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I previously posted in the Florida forum but I’m going to post here to branch out.
I’m divorced, 42, no real social circle. I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life and I need out. Being a type-1 Diabetic, I am beginning to suffer neuropathy that is making my fingers numb in cold weather and increasing body pains, especially in my knees and legs, that sometimes affect my ability to walk. Additionally, I suffer from SAD. Several professionals have advised that I move to Florida.
Due to bad ADHD, I did not complete college. These last 2 years, I have worked at machine shops. I was a parts driver and warehouse assistant until I got laid off. Now I’m a sorter and machine operator. I’d love to transition to less physically strenuous office work- record clerk, proofreader, paper filing, etc. This was discovered during a trip to a career counselor.
I’ve owned a small house in Michigan for 20 years. I am not happy here nor does the climate feel healthy. I loathe snow with a passion and never want to experience it again. I would be ok with renting a cheap room just to save money and get the heck out of snow country. But rooms in Florida are not cheap and people in the Florida forum think I’ll have a hard time making it there.
I liked some of the areas near Knoxville but couldn’t find enough prospective jobs and it’s still a bit cold and cloudy there. California is ridiculously priced and I personally don’t like the politics anyway. I’m Catholic, not Protestant, and I’m under the impression that could be a barrier in many areas of the south when it comes to dating, if I get back into that. Texas is supposedly getting pricey, congested and competitive. Same with Arizona.
I’m not huge into cultural attractions or social functions. Just a place it’s less stress far away from this unhealthy climate of ice and snow. I’m not expecting to get a 2 bedroom apartment in a nice suburb for $500 a month. I just want a better climate for a fresh start and enough of a job market to cover the bare essentials of housing.
Knoxville will get a little winter in town but high temps average 50 in January and average snowfall is reportedly only about 7 inches. Yeah it gets cloudy and wet, even though it has a bit more sunny days than national average.
If you want even less snow, maybe northern Alabama or Greenville or Columbia SC. Or central NC.
For higher average UV levels, you probably should look at southwest over the southeast. Texas is less extreme than most of Arizona on sun / heat. Arkansas and Oklahoma have possibilities. The size of the metros will affect job opportunities and housing affordability but OKC or Tulsa or Fayetteville or Little Rock could be reasonable overall options. Maybe Baton Rouge LA.
State capitals might be good in general for office work with health benefits. Civilian positions at military bases or with military contractors might work too.
I previously posted in the Florida forum but I’m going to post here to branch out.
I’m divorced, 42, no real social circle. I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life and I need out. Being a type-1 Diabetic, I am beginning to suffer neuropathy that is making my fingers numb in cold weather and increasing body pains, especially in my knees and legs, that sometimes affect my ability to walk. Additionally, I suffer from SAD. Several professionals have advised that I move to Florida.
Due to bad ADHD, I did not complete college. These last 2 years, I have worked at machine shops. I was a parts driver and warehouse assistant until I got laid off. Now I’m a sorter and machine operator. I’d love to transition to less physically strenuous office work- record clerk, proofreader, paper filing, etc. This was discovered during a trip to a career counselor.
I’ve owned a small house in Michigan for 20 years. I am not happy here nor does the climate feel healthy. I loathe snow with a passion and never want to experience it again. I would be ok with renting a cheap room just to save money and get the heck out of snow country. But rooms in Florida are not cheap and people in the Florida forum think I’ll have a hard time making it there.
I liked some of the areas near Knoxville but couldn’t find enough prospective jobs and it’s still a bit cold and cloudy there. California is ridiculously priced and I personally don’t like the politics anyway. I’m Catholic, not Protestant, and I’m under the impression that could be a barrier in many areas of the south when it comes to dating, if I get back into that. Texas is supposedly getting pricey, congested and competitive. Same with Arizona.
I’m not huge into cultural attractions or social functions. Just a place it’s less stress far away from this unhealthy climate of ice and snow. I’m not expecting to get a 2 bedroom apartment in a nice suburb for $500 a month. I just want a better climate for a fresh start and enough of a job market to cover the bare essentials of housing.
Any ideas? I need to start planning a trip.
Oklahoma won't get you away from ice and snow. It snowed around 6" last week in Oklahoma City while afternoon temps were in the windy teens. As far as Texas is concerned, just stay out of the big, popular metros to get to a low cost of living. For instance, the cost of living in Lubbock is 79.9 compared with 119.3 in Austin. If you would rather be closer to Dallas and in a less dusty atmosphere, the cost of living is only 77 in Waco. If you want a warmer winter, there surely some cheap and small metros south of San Antonio, but don't know what the jobs are like.
Chattanooga - scenic with great elevation, the Tennessee river, an aquarium, no state income tax, and VW opened an auto plant there within the last ten years. Also, its about 90 minutes down I -75 to the Atlanta suburbs.
Greenville SC - midway between Atlanta and Charlotte along I 85 (2 hours each way) and 90 minutes from the state capital of Columbia. 3 hour drive to coastal Charleston. Nice terrain, modest winters and tolerable summers. Home to BMW and Boeing assembly plants which means also several other companies who supply them have operations there.
Chattanooga - scenic with great elevation, the Tennessee river, an aquarium, no state income tax, and VW opened an auto plant there within the last ten years. Also, its about 90 minutes down I -75 to the Atlanta suburbs.
Greenville SC - midway between Atlanta and Charlotte along I 85 (2 hours each way) and 90 minutes from the state capital of Columbia. 3 hour drive to coastal Charleston. Nice terrain, modest winters and tolerable summers. Home to BMW and Boeing assembly plants which means also several other companies who supply them have operations there.
Boeing is in Charleston. Greenville/Spartanburg's largest are BMW, GE and Michelin.
The Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Alabama. Rent can be pretty cheap, plenty of office type work available in hospitality businesses/casinos/hotels/military bases. All government jobs in March will have a minimum wage of $15/HR nationwide.
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