Florida, Tennessee or Texas?

[EscAlaMike]

Of those three cities you listed, Gainesville is the misfit.

Even though it's home to UF, it's considered a bit of a backwater place by Florida standards. It's much smaller than either Knoxville or San Antonio.

Tampa and Orlando are home to large state universities (USF and UCF, respectively), and might be more up your alley as far as Florida cities go.

Knoxville and San Antonio are both nice places. I'd personally be happy living in either, I think.

[BuffaloHome]

Originally Posted by TravelerUSA45

I want to relocate to one of the three states that I have narrowed down: Florida, Tennessee or Texas.

It is mainly for economic and political reasons. I am looking for a safe affordable city with a lower cost of living, and Republican leadership. The area I currently live in is too expensive and the Governor has and will have too many COVID mandates.

What cities/areas should I look into to narrow down my search further?

I am looking for wages of at least $55K per year (I have a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and 20 years experience - with a background in accounting/finance/higher education). I will likely be looking for Accountant jobs at Universities. Looking to buy a 2 bedroom house or condo under $275K, looking for a population of at least 175K and within a 30-minute drive to a major airport (that Southwest airlines flys to).

So far, I am researching Gainesville, FL; Knoxville, TN, or San Antonio, TX, (if you have good information about any of those places, let me know). Are there other places worth looking into as well?

As you were told when you posted this question in the Tennessee forum last year, if you want to be near a major airport, particularly one with Southwest Airlines, you need to scratch Knoxville off your list. The only "major" airports in Tennessee are Memphis and Nashville, and even Memphis is a stretch. They're the only airports with SW.

I agree with the other poster who recommended Murfreesboro. Large state university and within 30 minutes of the Nashville airport.

[KathrynAragon]

OK here's my two cents' worth, but it's worth nothing since that's what you're paying for it! LOL

I live in Tyler, TX (NE Texas) about an hour and a half east of Dallas, and about three hours north of Houston, and about six hours NE of San Antonio (yes, Texas is huge).

I love Tyler. It's the white collar, professional capitol of NE Texas in my opinion.

But I will add that since I've lived in this area 28 years, and am from a military family so very accustomed to moving, I am getting tired tired tired of long hot summers. But I love the mild winters, and the springs are GORGEOUS here. So there's that.

I really like San Antonio but it's even hotter there. Plus I don't personally care for all the congestion of huge cities, and Austin and San Antonio basically run together. The pros though are that it does attract a military presence and it is very different even from Austin.

I actually considered moving to the Knoxville or Chattanooga area, very seriously in fact. I ended up focusing most on Chattanooga, mainly because I prefer cities of that size, and because I went to high school and college in north Georgia (near Atlanta) so I still know a lot of people in that area. I ended up not choosing it because of it's reliance on and prevalence of nuclear power plants. Seems like they were everywhere. I wouldn't rule it completely out though, in the future. I loved the people, the terrain, etc. The crime rate is considerable there but I am sure that boils down to neighborhood and activities.

I am uninterested completely in Florida. I am very familiar with it though I've never lived there. Every single time I've gone, it's been crowded, hot, and MUGGY. Much more humid than your other two options you mentioned. I mean, it's like it's oppressively humid to me, and I like some humidity! It's also very flat and the terrain is uninspiring to me outside of the coast lines, which you can't see unless, well, unless you live directly on the coast line, which is cost prohibitive, not to mention the potential of serious storms (really throughout the state).

Anyway, that's my perspective.

Have you considered Fort Worth or west of Fort Worth? You could fly in and out of Dallas' Love Field if SW Airlines is important to you. Otherwise, you would have easy access to DFW Airport.

[TravelerUSA45]

Well, I just applied to a position at The University of Texas at Arlington. Arlington, TX seems like a good place to live, right between Fort Worth and Dallas. I think this is the gem I was looking for.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by TravelerUSA45

Well, I just applied to a position at The University of Texas at Arlington. Arlington, TX seems like a good place to live, right between Fort Worth and Dallas. I think this is the gem I was looking for.

Have you visited Arlington for any significant amount of time?

[TravelerUSA45]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Have you visited Arlington for any significant amount of time?

I have never been there. But I am comfortable doing all my research online. I am not too picky about where I land as long as it is a better place than where I am currently (and meets the minimum parameters that I stated). So far, Arlington will fit the bill (I am still researching it though).

It is just me, I don't have kids or a significant other to weigh in, I can go wherever I choose. If I get a job offer, I will move sight unseen and fairly quickly as I don't have anything tieing me down to my current city/state. I only need housing for one - a studio will even work. I'm just ready for a change of scenery after almost 25 years where I am.

Crossing my finger on that job opportunity that I applied for. Can't wait to see where it takes me. I decided to narrow it down to just Texas, so I have eliminated TN and FL.

[Cuggz]

Dallas suburbs

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by TravelerUSA45

I want to relocate to one of the three states that I have narrowed down: Florida, Tennessee or Texas.

It is mainly for economic and political reasons. I am looking for a safe affordable city with a lower cost of living, and Republican leadership. The area I currently live in is too expensive and the Governor has and will have too many COVID mandates.

What cities/areas should I look into to narrow down my search further?

I am looking for wages of at least $55K per year (I have a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and 20 years experience - with a background in accounting/finance/higher education). I will likely be looking for Accountant jobs at Universities. Looking to buy a 2 bedroom house or condo under $275K, looking for a population of at least 175K and within a 30-minute drive to a major airport (that Southwest airlines flys to).

So far, I am researching Gainesville, FL; Knoxville, TN, or San Antonio, TX, (if you have good information about any of those places, let me know). Are there other places worth looking into as well?

I'm familiar with Gainesville as I live in Ocala 40 miles south. Gainesville is in a Republican state but its a Democratic city. It's in a rural part of the state once you leave Gainesville, your back to Republican Territory. Gainesville is a college town UF Florida. I'd say at least half the population of around 130,000 or so is college students. It has a very serious traffic problem as your always driving on surface streets. Only one freeway and that's I-75. Most of the employment opportunities other than service jobs and I believe Insurance is going to be with the University. Not a lot goes on in Gainesville besides UF Florida. So employment with a large university might be possible for you in Gainesville.

Gainesville does have an airport. The flights are to Dallas, Atlanta and Charlotte. Basically to hub airports to make connections to elsewhere. Southwest does not fly to the airport. The nearest city for SW flights would be Jacksonville about 75 miles away.

Hope this helps.

[JMT]

The OP stated that he is now concentrating on just Texas. This thread is now closed.