Help me find somewhere to settle...

[tntgoodwin]

I had been thinking Colorado Springs, and I still like it, but tonight's caucus results have me leaning away from wanting to live there. :glare: Politics is a big deal since I hope to run for office someday.

So, I figured I would seek out the varied experience and wisdom of the hive to see what you all recommend!

 

So, what we are looking for:

 

-Population: 200,000 was a bit too small (Amarillo), and 1 million is too crowded (Honolulu)...so 400,000 to 500,000 would probably do well.

 

-Plenty of ex-military families would be good, so maybe something near a military base, a city with a healthy defense industry connection would be ideal. This would help with me getting a good job.

 

-We are a (relatively) large, young family... so it would be helpful for that to be fairly common-place. We homeschool and my wife stays at home with the kids. However, if we were to live somewhere with good quality schools, we would have no problem putting them in one.

 

-Would like the cost-of-living to be below the national average, and household income to be above the national average.

 

-Weather- prefer it to not be too cold. No harsh winters. Also, would like to stay away from hurricane heavy areas. Also, would prefer a dry heat over humidity.

 

-Religions- would need a place with a lot of healthy churches, lots of evangelical Protestants. Megachurches are great with us, especially if they are Reformed/Calvinist. (an Acts 29 or The Gospel Coalition affiliated church would be great to have!)

 

-Politics - I would LOVE to live in a swing state, so I could feel like my vote matters. We lean very libertarian, so that would be helpful to find.

 

 

Any ideas?

Edited February 8, 2012 by tntgoodwin

[ma23peas]

Huntsville, AL....Redstone Arsenal, it has been in the 60s most of January..a bit unusual, but we have had maybe six snows is 7 years, half of those an inch. Not sure what you mean about he caucases, I am evan. Prot. But very pleased with Colorado's results...I know quite a bit of reformed churches around. Many of my friends are military. Nice people, but I am from AL originally, you might also comsider Lakewood or Steilacoom (sp) Olympia WA, nice areas, mild winters..we just had a hard time finding evan. Churches there.

[tntgoodwin]

Huntsville, AL....Redstone Arsenal, it has been in the 60s most of January..a bit unusual, but we have had maybe six snows is 7 years, half of those an inch. Not sure what you mean about he caucases, I am evan. Prot. But very pleased with Colorado's results...I know quite a bit of reformed churches around. Many of my friends are military. Nice people, but I am from AL originally, you might also comsider Lakewood or Steilacoom (sp) Olympia WA, nice areas, mild winters..we just had a hard time finding evan. Churches there.

 

Thanks! I will look into it.

[Mrs Mungo]

KC, MO? Virginia? Wanting to live in a swing state narrows the options, but both of those meet many of your preferences.

[MSNative]

VA and NC would be good states to check out. Swing states, lots of military, mild weather, little risk of hurricanes in many parts of both states. Humidity factor is up there, though.

[tntgoodwin]

I lived in eastern North Carolina for many years, it seemed like nothing but hurricanes lol. As far as VA, it would be excellent except it seems very expensive...

[Brigitte]

It's not expensive here in the southwestern part of VA/northeastern end of TN. Plenty of evangelical protestant churches to be found. Not much in the way of retired military, however. One interesting aspect of this area is that while people here are very conservative, they often vote democrat. The Tea Party has had quite a bit of success here too.

[DawnM]

Anywhere in NC. We vote red or blue depending on how things go (you can look at our history.)

 

Raleigh or Charlotte would fit the bill. Far more Reformed Christians than I have ever run into before.

 

Although I have to say, I am not sure our vote really matters as they pick the president long before NC is even fully counted......just too small of a state to really matter.

[tntgoodwin]

It's not expensive here in the southwestern part of VA/northeastern end of TN. Plenty of evangelical protestant churches to be found. Not much in the way of retired military, however. One interesting aspect of this area is that while people here are very conservative, they often vote democrat. The Tea Party has had quite a bit of success here too.

 

That sounds reasonable to me as far as the politics part, but I don't know what I would do for a job...what is a city in the area?

[scrappyhappymama]

Fort Worth would meet all your requirements except for the swing state. But there are a growing number of libertarians here.

 

There are two major defense related employers and cost of living is excellent. The heat is not exactly dry compared to say, Arizona, but definitely much less humid than Honolulu or Houston or Florida. Hurricanes don't make it this far north and winters are very mild. There are lots of homeschoolers and homeschooling resources and churches everywhere.

[Momof3littles]

NC would meet a good number of your requirements, but it is most definitely humid and is vulnerable to hurricanes.

[MindyD]

Charleston, SC has most of that, except for weather. Hurricanes are possibly and humidity is a given. Still there's a heavy AF and Navy presence, Boeing is here, lots of opportunities, low cost of living, lots of homeschoolers. It's just an option.

[hellen]

Something around Plano Texas or just north of there would fit for your job since Raytheon is there. The Dallas area is obviously large but you would fit into your corner of it. That area will have most of the things you need for daily living. It can feel a little crowded on the highways. Winters are mild but you'll pay for it in the summer. There is not a nearby military base.

 

Nashville TN or Louisville KY are both relatively close to military bases (Ft. Campbell and Ft. Knox). Both have similar weather with relatively mild winters and hot humid summers. Winters tend to be gray and rainy. The cost of living is reasonable. Louisville is more of a catholic community so I don't know how big of a church you would find in your denomination. Of the two I prefer Louisville. I think it is prettier in regard to the natural landscape. It is also the smart of the two. Louisville has a Raytheon office and Integrated Combat Systems.

 

Colorado Springs is in a beautiful setting. There are lots of very conservative Christians around. You might also look into Denver or living sort of between the two like in Lone Tree or Parker. In my opinion the weather is perfect. No humidity means really pleasant weather year round. One can go outdoors in the summer and winter. I think the Denver area and maybe Springs also does a nice job of providing public recreational spaces. The downside to that is small lots. If you think being able to walk easily to city maintained playgrounds and open space is better than mowing your own giant yard than this could be a good fit. If you get into the right suburb, you'll get that small town feel while living in a big city. I think Colorado was considered a swing state in 2008.

 

Kansas City is an interesting choice. Ft Leavenworth is nearby but off by itself. I lime the SW area around Loathe but for political purposes you would probably want to live on the Missouri side. It's quite flat like Denver but there are no mountains nearby. It's hotter in the summer and usually colder in the winter than Colorado.

 

I don't know much about it but El Paso could be an option. It would have the dry climate and is near Ft. Bliss.

[tntgoodwin]

Charleston, SC has most of that, except for weather. Hurricanes are possibly and humidity is a given. Still there's a heavy AF and Navy presence, Boeing is here, lots of opportunities, low cost of living, lots of homeschoolers. It's just an option.

 

South Carolina would be even worse as far as the political situation goes, unfortunately. Good idea though!

[Aelwydd]

NC would meet a good number of your requirements, but it is most definitely humid and is vulnerable to hurricanes.

 

I second NC, specifically the Piedmont-Triad area (Winston-Salem, Greensboro). It is about the size you're looking for, but is far enough inland that the effects of hurricanes are greatly ameliorated. (I went outside for a brief stroll in the middle of Hurricane Hugo in 1989.)

 

I like the independent spirit of this state. It defies conventional Democratic or Republican party lines. It's a huge educational bastion, with one of the very top public university systems in the country--at very cheap prices for residents. So, many options for your daughters.

 

It meets just about every one of your criteria, with the exception of the humidity. It does get humid in the summer. That said, it is a very moderate climate, much more tolerable in my opinion, than many southern states, including the one I'm in now.

[tntgoodwin]

Hmm...

[Caroline]

That sounds reasonable to me as far as the politics part, but I don't know what I would do for a job...what is a city in the area?

 

Salem, VA

Roanoke, VA

Bristol, TN and VA

Blacksburg, VA (home of VA Tech, although tiny)

[Lisa in Jax]

I had been thinking Colorado Springs, and I still like it, but tonight's caucus results have me leaning away from wanting to live there. :glare: Politics is a big deal since I hope to run for office someday.

So, I figured I would seek out the varied experience and wisdom of the hive to see what you all recommend!

 

So, what we are looking for:

 

-Population: 200,000 was a bit too small (Amarillo), and 1 million is too crowded (Honolulu)...so 400,000 to 500,000 would probably do well.

 

-Plenty of ex-military families would be good, so maybe something near a military base, a city with a healthy defense industry connection would be ideal. This would help with me getting a good job.

 

-We are a (relatively) large, young family... so it would be helpful for that to be fairly common-place. We homeschool and my wife stays at home with the kids. However, if we were to live somewhere with good quality schools, we would have no problem putting them in one.

 

-Would like the cost-of-living to be below the national average, and household income to be above the national average.

 

-Weather- prefer it to not be too cold. No harsh winters. Also, would like to stay away from hurricane heavy areas. Also, would prefer a dry heat over humidity.

 

-Religions- would need a place with a lot of healthy churches, lots of evangelical Protestants. Megachurches are great with us, especially if they are Reformed/Calvinist. (an Acts 29 or The Gospel Coalition affiliated church would be great to have!)

 

-Politics - I would LOVE to live in a swing state, so I could feel like my vote matters. We lean very libertarian, so that would be helpful to find.

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Jacksonville, FL has many of the things you want. We're 1.3 million, but the city population includes all of the surrounding county, so that number is a bit deceiving. It feels more like a city of 500,000 than 1.3 million in terms of traffic, for example, but we have the big city amenities, too -- an NFL team, museums, "road shows" of Broadway plans come here, we have a symphony, etc.

 

We do have humidity and Florida has hurricanes, but the geography of the area means that they almost alway veer away. We have very mild winters. It was 72 degrees here yesterday, and we took a ride on our boat on Saturday, in shorts. ;)

 

There are two Navy bases here. Homeschooling is easy (minimal reporting) and public schools allow HS kids to participate in sports/activities. Just south of Jacksonville, in St. John's County, there's a very strong school district if you chose to have your kids in public school. Large families aren't unheard of; our next door neighbor has 6 kids. ;)

 

Libertarians are common here. I'm one! There's no state income tax.

 

There are plenty of churches, though I don't know about the specifics of the denomination you wanted to attend.

 

Housing is afforable (44% cheaper than Honolulu, apparently), and we're a swing state.

 

Lisa

[K&Rs Mom]

Holland or Grand Rapids MI meet all but the military & winter requirements. Which you'd like better depends which kind of Calvinist you are (apparently there are two kinds who are very different). Homeschool laws here are awesome too.

[Brigitte]

That sounds reasonable to me as far as the politics part, but I don't know what I would do for a job...what is a city in the area?

 

Abingdon, VA, Bristol, VA or TN, Kingsport, TN, and Johnson City, TN are the major towns/cities around here. Further north are Roanoke, VA, Wytheville, VA, Blacksburg, VA, etc.

[littlebug42]

I live in Dayton, Ohio and it has all of your requirements except for the weather. Winters have some bad spots but not all winter and summers can be on the humid side but not nearly as bad as when I lived in Texas.

 

We have Wright Patterson Air Force Base which is the largest employer in the area. There is a large thriving homeschool community and some of the suburban school districts have very good reputations. We are also approx one hour from both Cincinnati and Columbus and about 2 hours from Indianapolis. We are very happy here. My husband works for a local university and I work for the largest hospital group in the region. We are very happy here and really have no desire to go elsewhere.

 

Politically around here, I find it to be a total mixed bag. I do know a lot of people that lean libertarian. We currently have an excellent Republican congressman, Mike Turner, for whom I have a lot of respect. (I hope he remains our congressman after elections and redistricting). The mayor of the city of Dayton is a stay-at-home, homeschooling Dad.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio The metro area referred to in this article is a very large area so don't let the population scare you. It includes a couple of counties.

[walkermamaof4]

Both Charlotte and Raleigh, NC have Sovereign Grace churches which are reformed-if that helps. It is colder here than I prefer but not bad. I prefer Raleigh over Charlotte by a long shot. Raleigh has some great suburbs like Fuquay-Varina.

[HayesW]

Well, if you decide you want to move to Colorado Springs, my baby sister is planning to sell her lovely home there. It would be a great homeschooling house. Bedrooms upstairs, living on main floor, large basement with guest room and open space for a school room.

[tntgoodwin]

Holland or Grand Rapids MI meet all but the military & winter requirements. Which you'd like better depends which kind of Calvinist you are (apparently there are two kinds who are very different). Homeschool laws here are awesome too.

 

What are the two kinds?

[Mynyel]

Try using findyourspot.com :) It might help too! :)

[elegantlion]

You also want to check the "accommodating to new folk" vibe of the city. If you're interested in running for office, you want to make sure people will be open to electing an "outsider".

 

City-data is an interesting forum to visit.

[Susan in TN]

The Nashville area. We're south, in Franklin, which is the prettiest "small" town in the country ;) but have we have all the benefits of a metropolitan area - orchestras, theater, art museums, etc. Just north of Nashville is Clarksville which is a home base for many who are stationed in Ft. Cambell (Kentucky).

 

Last I heard, Franklin had more churches per capita than any city in the world. No end of churches in the Nashville area - small, middlin, mega. Not sure how many of the mega churches are reformed, since that tends to be discouraged among reformed denominations, but there are a few large ones. In our church we have an average sized family (6 kids). At one point in our relatively small church there were 3 families with 9 kids. It's just not unusual around here.

 

Mild winters, no hurricanes, but it does get humid.

 

Economy is fairly strong, modestly priced homes, politics tend toward libertarian here southward, more liberal Nashville/northward.

 

Forgot to add - we know 3 military families who have recently moved here from Hawaii. Seems to be a trend?

Edited February 9, 2012 by Susan in TN

[K&Rs Mom]

What are the two kinds?

 

I am probably going to get this wrong, because I totally don't understand it. ;) I know there are two colleges (Hope and Calvin), one very conservative (dry campus & students have to sign behavior pledges), the other easy to confuse with a state school. I couldn't tell you which is which. There's a Reformed Church IN America which is apparently different from Reformed Church OF America, and possibly both different from the Christian Reformed Church. One of those has its world HQ in Grand Rapids (possibly more than one). I'm surrounded by this, but not a part of it, so have ignored most of the details. :blush:

 

We do have some aerospace companies, like Smiths, here but MI's military facilities and manufacturing facilities are getting shut down.

[tntgoodwin]

Try using findyourspot.com :) It might help too! :)

 

Thanks!

[tntgoodwin]

Any thoughts on Charlotte, North Carolina?

[tntgoodwin]

Or either Des Moines or Cedar Rapids, IA?

[BeautifulLife]

Jacksonville, FL has many of the things you want. We're 1.3 million, but the city population includes all of the surrounding county, so that number is a bit deceiving. It feels more like a city of 500,000 than 1.3 million in terms of traffic, for example, but we have the big city amenities, too -- an NFL team, museums, "road shows" of Broadway plans come here, we have a symphony, etc.

 

We do have humidity and Florida has hurricanes, but the geography of the area means that they almost alway veer away. We have very mild winters. It was 72 degrees here yesterday, and we took a ride on our boat on Saturday, in shorts. ;)

 

There are two Navy bases here. Homeschooling is easy (minimal reporting) and public schools allow HS kids to participate in sports/activities. Just south of Jacksonville, in St. John's County, there's a very strong school district if you chose to have your kids in public school. Large families aren't unheard of; our next door neighbor has 6 kids. ;)

 

Libertarians are common here. I'm one! There's no state income tax.

 

There are plenty of churches, though I don't know about the specifics of the denomination you wanted to attend.

 

Housing is afforable (44% cheaper than Honolulu, apparently), and we're a swing state.

 

Lisa

 

:iagree::iagree:Another libertarian homeschooling family currently here in Jax. And yes, except for the whole humidity thing, Jacksonville seems to be a nice fit. We LOVE our large, non-denominational church with both Calvinists and Arminians. However, I know of a few good Calvinist churches in the area that women in my Bible study group attend. The Navy is sending us back to Hawaii this summer, and we are actually going to miss Jax quite a bit!

[Laura in STL]

Or either Des Moines or Cedar Rapids, IA?

 

I went to college in Iowa (near Des Moines), and the winters are brutal! Also, I don't think it's a swing state, is it? I'm thinking it's usually blue.

[tntgoodwin]

I think it is usually blue, now that you mention it.