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My wife and I are poverty-level and we're needing to move.
In the current state where we live (New Mexico) there really aren't any safe places that are cheap (drugs, gang violence, homelessness are prevalent in low income areas).
We'd like to move someplace safe, especially to give our son a decent life. If you can throw out some ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it.
What is your housing price range or rent price range?
The Midwest might work.
Marquette, Michigan
Mt Pleasant Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Romulus, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Chatham, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Many parts of Missouri such as Springfield
New Port Richie, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Many parts of Iowa
Mobile, Alabama
I'd also suggest look at North & South Carolina.
The Midwest is definitely cheaper, but also has a big drug problem, especially in the cities/towns which lost their manufacturing base and haven't recovered. However there are many small towns which are still Mayberry-ish, and much more affordable than the coasts.
If you don't mind cold weather, you can also think about places like Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Iowa, etc where unemployment is low but housing is still affordable.
Iowa is very inexpensive, and in the larger towns its economy is strong enough that you would have a pretty good chance to work your way out of poverty level living. I would suggest Cedar Rapids, Aimes, Iowa City or Des Moines. There are some drugs, but mostly just weed, and not a lot of violence.
My wife and I are poverty-level and we're needing to move.
In the current state where we live (New Mexico) there really aren't any safe places that are cheap (drugs, gang violence, homelessness are prevalent in low income areas).
We'd like to move someplace safe, especially to give our son a decent life. If you can throw out some ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Places where you'll be able to readily find jobs is key. I'd go with these cities which are among the lowest unemployment rates in the country (percentage in brackets) that aren't tied to "boom or bust" oil production, and have a reputation of being affordable as well as safe. Bear in mind the national average unemployment rate is 5.2%.
Lincoln NE (2.3%)
Sioux Falls SD (2.5%)
Rochester MN (2.9%)
Des Moines IA (3.1%)
And if you're desiring a major metro area, Minneapolis-St Paul (3.3%)
Mobile, AL could definitely work. It is doing very well at the moment, so finding a job may not be too difficult. Also, the cost of living and crime is low in places like Satsuma, Semmes, West Mobile and over the bridge in Robertsdale, and Loxley. They are all safe areas, and they are close to anything you could ever need. They also have good schools, which I assume you are going to need. You have a lot of free things to do nearby, such as the beach, Dauphin Island, and all sorts of things around the Bay.
It would most definitely be a change from New Mexico, but Mobile is a decent city, and as long as you stay out of a few certain areas it nice and safe.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dog8food
My wife and I are poverty-level and we're needing to move.
In the current state where we live (New Mexico) there really aren't any safe places that are cheap (drugs, gang violence, homelessness are prevalent in low income areas).
We'd like to move someplace safe, especially to give our son a decent life. If you can throw out some ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it.
There are some small cities around here with decent economys, cheap housing, and almost no violent crime I'd recommend Bowling Green KY or Evansville IN
If poor people are synonymous with those who have low credit scores, then most apartment buildings in non-poor neighborhoods pretty well have the poor locked out.
Echoing what others have said, the Minnesota or the Upper Plains (Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Forks, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Bismarck, Williston) will be the best.
I think parts of Western or Northern New England could work. There are some safe, working-class areas would be great to live. I'm thinking Keene, New Hampshire; White River Junction, Vermont; or Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
New England is kind of patchy: some other working-class communities are still struggling with rust-belt blight (Holyoke and Lawrence, Mass). Other areas are quickly becoming more expensive (Southeast New Hampshire, for instance).
Other towns, like a Northampton, Mass; Burlington Vermont; and Williamstown, Mass, are popular with detached upper-class liberal elitists. While I'm really liberal myself, I find those areas kind of annoying--just because one can afford to eat organic kale doesn't make one better than me because I can't. Sorry for the tangential rant.
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