Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you don't like temps above the 90s in the summer do not move to the Carolinas, Georgia or Alabama. You won't be able to handle it.
^^^ This.
Moved down from the Midwest to NC. When they are saying the summers are unbearably hot, they are not joking. The SE US region sees a fair share of hot, HOT heat (in 2010, we had over 90 consecutive days of 90+ degrees) mixed with SUFFOCATING humidity. You walk out the door and it is like the air gets knocked right out of you. You will get relief in the moutains, but you will be hard pressed finding your other criteria.
There is a difference between 'good schools' of the south and 'good schools' of the Midwest. The school districts here are not well funded, so finding a good district requires leg work. Once you find them, you realize everyone else moving to the area also wants to be in a good school district, so housing costs go up in those areas as demands go up. And then you see massive traffic and infrastructure issues.
If you're looking for the southern culture, you have to focus on areas that haven't been taken over by transplants. Many parts of NC, for instance, are being influenced by the transplants from the north. It is not a southern culture in the big cities; that ship has long since sailed. You will find the southern culture in the rural parts of NC.
If you want 'small town' in NC to eliminate crime, traffic and all those things you want to avoid; you're now talking rural areas. This is not a bad thing, BUT .. job opportunities are not plentiful in the rural areas, and don't expect the locals to welcome you with open arms. In NC, many locals blame transplants for the troubles the cities and state are now facing, and for taking away mediocre jobs that could have been held by a qualified native of the state.
Honestly - based on my experience of living in MI and OH for the majority of my life - if you're seeking small knit community that is based on faith and country life .. why not consider parts of the Midwest? The NW region of OH is very rural, very friendly, very low cost of living, has some great schools and very community oriented with a lot of emphasis on faith. Neighbors know neighbors. Small towns have local cafes and restaurants that people meet and greet every week. The local firestations have community pancake dinners. Every location I lived in OH had neighbors come introduce themselves when we moved into the place we rented within days. I can't say the same about my 3 years in NC. The same can be said on the east side of OH on the outskirts of Wooster, OH. My experience: I lived in Walbridge, OH; Wayne, OH; Grafton, OH; Doylestown, OH --- Absolutely all of these locations met your criteria minus the plentiful cowboys and jobs. Jobs are not impossible in OH; finding one is no easier or harder than finding one in NC right now.
I am a single mom of 2 and wanting to relocate from Midwest to South. I am looking for a small town feel, place where there are good schools and low crime, where community and faith is what everyone cherishes. I am looking for a place where we would see a lot of horses and beautiful hills and cowboys Down to earth, simple living, low cost of living, and good opportunity to find work. I have thought about North Carolina, Alabama, or Georgia.. I would appreciate any suggestions. Small town feel, cafe where people converse and where the locals welcome new families with open arms and neighbors watch out for neighbors. Do NOT want to be in a busy crowded city.
I would agree with Chance2Jump. Sounds like what you are looking for can be found in NW region of Ohio or perhaps other Midwest areas.
If you can't take the heat, the South is not for you. Plus, the open arm welcome for new families--not so much. Many Southerners have grown weary of Yankees looking for Mayberry and complaining about how much better the schools, pizza joints, etc. are back where they came from.
Employment is going to be the key here. Health care related careers are the ticket to small town living, particularly if you plan on having health insurance. Everyone else is working for Wal-Mart these days or doing home healthcare.
A lot of people think moving to a small town is heaven. But locals don't always take well to new folks. And small town life can be a difficult adjustment for kids not used to a small town lifestyle.
True. When we moved to IA as kids, I had the easiest time adjusting socially even though I was the one who openly hated it the most. I managed to make a few (though rocky) friendships and some acquaintances. My brother? He never did make a single friend, had to change schools once for being horribly picked on and he was way more outgoing than I ever was. My mother never made friends either and I think it bothered her since she'd always had an active adult social life. She liked it there otherwise and I do too, just not enough to move back.
In a small town with a stable community, it takes a long time to fit in. People who have known each other since they were toddlers already have their circle of friends and family members and are often not all that interested in welcoming newcomers with open arms. Sometimes there is suspicion and resentment towards newcomers.
I am a single mom of 2 and wanting to relocate from Midwest to South. I am looking for a small town feel, place where there are good schools and low crime, where community and faith is what everyone cherishes. I am looking for a place where we would see a lot of horses and beautiful hills and cowboys Down to earth, simple living, low cost of living, and good opportunity to find work. I have thought about North Carolina, Alabama, or Georgia.. I would appreciate any suggestions. Small town feel, cafe where people converse and where the locals welcome new families with open arms and neighbors watch out for neighbors. Do NOT want to be in a busy crowded city.
I am also a single mother of 2. I am doing the opposite. I am moving from NC to MI. I am only moving because my family is in MI though because I love NC.
You should check out the Raleigh/Durham area. There are plenty of small towns around us. Check out Apex, Cary(not to low cost but excellent schools), Wake Forest, Garner or even Raleigh. The people are friendly. There are lots of resources and good schools that are in NC. I have lived in Savannah, GA. There are lots of small towns which is also a nice area. It is very hot and humid down here. It took me a few years to adjust to the climate change but other than that the NC is a good place to live.
My mom's father side of the family lives in Moblie AL. I am not a big fan. I have never lived there but it wasn't for me. But everyone is different. Try going on the different city threads to get more information after you narrow down your search. Good Luck!
You should check out the Raleigh/Durham area. There are plenty of small towns around us. Check out Apex, Cary(not to low cost but excellent schools), Wake Forest, Garner or even Raleigh.
These places are not small towns as the OP wrote she was in search of. Cary is full of four lane roads, has a population way over 100,000 and blends right in with Raleigh (population 400,00+). The Crossroads shopping mall in Cary covers acres and acres. Garner borders right on Raleigh and so on.
While there are indeed small towns in NC, this is a a large metropolitan area laced with freeways and shopping malls and townhouse developments.
Don't know. My Grandparents dreamed of moving to a small town when they retired, they did, and hated it. There were social cliques, worse than any high school, they got bored and moved to Vegas within three years.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Down to earth, simple living, low cost of living, and good opportunity to find work. I have thought about North Carolina, Alabama, or Georgia.. I would appreciate any suggestions. Small town feel, cafe where people converse and where the locals welcome new families with open arms and neighbors watch out for neighbors. Do NOT want to be in a busy crowded city.
