Retiring to Utah (Ogden, Park City: house, school, college)

[Fanjet]

For the last year or two I've been seriously thinking of taking early retirement when I reach age 60, which will be in late January, 2017 (2 1/2 years from now). I am currently in Northern New Jersey, and except for 4 1/2 years of College in Florida during the late 1970's, have spent my entire life in the NY Metro area, either in NJ or CT. One of first things that I want to do once I retire is escape the high taxes / overcrowding of the NY Metro area.

One thing that I not do not expect to do once I retire is relocate to FL or any other "temperate" climate. It's a nice place to visit, especially to get away from the cold for a week or so in the winter, but it's too hot. Having grown up in Northern NJ, when I went to school in Daytona Beach, I found that I greatly missed the change in seasons & the hilly terrain. I did however see the first snowfall in Daytona Beach in 15 years.

I'm trying to get started to determine where exactly I do want to relocate to.

What I am looking for is: 1. Lower Taxes & cost of living than NJ. 2. Four distinct seasons in the year 3. If not in the mountains, reasonably close to mountains 4. Within 60 - 90 minutes of a major airport, preferably served by United Airlines or United Express (my employer for the past 25 years - I'd like to be able to still use my flight benefits on occasion) 5. Photographically Scenic (one of my hobbies is landscape photography) 6. Did I mention lower Taxes than NJ?

I've spent quite a bit of time in the Rocky Mountain states, usually during 1 week ski vacations during the winter, mostly in CO, UT, & Lake Tahoe CA/NV. I've also traveled through the area during the summer.

In July, 2010, I went to a Union Pacific Railroad Historical Society convention Boise, ID & enjoyed the area. However, at the time I did not look around Boise from the viewpoint a possible place to live, as retirement & relocation following retirement was not in the foreseeable future. That has changed in past couple of years. The UPHS Convention this year will be in Ogden, UT from July 30 to August 3, which I will be attending. I don't have to be back in NJ until August 13, so I've got some time to do some looking around.

One of my biggest worries about moving out West is the water situation out there. Being from the Northeast, we usually don't have to worry about having enough water & water rights. I realize that there are landscape methods that limit the amount of irrigation water required, but how about non-irrigation uses of water? Can you wash your car in your driveway, or is that usually restricted?

In late January I went on a ski vacation to Canyons Resort in Park City. When I arrived, I got to see an inversion layer in the Salt Lake valley. It was not present in Park City, but I would like to avoid areas that are prone to inversion layers.

If I've contradicted myself somewhere along the way, please forgive me & Thanks for any Information.

Mark

[SeaLover]

Utah is the second driest state in the country. water is a serious problem. northern utah has a very serious winter air pollution problem. If you want seasons, beautiful mountain scenery, and less of a water issue (though all of the mountain west is arid) consider moving to Colorado vs Utah. I moved to Utah from Colorado when I retired. Although there are many positive aspects of living in Utah, given another chance, I think I would stay in Colorado. Just my opinion.

[kletter1mann]

I'm from NY, now trying to sell my house and move out for retirement as well (I thought I had it sold but the deal fell apart, damn!). Anyway, I asked about much the same stuff. Read my posts on this board.

As for inversion, Anyplace along the Wasatch Front will be subject to the inversions. You can't really escape it. But let me put the inversion problem in perspective from viewpoint of the urban northeast. The air quality in general is FAR better than NY region except those few weeks when there's an inversion going on. I think some people overreact cause the rest of the time it's so good and the contrast is stark. It's also very visible because the terrain allows you to get up high over it. It's not unlike those hazy, brownish days that we get in NY area in summer. Evetr fly into LGA or EWR on hazy summer day? Very similar, we just can't usually get in a plane to see it. If you're in northern Jersey anyplace near NYC you'll probably wonder what all the fuss is about. [comment for SLC locals: I'm by no means an apologist for the inversion, obviously is IS an issue. OTOH, I think the publicity is often a bit over the top, especially from the perspective of a newcomer.]

[CCSLC]

Originally Posted by kletter1mann

But let me put the inversion problem in perspective from viewpoint of the urban northeast. The air quality in general is FAR better than NY region except those few weeks when there's an inversion going on. I think some people overreact cause the rest of the time it's so good and the contrast is stark.

^^^^^^THIS.