Wisconsin. The small towns in Wisconsin don't seem as economically depressed as the small towns in Missouri. Most small Wisconsin towns have some type of manufacturing plants that provide employment and they have great local bars where you can get good food. In some Missouri towns the largest local employer may be the prison and your choices for food may be chain fast food joints.
If you are living in Minnesota now and can handle the winters, I would move to Wisconsin.
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
So how bout Davenport Iowa? College town I think. Hunting close. More rural ...go to West End Iowa where the Heebert Hoover Presidential Library is located. Has an outhouse out back which would make for a great location for the Obozo presidunceal library. Then...once a resident you can participate in the clusterfk caucus's. Fish the river in the Iowa Wisconsin Illinois triangle. Cross over into Illinois go to Galena and have a drink to the memory of US Grant. Go a little further south and you can ski Chestnut Mountain overlooking the river and looking across and see Davenport. A few hours drive and you can visit Rockford and an hour more you can be in the BigShoulders city . Hunt Iowa...Fish Wisconsin...Ski n Sightsee Illinois! Everything within a few hours drive.
Dubuque Iowa not Davenport...though Davenport ain't that far and West Branch Iowa not West End for Herbert Hoovers birthplace and Presidential Library and Barak Obummers presidunceal outhouse. US Grant saved the Union Hoover blamed for the Great Depression Obama nearly destroyed the Union and directly responsible for Doubling the National Debt So have a drink to Grant Commiserate with Hoover Then use the outhouse
Wisconsin: No way could I live in that liberal state. Indiana: Could do that. Good people. i gre up in OH, but I don't know what the hunting situation is there. I suspect it would be decent. Kentucky: Of the ones you mentioned, I would probably choose KY. Live and let live attitude. Lots of hills, country to hunt. Good, albeit sometimes backwards people. Tennessee: I don't know much of TN. Few friends and family have lived there. They liked it. I would guess hunting etc would be decent. Decently conservative. Michigan: I don't think I could easily endure the long gray fall/winters any more. Wife lived in MI and worked throughout MI. She hated it.Weather, attitude etc. Missouri: Spent a little time there. In-laws live there. Wife grew up there. Would be a decent possibility. Good people. Some nice country. Pretty humid in the winter.
If you want to be close to IA/IL, you could consider SD and NE as another mentioned. I would certainly investigate hunting laws, firearms laws, crime, taxes and the general political leanings.
Of all those - I only have faint acquaintance with Kenosha, Wisc (seemed nice, although large), Grand Rapids, MI (Way to many folks around there), and Ft Leonard Wood MO (no discussion needed) I'll stay out west, thank you.
Wisconsin (anywhere outside a metro area): From there. Beautiful seasons, lakes, variety of different flavors of whitetail (and bear) habitats. Grouse and woodcock being cyclical but overall excellent. Stocked pheasant. And drowning in lakes/streams. Beer, bratwurst, and cheese are staples. People are stereotypical Midwest - make fun of the accent, but a very decent people.
Or, would gladly try rural Kentucky, as long as not dealing with the hipsters or the meth heads.
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
So how bout Davenport Iowa? College town I think. Hunting close. More rural ...go to West End Iowa where the Heebert Hoover Presidential Library is located. Has an outhouse out back which would make for a great location for the Obozo presidunceal library. Then...once a resident you can participate in the clusterfk caucus's. Fish the river in the Iowa Wisconsin Illinois triangle. Cross over into Illinois go to Galena and have a drink to the memory of US Grant. Go a little further south and you can ski Chestnut Mountain overlooking the river and looking across and see Davenport. A few hours drive and you can visit Rockford and an hour more you can be in the BigShoulders city . Hunt Iowa...Fish Wisconsin...Ski n Sightsee Illinois! Everything within a few hours drive.
Now you're talking local language. Grew up in Freeport, IL. Parents still there. Sister and BIL in North Liberty, IA (Iowa City). Been to Galena more times than I remember. Job and cost of living are top contenders. I'm mobile, and hunting CAN be out of state if needed.
Gents, thanks for all the replies. I'm interested in getting closer to family, as stated I have no real roots that cant be uprooted easily here in WA.
Don't want to land in IL but have been leaning heavily to IN and KY. I know TN is a great place to live but I been farther north and summers... sweat. I don't mind winter or gray skies- I've been in Seattle for a decade. Rather see white chit at this point than rain and 40 degrees for 8 months. Just not North Dakota level white chit.
I'm thinking of finding a place close to my parents short term rental and finding a job in one of my locales. Keep suggestions/reasons coming. Hunting opportunities are not a top three priority right now. But a rifle/muzzleloader season would be nice. So fugck Illinausea.
Not to be that guy, but 2000' is a hill. These are the foothills by my house.
Pfffttt. I grew up skiing in the midwest. Or "skating" if you will. Skiing happens with peaks over 13k. I get it. I ain't trying to move to CO, UT, AK, etc. Flatlander life is A-OK with me. Simple readjustment.
I live about smack dab between Davenport and Dubuque iowa. The only a little over an hour apart. Lot of opportunity’s. Can go from rural to big city in about 10 miles. What do you do for work? Industry is looking hard for skilled trade and pay for most starts low 70’s a year.
I live about smack dab between Davenport and Dubuque iowa. The only a little over an hour apart. Lot of opportunity’s. Can go from rural to big city in about 10 miles. What do you do for work? Industry is looking hard for skilled trade and pay for most starts low 70’s a year.
Software. Specifically mobile (as in smartphone) app project management. I'm willing to take a pay cut initially to get a bridge job. Or take on something new. No skilled trades. Also have software/QA testing experience and a background in healthcare. Wish my background was better suited to the midwest but it isn't. It's suited to the left coast.
No IL, and certainly not Rockford. Best bud from childhood is there right now with his parents on the waterfront. Three blocks from the ghetto... in a really nice white neighborhood.
,...used to roam around here hunting hogs back when walking all day wasn't an issue. It's around where Crimson Tide lives.
Round about these parts?
I'm liking KY and IN. Always have. Now about where to live? But keep all suggestions coming. But locality to family tops the list right now. It's a good time in life for me to move.
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
Work sent me to most of those states, save MO and KY.
I'd easily pick TN, specifically eastern TN. Good politics, good tax situation. Cost of living isn't bad. Can't speak for hunting, but fishing was quite good. And this was just after hours in the summer time, driving as little as possible.
IN isn't bad, just kind of boring geography.
MI is dominated by Detroit. I'll not move from one liberal dominated state to another.
If I wanted to live driving close to family in Freeport, I'd look hard at southwest Wisconsin and north east Iowa. And when your on the ground in the area i'm talking about it'd be hard to tell one from the other. Pick an area anywhere within 50 miles of Prairie du Chien, or McGregor. 2.5 hours from freeport...
Terrific deer and trout area + walleyes and bass. Both Smallmouth and Largemouth. And you'd be a short drive from Superior and it's environs.
In my mind, Wisconsin is a bit more sportsman friendly, but the taxes in Iowa might be a bit less.
Work sent me to most of those states, save MO and KY.
I'd easily pick TN, specifically eastern TN. Good politics, good tax situation. Cost of living isn't bad. Can't speak for hunting, but fishing was quite good. And this was just after hours in the summer time, driving as little as possible.
IN isn't bad, just kind of boring geography.
MI is dominated by Detroit. I'll not move from one liberal dominated state to another.
WI is a variation of MI politically.
Scott
Honestly? I'm about to get called a [bleep]. I'm alright with it. I used to ride a road bike (as in BICYCLE) 3,000+ miles a summer. It was nice on the open country roads that WI, IL, IA, OH and IN have. Relatively flat, no cars, farmland, cyclists' dream. Out here you get your ass run over. Would like to get back to biking. Bout got my ass kilt here several times then sold the bike.
If I wanted to live driving close to family in Freeport, I'd look hard at southwest Wisconsin and north east Iowa. And when your on the ground in the area i'm talking about it'd be hard to tell one from the other. Pick an area anywhere within 50 miles of Prairie du Chien, or McGregor. 2.5 hours from freeport...
Terrific deer and trout area + walleyes and bass. Both Smallmouth and Largemouth. And you'd be a short drive from Superior and it's environs.
In my mind, Wisconsin is a bit more sportsman friendly, but the taxes in Iowa might be a bit less.
My BIL is the walleye slaying machine. I'll take a look at jobs in the area. Likely kind of lean due to population centers but worth a shot.
Good lord i grew up in WI....in the best part.... But I real grew the f-up the last 30 sum years here and I'll pass at another WI... chit !. beer is good all the time everywhere:) ... How I know? I'm nursing a 16oz can of old style as I type lol !!!!
I'm liking KY and IN. Always have. Now about where to live? But keep all suggestions coming. But locality to family tops the list right now. It's a good time in life for me to move.
If you're seriously thinking about moving to a place in Kentucky that would keep you relatively close to Illinois, You might want to look around in the semi-western part of the piece of Kentucky that's between Owensboro and Bowling Green.
I don't like either Owensboro *or* Bowling Green,...but the part of Kentucky that falls between them is very secluded, low cost of living, and has good people.
Also,..it's "the south".
For such a small state, Kentucky has quite a few very distinct regions. Anything west of Elizabethtown is the south. East of there is the Bluegrass and Appalachia.
I've seen all of this place and I much prefer the rural areas of the Bluegrass region, but it's a bit of a drive from here to Illinois. Not too much, though. The illinois state line is maybe 4 hours or so from here.
If you moved into far western Kentucky, Illinois is just across the bridge. But I don't recommend far western Kentucky.
I recently moved to northern Michigan. The northern part of the lower mitten to be exact. Anyways, I love it here. Everyday is like a vacation.
Incredible fishing: Trout are extremely abundant in the many blue ribbon trout streams, smallmouth bass are giant in the many lakes like Douglas, Burt and Mullet Lake. Walleye is world class in many areas. The rest of the state is loaded with numerous inland lakes which are great for all the other species. Salmon are making a great comeback. I caught a few 20lb kings this fall. Oh, Lake St. Clair is quickly being known as one of the premier musky lakes in the lower 48.
ATV, snowmobiles and dirt bikes: Michigan has some of the best maintained trails in the lower 48. You could get on your ATV at sunrise and never cross the same path all the way up until sunset, just in my county!
Hunting. Best upland game hunting in lower 48. Especially for woodcock. Sharptails are in the UP. There is a major pheasant restoration project going on. Deer are plentiful, through are not generally trophy size, there are some monsters. Waterfowl and turkey is outstanding too. Deer hunting is like a religious cult here, not an activity.
The state govt is sportsman and gun owner friendly. The governor and all the state houses are run by the GOP.
If you're thinking of moving to Kentucky because of it's proximity to Freeport Illinois, you should pick a place in the rural area of the Bluegrass region.
The route that you would be taking to get to extreme northern Illinois would be about the same from the Bluegrass area as the semi western part of Kentucky,...and the Bluegrass area of Kentucky is nice as long as you stay out of Lexington.
Trust me on that. You won't like Lexington.
It's a pretty city,..but it's commie as hell these days.
Visited all the states listed and liked western Kentucky the best. Thinking about why, I realized it was very similar to the area of SW Missouri where I live. Not a lot of flatland for biking, but its here if you chose your routes. In to fishing and hunting its also here. 2 1/2 hour drive to Ill line at St Louis. 2 1/2 hour drive also to KC, MO. Springfield population 160,000 would likely offer employment opportunities in your field. Two major hospitals in Springfield. Rural living with friendly neighbors can be found twenty minutes outside the city limits. Second to here I like Western Kentucky best. GW
Honestly? I'm about to get called a [bleep]. I'm alright with it. I used to ride a road bike (as in BICYCLE) 3,000+ miles a summer. It was nice on the open country roads that WI, IL, IA, OH and IN have. Relatively flat, no cars, farmland, cyclists' dream. Out here you get your ass run over. Would like to get back to biking. Bout got my ass kilt here several times then sold the bike.
Hah! Cycling is what we vacation in Wisconsin for. We are trail riders not roadies, but WIsconsin is generally bicycle friendly. No need to worry about getting your azz run over here. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elroy-Sparta_State_Trail
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
Wisconsin is too cold and too liberal with ultra-high taxes. Indiana is like Wisconsin but less so. Kentucky is okay but too many people. Same with Tennessee but better. Michigan is like Wisconsin. Missouri is okay. Of them, I'd rank them Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin.
We moved there from the foot of the Sierras, and my kids derisively asked, how do you make a ski slope in Michigan? Just find a fire hydrant and pack snow up against it. The lower peninsula does have a little bit of skiing, but no real mountain resorts. Da UP is another story. (Say yah to da UP, eh?)
A small ski resort -- about 1 1/4 hours from the house has ~ 3000 feet of vertical fall. Taos is a whole 'nother deal. AFAIK Michigan doesn't have anyplace above 3000 ft altitude to begin with.
I live about smack dab between Davenport and Dubuque iowa. The only a little over an hour apart. Lot of opportunity’s. Can go from rural to big city in about 10 miles. What do you do for work? Industry is looking hard for skilled trade and pay for most starts low 70’s a year.
Software. Specifically mobile (as in smartphone) app project management. I'm willing to take a pay cut initially to get a bridge job. Or take on something new. No skilled trades. Also have software/QA testing experience and a background in healthcare. Wish my background was better suited to the midwest but it isn't. It's suited to the left coast.
We have Facebook and Microsoft in the Des Moines metro if software is your game.
Anyone who says Michigan has no mountains has never been up in the Copper Harbor area. Simply breathtaking. Lots of deer, lots of fish.
Standard definition of a mountain includes a minimum of 2,000'. No hills in Michigan reach that. As a kid we moved from the UP to AK, so I have seen the row of hills you are trying to call mountains. I can see far bigger ones from about any window in the house...
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
For your situation I'd chose Green County, Wisconsin, on the southwest of Wisconsin bordering Illinois. Home of the Swiss founded town of New Glarus, the countryside is a bit more rolling than the flat farm land typical of southern Wisconsin. Close to everything you want.
yeah! But I have been to 45 of the 57 US States not yet Michigan, but I would love to do some canoe camping up there soon. It is not all Detroit, looks like!
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
For your situation I'd chose Green County, Wisconsin, on the southwest of Wisconsin bordering Illinois. Home of the Swiss founded town of New Glarus, the countryside is a bit more rolling than the flat farm land typical of southern Wisconsin. Close to everything you want.
We spent 5 days there this summer with my son’s in laws. Great food and beer. The New Glarus brewery is outstanding.
Software. Specifically mobile (as in smartphone) app project management. I'm willing to take a pay cut initially to get a bridge job. Or take on something new. No skilled trades. Also have software/QA testing experience and a background in healthcare. Wish my background was better suited to the midwest but it isn't. It's suited to the left coast.
If software is your background, you may be surprised to learn that your background is suited to the Midwest.
A number of software companies have opened offices in the KCMO metro area and they even host hiring events dubbing KC as "The Silicon Prairie."
I'm in software. Specifically, I sell software to the automotive industry. Many auto software companies are opening branches or relocating to the KC area to take advantage of a skilled labor force, central location and lower cost of living. One of our competitors just relocated their headquarters here from California bringing several hundred jobs.
Ten years ago we could hire a developer straight out of mom's basement and pay him $10 bucks an hour, now due to competition, we have to overpay to get quality engineering talent .
I'd certainly reach out to some recruiters who specialize in placing software skilled professionals.
I'm liking KY and IN. Always have. Now about where to live? But keep all suggestions coming. But locality to family tops the list right now. It's a good time in life for me to move.
If you're seriously thinking about moving to a place in Kentucky that would keep you relatively close to Illinois, You might want to look around in the semi-western part of the piece of Kentucky that's between Owensboro and Bowling Green.
I don't like either Owensboro *or* Bowling Green,...but the part of Kentucky that falls between them is very secluded, low cost of living, and has good people.
Also,..it's "the south".
For such a small state, Kentucky has quite a few very distinct regions. Anything west of Elizabethtown is the south. East of there is the Bluegrass and Appalachia.
I've seen all of this place and I much prefer the rural areas of the Bluegrass region, but it's a bit of a drive from here to Illinois. Not too much, though. The illinois state line is maybe 4 hours or so from here.
If you moved into far western Kentucky, Illinois is just across the bridge. But I don't recommend far western Kentucky.
Geographically, politically, and culturally, Kentucky is a very diverse state. I'm in southwest Kentucky, close to Tennessee (it's okay, unless the winds blowing from the south), and this part of the state is very much Southern in our culture. The eastern part of the state is much different, and although the scenery is beautiful, I wouldn't want to live there. Northern Kentucky is just too Yankee like for me, and I tend to stay away. The Bluegrass area is okay, for visiting anyway. Western Kentucky is where it's at. I honestly wouldn't want to live anyplace else, other than Texas maybe, or South Dakota. The only downside here is the summer heat and humidity.
Wisconsin is a nice state and has a lot of outdoor opportunities, but for me the winters would quickly rule it out
Indiana again getting too far north winter wise though south east Indiana is nice and close enough to Cincinnati and Louisville for good medical access etc.
Kentucky is nice enough I was born here and live in the 1-75 corridor . Lots of lakes ,lots of public land (natl forest, WMAs) the Ky dept fish and wildlife does a good job. If I was moving here I would probably look in the central or western part of the state I'd probably draw a line from Nashville thru Lexington and settle west of that line.
Tennessee has slightly milder weather the dogwoods bloom about 3-4 wks sooner than where I live and frost is about 3-4 wks later . You have the lakes, the Smokies ,good hunting and fishing opportunities , nice cities Nashville, Knoxville with good medical facilities , no income taxes. You are closer to the Carolina beaches as well as Florida . I live in Ky but if I was making a choice from scratch I'd probably Consider Tn and look at some of the lake communities south of Knoxville or one of the bedroom communities of Nashville.
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
I'm in Wisconsin - and I love the state, MUCH better now that it's turned 'blue'.. But eventually I WILL be in South Dakota - mucho cheaper to live there as a retiree.. As to the 'why', most of it is due to a bit better weather (read: less humidity) and that the entire population's 1/4 of just 5 counties to the west of me in MN..
Work sent me to most of those states, save MO and KY.
I'd easily pick TN, specifically eastern TN. Good politics, good tax situation. Cost of living isn't bad. Can't speak for hunting, but fishing was quite good. And this was just after hours in the summer time, driving as little as possible.
IN isn't bad, just kind of boring geography.
MI is dominated by Detroit. I'll not move from one liberal dominated state to another.
WI is a variation of MI politically.
Scott
Honestly? I'm about to get called a [bleep]. I'm alright with it. I used to ride a road bike (as in BICYCLE) 3,000+ miles a summer. It was nice on the open country roads that WI, IL, IA, OH and IN have. Relatively flat, no cars, farmland, cyclists' dream. Out here you get your ass run over. Would like to get back to biking. Bout got my ass kilt here several times then sold the bike.
I just bought my retirement acreage. Bike friendly was a factor in the decision. The rural roads of south MS are great for bicycling. I have a 50 mile loop I can ride and encounter a dozen or fewer cars sometimes. I have no desire whatsoever to exist in conflict with other road users. I found 10 acres right on one of the routes I rode when I lived over there. You'll probably get this, but most won't. I get some of the same pleasure bicycling that I do hunting. On a bicycle I feel connectedness with the world around me, not the isolation a car gives. Same as when I hunt. I become a part of that world, not apart from that world.
OP, southern Missouri is a bit of a sleeper. Temperate weather, lots of public land and good fishing. Most folks know about the mountains of eastern TN and KY, but the Cumberland Plateau is a sleeper. All of those places have good land prices, good cost of living, four seasons and are safe and quiet. May be a bit too remote for you.
IF I had to pick one from your list, Kentucky would get the nod, I suppose. Can't see any improvement over what's here, though, so I'll just stick. They have bigger deer in general, I think, but we have more.
On the other hand, they've got elk, and while we're working on that, I'll never get to hunt them.
If your number one reason is to see your folks a lot, you might as well suck it up and move there. A side note, though. Everyone I know who has done this regrets every minute of it and wishes they were back where they left from. Delusions are strong and I can guarantee you that yours will be gravely disappointing as your past experience will not match up with the current changes in any area and will probably fall short of your expectations. The other problem I see is people who move back to "save" their aging (problem) family members and realize they can't save anyone from illness/death and stupidity just by being there to begin with, and then the stress and regrets ensue.
Gotta live your own life Hoss! Buying your folks an iphone and facetiming them plus flying in every once in awhile will do wonders if you are happy in the sticks and they're not.
All of those states you listed will have great pockets to live as well as rotten spots, but matching a job to those spots will probably prove more difficult.
From a distance perspective - South Dakota If you don't mind the drive - TN or KY, but skip the liberal urban areas - especially TN. I'd only live closer to or along the Ohio River in Indiana if I had to, otherwise it's a pass. The rest are far to questionable when it comes to the plague of liberalism.
Well, seeing as I've lived my entire life in Indiana, I'm somewhat prejudice. Southern IN. is a lot different than northern IN. If I was moving, I'd check out the following 3-4 counties. Owen, Crawford, Perry, and Orange. Open ground for hunting [deer,squirrel,turkey]. Lots of small towns. No mountains, but forested hills. Owen county would be the closest to NW IL. I have a brother that lives in Owen county. If I was younger, I'd move there. Lots of woods, and real estate is cheap, relatively speaking. An hr. or so to Indianapolis, and the airport. Close to Interstate 70 and 74, for easy travel to IL. Indiana has great friendly gun laws. Go to Realtor.com, look up Indiana, and type in those counties. You will get a good idea of the country side and the real estate. Good luck.
Well, seeing as I've lived my entire life in Indiana, I'm somewhat prejudice. Southern IN. is a lot different than northern IN. If I was moving, I'd check out the following 3-4 counties. Owen, Crawford, Perry, and Orange.
Well, all those Illinois people up here recreating every weekend can't all be wrong. Heck we all have four wheel drive trucks, snow blowers, central heating and big plow trucks for the snow, so even the winters are not that bad. The wife minds it more than I do, so we go to Florida for four months. If you are use to Washington, the Midwest is going to be like a breath of fresh air cost wise. We can't take our Midwest incomes and move to either coast. State and property taxes are higher here, but probably because we have more cows than people. The state just ponied up 3 billion dollars to have a huge Fox Con plant built in Kenosha, WI. that is supposed to provide 15,000 new high tech jobs to the south east part of the state. I live 130 miles north of that rat race and have deer hunting opportunities a hundred yards from the house. The La Crosse area in the south west is nice and close to Iowa, Minnesota, and the rural part of Illinois. The whole northern third of the state is forested and wide open for hunting. We have more lakes than Minnesota and Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are full of salmon, trout and small mouth bass. We shoot between 200,00 and 300,000 deer here every year and have more B&C bucks taken than any other state or province if that is important to you. No traffic issues once you get out of Madison or the Milwaukee area. Lots of OEM's and manufacturing here with very low unemployment. Friendly folk with low crime rates. Rifles state wide for hunting, gun friendly.
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
TN would be the first place I'd be looking on that list. No state income tax is the biggest reason. But low cost of living. No F'n snow to shovel, long, generous hunting seasons and terrific spring turkey hunting. And nobody will think twice when my hot cousin Heather comes down to visit and I spend the weekend nailing her on the porch.
tzone, being a northern boy, you would need to work on you drawl for down there. They are still pissed about the Civil War and when a bunch of us went down there to hunt their pigs, it was an awful lot of the Yankee this and Yankee that. Heck, just invite Heather over and keep her in Minnesota. Lots of those high cheek boned, blond, good looking Swedes over your way, so you don't need to go 800 miles south for honey hunting.
tzone, being a northern boy, you would need to work on you drawl for down there. They are still pissed about the Civil War and when a bunch of us went down there to hunt their pigs, it was an awful lot of the Yankee this and Yankee that. Heck, just invite Heather over and keep her in Minnesota. Lots of those high cheek boned, blond, good looking Swedes over your way, so you don't need to go 800 miles south for honey hunting.
Well..there are waaaay too many Yankees up here for me. Ill take the south any day. You can keep the rocket high taxes, the liberal politics, and the snow up there. If I want to visit I have a truck to drive and a debit card to buy plane tickets.
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
WTF, I thought you moved ten years ago right out of high school to live in your moms basement in Seattle? She charging you rent now so you gotta go? Want you to do your own laundry, what???
Grow up punk, make your own life away from family. Try not being a dick and maybe you could get a girlfriend (you need to leave the basement), lose the bike, quit being a shmuck on the internet and go get a real life of your own. Go to Alaska or Idaho and start living, or are you too much of a pussy to take life by the horns and make your own way?
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
WTF, I thought you moved ten years ago right out of high school to live in your moms basement in Seattle? She charging you rent now so you gotta go? Want you to do your own laundry, what???
Grow up punk, make your own life away from family. Try not being a dick and maybe you could get a girlfriend (you need to leave the basement), lose the bike, quit being a shmuck on the internet and go get a real life of your own. Go to Alaska or Idaho and start living, or are you too much of a pussy to take life by the horns and make your own way?
And there you are full of class. As usual. I'd tell you to GFY but you seem to lack the required equipment. Carry on with your hatred.
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
WTF, I thought you moved ten years ago right out of high school to live in your moms basement in Seattle? She charging you rent now so you gotta go? Want you to do your own laundry, what???
Grow up punk, make your own life away from family. Try not being a dick and maybe you could get a girlfriend (you need to leave the basement), lose the bike, quit being a shmuck on the internet and go get a real life of your own. Go to Alaska or Idaho and start living, or are you too much of a pussy to take life by the horns and make your own way?
Didn't someone start a 'you hurt my puzzy' thread recently?
Family, bro. Family. No solid roots here, want to be closer to IA/Northwest IL. But not *in* IL.
WTF, I thought you moved ten years ago right out of high school to live in your moms basement in Seattle? She charging you rent now so you gotta go? Want you to do your own laundry, what???
Grow up punk, make your own life away from family. Try not being a dick and maybe you could get a girlfriend (you need to leave the basement), lose the bike, quit being a shmuck on the internet and go get a real life of your own. Go to Alaska or Idaho and start living, or are you too much of a pussy to take life by the horns and make your own way?
And there you are full of class. As usual. I'd tell you to GFY but you seem to lack the required equipment. Carry on with your hatred.
I'm returning what you give. How's that work for you? Those are the kind of contributions you make to a thread, so I thought I'd show you how it looks. Now you know what a prick acts like, so quit doing it.
I guess I'll stay right here at the intersection of Bourbon, Harrison, and Scott county.
,....found a convenient store down the road, out in the country, that has tables set up over in the corner. You can sit there and have a bottle of beer fer breakfast or you can get biscuits and gravy at suppertime.
,..sittin' there in a pair of Liberty overhauls,..the waitress asks,.. "What you havin' this mornin', honey?"
Tellum', "Two eggs, biscuits and gravy and a Miller long neck".
Nobody bats an eye.
Why would I want to move anyplace but Kentucky?
Hold the phone! Quick drift. I'm confident that I am aware of all the beer stops in the area, but sometimes get a craving flung on me for breakfast, especially country store types. Location please.
Now... bigfish, I've traveled a bit, & considered moving, but never did. I am still proud to be a Kentuckian. You might like it here. But.... we are full, just don't have any more room. Too many people here already.
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
If I had to move to any of those I'd have to wonder what I did to piss God off.
Do any of those states have 10,000 foot mountains? Glacial basins with small lakes and streams to fish? If not ... come west. Gotta keep things in perspective. You have ONE life, that's it. However, there are MANY families. You can get a new one. Put yourself up for adoption if necessary.
Ky, East if I didn't need to earn a living, West would be, ok. In, bottom 1/4 only Wi, the farther from [bleep] the better. Mo, nowhere too close to St. Louis, or KC. Or Joplin, too f'n many tornados in Joplin. Tn, nowhere near Memphis, or close to Nashville or Knoxville. East is cool, but see E. Ky. Mi. Far, Far from Detroit. U.P., see E. Ky.
Having spent a lot of time driving a truck in all these, they all have good and bad places. There is just something about In., Mi, and Tn that make me not want to choose them. But, I would be able to find places I would be happy in all.
Whatever you do , don't move to the clarksville/Montgomery county tn area, or the fort campbell/ christain county ky area. These areas suck for hunting and fishing for sure. These areas have nothing going on for them at all...... place is desolation wastelands.
I'm returning what you give. How's that work for you? Those are the kind of contributions you make to a thread, so I thought I'd show you how it looks. Now you know what a prick acts like, so quit doing it.
^^Sounds a lot like you're a victim of pricks on the internet^^
Well if I did what you suggested, taking your example...
I'd have to be a victim of WA exactly like you're a victim of OR. See, I don't bitch about my victimhood on the internet constantly. I don't like WA much anymore, therefore I'm leaving. I could stay, and make multiple posts per week about how the state I live in makes me a victim. I could get married and piss of my wife so bad she comes on here under my screenname and posts a rant about me. I could complain a fair amount about my lot in life. Unlike you, I'm doing something about it and changing my lot.
To the rest of you making helpful suggestions- thanks. I appreciate the feedback.
I'm from the midwest. I'm from a small town. Traffic was something that existed in Chicago (and even there it's still leaps and bounds better than Seattle). I don't need mountains. I'm not necessarily trying to live close enough to my family members to visit every weekend. But close enough that I can drive there in a day's time. The cost of living here is outrageous. I'm willing to take a pay cut for an even better cost of living cut. I hate the politics here- I'll never find somewhere perfect but having traveled the country a fair bit save for the southwest, I'm confident I'll land in a decent state and quickly find a job.
ETA: A few mentioned me taking care of my parents. Absolutely not the case. And don't expect it to be anytime in the next 10+ years. They're young and healthy.
To the rest of you making helpful suggestions- thanks. I appreciate the feedback.
I'm from the midwest. I'm from a small town. Traffic was something that existed in Chicago (and even there it's still leaps and bounds better than Seattle). I don't need mountains. I'm not necessarily trying to live close enough to my family members to visit every weekend. But close enough that I can drive there in a day's time. The cost of living here is outrageous. I'm willing to take a pay cut for an even better cost of living cut. I hate the politics here- I'll never find somewhere perfect but having traveled the country a fair bit save for the southwest, I'm confident I'll land in a decent state and quickly find a job.
ETA: A few mentioned me taking care of my parents. Absolutely not the case. And don't expect it to be anytime in the next 10+ years. They're young and healthy.
By those standards you just eliminated Michigan, Wisconsin and probably Indiana. Of the three remaining states, Missouri is you best choice. I'd put Tennessee ahead of Kentucky simply on climate.
To the rest of you making helpful suggestions- thanks. I appreciate the feedback.
I'm from the midwest. I'm from a small town. Traffic was something that existed in Chicago (and even there it's still leaps and bounds better than Seattle). I don't need mountains. I'm not necessarily trying to live close enough to my family members to visit every weekend. But close enough that I can drive there in a day's time. The cost of living here is outrageous. I'm willing to take a pay cut for an even better cost of living cut. I hate the politics here- I'll never find somewhere perfect but having traveled the country a fair bit save for the southwest, I'm confident I'll land in a decent state and quickly find a job.
ETA: A few mentioned me taking care of my parents. Absolutely not the case. And don't expect it to be anytime in the next 10+ years. They're young and healthy.
By those standards you just eliminated Michigan, Wisconsin and probably Indiana. Of the three remaining states, Missouri is you best choice. I'd put Tennessee ahead of Kentucky simply on climate.
Maybe, but I have an automotive OEM knowledge that is useful to Detroit. I can handle a winter, have before- for 6 months of the year. I don't have to land in the perfect place. And based on what I've looked at in my research, the places I have listed are far better than western WA. I looked at KCMO. Can't remember why off the top of my head, but wasn't interested. Traffic isn't an issue, I have a pretty intimate knowledge of the worst places in the USA for traffic. Chicago isn't in the top ten. Top 25 yes, not the top ten. I ain't landing in Chicago or IL unless the $$ is right and I have 6 deadbolts on the door to keep parental pop-ins at bay (not a real worry, just making fun of it).
Just spitballing at why members here like or hate where they live, relative to where I'm looking. This is all helpful. Thanks.
Just announced that Alaska,s health care costs are the highest in the nation.
Said that a family of 4 pays an average of 40 k for health insurance here in Alaska.
.
Wow, I must be way below average. when I lived in AK, I paid about $7K a year for insurance, but there were only 3 of us in the family. But I will bet that our average health care costs for the year did run up to maybe 12K overall. (Insurance cost plus what we had to pay out of pocket) Thanks Obongo...
Whatever you do , don't move to the clarksville/Montgomery county tn area, or the fort campbell/ christain county ky area. These areas suck for hunting and fishing for sure. These areas have nothing going on for them at all...... place is desolation wastelands.
That's especially true on the Tennessee side of the state line.
Just announced that Alaska,s health care costs are the highest in the nation.
Said that a family of 4 pays an average of 40 k for health insurance here in Alaska.
.
Wow, I must be way below average. when I lived in AK, I paid about $7K a year for insurance, but there were only 3 of us in the family. But I will bet that our average health care costs for the year did run up to maybe 12K overall. (Insurance cost plus what we had to pay out of pocket) Thanks Obongo...
Don't know how long you've been out of the state, but insurance premiums have pretty much doubled in the past 4 years combined with rising deductibles to where it seems everything is out of pocket.
That said I don't know how an average family is spending $40k a year unless they are on expensive medications.
I'm not necessarily trying to live close enough to my family members to visit every weekend. But close enough that I can drive there in a day's time.
You can be a SE Wyoming resident and meet that requirement. From here, it looks like you are only 900 miles from your parents, and 500 miles of that is I-80 straight through Nebraska, and then a bunch more through Iowa. It wouldn't be fun during a blizzard, though.
To the rest of you making helpful suggestions- thanks. I appreciate the feedback.
I'm from the midwest. I'm from a small town. Traffic was something that existed in Chicago (and even there it's still leaps and bounds better than Seattle). I don't need mountains. I'm not necessarily trying to live close enough to my family members to visit every weekend. But close enough that I can drive there in a day's time. The cost of living here is outrageous. I'm willing to take a pay cut for an even better cost of living cut. I hate the politics here- I'll never find somewhere perfect but having traveled the country a fair bit save for the southwest, I'm confident I'll land in a decent state and quickly find a job.
ETA: A few mentioned me taking care of my parents. Absolutely not the case. And don't expect it to be anytime in the next 10+ years. They're young and healthy.
By those standards you just eliminated Michigan, Wisconsin and probably Indiana. Of the three remaining states, Missouri is you best choice. I'd put Tennessee ahead of Kentucky simply on climate.
Tennessee is also better than Kentucky on taxes. The problem that I see with Tennessee is Nashville, Knoxville, and down on the west end is the Memphis mega chithole.
Besides, Tennessee doesn't have a Bluegrass region,...and they still have helmet laws down there.
I travel down to Tennessee quite regular because of family down there. It's not a bad place but it seems a bit bland in comparison to what Central Kentucky has to offer.
In fact, a lot of places seem a bit bland after one gets used to the scenery that exists in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.
The farther you get away from it the uglier the world gets until you get to the Rocky Mountains.
To the rest of you making helpful suggestions- thanks. I appreciate the feedback.
I'm from the midwest. I'm from a small town. Traffic was something that existed in Chicago (and even there it's still leaps and bounds better than Seattle). I don't need mountains. I'm not necessarily trying to live close enough to my family members to visit every weekend. But close enough that I can drive there in a day's time. The cost of living here is outrageous. I'm willing to take a pay cut for an even better cost of living cut. I hate the politics here- I'll never find somewhere perfect but having traveled the country a fair bit save for the southwest, I'm confident I'll land in a decent state and quickly find a job.
ETA: A few mentioned me taking care of my parents. Absolutely not the case. And don't expect it to be anytime in the next 10+ years. They're young and healthy.
By those standards you just eliminated Michigan, Wisconsin and probably Indiana. Of the three remaining states, Missouri is you best choice. I'd put Tennessee ahead of Kentucky simply on climate.
Tennessee is also better than Kentucky on taxes. The problem that I see with Tennessee is Nashville, Knoxville, and down on the west end is the Memphis mega chithole.
Besides, Tennessee doesn't have a Bluegrass region,...and they still have helmet laws down there.
I travel down to Tennessee quite regular because of family down there. It's not a bad place but it seems a bit bland in comparison to what Central Kentucky has to offer.
In fact, a lot of places seem a bit bland after one gets used to the scenery that exists in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.
The farther you get away from it the uglier the world gets until you get to the Rocky Mountains.
Ozarks seem like the Appalachians to me. Branson/Springfield is ruint unless you can tolerate lots of folks. There are still some old-timey hill country places left though. I think the OP ain't serious anyway. The laws and majority in three of those states quickly cross them off my list. I'd fit in in Missouri, Kentucky or Tennessee, not in Yankeeland.
I have a friend who made a bunch of money working 7 days a week for a few years. After buying a motor home and touring the country, she decided to settle in Bristoe’s part of the world. She bought some rural acreage with a house and river frontage. She posted the property against trespassing. And then the trouble started. The locals didn’t take kindly to an uppity female outsider moving in and excluding them from “their” property, and trespassing and vandalism were constant problems. At one point, she would sling an AK47 to get the mail. One time she could not get out of her house and it turned out that someone had welded the doors shut. The sheriff couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything. I haven’t spoken with her lately, but I heard from another friend that she moved to another state.
Due diligence is important. I am sure my friend’s situation could happen in a lot of places, not just in Kentucky.
I have a friend who made a bunch of money working 7 days a week for a few years. After buying a motor home and touring the country, she decided to settle in Bristoe’s part of the world. She bought some rural acreage with a house and river frontage. She posted the property against trespassing. And then the trouble started. The locals didn’t take kindly to an uppity female outsider moving in and excluding them from “their” property, and trespassing and vandalism were constant problems. At one point, she would sling an AK47 to get the mail. One time she could not get out of her house and it turned out that someone had welded the doors shut. The sheriff couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything. I haven’t spoken with her lately, but I heard from another friend that she moved to another state.
Due diligence is important. I am sure my friend’s situation could happen in a lot of places, not just in Kentucky.
That doesn't sound like typical behavior in the Bluegrass region,...maybe southeast of here.
I have a friend who made a bunch of money working 7 days a week for a few years. After buying a motor home and touring the country, she decided to settle in Bristoe’s part of the world. She bought some rural acreage with a house and river frontage. She posted the property against trespassing. And then the trouble started. The locals didn’t take kindly to an uppity female outsider moving in and excluding them from “their” property, and trespassing and vandalism were constant problems. At one point, she would sling an AK47 to get the mail. One time she could not get out of her house and it turned out that someone had welded the doors shut. The sheriff couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything. I haven’t spoken with her lately, but I heard from another friend that she moved to another state.
Due diligence is important. I am sure my friend’s situation could happen in a lot of places, not just in Kentucky.
That doesn't sound like typical behavior in the Bluegrass region,...maybe southeast of here.
Have no idea what her situation is, but often times how you treat your neighbors when you move in often times affects how they treat. If one comes into the neighborhood and introduces themselves to the neighbors and breaks bread with them they'll likely have a different experience than if they act in a way that says, "Stay off my property you backwards hillbillies."
I have a friend who made a bunch of money working 7 days a week for a few years. After buying a motor home and touring the country, she decided to settle in Bristoe’s part of the world. She bought some rural acreage with a house and river frontage. She posted the property against trespassing. And then the trouble started. The locals didn’t take kindly to an uppity female outsider moving in and excluding them from “their” property, and trespassing and vandalism were constant problems. At one point, she would sling an AK47 to get the mail. One time she could not get out of her house and it turned out that someone had welded the doors shut. The sheriff couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything. I haven’t spoken with her lately, but I heard from another friend that she moved to another state.
Due diligence is important. I am sure my friend’s situation could happen in a lot of places, not just in Kentucky.
That doesn't sound like typical behavior in the Bluegrass region,...maybe southeast of here.
Have no idea what her situation is, but often times how you treat your neighbors when you move in often times affects how they treat. If one comes into the neighborhood and introduces themselves to the neighbors and breaks bread with them they'll likely have a different experience than if they act in a way that says, "Stay off my property you backwards hillbillies."
Just announced that Alaska,s health care costs are the highest in the nation.
Said that a family of 4 pays an average of 40 k for health insurance here in Alaska.
.
Wow, I must be way below average. when I lived in AK, I paid about $7K a year for insurance, but there were only 3 of us in the family. But I will bet that our average health care costs for the year did run up to maybe 12K overall. (Insurance cost plus what we had to pay out of pocket) Thanks Obongo...
Don't know how long you've been out of the state, but insurance premiums have pretty much doubled in the past 4 years combined with rising deductibles to where it seems everything is out of pocket.
That said I don't know how an average family is spending $40k a year unless they are on expensive medications.
We left Kodiak in 2011. For being a small city, we had what I considered some excellent health care there. Great trauma surgeons, optometrist, but you did have to get on the list for some specialists and see them about once/ quarter depending on what it was for.
Taxes, politics, and other factors rule out all but Tennessee for me. And even then, it would have to be in Eastern Tenn in the mountains.
I was actually out in the Johnson City area earlier this year, and there simply wasn't enough motivation and incentive for me to consider moving from Texas. YMMV
The "M"s are out...... Missouri too flat, humid (but they have Black Widow bows in Nixon)... Michigan is beautiful but out b/c too humid and all the tri-county, knuckle-dragging sub-humans (but they have Pierce Engineering - awesome rifle actions)
-Indiana - why the phouck would anyone in their right mind consider moving to Indiana? Seriously? Nothing redeemable there.....
-Kentucky - beautiful, but too hot/humid (it's a phoucking jungle.....) -Tennessee - again, beautiful but too hot/humid
-Wisconsin - contender - but a little on the taxy side as well as too close to Chitcago and a generally liberal state government (too many firearm related things to mention that are AWESOME).
I'm liking KY and IN. Always have. Now about where to live? But keep all suggestions coming. But locality to family tops the list right now. It's a good time in life for me to move.
If you're seriously thinking about moving to a place in Kentucky that would keep you relatively close to Illinois, You might want to look around in the semi-western part of the piece of Kentucky that's between Owensboro and Bowling Green.
I don't like either Owensboro *or* Bowling Green,...but the part of Kentucky that falls between them is very secluded, low cost of living, and has good people.
Also,..it's "the south".
For such a small state, Kentucky has quite a few very distinct regions. Anything west of Elizabethtown is the south. East of there is the Bluegrass and Appalachia.
I've seen all of this place and I much prefer the rural areas of the Bluegrass region, but it's a bit of a drive from here to Illinois. Not too much, though. The illinois state line is maybe 4 hours or so from here.
If you moved into far western Kentucky, Illinois is just across the bridge. But I don't recommend far western Kentucky.
Geographically, politically, and culturally, Kentucky is a very diverse state. I'm in southwest Kentucky, close to Tennessee (it's okay, unless the winds blowing from the south), and this part of the state is very much Southern in our culture. The eastern part of the state is much different, and although the scenery is beautiful, I wouldn't want to live there. Northern Kentucky is just too Yankee like for me, and I tend to stay away. The Bluegrass area is okay, for visiting anyway. Western Kentucky is where it's at. I honestly wouldn't want to live anyplace else, other than Texas maybe, or South Dakota. The only downside here is the summer heat and humidity.
Much good input... A lot of variety here in KY. Do you want hills and up and down, and very colorful season changes in the fall ? Eastern KY. Do you want relatively flat and open areas. lotso corn and beans ? Western KY. If you're into deer hunting, the deer hunting map below, dark colors are "Zone 1" with very generous bag limits, and often times some good racks to boot. The dark part of the deer map out to the far western part of the state is also part of the Mississippi flyway. Good duck hunting. That area also has Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, EXCELLENT crappie fishing at the right times of the year. Finally, anything along the top edge of that map is the Ohio river. Always some type of fishing to be done on the river.
Born and raised in KY. Spent 4 years in NE PA on a job rotation. Loved NE PA. But, KY is home. No intentions of leaving again. If I were to move again, within KY, it would be further south and east which is where my mother's family came from...
Missouri humidity in the summertime was unbearable, moved to Indiana more than 35 yrs. ago. The climate in IN is more like NJ where I grew up, went to college in southern Colorado and would like to have remained there. The climate in CO suited me just fine, low humidity with moderate temps just about year 'round. I have seen tremendous growth in the Indianapolis area over the years, I live on the NE side and it is becoming more urbanized all the time. If I were to relocate in IN it would be to Brown Co.
One of the few places I could be persuaded to move is the southwest corner of Colorado. Good climate and *no*body out there.
The last time I went my wife and I drove up on top of Colorado National Monument and it was like we owned the place. Just us and some desert Bighorn Sheep up there.
I don’t know if western Ky is this way but rural central northern and eastern Ky are a bit clannish. If you move in “from off” don’t expect to ever be absorbed into the local family societal structure. You will always be “from off”. It’s not that way in the cities or near them because they are melting pots.
In our area we have a lot of families that move in to live their “Laura Ingles Wilder” dream/fantasy life. They are gonna do the country thing. One particular family owned a good bit of property, an old farm. Every animal that they raised (tried to raise that is) died. In one instance they lost about 7 goats. It seems to me that a goat is pretty resilient but they offed em. They aren’t living that Little House on the Prarie fantasy anymore. Found out it was too much and too real in the work area.
It’s fairly comical and sad to watch. These groups seem to end up clumping together in their little sub-communities. They are a bit aghast that they aren’t accepted but they fail to realize that the people in these small communities have generational ties that go back well over a hundred years. The local families have sweat and bled together for all that time. You can’t just walk into that and say “I’m here now! Let’s be BFF’s”! You have to do a lot of bleeding and sweating before getting anywhere close to that.
I don’t know if western Ky is this way but rural central northern and eastern Ky are a bit clannish. If you move in “from off” don’t expect to ever be absorbed into the local family societal structure. You will always be “from off”. It’s not that way in the cities or near them because they are melting pots.
In our area we have a lot of families that move in to live their “Laura Ingles Wilder” dream/fantasy life. They are gonna do the country thing. One particular family owned a good bit of property, an old farm. Every animal that they raised (tried to raise that is) died. In one instance they lost about 7 goats. It seems to me that a goat is pretty resilient but they offed em. They aren’t living that Little House on the Prarie fantasy anymore. Found out it was too much and too real in the work area.
It’s fairly comical and sad to watch. These groups seem to end up clumping together in their little sub-communities. They are a bit aghast that they aren’t accepted but they fail to realize that the people in these small communities have generational ties that go back well over a hundred years. The local families have sweat and bled together for all that time. You can’t just walk into that and say “I’m here now! Let’s be BFF’s”! You have to do a lot of bleeding and sweating before getting anywhere close to that.
It helps if you don't tell them you're from Lexington.
As far as I am concerned, there are only a few places left worth living in, Wyoming and Montana are top of the list, I'm already here, I could try Alaska next, other than that, you can have the rest.
Of the states listed either Kentucky or Tennessee. I've encountered people from all of the listed states and those are the ones I would want to live around.
I don’t know if western Ky is this way but rural central northern and eastern Ky are a bit clannish. If you move in “from off” don’t expect to ever be absorbed into the local family societal structure. You will always be “from off”. It’s not that way in the cities or near them because they are melting pots.
In our area we have a lot of families that move in to live their “Laura Ingles Wilder” dream/fantasy life. They are gonna do the country thing. One particular family owned a good bit of property, an old farm. Every animal that they raised (tried to raise that is) died. In one instance they lost about 7 goats. It seems to me that a goat is pretty resilient but they offed em. They aren’t living that Little House on the Prarie fantasy anymore. Found out it was too much and too real in the work area.
It’s fairly comical and sad to watch. These groups seem to end up clumping together in their little sub-communities. They are a bit aghast that they aren’t accepted but they fail to realize that the people in these small communities have generational ties that go back well over a hundred years. The local families have sweat and bled together for all that time. You can’t just walk into that and say “I’m here now! Let’s be BFF’s”! You have to do a lot of bleeding and sweating before getting anywhere close to that.
Every close nit community the world over is that way. Even big cities aren't the "melting pots" they are claimed to be and take at least a couple years to form meaningful friendships and be accepted.
Plenty of people come to Alaska with the dream of being the next character in a bush Alaska show. As I've observed, unless you drop your fantasy as soon as you are faced with the reality of Alaska you are assured to find yourself in a nightmare. Or put another way, if you're not cut for long hours and low pay in the city, longer hours and no pay off the grid isn't or you.
.....They are a bit aghast that they aren’t accepted but they fail to realize that the people in these small communities have generational ties that go back well over a hundred years. The local families have sweat and bled together for all that time. You can’t just walk into that and say “I’m here now! Let’s be BFF’s”! You have to do a lot of bleeding and sweating before getting anywhere close to that.
Mississippi is much the same way about outsiders moving in but it’s not so much the bleeding and sweating that makes it so. To tell the truth there’s not been of that going on for generations. The nature of the people in these rural areas has changed, you don’t have the hardscrabble farmers that work their butts off and raise a family on 160 acres. You can’t do that any more due to the nature of farming, everything is raised on giant factory farms nowadays. Pretty much all the quality young people that you need to keep communities viable move off in search of jobs so what you’re left in these rural areas today are the lazy, shiftless, & dopers. It wasn’t that way 50 years ago. My family has roots going back to 1831 in my area and we’ve produced doctors for the Mayo Clinic, executives for General Electric, and presidential aides but today those left in my area are mostly welfare rats & meth heads. Any kid with work ethic leaves & stays gone. I’m back because I have family land and a job as an airline pilot that lets me live anywhere, but most of my friends are work and military peers that don’t live around me, I don’t interact with most of the locals I grew up with because most of them still around here are pretty shady.
Not all areas are that way but I’ve seen a distinct shift in the type of people in rural areas and not for the better. Most around me are on some type of government assistance, EBT cards for groceries, unwed mothers, etc. A successful couple retiring to the country to get away from the rat race likely isn’t going to fit in with those communities. There has been a huge talent drain from the rural areas since the small farm lifestyle went away so the type of people living there has changed. The Norman Rockwell image of rural people isn’t reality in most places.
.....They are a bit aghast that they aren’t accepted but they fail to realize that the people in these small communities have generational ties that go back well over a hundred years. The local families have sweat and bled together for all that time. You can’t just walk into that and say “I’m here now! Let’s be BFF’s”! You have to do a lot of bleeding and sweating before getting anywhere close to that.
Mississippi is much the same way about outsiders moving in but it’s not so much the bleeding and sweating that makes it so. To tell the truth there’s not been of that going on for generations. The nature of the people in these rural areas has changed, you don’t have the hardscrabble farmers that work their butts off and raise a family on 160 acres. You can’t do that any more due to the nature of farming, everything is raised on giant factory farms nowadays. Pretty much all the quality young people that you need to keep communities viable move off in search of jobs so what you’re left in these rural areas today are the lazy, shiftless, & dopers. It wasn’t that way 50 years ago. My family has roots going back to 1831 in my area and we’ve produced doctors for the Mayo Clinic, executives for General Electric, and presidential aides but today those left in my area are mostly welfare rats & meth heads. Any kid with work ethic leaves & stays gone. I’m back because I have family land and a job as an airline pilot that lets me live anywhere, but most of my friends are work and military peers that don’t live around me, I don’t interact with most of the locals I grew up with because most of them still around here are pretty shady.
Not all areas are that way but I’ve seen a distinct shift in the type of people in rural areas and not for the better. Most around me are on some type of government assistance, EBT cards for groceries, unwed mothers, etc. A successful couple retiring to the country to get away from the rat race likely isn’t going to fit in with those communities. There has been a huge talent drain from the rural areas since the small farm lifestyle went away so the type of people living there has changed. The Norman Rockwell image of rural people isn’t reality in most places.
That sadly nails any part of America that is in economic decline. Whether it's the factories that closed, the farms that have gone feral, small commercial fishing replaced with factory trollers, the list goes on.
I can't go anywhere. We are taking care of the 3 year old and 1 year old grandkids all weekend.
In the greater Seattle area, it is nearly impossible to park a Ford F150. Might as well try to park a moving van.
I am stuck here is parking hell. I am driving a BMW mini, the easiest car to park. It is still hard to open the doors with the parked cars so close together.
When i was in Tokyo in 1982, we had to prove we had a parking spot to get a permit to buy a car. Tolls on the freeway could be $100 to go 100 miles.... there were no traffic jams.
.....They are a bit aghast that they aren’t accepted but they fail to realize that the people in these small communities have generational ties that go back well over a hundred years. The local families have sweat and bled together for all that time. You can’t just walk into that and say “I’m here now! Let’s be BFF’s”! You have to do a lot of bleeding and sweating before getting anywhere close to that.
Mississippi is much the same way about outsiders moving in but it’s not so much the bleeding and sweating that makes it so. To tell the truth there’s not been of that going on for generations. The nature of the people in these rural areas has changed, you don’t have the hardscrabble farmers that work their butts off and raise a family on 160 acres. You can’t do that any more due to the nature of farming, everything is raised on giant factory farms nowadays. Pretty much all the quality young people that you need to keep communities viable move off in search of jobs so what you’re left in these rural areas today are the lazy, shiftless, & dopers. It wasn’t that way 50 years ago. My family has roots going back to 1831 in my area and we’ve produced doctors for the Mayo Clinic, executives for General Electric, and presidential aides but today those left in my area are mostly welfare rats & meth heads. Any kid with work ethic leaves & stays gone. I’m back because I have family land and a job as an airline pilot that lets me live anywhere, but most of my friends are work and military peers that don’t live around me, I don’t interact with most of the locals I grew up with because most of them still around here are pretty shady.
Not all areas are that way but I’ve seen a distinct shift in the type of people in rural areas and not for the better. Most around me are on some type of government assistance, EBT cards for groceries, unwed mothers, etc. A successful couple retiring to the country to get away from the rat race likely isn’t going to fit in with those communities. There has been a huge talent drain from the rural areas since the small farm lifestyle went away so the type of people living there has changed. The Norman Rockwell image of rural people isn’t reality in most places.
That sadly nails any part of America that is in economic decline. Whether it's the factories that closed, the farms that have gone feral, small commercial fishing replaced with factory trollers, the list goes on.
A sad reality and doesn't happen just in the states either.
Well, all those Illinois people up here recreating every weekend can't all be wrong. Heck we all have four wheel drive trucks, snow blowers, central heating and big plow trucks for the snow, so even the winters are not that bad. The wife minds it more than I do, so we go to Florida for four months. If you are use to Washington, the Midwest is going to be like a breath of fresh air cost wise. We can't take our Midwest incomes and move to either coast. State and property taxes are higher here, but probably because we have more cows than people. The state just ponied up 3 billion dollars to have a huge Fox Con plant built in Kenosha, WI. that is supposed to provide 15,000 new high tech jobs to the south east part of the state. I live 130 miles north of that rat race and have deer hunting opportunities a hundred yards from the house. The La Crosse area in the south west is nice and close to Iowa, Minnesota, and the rural part of Illinois. The whole northern third of the state is forested and wide open for hunting. We have more lakes than Minnesota and Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are full of salmon, trout and small mouth bass. We shoot between 200,00 and 300,000 deer here every year and have more B&C bucks taken than any other state or province if that is important to you. No traffic issues once you get out of Madison or the Milwaukee area. Lots of OEM's and manufacturing here with very low unemployment. Friendly folk with low crime rates. Rifles state wide for hunting, gun friendly.
Dadgum. You just about sold me. I'm half ready to move to WI.
Let's just hear it. What do you like/not like about these states? -Wisconsin -Indiana -Kentucky -Tennessee
Possibles: -Missouri -Michigan
Wisconsin - Union dominated around Milwaukee and Racine. Beautiful upstate. Trends liberal and Madison is their Berkley. Indiana - Stay away from NW part of this state nears South Bend and Chicago. Flat and plenty of corn fields. Kentucky - Eastern part remains rural and slow economy. Hard for a new comer to fit in. West Virginia light, so to speak. Tennessee - very diverse geographically. Eastern part is mountainous and steep in some areas. Western part is northern Mississippi. Mizzou - Lived in Springfield for a spell, still have family there. south of Columbia I really like the state. Too bad it has St. Louis. Michigan - lived there too. if you could cut off everything within a 40 mile radius of downtown Detroit and cast it into a Black Hole, it would be a great place. Obviously union dominated and that has f'd up politics there for ever. The Mob in Detroit in the old days didn't help. North of a line that runs from Saginaw through Lansing is a sportsman's dream. Fishing is good, Great Lakes have salmon, big deer. UP has lots of elbow room with few people. Problem with Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and the rest is it's freaking COLD in the winter.
For me, I'd do SW Mizzou or eastern Tenn on that list.
In case of nuclear/biologic war, I'd hole up in the UP of Michigan. Nobody would find me. I could emerge after the apocalypse like Charlton Heston in one of his Sci Fi movies.
If you get hung up coming through Montana on your trip, you could buy our old place and just stay here. 38.5 acres, house, garage, barn and irrigated pasture and hay ground.
Holy smokes, I just looked at that link too and the beer, brat and cheese eaters in these parts didn't make the chart. What do you call a good looking woman in Wisconsin?
A tourist.
Texas and the South East however... Enough to make a bulldog break his chain.
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