East River (Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen: for sale by owner, sex offenders, houses)

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by windtimber

Though you suggest you want to leave IT work, perhaps you should consider Mitchell? It has 3 large telecommunications companies which rely heavily on IT professionals. Of course, I-90 runs along the south edge of town...but as a previous poster said you have to understand traffic in SoDak. Mitchell is the 8th largest city in the state with a population of 15,000! 4 cars at a stop light is a big traffic snarl!

That's where I live. You must have ESP. Actually, we've grown and now have a population of a bit over 17,000. We're the fifth largest city in the state and the eighth most populated county. I definitely agree with you that it's a town that's worth researching. I just didn't want to seem to be pushing my own town here.

Since the subject of going to church came up~most of our towns have something like an 80% or better population with religious affiliation. I know they often call the South the Bible Belt, but as far as church goers, I doubt there are few southern towns that beat the percentages up here. You can compare the stats for your own town and Aberdeen on City Data. But like was said, no one will be the "in your face" type about what church you go to OR if you even chose to go.

You do need to know that our real estate tax is just as high as it is in Texas. I believe my own county is in the area of 21 per 1,000. I know that's in the same area as many places in Tx. have.The only difference may be that our real estate may not be appraised as high as it is down there.

[eskape]

Thanks, everyone. I've learned quite a bit.

Jammie, 21 per 1000 is far less than what I pay, and I don't have a McMansion, or even a large house. The school districts in Texas take far too much. Three fourths of my taxes go to the school. The sad thing with the schools is that most of the money goes to sports, and that's wrong. It's a statistical fact that only 1% of all sports players ever go pro, but EVERYONE has to have a job and needs at least the modicum of education that high school should be providing.

Instead of desperately needed computers, schools spend the money on new sports stadiums and other nonsense. I agree schools should provide sports, but education should be getting the lion's share of all funding.

I'm a quiet churchgoer myself as well. I attend weekly, but don't bother others with what I believe unless they inquire. Trust me, here in Texas, we have the hardcore fundamentalists. They bother me because they get in your face about this and that. Heaven forbid you should have a beer at the park when you're grilling out. You'll go to hell.

I'm looking forward to seeing SD. I really am. I've never been. There are few other places that I've researched that seem as promising. I saw some nice places in Iowa, but SD seems to have more of what I'm looking for.

[debey]

i've worked many fall seasons, in Aberdeen, and grew up in Spink County. Abdn is a shopping/medical/entertainment hub, for a very large area, of North eastern
SD. St Lukes hospital is part of the avera system. education is quality, either Catholic or public, a wide variety of churches, as well as service organizations
there's fun things, like Wylie park & ThunderRoad,
Sand Lake Refuge is @ Columbia(about 30min.drive)very cool, durring migrations!
There are lakes to fish, area's to hunt. Brown County Fair (late August) is exellent, for a ''county'' fair.
my only concern would be in housing after last springs flood problems...

[peggydavis]

Hi Eskape

I live in Oklahoma but I have been to Aberdeen many times because I had family there, and my parents never really left Aberdeen in spirit. I have always considered Aberdeen to be an ideal small town. South Dakota is just so all American compared to other parts of the US, kind of unspoiled by some of our "modern values".

The only thing you should consider IMO is that it is so very cold there in the winter. Even in the summer, you will sometimes need to wear a jacket at night. Summers are great there, warm but no oppressive heat, and you are right about the lack of biting critters.

I had to laugh when I was reading this thread and someone mentioned the tensions between the Lutherans and the Catholics. I have heard about that all my life, as my family was Catholic. All I can say is that I would trade that for the tensions that exist between groups elsewhere.

I would love to live in SD, but all my significant others are afraid of the winters.

[eskape]

peggydavis,

Thanks for your input; much appreciated.

Cold winters I can handle. The only negative to me would be the potential cost to heat a home, but the reverse is true here in Texas -- I spend big bucks to cool the house in the summer.

[ElkHunter]

Energy is cheap up here. Yeah, I'm going to get blitzed on this one. hahaha I can see the steam rising off of Jammie and Debey right now. But they were protected and have lived in South Dakota for many years and don't realize what energy costs have done elsewhere.

I was stationed in San Diego for several years in the Navy. Now you'd think that San Diego would be cheap for energy because the temps are very moderate. About $300 a month was what I paid. I don't pay that much in Wyoming in the dead of winter. I know South Dakota isn't paying that much. We pay a fair share, but when you compare, it's not much. Oh we ***** about it, just cause we can. But it's not that bad.

[Jammie]

Yea, I always thought we had a very high rate for energy in eastern So. Dak. With the U.S. average being 100%, we rate 136%. BUT this morning I was reading on another state board and someone provided a very interesting site.

Reduce Your electric rate by as much as 20-30% per year

[ElkHunter]

Exactly. We don't realize what we are paying. It seems that we pay our fair share. Somebody, somewhere, is determining what we pay.

Years ago, I had a full month that the high reached -30. Yeah, it was 30 below zero for the high. My utility bill run $154.00 for the month. Fair? I thought it was. Course I run my furnace and I also run my fireplace. But it wasn't nothing out of the norm.

Even at 50 degrees I have a fire going in the fireplace. Woose. Yeah, kind of like that fire going. hahahaha

[DannyBanany]

Mitchell has always seemed like a very nice, clean, smaller town to me. It is friendly and still has somewhat of a "Norman Rockwell" charm about it, yet it is only 1 hour away from Sioux Falls and desirable shopping, restaurants, airlines, etc. Mitchell also seems like it is growing at a healthy rate and it doesn't seem to be sprawling as fast as Sioux Falls and Rapid City. There are a lot of repetitive developments and McMansions being built in towns like Sioux Falls, Dakota Dunes, Rapid City, and Spearfish nowadays.

If I were you, I would seriously consider Mitchell. It has a really down to earth feel about it.

[eskape]

DannyBanany,

You're now the second recommendation for Mitchell, so it must be pretty cool.

Please tell me there is high-speed Internet in Mitchell.

I looked at the Mitchell city site. Not that much info. Does anyone have any more info such as local employers? I ran Mitchell thru some online job boards and nothing came up.

It sounds like a promising little city. I'll be more interested if there are jobs available. What about housing costs on average? I'm not too worried about good schools. Most schools are just fine. Is Mitchell in tornado alley?

Thanks in advance for all the info...