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I have to disagree with Goddess36 at least in part. It looks like I'm going to have to move away from South Dakota, but I'm being dragged kicking and screaming... and I'm a flaming pinko liberal from metropolitan Southern California.
Is it a red state? Oh, yeah. There are relatively few people who share my views. That's OK. My opinions can hold up perfectly well to criticism, and if I don't feel like bickering I just don't talk politics or religion. People are generally very friendly and polite, which was a rarity in SoCal. Backwards? No. They are not urban sophisticates (it's a rural state... why would they be?) but they are not backwards. They are down to earth and I like that.
I tend to make my own fun, so I guess I don't care as much about entertainment opportunities. I also live at the west end of the state, so I can't speak for the east. But I would imagine that in a city of 100k people, there are opportunities for fun if one is prepared to look for them. It's not the endless carnival of activity that a large metro area is, but one can find something to do besides walking in circles around the mall. It's simple enough to check the community activities calendar or to cultivate some hobbies.
Yup, winters are long and cold, though not relentlessly so in the west. Alas, I learned the hard way that a T-shirt and a jacket does not count as "layering."
I suppose if you get lucky you can find better-paying jobs, but that's where I have to generally agree. It can be tough to make ends meet. In the end we're having to go where the money is.
I love how people (not you, just quoting your post because I loved the "urban sophisticates" label) put down flyover states as not being "sophisticated" and "cultured". I feel the same way about "urban sophisticates". We have sophistication, it's just a rural version. There is also loads of culture to go around, it is again rural in nature. In my eyes, both are more appealing than the citified versions.
Actually it is a horrible place to live. I have never lived somewhere where the people were so backwards. I'm sorry if that offends you. I am liberal, which does not fit in in SD. May as well just throw myself under a bus (if one ever ran).
The transport system is rubbish, the only place on the weekends to do anything is the Empire Mall. That is if you have a job so you can go to the mall. There really is not much else to do if you live in the eastern part of the state, sadly.
I will say that the education system is excellent and if you get sick there are some good hospitals (if you can afford to be sick).
Other than that I can't really boast about SD. The winters are horrible,darn cold and the freezing rain can really kill someone. I'm glad that I moved to be honest. I live over seas now. My beliefs are not mocked I can be liberal and be in a trade union without fear of someone saying something stupid or ignorant.
I am not offended. I have no reason to be. I chose to move here and I love it. I consider myself to be socially liberal with more conservative fiscal leanings. I don't think anyone in South Dakota needs to apologize for their conservatism right now. We are in way better shape than a lot of states. In general, South Dakotans are relaxed and casual and smart with their money. That does not equal backwards.
I'm not sure why you'd expect there to be good public transportation in a state that's largely rural. If you couldn't find something in Sioux Falls to entertain you, that says more about you than the state. There really are no boring places, only boring people.
Yes, it gets cold in the winter and it snows. Big deal. If you dress properly and slow down when you're driving, it's not that bad and eventually it ends. Don't knock South Dakota just because you aren't tough enough to handle it.
This thread is quite informative. I am also considering this area, particularly Colome, as it is almost half-way between Winner(shopping) and Gregory(work). How did you go about finding a home to buy?
I checked realtor.com and there is nothing listed for Colome, Winner, or Gregory. I tried the websites you listed, and not much luck. Guess I will be calling the various COC's.
Is there any Realty Companies in the area, especially ones who may not be online? Thanks...Ay
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandi Z
To answer the question are there gangs in S. Dak. Yes. But there are gangs everywhere these days. My son is married to a girl from the Rosebud Res and yes, the Mexican gangs are trying to get a foothold there as well as Pine Ridge, but they aren't having a lot of luck.
I was also raised in a logging area, but in Oregon, lived in logging camps too so know exactly how bad someone can get hurt in the business.
The west river area is nice but it isn't the least expensive in any way shape or form. We lived in Hot Springs and the housing prices have shot up as it is the home of the Miss So. Dak pageant and has a history and has health spas and old hotels that are being refurbished, so the visitors have started buying there and they really raised the rents and home prices. Hill City and Deadwood are way up there too. They also get a lot of snow and cold temps there in winter. I never thought of it as a banana belt area at all when we had 4 ft of snow in the driveway.
The central area is the least expensive. The largest town in the center is Pierre which is also the capital. It is pronounced like a dock where boats tie up, not the French name. It mainly depends on what type of job you are looking for whether or not you can afford to live in the rural areas. If you can work from home or don't need a highly technical job then you can find them but the towns pay decent wages too so you just have to watch for what you want or are qualified for. If you want to start a business the state is a good one to do it. The laws aren't bad for small business and your best bet is something that will cover the summer as well as the winter months since we definately have a 2 season year.
The Winner or Gregory area is good to live in, not high priced and we are the Pheasant hunting capital which means that a lot of tourists come and spend money which helps the economy a lot. Places you might check for local information are the Winner chamber of Commerce and Gregory chamber of Commerce websites,(our local nickel ad papers) at www.farmerandrancherexchange.com or the www.dakotaactionrocket.com
The only bad part of living here is that if you have to have major medical care it is a long trip to Rapid City or Sioux Falls. We have local hospitals and DRs from the big cities come to our outlying clinics on a regular basis but the big stuff is done elsewhere. The VA has one big hospital in Hot Springs and can't remember where else.
The house we bought in Colome(near Winner)for $23,000. goes for $143,000 in Sioux Falls and $88,000. in Rapid. Two weeks ago there were 2 BR homes listed for $13,000. in a couple of area papers. It depends on how fancy a place you want.
Some papers you might contact are the Winner Advocate, Gregory Times-Advocate,Tripp Star ledger,Armour Chronicle, Avon Clarion, Corsica Globe. My advice is to come here and spend some time to see if you like it.
I love living here. We have lived in 4 states and this one is by far the best, but we don't go to Starbucks or Olive Garden and it's 98 miles to Sears, WalMart or Sams Club. We have chain stores like Pamida, Alco, Family Dollar and Dollar General. If you are used to small town living you will get by fine. Hope this has answered some of your questions but am sure there are a lot more.
My husband and I live in fairmont minnesota and would like to live in sioux falls by the end of this summer. I would like to hear other peoples experiences in living in sioux falls so I can get a good idea on the area. I have done a lot of research on the internet as far as jobs and data information. But would like to hear from residents in sioux falls as far as their experiences.
Thank you.
My husband and I live in fairmont minnesota and would like to live in sioux falls by the end of this summer. I would like to hear other peoples experiences in living in sioux falls so I can get a good idea on the area. I have done a lot of research on the internet as far as jobs and data information. But would like to hear from residents in sioux falls as far as their experiences.
Thank you.
This might be a little too open-ended to get useful information. What are your interests? Children (now or future)? What type of employment is desiredor qualified for? What drew you to SF?
We came back to SF because we have family in the area, small children, and this is where the jobs are in the area for my field. It's a nice small city with some opportunity, a few things going on, and low crime. It's also in the middle of nowhere, the weather can get extreme (cold in winter, hot and humid summer, windy all year long), and not for everybody. Being from Fairmont, most of the negatives people from farther afield would consider a deal-breaker would be what you're already familiar with.
Last edited by 24522; 04-25-2012 at 08:07 AM..
Reason: misspelling
As a resident of South Dakota, we moved here 20 years ago to get away from the drugs, crime, gangs, and general disrespect we found in most of the southern states. We love our state and the fact that we can carry concealed with a permit without much worry. We protect each other and our state, and try to discourage others who want to bring their issues (as mentioned above) here thinking they have the right to "do as they wish" in disturbing our rights and what we've worked so hard for to make and keep. "When, (or if) you come here, we welcome you but, please respect our state, culture and general way of life." Isn't that the reason you are considering coming here in the first place?"
My husband and i are thinking of relocating to South Dakota. Sounds like people there are friendlier. I am from Philippines and my husband is from North Carolina, we are in GA right now. Living here for almost five years and still feeling like it's my first day... =( We wonder house much is 2 bed room apartment over there? We also plan to buy a home once we settle. We have to little kids. So it's important for us to know about school, good hospital and church. Reading some of the comments interest me with SD. I love the fact that some people say it's boring there and mall would be the place for entertaining your self. Safety is what we are looking for and warm welcome. Would need some more info on how/where to move over there... thanks!
Most of your questions can't be answered until you have picked a location to move to. That question is usually answered when one finds employment. Perhaps you should figure out what you want to do, who you want to do it for, and where they are located. Then we can take it from there.
If I were you I would moved to Deadwood or Sturgis or Spearfish Canyon. Those places are great to live in.
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