Anyone here from the Northeast want to retire in flyover country? (Canada, friend)

[ben Shunamit]

Stay in New York. If you don't have enough couth to avoid phrases like "flyover country," you aren't ready yet for the best of the United States, and it is not nice to tax them with your uninvited presence.

[craigiri]

Originally Posted by matisse12

Half of the population of the U.S. lives in just 9 states.

Half of the population does not live in those 9 states.

Stated incorrectly.

1/2 may live in 9 states. The other 1/2 live in 41 states and multiple territories. If we really broke it down, we'd probably see that 70% lived in 15 states and all kinds of other interesting stats.....

Some Americans even live in Mexico, Central America, China, Europe and elsewhere.

4 Million Americans (2X the number of US farmers) live outside the USA!

Lots of interesting ways to break it all down....but, in the end, each of us differs in our needs, wants, abilities and comfort levels. I have family that married into a...well, midwestern group.
They have hardly ever been anywhere....and won't even go at our invitation (to a beach house, etc.). In other words, they are intentionally myopic in many ways. This doesn't mean they aren't salt of the earth and honorable people...they are!

I was just out there and talking to two different folks who lived within a hour of a big city (Pittsburgh) when growing up. Imagine my surprise when I heard they had never been there! I asked "didn't your schools take you on a trip to a museum or other event?". Nope....

I have to admit - that was hard for me to handle...that educational institutions wouldn't give their youth SOME taste of culture, history, etc. outside of the small town.

I am from outside of Philly - but the ancestors before that lived in more rural Hazelton, PA (coal mines, etc.)....so we had the best of both worlds. I walked to school through fields, caught crawfish in the local creek and sledded down the big hills behind our houses....while also visiting the Franklin Institute, the Museums of History (Dinosaurs, etc.), Valley Forge battlefields and many other places in the region. I can't imagine having grown up without all of these markers of the Founding and the USA and Science, etc.

[Tek_Freek]

Spent 60 plus years in Des Moines/West Des Moines, Iowa. If my health was better I'd still be there.

Check those sites that rank good places to live.

If you are still undecided go to central Iowa, find a place that been freshly plowed, scoop up a handful of good black soil, and smell it.

[k7baixo]

I’ve cycled across Iowa twice via RAGBRAI. But for an annual event more commonly referred to as “winter”, I’d be thrilled to live in one of their small towns which has a small college/university. Instead, we’ll relocate to Auburn AL upon my wife’s retirement. I could have retired on Tuesday but I’ve got of those jobs that I love, pays well, has a short 30’ commute and has no stress. Therefore, I’ll keep working until something significant changes.

Life is good...I hope you find happiness with your relocation!

[Tek_Freek]

Winter and summer did me in. Can't breathe in summer b/c of the humidity, and winter b/c it's cold and dry. Sucks. Being retired I no longer cared about winter snow/ice because I'd just stay home. Had someone mowing and blowing so I could ignore all that.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by craigiri

Stated incorrectly.

1/2 may live in 9 states. The other 1/2 live in 41 states and multiple territories. If we really broke it down, we'd probably see that 70% lived in 15 states and all kinds of other interesting stats.....

Some Americans even live in Mexico, Central America, China, Europe and elsewhere.

4 Million Americans (2X the number of US farmers) live outside the USA!

Lots of interesting ways to break it all down....but, in the end, each of us differs in our needs, wants, abilities and comfort levels. I have family that married into a...well, midwestern group.
They have hardly ever been anywhere....and won't even go at our invitation (to a beach house, etc.). In other words, they are intentionally myopic in many ways. This doesn't mean they aren't salt of the earth and honorable people...they are!

I was just out there and talking to two different folks who lived within a hour of a big city (Pittsburgh) when growing up. Imagine my surprise when I heard they had never been there! I asked "didn't your schools take you on a trip to a museum or other event?". Nope....

I have to admit - that was hard for me to handle...that educational institutions wouldn't give their youth SOME taste of culture, history, etc. outside of the small town.

I am from outside of Philly - but the ancestors before that lived in more rural Hazelton, PA (coal mines, etc.)....so we had the best of both worlds. I walked to school through fields, caught crawfish in the local creek and sledded down the big hills behind our houses....while also visiting the Franklin Institute, the Museums of History (Dinosaurs, etc.), Valley Forge battlefields and many other places in the region. I can't imagine having grown up without all of these markers of the Founding and the USA and Science, etc.

Oh yeah!

[nirvana07]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

While it's not "flyover country", when we moved to a small town in NC after living on Long Island I felt like I was dumped in another country. Now this was a very, very small town, population 5,000 at that time. We had a Piggly Wiggy for groceries and that was it. Going to church, hunting and fishing WERE the things to do in that town. People had terrible grammar and it was quite a culture shock for this former New Yorker. I hated it and couldn't wait to leave. I will say this - most of the people were very kind, much like Mayberry EXCEPT they didn't like Yankees and weren't afraid to let you know it.

Of course not all of the Midwest is like this but it can be a hard adjustment for someone from NYC. I won't even date anybody from small towns in the Midwest but that's a story for another day.

Before moving, did you tell the governing body of that city that you were coming to that city, and hence you wanted people to know impeccable English, along with more places for your "urban" activities and shopping?

On a serious note, moving from Long Island to a town with a population of 5k, and not expecting a change in language, culture and activities, is stupid. You would have done better with a bigger town- with a population of 50K to 100K

[Coney]

Originally Posted by craigiri

There are a lot of areas that have a little of both - small town feel and some larger town culture.

We winter in Sarasota Florida in a nice middle-class neighborhood (real middle class, not upper middle) - and it's a fine place other than the summer heat (we are in New England during the summer!).....

We like culture, eateries, etc. to be around us - not to say we use them, but their presence is an indication of...well, culture Culture is good - mankind has spent thousands of years getting to this place!

I have lived for years in rural TN and WV...it had beauty and it was fine if the life one wanted to lead was farming or isolationist. Some people are cut out that way - they want to raise sheep or something like that.....

BTW, small towns in areas like New England and even many parts of the mid-atlantic are not like those in the areas described above...that is, no one cares if you go to church and what church and people don't usually make racist jokes, etc.

Many small towns in New England have been settled by people leaving NJ, NY, Philly, etc.....a typical scenario is they go to college in Boston or elsewhere in New England and then decide it's a nice place to live.

What I haven't seen mentioned is proximity to water. Most of mankind...for most of history...has lived in this way. I don't think we could ever live more than 2 hours from a ocean or large bay. This is one reason why the coasts are so populated...people like water and water sports and the nature involved, etc.

I can adapt to life without the large amount of culture in NYC or LA. I'll miss it, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker. I also like the water as I lived practically on top of the beach a good chunk of my life. I would miss that too, but you can't have everything. I like the beaches on The Great Lakes so that would be a consolation for me and there are normal sized lakes all over. I would be relocating to flyover territory in order to be closer to family and for the lower cost of living. Must haves, for me, are good and abundant healthcare options and access to public transportation. No small towns for me.

[Coney]

Originally Posted by thinkalot

If the Philharmonic sell out their season what percentage is that of the NY metro area? I think it would be well under 1%. The same with the Metropolitan Opera and all Lincoln Center concerts combined.

As a percentage of population few attend what you listed.

I studied with musicians who play with the NY Philharmonic and I attend concerts regularly. I used to be part of that music world intimately. Unless, it is some sort of special performance with a household name or the annual Messiah concert or something like that, none of these organizations sell out regularly. They all suffer from attendance problems and sustainability problems. That's how it is with most "classical" music organizations in every part of the US. They are generally not profitable. The tourists attend during the Christmas season for holiday style performances (Hansel and Gretel for the Met, Nutcracker for City Ballet) and they sit in the orchestra section on Friday and Saturday nights. You can tell who the tourists are because they get all dressed up. The tourists are an international group. But matinees, weeknights, regular performances, the audience is generally composed mostly of local elderly people, followed by younger local Russians and Asians, followed by local students. Remember, Lincoln Center organizations are only the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of professional resident dance, theater, jazz, orchestras, symphonic wind ensembles, chamber groups throughout the NY area. Each one has their fan base. Many locals prefer attending the Queens symphony orchestra because they play at a location that is more convenient or seeing the Eglevsky ballet, etc. These organizations don't get as many out of towners and the musicians and dancers are all paid professionals that have other gigs like Broadway shows, etc. or are members of both the Queens Symphony and the NY Phil. We also get traveling orchestras, dance companies, etc. from all over the world, Bolshoi, Royal Ballet, London Symphony Orchestra. Locals go to those performances, as well.

When you buy a subscription, you get the same seats for the entire season. You sit next to the same people time after time and eventually, you start to recognize them. Locals get the subscription. Tourists get one shot tickets.

I see more tourists at the Broadway shows than at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, St John the Divine. But this is only the classical world of music. What about World music groups, salsa, klezmer, jazz, pop, and the numerous rock groups that tour. All of that is available daily and there are literally thousands of performance venues. NYC has the equivalent scene of art and music as Paris, London, Milan. No other American city can offer as much and locals do partake of these events.

[Coney]

Flyover country is an insulting term because it sounds like those places are irrelevant. The US is a beautiful country with unique and distinguishing regional features. Choice of relocation area is a personal one.