Did anybody leave ND and not regret it? (Bismarck, Mandan: home, buyers)

[bina]

I just recently moved to Grand Forks, ND and love it. We moved from AZ where the weather is great most of the year, yet we hardly ever saw kids out playing or families out...like we do here. One reason is that there are so many parks here and great places for kids. The AZ area that we moved from was lacking for sure.

Also, I have found the people to be much more friendly as well. The schools I have heard are good here. This was not the case in AZ. The quality of life in this town is much better.

Of course, I have yet to encounter the winter here and that is the first thing out of everyone's mouth here. The negativity about the winter's has me fearful of it. Yet, if you go to AZ people will say the summer's are awful and hot!

[DaninEGF]

Originally Posted by bina

I just recently moved to Grand Forks, ND and love it. We moved from AZ where the weather is great most of the year, yet we hardly ever saw kids out playing or families out...like we do here. One reason is that there are so many parks here and great places for kids. The AZ area that we moved from was lacking for sure.

Also, I have found the people to be much more friendly as well. The schools I have heard are good here. This was not the case in AZ. The quality of life in this town is much better.

Of course, I have yet to encounter the winter here and that is the first thing out of everyone's mouth here. The negativity about the winter's has me fearful of it. Yet, if you go to AZ people will say the summer's are awful and hot!

Welcome to greater Grand Forks....I lived in the south end of town (Sunbeam) until getting married and building a house in EGF. Hope you like it here. There are lots and lots of kids in our neighborhood. Yes....it will take a while to get used to the cold....but if you go into it with an open mind it wont be bad. Each year is different....some years the cold outbreaks are few some years the wind and cold are more frequent. Have a snow blower or block heater yet? I would suggest one....especially if you have to park outside a lot. If you have a garage and a newer car block heater not all that important.

I moved to GF 9 years ago from Missouri as a job transfer and I love the cold and always wanted to live in the far north. I love the winters here....the summers are often too warm and humid but thankfully short.

Dan

[bina]

Thanks! I love the summer here. It's wonderful! My husband and I have an open mind about the winters here. I'm hoping our two daughters will be able to adjust easily. They are so used to the desert climate. My husband and I are originally from CO. So, we have had cold before and snow. Although, I know it's not as severe as it is here.

We have a block heater and will be getting a snow blower as well.

[Plymn]

I moved to ND from Colorado when I was 17. After college I moved around the nation and couldn't wait to get back to the area. People are wonderful, very open and helpful. The weather is cold for a couple months of the year but I quickly learned to enjoy it, just dress in layers and get out and have fun. X-country skiing and ice skating are my favorites. I've lived in places where it is hot during the summer and no one goes out. At least you can have fun outside year-round in ND.

[gentleben]

I grew up in Fargo and moved to Arizona 11 years ago. I didn't regret it until I had children. Arizona is nice if you're single or married without children, but I don't want to raise my children here anymore. The crime rate is high, the air pollution is horrible, and the school systems here are the worst I have ever seen. My husband is an Arizona native and when we visit ND, he cannot believe how nice and friendly people are and how laid back life is compared to Arizona. I also miss the seasons. It doesn't really seem like the holiday season when you're eating Thanksgiving dinner on your patio when it's 80 degrees outside. We have been trying to move back to the ND/MN area for the last two years but trying to find a job for my husband has been difficult (he is a construction superintendent). So, I left ND and I definately regret it!

[Swtafgrl]

I agree with you. I am originally from ND. My husband is in the USAF and we are currently living in Germany and will be moving to Vegas next year. I really wish we could move back to ND. I have a one year old and it is such a safe place to raise your kids.

[vnodak]

I love the different comments and I must add my own. I did grow up in Fargo and went to UND. I could not wait to leave and check out the rest of the states. I have lived in several. I do not regret leaving as I hated the cold--had to walk a mile and a half to school in the winter. I also hated the bugs in the summer. I lived in Fargo when it was 40,000 people. I have family there so have been back several times. The area has changed but the people have not and they still are friendly and helpfull. Housing is so cheap and so is the cost of living---it all depends on what you are use to. Try living in Seattle area or California where the people are not friendly and cost of living is high. I remember growing up that one had to take care of your own issues and you would always help each other out. It is a very conservative state and libs can go else where for the free hand out. If you do not have a work ethic then find another place to go. So if you are lazy, no one will hold your hand.It is all in the attitude and as I can see from some of the comments. If you are negative, you get negative. So those of you who want clean air, good schools, excellent health care, family oriented community with values, cheap housing, short commute, low cost of living, low crime rate, four seasons---then take a look here. I might also mention their are not many homeless people with their hands out wanting people to help them with their addiction or refusing to work to support themselves. Those who truely need help are helped by the community. I do not remember any slums in Fargo nor any ethnic gangs. This is an area where English is the language and if you do not speak it, then you learn it. True if you want gay pride days or do not want to speak English, then this is not the area for you. Do not get me wrong, my grandmother spoke German. You learn to be a surviver there. The young ones of today can not take care of themselves and have no idea what to do if a disaster hit--who will bail them out? We did them no service. After all what would you do if you did not have a cell phone or laptop???

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by vnodak

I love the different comments and I must add my own. I did grow up in Fargo and went to UND. I could not wait to leave and check out the rest of the states. I have lived in several. I do not regret leaving as I hated the cold--had to walk a mile and a half to school in the winter. I also hated the bugs in the summer. I lived in Fargo when it was 40,000 people. I have family there so have been back several times. The area has changed but the people have not and they still are friendly and helpfull. Housing is so cheap and so is the cost of living---it all depends on what you are use to. Try living in Seattle area or California where the people are not friendly and cost of living is high. I remember growing up that one had to take care of your own issues and you would always help each other out. It is a very conservative state and libs can go else where for the free hand out. If you do not have a work ethic then find another place to go. So if you are lazy, no one will hold your hand.It is all in the attitude and as I can see from some of the comments. If you are negative, you get negative. So those of you who want clean air, good schools, excellent health care, family oriented community with values, cheap housing, short commute, low cost of living, low crime rate, four seasons---then take a look here. I might also mention their are not many homeless people with their hands out wanting people to help them with their addiction or refusing to work to support themselves. Those who truely need help are helped by the community. I do not remember any slums in Fargo nor any ethnic gangs. This is an area where English is the language and if you do not speak it, then you learn it. True if you want gay pride days or do not want to speak English, then this is not the area for you. Do not get me wrong, my grandmother spoke German. You learn to be a surviver there. The young ones of today can not take care of themselves and have no idea what to do if a disaster hit--who will bail them out? We did them no service. After all what would you do if you did not have a cell phone or laptop???

I agree with many of those points. The people are very friendly for the most part, good safe towns, good schools, affordable housing, etc.
However, I disagree about the clean air that many think North Dakota has. North Dakota has "relatively" clean air compared with many states but their is a HUGE coal burning power plant complex near the Missouri River in the middle of the state. We are talking about MANY coal plants that burn lignite coal, which is not very clean compared with other types of coal. In fact, ND has many coal plants, but a low population. It is a dirty energy exporter to other states with more stringent environmental regulations. Wind power could really boost rural areas of the Great Plains including the Dakotas, but a lot of that potential is still untapped.

[vnodak]

Actually on the clean air subject, I was referring to Fargo and I checked the stats on it. However, you are correct about the coal power plant. Thanks for bringing that to our attention. I certainly would not want to live near it.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by vnodak

Actually on the clean air subject, I was referring to Fargo and I checked the stats on it. However, you are correct about the coal power plant. Thanks for bringing that to our attention. I certainly would not want to live near it.

Yes, the complex is right up the Missouri River northwest of Bismarck. The counties included that have the power plants are McLean, Mercer, Oliver, and Morton counties. In fact in Mercer County their are 4 power plants alone.

Source: Clear The Air