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My wife and I are retirees living in Minneapolis, MN and are tired of struggling through bitter cold winters and fears of falling on ice. High taxes on everything including Social Security doesn't help much either. However in some of my teenage years I lived in NC (late 50's & early 60's) and reminisce about the warmth of North Carolinians, and when coupled with the beautiful climate, low taxes and cost of living, causes my wife and I to keep thinking that relocating to Raleigh or a suburb would be a better place to spend our retirement years. Would any retirees or non-retirees who made the move to the area from one of the northern cities be kind enough to share your experiences (positive or negative) with us?
I'm not from MN. We moved here from phoenix, AZ. We love it here, but I hear some dusconnrcts and misinformation in your comments.
Raleigh DOES get ice storms. Maybe 2-3 per year. Certainly not what you are used to - they last for 1-2 days - but they do occur.
Our property taxes more than doubled when we moved, on a home in a similar community with a similar assessment. Sales taxes are high. While SS is not taxed, other retirement benefits are, and our flat tax rate of 5.75% is about in the middle of the road nationwide. State-by-State Guide to Taxes on Retirees - North_Carolina -Kiplinger
We find the cost of housing, food, alcohol, dining out, and utilities higher than it was (and still is) in Phoenix.
We're not leaving, but I don't think the Triangle can be considered a low COL area anymore.
PS - When did Minnesota become part of the "northeast"?
Okay, I've just read your other posts. You asked basically the same questions in 2014. The only thing that's changed from then is that taxes, housing and other costs have increased.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freezing in MN
My wife and I are retirees living in Minneapolis, MN and are being exhausted by the bitter cold winters, high taxes, and a culture being totally transformed, but not in a positive way, from a huge influx of legal and illegal refugees. I realize my last comment may be considered racist by the PC crowd, however I think wanting to live in the culture one grew up in and loved without foreigner's trying to force their way of life onto the natives is reasonable thinking.
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I'm going to attempt to be non jugemental, but this is a VERY ethnically diverse area. It's one of tge the reasons I love it. Based on your statement, you will be extremely unhappy or uncomfortable here.
I wrote more, but decided to delete it as it might have been interpreted as unkind.
Last edited by Jkgourmet; 06-08-2016 at 09:06 PM..
I moved here just a year ago, and love the beautiful climate, the low(er) taxes, and the low(er) cost of living. And when it's cold in the winter, it lasts a day or maybe two.
I also love that this area is cosmopolitan and diverse, ethnically, culturally, and religiously. The downsides are that a lower tax rate means public employees get paid less (for example, teachers) which will not improve the civic good, and in the long run, will weaken the social fabric.
I haven't even been there yet but I can tell you if there is a large presence of tech companies you are going to have a large influx of folks from other countries and diverse ethnicities most likely there on work visas. This is a given all over the country where these companies are present. Personally I love it, sure sign you are going to get some good ethnic food options.
I haven't even been there yet but I can tell you if there is a large presence of tech companies you are going to have a large influx of folks from other countries and diverse ethnicities most likely there on work visas. This is a given all over the country where these companies are present. Personally I love it, sure sign you are going to get some good ethnic food options.
It is certainly the case with Minneapolis which has a large number of Vietnamese and Hmong refugees, as well as technical folks on work visas from India. Probably also Mexicans working in the meat packing industries.
My wife and I are retirees living in Minneapolis, MN and are tired of struggling through bitter cold winters and fears of falling on ice. High taxes on everything including Social Security doesn't help much either. However i[/font][font=Times New Roman]n some of my teenage years I lived in NC (late 50's & early 60's) and reminisce about the warmth of North Carolinians, and when coupled with the beautiful climate, low taxes and cost of living, causes my wife and I to keep thinking that relocating to Raleigh or a suburb would be a better place to spend our retirement years. Would any retirees or non-retirees who made the move to the area from one of the northern cities be kind enough to share your experiences (positive or negative) with us?
Funny how you are in MN, but ask for "Northeastern" opinions?
NC has changed A LOT since the 1960s. Raleigh in particular is probably 5x the size, crowded and rushed, like a baby "Atlanta". This is good in that it has brought lots of neat restaurants and amenities, but if you think you're going to find Mayberry ANYWHERE near Raleigh, keep looking.
NC has become a "Tale of Two States" in many ways--the urban, hi-tech, high-educated areas flooding with transplants, and the (in many cases) drying-up rural areas with less to do that there was in the 60s.
Since you have a certain "idea" in your head of what NC is like that is almost certainly incorrect, you should come on a visit to see what it's like NOW. That's true for anyone moving anywhere, but especially so if you're basing your decision on what a fast-changing place like Raleigh was like 50 years ago.
It is certainly the case with Minneapolis which has a large number of Vietnamese and Hmong refugees, as well as technical folks on work visas from India. Probably also Mexicans working in the meat packing industries.
Which is apparently one of the reasons OP dislikes Minneapolis, hence my opinion that he wouid be equally unhappy in The Triangle.
Which is apparently one of the reasons OP dislikes Minneapolis, hence my opinion that he wouid be equally unhappy in The Triangle.
If he dislikes the ethnic diversity of Minneapolis, he'll hate it here unless he plans to move out into the country.
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