We're going to Missouri (Springfield, Columbia: hardwood floors, ski resorts, houses)

[Wytchcat]

Jobs are a real issue in the more rural areas.

Yes you can get an wage slave job (Casey's, Dollar General, etc) but if you need to support a mortgage of some type you may need to consider some of the larger towns/cities for a commute.

Don't discount West Plains or Rolla in that list.

Ticks.. UGH.. don't start me. I tested positive for Erlichiosis and Rocky Mtn Spotted this summer. DEET works for hiking camping, if living on acreage get guineas ASAP.

Coming from Texas shouldn't be a huge shock for your system but you will be surprised at the lack of diversity in rural areas. Just something to consider. Most else should be right in line.

[MOforthewin]

Trump won MO by 18 points, and Texas by 9 points. Cruz won by 2 points and Hawley by 6 points against an incumbent. That should tell you the direction of each state.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

I use a quality insect repellent good for mosquitoes and black flies in the Northwoods. They are only a problem there for a couple months out of the year because 10 months of the year see freezing temperatures regularly. That is a big difference compared to the Ozarks. The hiking possibilities are varied in both, although I prefer the much better selections of lakes up north.

A lot of people don't prefer freezing their asses off.

[RisingAurvandil]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

A lot of people don't prefer freezing their asses off.

Considering the weather this weekend, those folks might want to consider the tropics!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

A lot of people don't prefer freezing their asses off.

Cold never phases me, I have mostly Finnish ancestry. What aggravates me more is not having consistent cold in most places, making winter an annoyance- rather than something to be enjoyed outdoors.
Heat and humidity are the absolute worst.

[Tyryztoll]

OP, I recommend Springfield and vicinity. We strongly considered moving there from the DFW metroplex back in late 2016. It's a beautiful region and Springfield is large enough that your husband should be able to find work. Couple things to keep in mind - Springfield itself sits on a plateau and as such the actual Ozark "mountains" are south and east of there. It's a great launching point to get to all those beautiful areas, including Branson and the even more scenic portions of the Ozarks in Arkansas. The towns of Nixa and Ozark, just south of Springfield, were highly recommended to us, although if you're looking for acreage you may want to be more rural than that. Also, not sure where in Texas you're coming from, but we were in DFW and the wages in Springfield were MUCH lower in comparison, not to mention Missouri has state income tax, whereas Texas does not. In the end we wound up in MN, but we still want to move to the Ozarks eventually.

Politically, Missouri sounds right down your alley also, and you'll be happy with the gun laws there. We were interested in homeschooling also and Missouri seemed more friendly toward that than Arkansas (another place we considered) was. Of course, Texas is THE best state for homeschooling because they have almost no restrictions or requirements and even have a homeschooling coalition that carries a lot of weight in defending your homeschooling rights.

Being from Texas you should also be no stranger to strong thunderstorms and such, and you will have the same in pretty much any part of Missouri. The thing I like about the Springfield region is that it's far enough south that most of your winter will be much milder than points north, but you still get more of a winter than you will in Texas. It's a nice 4 season climate, not extreme in any manner......like the heat is in Texas and the cold is up here.

As for crime, the bigger the town the more of it, especially in St. Louis, which has always been notorious for its murder rate on the same level as Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and New Orleans. I'm sure Springfield has its share of crime also, but my research didn't reveal anything in correlation that deterred me from possibly moving us there.

Happy hunting! Maybe we'll see you down that way someday.

[l1corinth13]

Wythchat how are you doing with your diagnosis? Can you heal from those tick borne diseases? I hate ticks they give me the heebie jeebies we get them A LOT out here on our property and I worry about my kids getting sick. I suspect my husband contracted lyme one year because he got the bullseye rash after getting bit. He didn't get treatment though just shot himself up with cow penicillin. It was a very strange to me for him to do lol and I don't know if it helped. If the kids or I get sick we will seek medical treatment from a professional.

[l1corinth13]

MOforthewin Yes Texas is changing directions, never thought that would happen but it is what it is.

[l1corinth13]

GraniteStater what area are you referring to that it freezes regularly?

[l1corinth13]

Tyrryztoll

Thanks for all that info. Yes my husband noticed that as well to go from a very high paying wage to taking a pay cut would be a sacrifice. We have a large family but preparing for a move is really teaching us to budget and look at our wants versus our needs.

We are on the coast, so very used to hurricanes and storms.

Gun laws and Homeschool regulations were two of our biggest deciding factors in relocation so Missouri suits those just fine.

Region wise, I want close proximity to the woods and am not really interested in flat plains we see enough of that here in Texas My husband, only has a preference in that he would like enough acreage to get his deer stamps and shoot his guns without disturbing neighbors.