Mclaughlin/Mobridge? (Rapid City, Aberdeen, Pierre: real estate, rent, crime rate)

[Yzzyx]

Hi!

Our family is considering moving to SD. I am retired military and my wife has a very good offer for a job in Mclaughlin. I have a son who is 7. We currently live in Raleigh, NC.

I don't know much about SD so I am trying to learn as much as possible. I have spent the last week online reading stuff. Right now I am reading (slowly) through this sub forum.

I grew up in a somewhat rural and isolated area (Ohio farming country) and I like that lifestyle. My son and I are into outdoor activities and Scouting so the move would be awesome for us.

Most of the info on this forum seems to be for the larger towns. I didn't get much from the search engine for Mclaughlin or Mobridge.

Could someone describe what life is like there? Pros? Cons? No need to sugar coat anything if it is bad! Any information would be of great assistance. If someone with knowledge of these areas wants to talk on the phone about it I am more than willing to foot the cost of a call.

Many thanks!

[Chris19]

McLaughlin is a town of about 700 or 800 people on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The area is poorer than other rural areas in South Dakota and may not be as desirable as other areas. Compared to non-reservation rural areas, the crime rate is higher on the Indian Reservation. One clear disadvantage is it being in an isolated part of South Dakota with the closest large cities being Bismarck, Pierre, and Aberdeen to go to a Wal-Mart, Penney's, etc. Most of these cities are at least an hour and half to two hours away.

Mobridge is a better community, but has been declining in population for the past 30-40 years. It is about 3,000 to 3,500 people.

[Jammie]

http://www.city-data.com/city/Mobrid...th-Dakota.html

Hi. I don't personally know much at all about either town. Just thought you may be interested in the link above. It's actually not an area that I'd want to live in mainly because it's desolate and cold.

[Yzzyx]

Thanks for the link. I've been using the city-data pages to get a rough idea of what things are like but I know they are just numbers. When I look at the city-data for my town it sounds a lot different than it really is, but that is probably because Raleigh is pretty spread out.

One concern we have is both our vehicles are 2WD. My wife has an Escape and I have a Tundra. Is having a 4WD a requirement to survive? I got along fine with 2WD in Ohio but I am assuming your winters can be a lot worse and the road system is probably not as well developed. Maybe I should factor in buying a snowmobile? (Yeah honey, we NEED a snowmobile!)

Are there other towns within the area of Mclaughlin that we should consider or is this location just something we should pass up?

I'd be willing to take a week and go visit to see firsthand if I thought the trip would be worth it.

[MJ1986]

I've driven through McLaughlin and Mobridge a few times... I have some relatives in SW North Dakota.

Chris's post is pretty much on the dot... But it all depends on your tastes.

The cost of living will definitely be lower, but the wages will be low too. As Chris said, McLaughlin is on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. It is a poorer area, and does have more crime (per capita) compared to other parts of SD.

You would have to drive to Mobridge for most necessities. There may be a local grocery store in McLaughlin, but the prices are probably really high.
Mobridge has an Alco store that I know of, and probably 1 or 2 grocery stores.

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by Yzzyx

Thanks for the link. I've been using the city-data pages to get a rough idea of what things are like but I know they are just numbers. When I look at the city-data for my town it sounds a lot different than it really is, but that is probably because Raleigh is pretty spread out.

One concern we have is both our vehicles are 2WD. My wife has an Escape and I have a Tundra. Is having a 4WD a requirement to survive? I got along fine with 2WD in Ohio but I am assuming your winters can be a lot worse and the road system is probably not as well developed. Maybe I should factor in buying a snowmobile? (Yeah honey, we NEED a snowmobile!)

Are there other towns within the area of Mclaughlin that we should consider or is this location just something we should pass up?

I'd be willing to take a week and go visit to see firsthand if I thought the trip would be worth it.

If you are seriously considering the offer, I would strongly recommend visiting the area before moving there. It may be a diamond in the rough opportunity or something to pass up, depends on your goals in life and willingness to adapt to a different area and environment.

If you and you spouse like the outdoors and are willing to live with people of other races and willing to go outside of your comfort zone, it may a move to consider. Not all of McLaughlin and Corson County is Native Amercian but there are a number of them due to it being in a reservation.

I would recommend checking into McIntosh or Mobridge if you are willing to commute and tolerate winter driving every now and then in the winter.

As for vehicles, a 4 wheel drive is much better than a 2 wheel drive. I recommend having at least one 4 wheel drive, especially you live out in the country. Having a front-wheel drive car also helps. 2 wheel and rear wheel drives are tougher to handle in snow and ice when the roads get snowpacked and/or icy on occasions in the winter.

[Yzzyx]

The job is a medical position working for the IHS. I suppose this is why it is so close to the reservation.

My wife just graduated from college. (It took forever!) We're looking to pay off her school loans and get settled a bit. This job offers benefits like that.

We have several other opportunities to explore but I'm personally drawn to a job that provides "cheerful service" to others, rather than just a run-of-the-mill 9-5 job. My wife is too, but she is most likely less willing to give up all of her creature comforts and habits. All I have to do is figure out which ones she considers off limits. I'd be (very) happy in a singlewide on 40 acres of land. She would not.

I miss living a simple life. Everything here is so hectic and impersonal.

The big draw for me is also the outdoors and Scouting with my son. I've looked up the opportunities in this area and they are incredible compared to what we have where we are now. (Of course, a lot of places would be more incredible.)

Raleigh is okay, and you are only a few hours away from the beach or the mountains, but it isn't "North Carolina" to me. It feels like the Northeast, transplanted to the South. (Which it basically is.)

Western North Carolina is also an area we are looking at. We've been there and it is beautiful, but it is a bit "touristy" at times, and the gulf between the reservation and the locals is pretty awkward and hard to deal with. (I'm not sure I'm expressing this right, sorry!)

[MJ1986]

Yzzyx,
What kind of creature comforts?
If its an IHS job, I'm sure it is good money and good benefits.
You will definitely have great access to hunting, and fishing on the Missouri River.

[my02ctd]

Im sure there is someone on here that lives there that will chime in. I have been there many times. First I would say fly to Rapid City and rent a vehicle and drive up there and check it out. Personally I wouldnt live in McLaughlin. Kinda run down and high crime rate. Mobridge would be a lot better and nice houses. They are building a large electric power plant there so is drawing in a lot of people and the pay is on the high side compared to the state average. Also there is a large agronomy business in McLaughlin that is paying very high wages. So there are some real good jobs there. Mobridge is along the Missouri River so plenty of fishing. Plenty of deer, pheasant, duck, goose, antelope, and other hunting. Plenty of places to go play with your atv, boat and other toys. I have a good friend that lives there. If you decide to go and check it out I will ask him to show you around. PM me for more info.

[prairierose]

According to today's issue of the Mobridge Tribune, the power plant is still being considered, but they are still jumping through hoops to get it started, and have postponed the construction for at least another year with a completion target for 2015. Real estate in Mobridge is very affordable and seems to sell quickly as I follow a realtor's online listings each week.

My husband grew up in the area and we have considered moving there, but as a previous poster stated, it is 100 miles to anywhere for major shopping and medical services. Mobridge has a small hospital which provides excellent care, but as with most rural areas, it is often necessary to go out of the area for major services, not unlike where we presently live in Oregon.

We have seen McLaughlin decline dramatically in the past few years which is sad.