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Hi,my family and I are considering(for a long time)a move from NJ.My wife has been reticent to leave but is now,finally fed up,as I am with the high taxes,rude people(not all but most),intrusive government,etc of the state.My wife's one caveat is to go someplace that people from NJ are moving to.Some time ago I had a customer recommend the Upper Midwest,in particular,Northern Michigan.He said people are friendly,hard working and the cost of living is reasonable.I did post a question about MI some time ago and recently DM a few forum members about MI and they were kind enough to respond.I manage a gun department in a family (not mine)outdoor store,I've been in retail gun sales for over 30 years.I also cut grass and plow snow to help make ends meet.We'er looking for an area that has jobs,friendly people,low crime,health care and a decent COL.We'er a bit conservative but get along well with others.We'd like to live in a mix of rural/suburban.A house on 5 acres or more would be great.Snow and cold are great,not a big fan of heat.We do like tree and hills,like to hunt,I haven't fished in years,I'd love to go ice fishing.We want to be part of the community that we move to,not bring NJ with us.What can you please tell us about the differences between the three states and how they may relate to us?Specific area recommendations would be most appreciated.Thank you all for your help.
Last edited by BLUE COLLAR; 10-14-2017 at 07:24 AM..
Hi,my family and I are considering(for a long time)a move from NJ.My wife has been reticent to leave but is now,finally fed up,as I am with the high taxes,rude people(not all but most),intrusive government,etc of the state.My wife's one caveat is to go someplace that people from NJ are moving to.Some time ago I had a customer recommend the Upper Midwest,in particular,Northern Michigan.He said people are friendly,hard working and the cost of living is reasonable.I did post a question about MI some time ago and recently DM a few forum members about MI and they were kind enough to respond.I manage a gun department in a family (not mine)outdoor store,I've been in retail gun sales for over 30 years.I also cut grass and plow snow to help make ends meet.We'er looking for an area that has jobs,friendly people,low crime,health care and a decent COL.We'er a bit conservative but get along well with others.We'd like to live in a mix of rural/suburban.A house on 5 acres or more would be great.Snow and cold are great,not a big fan of heat.We do like tree and hills,like to hunt,I haven't fished in years,I'd love to go ice fishing.We want to be part of the community that we move to,not bring NJ with us.What can you please tell us about the differences between the three states and how they may relate to us?Specific area recommendations would be most appreciated.Thank you all for your help.
I know a few things. Employment rates tend to be higher in the vicinity of certain towns. One town in each state to spread out from are Grand Rapids MI, Madison WI, and Rochester (or Minneapolis/St Paul) in MN. Each state has superb health care available. You will find land very affordable compared to NJ. Property taxes are considered high in WI but in each state will vary substantially by county. WI is very gun friendly (not the cities but otherwise) and has some of the most gun friendly laws in the country. People in the Midwest are nice. Don't underestimate homesickness for your wife though. Some people cannot get over it.
I think you would be hard pressed to find people originally from New Jersey in the Upper Midwest. In fact most of the population there is native to the region, very few move there compared to other regions. It is a quiet and reserved part of America and it’s climate can be extreme. Feet of snow, lots of sub zero weather, much more extreme in winter than the northeast. There is also great beauty up there in the northern portions of all three states. Much of America has no idea what is really up there. Google Door Peninsula or Sleeping Bear Dunes for an example of the beauty of the Upper Midwest.
You will find the politics to be quite centrist. The three states tend to vote democratic in most years but it is a socially conservative type of blue collar democrat that you will find. Think pick up trucks, deer hunters and union factory workers and you get the picture. (Mi and Wi especially)
It may be worth while to go visit the region and see what it is like. It really is a different world from fast paced New Jersey and you will likely either love it or hate it. Make sure you get some craft beer up there, it is the beer heartland.
One big city that may have more transplants is Minneapolis, it’s a hot spot in the Midwest. At one time it’s economy was booming, maybe it still is....not sure on that.
Your experience with guns and gun stores may be valuable up there, HUGE hunting and gun culture. Hopefully this insight helps, I did live up there for many years and this is my take on the place.
I'll disagree, here. Minnesota is pretty rural, outside of the Twin Cities metro. The only cities of any size or Rochester and Duluth, and they are small, by city standards. Wisconsin has a LOT more mid-sized cities than does Minnesota, and Madison is a medium to smaller city, outside of the Milwaukee metro. Minnesota is a fairly larger state than Wisconsin, with less people. For me, Minnesota is too rural. Wisconsin has numerous cities that are larger than Rochester and Duluth. Also, Minnesota has a small border with Lake Superior. Wisconsin has an entire border of Lake Michigan, AND a smaller shoreline of Lake Superior. I also think Wisconsin has a much more interesting topography than Minnesota...not nearly as flat. Otherwise, between the three, I think, for beauty, it's Michigan, Wisconsin, then Minnesota.
Also, the Twin Cities are fairly isolated. Southern Wisconsin (Milwaukee, in particular) is close enough to Chicago, to go for lunch.
I'll disagree, here. Minnesota is pretty rural, outside of the Twin Cities metro. The only cities of any size or Rochester and Duluth, and they are small, by city standards. Wisconsin has a LOT more mid-sized cities than does Minnesota, and Madison is a medium to smaller city, outside of the Milwaukee metro. Minnesota is a fairly larger state than Wisconsin, with less people. For me, Minnesota is too rural. Wisconsin has numerous cities that are larger than Rochester and Duluth. Also, Minnesota has a small border with Lake Superior. Wisconsin has an entire border of Lake Michigan, AND a smaller shoreline of Lake Superior. I also think Wisconsin has a much more interesting topography than Minnesota...not nearly as flat. Otherwise, between the three, I think, for beauty, it's Michigan, Wisconsin, then Minnesota.
Also, the Twin Cities are fairly isolated. Southern Wisconsin (Milwaukee, in particular) is close enough to Chicago, to go for lunch.
So, I'm responding to my own post. Good rule of thumb....read the OP's first post, to see what he's actually looking for. I think my above response was a little off point. I'll stand by what I said, if someone is looking for a little more "urban." HOWEVER, based on what the OP is, actually, looking for, I would say any of the three states would work well. There are lovely rural areas in all three states...probably the UP of Michigan, rather than the lower part of the state, would offer more, for Michigan.
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