Well, if you have to stay within the U.S., I'd move to Atlanta.
If you can afford Hawaii, do that.
L.A. isn't all that bad, just ruthlessly overpriced.

Kevin -
Thanks. I have family in NH (and MA, CT, VT...) and really like NH quite a bit -- except for (1) their tax on your "view" from your property; I shyt you not. otherwise, no-nonsense, but complete capricious bullshyt on that one and (2) as long as I'm moving, why not where I can use the toys closer to year-round?

Thanks for the maps, cites and other info as well!

Moses - AZ is always in the back of my mind, but I haven't spent enough time there (or, really, seen enough of it) to know if I'd dig it or develop that bleary stare I get after a few days in much of the Southwest.

keep the info comin' boys! I feel freakin liberated, emancipated and, yes, actually giddy to be getting the fluck off of this sinking ship. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next month... but the wheels are turning now.

Should also find a good, nationwide legal headhunter/recruiter.

JP

The city data is very good.

The bleary stare is the whole point of living there. Sheesh!

Ahhhh... then I'm a natural. And here I thought I was odd...

Not unlike in the South ... Everytime I spend time in the South, my brother's friends (and his father-in-law, and his friends) drop the "you ain't no Yankee, you jus' tahlk like one, bo-ahy. you need to get yerself dowhn he-ah. Y'all a suthn'er at heart, y'all jus' haven't figyuhd it out jus' tyet."

JP

Hmmmm. My guess is no dice.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1169507656.jpg

JP, I've recently discovered a hidden paradise in Madison Co., VA. Min. lot size in the whole county is three acres. So there are zero townhouses, trailers, condos, etc. It's 80 miles south of where I live now and a short commute to Charlottesville (where my old SC now lives). Some good friends just bought a new const. house on a 3.5 acre lot with a pond for $389k. It's AWESOME. That house would be over $900k around here.

I don't think VA is a police state at all. Their laws are tough and rigidly enforced. But other than speed enforcement, I have no problem with them. The great thing about the radar detector ban is that the cops use antiquated equipment, which makes them far easier for my detectors to sniff out and the penalty for getting caught with one is only $90 and no confiscation - a bargain. We have no parole here, capital punishment is probably swifter and more frequent than in TX or FL and gun laws are definitely among the best in the US. Cops are very gun-friendly and most of the state other than NoVA has no emissions inspection, so you can run those SSI's with no worries.

But I still want to move out to the desert when I find a way to make money there.

I was in your shoes 13 years ago. I was born and raised in Endicott N.Y. which is about 75 miles south of Syracuse. I didn't care for the taxes,politics and weather so I knew I wanted a warm climate. My family moved to Orlando and we like it for the most part. Like any area that is booming with growth there are issues like traffic,lack of affordable housing,crime etc. but it's like that pretty much anywhere that is growing at a fast pace. I was lucky both my wife and I were able to transfer with the company we are still employed with. My oldest son lives north east of Atlanta and he likes it a lot. I have a sister in law that lives in Raleigh/Durham N.C. and she likes it there. One mans perfect place to live is anothers hell hole. Good luck with your search.

Agree with Tabs, the West is the only way to go. Problem is that the West is getting full. People from SoCal are coming East as its too expensive to live and full of fruits and nuts. Nevada, Arizona are running out of water because everyone wants to make the place look like where they lived 10 years ago and grass in the desert just do not mix.

Look around, the world is a beautiful place. Lots of nice places to live!

If you get caught driving a car into Mexico with one... ONE rifle or pistol shell (loaded that is) then you will be thrown into jail, no matter who you are. Usually you end up spending one year or so in jail then you pay $20-$30,000 and are released.

They have no sense of humour about firearms or ammo in Mexico if you are not a Mexican.

Not bad. We lived in Atl for a while and it's pretty nice. Big city, not as congested as the DC to Boston corridor. Housing is reasonable. Moderate to conservative politics. Great driving roads!!! :eek:

PJ.

This is the midwinter blues a-talkin! Why don't you just shoot up the cabin with hollowpoints to get the voices to SHUT UP FOR ONCE

But seriously, New Hampshire. For the following reasons:

No State Income Tax
Gun Laws
Access to ski areas
Proximity to major metropolitan areas for High Jinks
Still in the Northeast so you will look like you belong here
No State Income Tax
Comparatively inexpensive real estate so's you can have your garage with a house attached
No State Income Tax.

With All Appropriate Respect to The Hot Shoe from Denver who has Forgotten More About Porsches Than I Will Ever Know, Colorado, well, dem's like a whole 'nother country, dere, you-betcha! Imagine the politics of California with the hustle and bustle of Oregon and you're on the money, honey (with the lips that launched a thousand ships!)

I lived in Arizona. Like the late, great, HST, you will never be able to function properly in such a climate. Yeah, it's cool and all with the rock-and roll class-III-hardball-shoot-a-palooza but traffic is a nightmare and the strip mall factor makes NoVA look like the opposite of Houston from a zoning perspective.

Well I better put a cork in it before I piss off the entire country. . . last night I had a huge drink of the Usquebaugh and opened my New York CITY tax statement (4.4% of AGI for those of you "Scoring" at home). . . Oh mama, can this really be the end?

This too will pass.

Did a "city search" on the small suburb outside of Pittsburgh where I live and found this out:

Races in Hampton Township:

White Non-Hispanic (97.3%)
Black (0.7%)
Asian Indian (0.7%)
Hispanic (0.5%)


Think I'm a little sheltered? I wonder when this family moved in?;)

U mean I should actually be happy that I don't live in a Socialist state anymore...Well He11 I might as well head on over for a Buffet.

it's tough to find a nice area to live and make big city $ at the same time.

Not really. My old man and his friends go hunting down there all the time.

Self-employment an option?

Your looking on the wrong coast.

Terrain/landscape? Check.
Wacko Liberals? A few.
Traffic? Depends on where you live and work.
Gun Laws? Two words: Shall Issue.
Porsche/Motorcycle roads? Check.
Drive year round? Check.
Job market? I don't have a friggin' clue. I'm a contractor.
Stuck up *****es? See liberals.

:D

Don't cross NoVA completely off your list. I'm in Winchester, pop 28000 wooo hooo. About 80 mi to DC, reasonable taxes, housing is fairly high from the DC influx, but still affordable. Plenty of open space and close enough to major metro cities to command decient pay. The weather is bearable in the winter to very nice in the summer. Plenty of recreational areas to play with your toys AND 10 miles to Summit Point. I've lived in Niagara Falls NY. Houston,Tx Orlando Fla, Toledo,Oh and finally here in NoVA and I'm staying.

HTH

Nothing against Virginia, but Virginia is to North Carolina as North Carolina is to South Carolina. I hope that's isn't too cryptic, but the relationship is very clear to one from the south as I am. In a sense, you'll enjoy a culture that's not too distant from your own base, even if the state you're from is moving away from where you want to be philosophically.

An example from the past. Virginia and North Carolina didn't secede from the Union until Lincoln decided to attack those states who did, while South Carolina was the first state to secede. That cultural difference is still strong.

Also, if you don't know this, New York was not a culturally yankee state, ever. While New York City has certainly become thoroughly yankee, vast parts of New York still aren't yankee today. That may be why you're beginning to feel displaced.