Looking to put Texas in my rear view mirror, and still trying to determine where to go.

Don't want to be taxed to death, so that just leaves a handful of states to seriously consider. Wanting to live either in or as close to mountains as possible, so currently the small communities outside Johnson City Tn are on my radar.

How's the employment prospects in the area? Specifically in the IT field? Winters generally mild, or cold as a witches titty and loads of snow? Property taxes reasonable or high since no state income tax?

I'll be in Western NC next week, so figured I'd swing by and take a quick peek for a couple days and get an initial feel and vibe.

Figured it wouldn't hurt to inquire with the folks here on the fire that live and work in the area.

Obliged.

My mom's family grew up on a farm north of Elizabethton. I have family all along the eastern TN border from the NE corner of TN to Chattanooga. My parents drifted into NW GA where I was born and raised. You'll get some cold and snow up there during the winters, but nothing like New England or the mountain states in the west. I've traveled all over this country. Lots of places I enjoyed visiting, but looking for a place to live I'd draw an oval around the area from NE corner of Alabama, the northern 1/3 of GA, anywhere within 50-100 miles of the TN-NC border up into SW Virginia.

Even though it is in the south summers aren't oppressively hot like many other places. The NC/TN mountains are beautiful. You can still get far enough away be in a small town, yet be a days drive from the beach or several large cities.

The Virginia area is a little on the liberal side and some of that has drifted into the NE corner of TN, but it ain't bad. TN has no state tax, but the high sales tax makes up for it. Pick your poison, you're gonna pay taxes one way or another.

I live in GA, but close enough to both AL and TN to see some advantages of all 3 states. AL has crazy low property values and low property and income taxes. But no good paying jobs. Lots of folks work and retire from GA jobs and retire to lake homes in AL. Lots of folks live in AL, but work in GA or TN. People buy homes just over the line in TN to avoid income tax, but buy from stores in GA to avoid high sales tax. I know less about NC, except to say that Western NC is beautiful.

JMR40 gave a real good synopsis of TN/GA/AL. I live in NE AL, 6 miles from the GA line and about 12 from the TN line. Little pros/cons on each of those states.

The SE TN area around Chattanooga should have a lot of IT jobs. Another place to look is Huntsville AL....loaded with IT jobs. In both of these areas you can live in mountains, outside of the city area, and have a short 1/2 hour drive to work.

Only worked in the area for about a month, on several trips out to Kingsport, but from my experience traveling ALL over the USA/world, the tri-cities area is way above average when it comes to quality of life,. at least from what little I've seen.

One of our regulars (whose name escapes me at the moment) is from Kingsport. Get him to chime in.

Oh, and the BBQ in Kport and JC wasn't half bad either.

I live just over the mtns from Johnson City in Weaverville, NC. I can not speak to employment opportunities but Johnson City has a lot to offer. There is a really good rifle and skeet range there, which is where I shoot. It has a good sporting goods store in Mahoneys. Most major car dealerships. Decent trout fishing nearby along with some decent restaurants. There is a major university in ETSU in Johnson City. Land prices are generally cheaper in TN than NC. I personally would look out near Chuckey TN for a house or land to buy.

You'll have to toggle to see this

We have lived our entire lives within 100 miles or so of JC/Kingsport in SWVA and travel that way regularly. That area is doing well economically and offers a great quality of life. Great fishing[trout, smallmouth], good hunting and outdoors availability[AT at your doorstep].
Fairly mild winters[relative] but there is some altitude which brings brief cold and snow, summers are humid but not really hot.
No state income tax but a high state sales tax.

I just just down the road in Knoxville.... LOVE east TN.... taxes are great.... Property & Car taxes are low... I cannot say enough good about E.T. The Deer hunting is not like TX or middle TN but the fishing is top notch.... People are friendly... for Tax reasons, stay out of Georgia...

Knoxville.

KNX and Oak Ridge for tech stuff.

8 -9 hrs from anywhere I want to be for the rest of my life.

-Judd

Ahhhhhh man....we're trying to keep the douche bag factor to a minimum.

[/quote]
Hahahahaha !!!!!!!!

Lookie...tndeer has lost one of their village idiots.

Call the CareBears, the notify button don't work over here.

Ninja Please!!! Tn already has that Sako prick, we don't need or want a fistfukology in our great state. Besides, didn't you use to bash all people from Tn.? Catman925 will be waiting on that as at the state line with a ass whooping.

I understand Johnson City is the homosexual capitol of the United States.

Knoxville is a chitthole. Memphis is as well.

The rest of Tennessee is God's country.

Oh, can you still tell me my IP Mr Fistfuckology? Catman925 was over here running a TnDeer sock puppet and i think he's still got my IP coming from Bangcock.

do you have a window licker weetodd kid like every other east TN implant?


you'll fit right in if so

Y'all are f'd up.

Why would we not want to help a friend?

Maybe an agenda???

East TN is awesome.

Fuuck you all-

BlowsHogs, greglikesdick, and semipuss.

Wtf needs friends like that azzhole? I damn sure don't. So you can gfy and fistfukology if you'd like.

YGBSM. You prove there are white n gg rs.

Heck, come to Wyoming. Get some long johns to wear under yer jeans and you'll be fine. And you'd be welcome.

Looking like some inbreeding sort of problem.....he eats with that mouth?

Nasty bastage

And you are proof that your dad should've blew you on a stump and let the ants eat you. What you got against n gg rs?

Im betting that aint all he does with it. Probably pays his cable bill with it too.

Then quit being one.

Something tells me your woman got some BBC and left your vienna sausage ass

If you ever get sober, your stupid drunk talk will still be here for everyone to see. Congratulations.
If your mama knew you, she'd be so proud of her meantalking clever big boy.

get in the kitchen and make me a sammich

This^^^. He sounds like the losers I remember from jr high.

Best 5 years of your life?

I forgot to mention the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. If you want to know what hell is like, spend a weekend there.

What part of my assessment do you disagree with, ewc?

Appreciate the information and feedback gentlemen.

Including the little old women that comprise the "Tn mafia" and are devoted congregation members of the Church of Perpetual Yeast Infection.

It's a pretty nice area. The tri cities will have everything you need plus they should have good medical facilities. and it has good access to several larger cities as well as the beach , the blue ridge and Smokies all within a half day drive if you like hiking , kayaking , photography etc. not sure the deer hunting is equal to middle and western TN but the fishing can range from trout in the mountains to lake fishing for bass crappie and strippers inDouglas and Cherokee lakes all within an hour of your house. Virginia also has the Shenandoah and James rivers just to the north where fly fishing for smallmouth is popular.