Besides Texas What Other State Would You Live In? (Dallas: taxes, to live)

[Trainwreck20]

Honestly, there is probably at least one location in each state that I would find enjoyable. I am not especially attached to large cities, nor am I opposed to them, and I am not adverse to weather extremes, so that pretty much opens up most places. If money and job was not an issue, I wouldn't mind a bit of time in NYC, or up in northern MN, or a little time in AK or coastal CA. Hawaii and FL for some beach time, or CO/UT for some skiing/mountain time. VT/NH for the fall, or ME for a little coastal kayaking in the summer. Hike the Appalachian trail and visit the old states.

There is so much to offer from so many places, I would love to be independently wealthy and travel the US .

What is the lotto up to tonight? 344 million or something? Maybe I should buy a ticket, it has been a long while.....

[tomchard]

What a great original post! I'm glad that there's still so much "diversity" in thought and practice among American Citizens!
I certainly wasn't disappointed when I read everyone's replies! There're some real good insights about those different choices, too!
If I may, allow me to add my preferences to everyone's comments about where they'd like to live ...
My Preferences are based on currently living in Northern Kalifornoia (not misspelled), and having lived in Northern Florida, Central TEXAS, and Western New York State.
For my money, anywhere-in-TEXAS is the optimal place to live ... for the following reasons:
- Cost-of-Living is generally lower [High Property Taxes are my biggest complaint].
- Most people are friendlier than anywhere-else I've lived [Kalifornoians are about the least-friendly, snobby, "persecuted", and dangerous people I've ever met].
- Texas Weather is the best, for my old bones [This is subjective (of course) - YMMV].
- Plenty of wide-open spaces - even if they are already owned by someone else!

Optimally - if we could afford it - we'd have a place in TEXAS, and a place in Arizona, but we don't have any rich relatives about to die and leave us anything ... I've left Kalifornoia before, and I'll be glad when I leave it for the last time - hopefully some-time before I die!
Thanks for letting me drop my 2-cents in here!

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

California (LA area), Illinois (Chicagoland), Florida (Southern Florida), Georgia (Atlanta area), and Northern Virgina.

[bigboyz06]

Originally Posted by Qazulight

The state of wondering what the hell was I thinking.

Lol! That bad?

[bigboyz06]

Originally Posted by tomchard

What a great original post! I'm glad that there's still so much "diversity" in thought and practice among American Citizens!
I certainly wasn't disappointed when I read everyone's replies! There're some real good insights about those different choices, too!
If I may, allow me to add my preferences to everyone's comments about where they'd like to live ...
My Preferences are based on currently living in Northern Kalifornoia (not misspelled), and having lived in Northern Florida, Central TEXAS, and Western New York State.
For my money, anywhere-in-TEXAS is the optimal place to live ... for the following reasons:
- Cost-of-Living is generally lower [High Property Taxes are my biggest complaint].
- Most people are friendlier than anywhere-else I've lived [Kalifornoians are about the least-friendly, snobby, "persecuted", and dangerous people I've ever met].
- Texas Weather is the best, for my old bones [This is subjective (of course) - YMMV].
- Plenty of wide-open spaces - even if they are already owned by someone else!

Optimally - if we could afford it - we'd have a place in TEXAS, and a place in Arizona, but we don't have any rich relatives about to die and leave us anything ... I've left Kalifornoia before, and I'll be glad when I leave it for the last time - hopefully some-time before I die!
Thanks for letting me drop my 2-cents in here!

No, thank you for taking the time to respond.

[UTHORNS96]

Probably the Atlanta or Charlotte areas. If I was being forced to live outside the south I would probably say Chicago. Get the nice big city amenities without the pretense of the coasts.

[KathrynAragon]

For those complaining about high property taxes in Texas, here's something interesting I am actually in the process of working through:

I pay about $6000 a year in property taxes here in Texas - BUT - no state income tax!

We're considering a move to the Little Rock area in Arkansas. LOW property taxes - ours would be around $2500 a year. BUT our state INCOME taxes would be at 7 percent of anything over $30,000. So...we'll end up paying a bit MORE in total taxes (actually by a "bit" more I mean several thousand dollars more - not chump change) by moving to a state with lower property taxes.

We've considered several states because my husband's job allows him a lot of flexibility about where we live. Between the cost of living in general, property costs, all taxes combined, etc. we've narrowed it down to Texas or Arkansas. (We both really do like the more seasonal weather and the mountains of Arkansas so...we'll see!)

Complain all you want about Texas property taxes, but unless you're retired or making a very low income, most states which offer a lower property tax have income tax which often creates a higher tax burden in general.

[Trainwreck20]

Dual income with modest house = Texas tax structure rocks!

Single income in a expensive house = you are paying through the nose.

I prefer to have the choice to keep my income and change houses if I want to minimize my taxes.

For us, property tax is approximately equivalent to a 3% income tax.

[PrettyDallasGirl]

Probably New York!

[iNviNciBL3]

Alabama, Georgia, Arizona and Utah