Besides Texas What Other State Would You Live In? (Portland: living, fence)

[124c41]

When we moved this last time, I was considering Mississippi, or Georgia, but Tennessee won.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

Im curious....why did you choose the Land of Enchantment over Colorado?

I wasn't looking at states, per se. I had a short list of specific places and Montrose, CO was on that list. But by the time I got around to retiring, it had been ruined (IMO) by all of the development that went along with catering to the Teluride ski phenomenon. As far as I know, it's still in a boom phase with ever escalating property values. One other location I considered was Lake City - but it's far too cold most of the year.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by joqua

I wasn't looking at states, per se. I had a short list of specific places and Montrose, CO was on that list. But by the time I got around to retiring, it had been ruined (IMO) by all of the development that went along with catering to the Teluride ski phenomenon. As far as I know, it's still in a boom phase with ever escalating property values. One other location I considered was Lake City - but it's far too cold most of the year.

Okay that's kool.Thanks

[Nairobi]

The only states where there's more than one location I'd happily move to

Louisiana
Florida
North Carolina
Tennessee
Maryland
Pennsylvania

[LordyLordy]

Having lived in a few states, my ultimate place would be Ft Davis, TX. I love Florida and have lived there for 5+ years, problem with Florida is that it is overrun by people these days and has rapidly getting built up, even the interior, mall after mall is coming up everywhere. But there are still places you can find that nice, rural FL feel and be within an hour to the beaches. So, I guess I would live there too as choice #1, most likely northern FL.

I don't like Texas for a few reasons: mostly that it has almost no public lands (unless you live in Big Bend area), it is all fenced up, it is not particularly gun friendly and finally, it very much feels like a police state.

New Mexico is nice BUT income taxes, rampant poverty, high crime even in tiny towns of a few thousand (go through CD town by town and you will see most of them are in the 1.5-2x the national average and many of them barely have any people!) turn me off. Good sides to NM - lots of public lands and forests to roam, something to the tune of 6 million acres just in National Forests, not to mention BLM lands everywhere. If I were to live in NM, it would the area around Silver City on the edge of the Gila National Forest.

Arizona sounds alright, like that they are gun friendly but would only live at higher elevations near Apache-sitgreaves national forest, whatever is left of it after all the fires.

CO is too populated and expensive in terms of real estate.

WY too cold unless I was a snow bird and could live 3-4 months of the year there and the rest around Big Bend in Texas.

Boise, ID sounds like a cool place - it has a vibrant economy, TONS of outdoors stuff at the edge of town, you could live on some acreage outside of town, work in town and be able to have fun outside. Downside - has been Californialized like much of the western states, real estate is high in price for what you get. But, many upsides - friendly gun laws, tons of outdoors opportunities, jobs near them etc.

NV? Unless I was snow birding, no thanks. UT same way. CA, NO way - with all the taxes they have made it impossible for a middle class family to survive there. MO, AR, TN etc. - redneck heavens and I mean rednecks of the worst kind. WV, VA etc. too much snow and too cold in winter (and too many hillbillies) and too hot/humid in summer. NC has been "discovered" so no thanks. SC - when you look at who runs the state, it feels like going back to 1500s - no thanks.

North East - blah. Maine would be interesting so would Michigan or Minnesota, only if they were not freeze your a** off weather. Having lived in Canada, I am particularly sensitive to cold, as in, I HATE IT

I like far West TX, places around the Big Bend all the way to Ft Davis. I like Alpine and Ft. Davis because they are small and clean, Terlingua is nice too. I would even consider east TX if it had more public lands, whatever they have in terms of National Forests is under intense pressure since too many people, too little land to share.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by LordyLordy

...Terlingua is nice too.

I get the impression that some think of Terlinqua as a town on a par with Marfa, Alpine, Ft. Davis or Ft. Stockton. Terlinqua is in fact a "Census Designated Place" - meaning:

CDPs are delineated solely to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state in which they are located. They include small rural communities, colonias located along the U.S. border with Mexico, and unincorporated resort and retirement communities.[6] The boundaries of a CDP have no legal status.[1]

I cannot imagine anyone other than people determined to live an alternative life style finding anything attractive about year-around living in one of the hottest places in the USA half of the year. To say nothing of terms like; desolate!

[Canine*Castle]

I used to think I wanted southwestern VA, but I've changed and the #1 place on my list is Boise, Idaho, not in the city itself, but very close to it. The west is the best!!

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

I used to think I wanted southwestern VA, but I've changed and the #1 place on my list is Boise, Idaho, not in the city itself, but very close to it. The west is the best!!

...but the east is a beast!

[LordyLordy]

Originally Posted by joqua

I get the impression that some think of Terlinqua as a town on a par with Marfa, Alpine, Ft. Davis or Ft. Stockton. Terlinqua is in fact a "Census Designated Place" - meaning:

Formally, they are different. Alpine is obviously the biggest of them but itself is not very big. Sul Ross university, a basic hospital, some limited shopping. Ft Davis is small by any measure and Terlingua is smaller. What's your point though?

Originally Posted by joqua

I cannot imagine anyone other than people determined to live an alternative life style finding anything attractive about year-around living in one of the hottest places in the USA half of the year. To say nothing of terms like; desolate!

I spent 5+ years in South Florida. 99% humidity and 90 degree temps make you want to kill yourself vey quickly 6 months of the year. Yet, people live there and flock to the area non stop. Terlingua has plenty to offer to someone who appreciates isolation and being left alone and the simple lifestyle. Someone like me.

The OP wanted to know where any of us would want to live. I don't remember the question as "where would the average American want to live other than Texas". Hence, I gave my answer as it pertains to me with my reasons pro et contra. I am not an average drone, I am an individual.

[westcoastbabe]

Wow never knew NC was so popular. Just dont see the fascination with it. I guess if it wasnt home, maybe id have different feelings about it. NC is and will always be home....But will admit...glad I dont live there anymore...I dunno, maybe i outgrew everything there...