[anashepherd]

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime69

Idaho has more "nature" than both Florida and Vermont combined. Also, regarding safety, it just very much depends. Every state has it's safe areas and not-so-safe areas. Vermont, being that it is sparsely populated will have more than Florida... Florida has 20 million residents, so naturally more crime, however there are thousands of "safe areas" in Florida-- Sarasota being one of them.

I found Idaho to be very rocky, rather than green. I havent been much in north Idaho which i heard is greener, ive been mainly in south idaho, boise and south of that. I remember areas in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia that i visited and i was blown away at the nature there, SO SO beautiful !!!!!!!!! But my husband doesnt wanna live there, he basically gave me two choices. Anywhere i feel ok in Florida and Vermont.... Sarasota FL and Middlebury VT are on my list so far

[StarfishKey]

If you can handle the cold, VT is the better choice, hands down. It is peaceful, beautiful, has a stable economy, and friendly, open-minded residents. It's a totally different culture, so you would have to get used to that, but so is Florida, so either way you'll have to make an adjustment. Culturally, VT is a lot closer to Eastern Canada. FL, being large, is culturally closer to the American South toward the North, and culturally closer to the Caribbean islands toward the South. The middle is more of a blend of both, with some Midwest and Northern US culture thrown in. But Florida by and large tends to have more violent crime, more economic issues, and far more angry people than I have ever seen in Vermont. People in VT are generally pretty laid back and relaxed, spending a lot of their time outdoors in nature, and overall seeming pretty well adjusted. People often move to FL because they have troubles they are trying to escape, and so I find are a less happy bunch as a state, with a lot of fighting because they come from so many different cultures but all seem to think their own is best. Vermont does not have nearly so many people moving there from outside the Northeast, so it has a lot less tension as a state.

FL has great points to it, but given your prior experiences and what you are looking for, I would think VT is a better fit for your family.

[StarfishKey]

Originally Posted by anashepherd

I found Idaho to be very rocky, rather than green. I havent been much in north Idaho which i heard is greener, ive been mainly in south idaho, boise and south of that. I remember areas in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia that i visited and i was blown away at the nature there, SO SO beautiful !!!!!!!!! But my husband doesnt wanna live there, he basically gave me two choices. Anywhere i feel ok in Florida and Vermont.... Sarasota FL and Middlebury VT are on my list so far

If you like the nature of TN and GA, VT is much closer to that, except cold. The summer will be about the same. FL is completely flat, not mountainous, and while the beaches are beautiful, your picks of Sarasota or Orlando are not places where people spend their days hiking or enjoying lush mountain scenery. Much of the time is spent indoors escaping the heat (and storms), and living a suburban lifestyle without a lot of wildness to it. There will be far more people, than nature. VT has a more rural feel to it in most of the state, with quaint small towns, and a ton of outdoor activities. But, of course, it will snow much of the year, and during that time there will not be a lot of outdoor color. It may look a bit like desert parts of Dubai at that time, but with snow instead of sand. But the trees and the birds should make up for it, scenery-wise. Florida has beautiful colors all year round, and warm weather for most of it, but I would think the other aspects of it would be bigger detractors for you and your family. Perhaps, like many people up North, you could simply come down to FL one or twice every year for vacations, once you have saved up enough money.

[ReachTheBeach]

Talk about extremes! In VT, during Jan/Feb it will be brutally cold outside much of the time and possibly all of the time. May through Sept are the only reliably warm months. Sarasota will be like summer most of the year. Cold snaps happen but they are rare and brief. On the other end of the spectrum, Sarasota has only hit 100 once since they started keeping records. But lots of 80s and 90s with high humidity; almost every day all year.

[anashepherd]

Originally Posted by StarfishKey

If you can handle the cold, VT is the better choice, hands down. It is peaceful, beautiful, has a stable economy, and friendly, open-minded residents. It's a totally different culture, so you would have to get used to that, but so is Florida, so either way you'll have to make an adjustment. Culturally, VT is a lot closer to Eastern Canada. FL, being large, is culturally closer to the American South toward the North, and culturally closer to the Caribbean islands toward the South. The middle is more of a blend of both, with some Midwest and Northern US culture thrown in. But Florida by and large tends to have more violent crime, more economic issues, and far more angry people than I have ever seen in Vermont. People in VT are generally pretty laid back and relaxed, spending a lot of their time outdoors in nature, and overall seeming pretty well adjusted. People often move to FL because they have troubles they are trying to escape, and so I find are a less happy bunch as a state, with a lot of fighting because they come from so many different cultures but all seem to think their own is best. Vermont does not have nearly so many people moving there from outside the Northeast, so it has a lot less tension as a state.

FL has great points to it, but given your prior experiences and what you are looking for, I would think VT is a better fit for your family.

Thank you so much for your reply I love your answer Yes that is exactly what i am looking for. Even tho we are in our early 30s i am so fed up pf living in big busy cities, i really want a quiet place and keep my kids away from that part of society until they have to mingle in it in their teens or later in their life. Yes VT does sound more and more like the place for us. Found very beautiful homes there also and my husband loves the history of the place

[StarfishKey]

Originally Posted by anashepherd

Thank you so much for your reply I love your answer Yes that is exactly what i am looking for. Even tho we are in our early 30s i am so fed up pf living in big busy cities, i really want a quiet place and keep my kids away from that part of society until they have to mingle in it in their teens or later in their life. Yes VT does sound more and more like the place for us. Found very beautiful homes there also and my husband loves the history of the place

Do consider an important trend throughout the US, and especially in rural areas such as you would find in VT - drugs, like the current trend of meth or heroin. It is spreading like wildfire through small towns in the NE, because teenagers there have little to do. Heroin is making a resurgence because now it is becoming cheaper. So while the crimes associated may not tend to be as violent, you want to keep your kids busy and feeling emotionally fulfilled, so they don't get caught up in that scene, which certainly some of the kids they go to school with will be affected by (as well as of course alcohol). This is true of any rural area around the world where there is not much excitement, and of course FL has its own drugs - but don't move to VT thinking it is so idyllic that the kids won't have problems. They have the same issues as kids anywhere, but I personally find it to be a more peaceful place, where FL always has a kind of restless vibe to me, people always looking for the next biggest and best thing, getting themselves into credit card debt, trying to make themselves happy. People in VT seem to be more apt to be content with what they have. It is for the most part not so materialistic a culture as in FL.

Also, of course, beware of Lyme Disease from deer ticks. That is no joke, and you might not know of it given where you are from. Florida is less apt to cause diseases like that, although Florida houses are prone to mold due to the humidity and rain, which can cause similar health problems.

[anashepherd]

I must say i have big concerns in regards to drugs in US. Not being from USA and having lived in more countries, i can say is more common in USA than anywhere else i have lived in. However my husband wants to be close to his family so we have live in US, but yes i am worried. Very worried. I do believe that the more things we will do with the kids, tracking, travelling, opening them to other cultures as well, being involved with them and their activities after school, could keep them away from a mentality and lifestyle of drugs and thinking they are fun. I am 34 yrs old and i have never been around drugs, not even marijuana, never seen a real gun, never knew someone who went to prison, or had or known of any neighbors of friends that had been burglarized, robbed etc. So quite different backgrounds and cultures. Such a big decision that can have such a huge impact later on....

[Onelly]

Hi Ana,
Me and my husband moved to Florida from South of France. I am Romanian and my husband is Danish. We moved to Sarasota in 2001 but after 4 years we decided that Punta Gorda is the place for us. It is beautiful, less traffic, the real estate is more affordable and it is very safe. We discovered what is called "the real Florida" We love boating and this area is boaters' paradise. Whatever you choose Florida or Vermont you would love it here! After living in several countries I found that USA is the best place to be. I love the way of living, the people, the freedom, low taxes (I come from a place where we paid 70% income tax so I had to mention that and the beauty of this country. Let me know if you want to connect here on on FB or if I can help in any way as I know the area between Tampa and Fort Myers and I am a Realtor. Good Luck to you and your husband!

[Heart_Song]

Originally Posted by anashepherd

Hi. I am currently living outside USA but planning in the next 2 years to move there. I am looking for a place that is safe, i am a bit freaked out abt safety and crime rate. Am looking at Florida and Vermont, looking for a place with beautiful nature, safe for kids, safe for me, good job opportunities, maybe middle class community... I know there are a lot of criteria i am looking at, but is a big move so i need to look at all these aspects. Thanks a lot !

If you are considering Florida, I would recommend somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico. I live in Panama City and while it is not crime free, I consider it much safer here than in a lot of larger Florida cities on the peninsula. I have wondered if it could be partly due to the fact that we do not have any Interstate Highway that comes directly here. The beaches are gorgeous here as well as the other nature, trials, forests, etc.

[anashepherd]

Originally Posted by Onelly

Hi Ana,
Me and my husband moved to Florida from South of France. I am Romanian and my husband is Danish. We moved to Sarasota in 2001 but after 4 years we decided that Punta Gorda is the place for us. It is beautiful, less traffic, the real estate is more affordable and it is very safe. We discovered what is called "the real Florida" We love boating and this area is boaters' paradise. Whatever you choose Florida or Vermont you would love it here! After living in several countries I found that USA is the best place to be. I love the way of living, the people, the freedom, low taxes (I come from a place where we paid 70% income tax so I had to mention that and the beauty of this country. Let me know if you want to connect here on on FB or if I can help in any way as I know the area between Tampa and Fort Myers and I am a Realtor. Good Luck to you and your husband!

Mersi mult !!! I wont move until 2018 but i am just looking at options now. i will message u and yes pls we can keep in touch on fb.