Where should I move???? (leaving liberal-fornia)

[turnburglar]

Hey Forum members. One of the reasons I love M4carbine so much is the wealth of diverse knowledge that can be pulled into a particular subject. It doesn’t escape me in the least bit, that finding ‘like minded’ individuals is hard in 2019; and I have been putting a lot of thought into this for a very long time, and finally wanted to see what the forum had to say on the matter.

I am moving! Me and the wife have been living in Los Angeles for the past 2 years, while I have received better care from the VA and she had a killer aerospace job, LA and more importantly Southern California just IS NOT meant for people like me and her. We hate the: neighbors, traffic, liberals, homeless, taxes, gun laws, and even with our best income years ever, we still cant even think about buying a home here. Again, not like we even want to. I am getting my back fused in the next couple days, and that means that my rate from the VA will likely go up; meaning I will have real residual monthly income. Me and the wife have been talking for awhile about getting ‘online’ jobs, and she already has a work remote offer from her current employer. We also have a mid 5 figure savings account and investments that could mature in the next year into a nice 5 figures. We accrued all this with the intent on moving from LA to Phoenix and buying a 250k home, but honestly the last time I visited the east side it really got me thinking: “Yea I could live here, but I could live almost anywhere. Where do I WANT to live?”

I have lived in Texas, Nevada, Arizona, and obviously California for more than 6 months each. I did a little bit of pre deployment training on the east coast and saw Georgia and new jersey, but honestly couldn’t see myself living there. I also visited Florida recently and while I liked it, Im really not sure I want to live in humidity. I actually don’t mind 110F with dry air. I have never actually lived in the snow and have only driven in it a few times, but I think the best times I have ever had in my life where in the forest and mountains, and wouldn’t mind making the snow compromise to make that happen. My truck isn’t 4 wheel drive, but I have BFG’s and a limited slip diff. I was fine driving in light snow recently, even when all the cars where stuck. The states I am curious about are Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Montana. I am seriously looking still in Arizona, but Prescott is the only area I can afford the trees. Flagstaff is too expensive. The wife brought up Hawaii, but like remote not on the big island or cities? That might be cool because we both love SCUBA. Still not sure I want to buy there.

Anyways, after I heal up from this surgery we are planning a month long road trip where we drive the entire pacific northwest and into Canada, and come back through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, ect. The main goal is just to hit all the national parks that we can, but the obvious secondary objective is to find a new town or community. Any suggestions?

[Adrenaline_6]

Hey Forum members. One of the reasons I love M4carbine so much is the wealth of diverse knowledge that can be pulled into a particular subject. It doesn’t escape me in the least bit, that finding ‘like minded’ individuals is hard in 2019; and I have been putting a lot of thought into this for a very long time, and finally wanted to see what the forum had to say on the matter.

I am moving! Me and the wife have been living in Los Angeles for the past 2 years, while I have received better care from the VA and she had a killer aerospace job, LA and more importantly Southern California just IS NOT meant for people like me and her. We hate the: neighbors, traffic, liberals, homeless, taxes, gun laws, and even with our best income years ever, we still cant even think about buying a home here. Again, not like we even want to. I am getting my back fused in the next couple days, and that means that my rate from the VA will likely go up; meaning I will have real residual monthly income. Me and the wife have been talking for awhile about getting ‘online’ jobs, and she already has a work remote offer from her current employer. We also have a mid 5 figure savings account and investments that could mature in the next year into a nice 5 figures. We accrued all this with the intent on moving from LA to Phoenix and buying a 250k home, but honestly the last time I visited the east side it really got me thinking: “Yea I could live here, but I could live almost anywhere. Where do I WANT to live?”

I have lived in Texas, Nevada, Arizona, and obviously California for more than 6 months each. I did a little bit of pre deployment training on the east coast and saw Georgia and new jersey, but honestly couldn’t see myself living there. I also visited Florida recently and while I liked it, Im really not sure I want to live in humidity. I actually don’t mind 110F with dry air. I have never actually lived in the snow and have only driven in it a few times, but I think the best times I have ever had in my life where in the forest and mountains, and wouldn’t mind making the snow compromise to make that happen. My truck isn’t 4 wheel drive, but I have BFG’s and a limited slip diff. I was fine driving in light snow recently, even when all the cars where stuck. The states I am curious about are Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Montana. I am seriously looking still in Arizona, but Prescott is the only area I can afford the trees. Flagstaff is too expensive. The wife brought up Hawaii, but like remote not on the big island or cities? That might be cool because we both love SCUBA. Still not sure I want to buy there.

Anyways, after I heal up from this surgery we are planning a month long road trip where we drive the entire pacific northwest and into Canada, and come back through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, ect. The main goal is just to hit all the national parks that we can, but the obvious secondary objective is to find a new town or community. Any suggestions?

If you can afford Hawaii and can tolerate their gun laws which aren't much better than Cali's, the weather would fill your check boxes. The Big Island is not crowded, the island of O'ahu is (where Waikiki and the city of Honolulu is). The other islands are more remote. The advantage is if you don't like it, you can always sell and will never lose. Real Estate in Hawaii is a guaranteed good investment. It keeps going up unless you bought next to the active Volcano that erupted (dumb from the get go). Florida is very humid, but that is what AC is for.

[soulezoo]

Wyoming first choice. No income tax and the other taxes are low overall. Most of the state is pretty rural. Cheyenne, Laramie, Jackson are the "big cities". Best gun laws and likely the most "free" state left. One of the best economically for retirees.
Cons: windy. Lacks many of the big city trappings outside of Cheyenne. Much of the middle of the state is not exactly picturesque, but much better than Utah or Nevada .
Second choice, Idaho.

[AKDoug]

I live in Alaska. If I had to move, the only place I'd be going to would be Idaho.

[Todd.K]

If you are looking to escape CA, don't stop in Oregon.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

Colorado is California light. What CA does, CO follows suit. It's beautiful here, but so is Idaho/Montana/Wyoming....

[Firefly]

I dunno. I am used to where I am at. Everywhere else is weird and lame.

Or full of people I hate.

Alaska seems good on paper but is essentially American Siberia.
Only two things come from Texas...
And New Methico is out

Like if I had the money...I’d move to Saipan.

[dmd08]

If you are looking to escape CA, don't stop in Oregon.

And I would say forget Colorado as well.....

I came here from Montana 9 years ago. I still think about Montana all the time.

I grew up in Idaho and my wife's from Wyoming. I would easily live in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming. My next move will be one of those 3.

[Doc Safari]

New Mexico is going blue faster than I can keep up. Avoid.

[grizzman]

I spent a week in Phoenix about a month ago, and drove all over it for work....I wasn't impressed with, well, any of it.

Wyoming and Montana would be solid choices. I've visited both multiple times on vacations.

I really enjoy spending time in Oregon and Colorado, but I won't even consider living there due to them being New-Californias.