mommymilkies Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 For a number of reasons, we've been searching for a new teaching job for dh for a few years. Three years of grueling job searches, applications (like a 16 page monster paper for one application in specific), and travel at our expense has taken a toll. So we've decided to branch out a bit in our range of where we should or can live. Dh is now more accepting of things like winter and snow which helps out quite a bit. ;) So while I'm sitting here depressed at what may be another job search failure year, I figured I'd ask for you to spam me your favorite places. It makes it easier to watch job openings like a hawk in a few selected areas as going through the listings for every single place in dh's industry every single week all year gets old fast. My biggest criteria: Homeschooling friendly. I can probably deal with NY but no way am I dealing with ND. Not Illinois. Non-negotiable. Has to have community colleges (this pretty much rules out IN) I really don't like large cities over 150,000 or so people. But I'm ok within an hour of that. Violin lessons! A must! Kids activities like museums or co-ops or arts or something No desert. Nope. Not so flat that a landfill is a mountain. Has to be affordable. One teacher's salary, so think right above the poverty limit with no savings. CA pretty much is ruled out here, and a lot of the west and New England. There's no way we could afford even a house over $100k if that gives you a better idea. I want at least 2 acres of land. I've been trying for over a decade here, so I can't budge far on this one. I prefer rural with access to things within half an hour. Not a ridiculously high crime rate, please. Bonus points for: Less deadly wildlife. I like to go outside without worrying too much about dying. The rare rattlesnake or black bear is probably not an issue. Alligators and 800 kinds of poisonous snakes are. I like to walk barefoot and wander. I'm a southern Midwesterner, so spoiled here. Forest. Preferably a lot of deciduous trees, too. Not tropical. I hate heat (actually I get hives in the heat because of an autonomic nervous system issue), but will deal unless it's prolonged. No major crazy environmental issues like contaminated water from coal tar spills or fracking, if possible. Right now the only absolute no states dh and I have agreed on are: CA, AZ, CO, ND, SD, IL, IN, FL, TX, NJ. TIA :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Sounds like Greenville, SC, to me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlynn Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Oklahoma If you had told me a few years ago that I would suggest that, I wouldn't have believed you :). My husband retired last year but still needed a regular income, so he applied for jobs in a variety of locations and this is where we ended up choosing to make home. Easy homeschool laws, plenty to do on a budget (we're near one of the two big cities in the state), plenty of land, lower cost of living. Weather is interesting, but we like it. Plenty of outdoor activities, except in middle if summer or winter, and even then it really depends on your tolerance. Only thing is the cracking which is obviously effecting our land here...think Earthquakes. I've felt 3 of them in the last year...but they haven't knocked anything off shelves. I've lived in Tokyo and California so am fairly used to a quaking earth though :). Hope he finds a great job! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljpisme Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 How about NH? That is, if you're sure you are OK with snow and cold :) There are a fair amount of homeschoolers here, with co-ops, classes, museums, etc to choose from. It's a low-regulation state, too. Summer can be hot and humid with few cooler/drier days mixed in. Certain areas of the state have less expensive housing options (north of Concord, and portions of the western part of the state). Our biggest city (Manchester) is about 100,000 people, and other than a few other small cities/large towns, there are lots of rural areas to choose from. We have community colleges throughout the state, forests and no deserts :) It's a great state! Good luck on your search. ETA: Lots of options for music lessons, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Oklahoma If you had told me a few years ago that I would suggest that, I wouldn't have believed you :). My husband retired last year but still needed a regular income, so he applied for jobs in a variety of locations and this is where we ended up choosing to make home. Easy homeschool laws, plenty to do on a budget (we're near one of the two big cities in the state), plenty of land, lower cost of living. Weather is interesting, but we like it. Plenty of outdoor activities, except in middle if summer or winter, and even then it really depends on your tolerance. Only thing is the cracking which is obviously effecting our land here...think Earthquakes. I've felt 3 of them in the last year...but they haven't knocked anything off shelves. I've lived in Tokyo and California so am fairly used to a quaking earth though :). Hope he finds a great job! I actually think OK is beautiful. But my friend by OKC is pretty much constantly shook up by the quakes. That scares me! The tornado threat doesn't scare me so long as I have a shelter. How about NH? That is, if you're sure you are OK with snow and cold :) There are a fair amount of homeschoolers here, with co-ops, classes, museums, etc to choose from. It's a low-regulation state, too. Summer can be hot and humid with few cooler/drier days mixed in. Certain areas of the state have less expensive housing options (north of Concord, and portions of the western part of the state). Our biggest city (Manchester) is about 100,000 people, and other than a few other small cities/large towns, there are lots of rural areas to choose from. We have community colleges throughout the state, forests and no deserts :) It's a great state! Good luck on your search. ETA: Lots of options for music lessons, too. NH sounds great, and I like snow and cold. But I'm worried about COL there. :/ I'll keep an eye on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Nashville or Clarksville TN. Or someplace in KY. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Eastern NC? If you don't live right on the coast the COL isn't too bad plus the weather is nice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 North Carolina. Avoid the coastal areas because of overbuilding destroying the coastline and environment in some key sensitive areas. At least this is the impression I have gained. Rest of the state is beautiful, with fine weather. I loved my four years there! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Eastern NC? If you don't live right on the coast the COL isn't too bad plus the weather is nice. Used to live there. :) Actually we're waiting to hear back from a job there. We just drove out to interview. But no word yet. :( Nashville or Clarksville TN. Or someplace in KY. We had to turn down the first because the pay was so low. And it's such a huge city and growing! North Carolina. Avoid the coastal areas because of overbuilding destroying the coastline and environment in some key sensitive areas. At least this is the impression I have gained. Rest of the state is beautiful, with fine weather. I loved my four years there! Pay is low but we're waiting to hear back from one (two turned us down already). I know what you're talking about and it's very sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Boise (or surrounding areas) :) No homeschooling regs at all. Violin teachers are abundant (practically everyone around here is a Fiddler) Excellent community colleges. Lots of kids activities VERY affordable Lovely environment/weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ. Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Sad to see CO on the NO list, it is a wonderful place to live :) Best of luck to you and the job search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamonlyone Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Missouri and eastern Kansas might be good fits. The cost of living is low and both states have low cost (or no tuition while in high school) community colleges. You might like the Springfield, Missouri area. The Ozark area is really pretty and woodsy. We have lived in the Kansas City, Missouri area and in Topeka, Kansas. Both areas have lots of opportunities for homeschoolers and little regulation, as well as fine arts opportunities. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Eastern WA/Eastern OR or Idaho? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Sad to see CO on the NO list, it is a wonderful place to live :) Best of luck to you and the job search. I had some really horrible CO experiences, so I'm a little biased. Plus, it's way too expensive for us. :) Eastern WA/Eastern OR or Idaho? I'd love Spokane. I'll admit I'm one of those pathetic people who always forgets Idaho is a state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Some areas of upstate NY may work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 WA - if you get away from seattle it can be kinda/sorta affordable. there are also plots of land far away you could put something on. no state income tax, does have a sales tax, have to file a form with the state for homeschooling - but that's about the extent of it. lots of CCs. (we have one that is the third largest college in the state in terms of enrollment behind only UW and WSU. - and they are turning it into a four-year school. there are even plans down the road to build dorms. . . . ) western wa has a very temperate climate. eastern wa has seasons. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Weird glitchy post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I had some really horrible CO experiences, so I'm a little biased. Plus, it's way too expensive for us. :) I'd love Spokane. I'll admit I'm one of those pathetic people who always forgets Idaho is a state. If you can handle a fixer and a commute, there are places around 100k with some land within commute distance of Spokane. There are a lot of colleges in Spokane. Lots of community colleges in WA. Also, EWU is in Cheney, 16 miles from spokane. We inherited (jointly with my BIL) and sold a house between Cheney and Medical Lake. Cosmetic fixer, otherwise solid on 15 acres. About 2x your price range but there are smaller parcels. Some friends just moved to Liberty Lake area. North of Spokane near the mountains is also nice and there are some cheaper homes. I know nothing about the rest of the state but I love northern Idaho. We vacation there every June. I could live there but there are some pricier homes. Idaho is probably cheaper south of CDA. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Nashville! Or the surrounding area, if you want land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I'd love Spokane. I'll admit I'm one of those pathetic people who always forgets Idaho is a state. that's okay- how the states got their shapes stated no one wanted northern Idaho. (or maybe that was the part western Montana got stuck with? it's been a couple years since I watched it) all those unruly miners . . pretty country though. If you can handle a fixer and a commute, there are places around 100k with some land within commute distance of Spokane. There are a lot of colleges in Spokane. Lots of community colleges in WA. Also, EWU is in Cheney, 16 miles from spokane. We inherited (jointly with my BIL) and sold a house between Cheney and Medical Lake. Cosmetic fixer, otherwise solid on 15 acres. About 2x your price range but there are smaller parcels. Some friends just moved to Liberty Lake area. North of Spokane near the mountain is also nice and there are some cheaper homes. I know nothing about the rest of the state but I love northern Idaho. We vacation there every June. I could live there but there are some pricier homes. Idaho is probably cheaper south of CDA. oh my - my navigation . . it pronounced couer d'alene as "Car DEE uh lane ee." oh my, we were laughing so hard. I wanted to plug it back into my navigation on the way back just to hear it again! eta: here are some northwest pronunciation guides http://projects.seattletimes.com/2015/pronunciation-quiz/ http://www.stevensauke.com/say/northwest.html http://q13fox.com/2015/04/08/watch-six-californians-pronounce-washington-city-names-for-the-first-time-video/ . . . . says the person who still rolls my eyes listing to media people pronounce Oregon . . . . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Indiana has a Community College system with over 30 locations. It is always hiring Instructors, especially the campus locations not in Bloomington or Lafayette. You can buy land here for as little as $4000 an acre but that would be rural so not close to museums/co-ops(45 minutes-1 hour). COL where I'm at is LOW but it is a small town (15000 pop. or less) with in 45 minute drive of Louisville. The farther North you go the more expensive and flat it gets. You might consider KY, also rural, as anything close to L-ville or Lexington would cost $$$. Hsing in both KY and IN are easy as far as regulations go. Not to much dangerous wildlife, I have seen a rattlesnake 1X and I killed 2 copperheads that wouldn't leave our campsite. There are some bobcats down by lake Monroe and I have friends who swear they saw a panther there once..... and they weren't drunk, they'd only had a couple beers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Boise, Idaho! I used to live there and still love it when we visit. All the things you mentioned and more. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Maine fits all your requirements. It has all the same upsides as NH. :) Finding the job here is the tough part, unfortunately. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I think many areas in NC would fit your criteria, but in good conscious I can't recommend it to a teacher. The legislature has treated the public school system and teachers horribly in the past few years. I do believe they're beginning to realize the error of their ways, but I don't hold out much hope for a big change. Maybe a stop to the blood letting, but I don't anticipate a big recovery. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Have you considered Iowa? Honestly, I am not super familiar with the state, but there are some decent mid-sized cities - Iowa City, for one. Iowa City also has the university with a very respectable music program, so I would imagine there would also be an active music community as well. Springfield, MO? Smallish college town, active youth symphony, nice community. Not sure about the community college part. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 What kind of teaching job? College level? High School level? ?????? Has he not worked for 3 years? If that is the case, I wouldn't be too picky about where I moved, I would just want some income. And just as a reference, I worked in PS high school for 17 years in CA......I take almost a 50% pay cut to work in NC. So, areas do have income adjustments. And getting a teaching job in a more rural area is not easy. Even here, it is far easier to get a job IN the city than out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 If you can handle a fixer and a commute, there are places around 100k with some land within commute distance of Spokane. There are a lot of colleges in Spokane. Lots of community colleges in WA. Also, EWU is in Cheney, 16 miles from spokane. We inherited (jointly with my BIL) and sold a house between Cheney and Medical Lake. Cosmetic fixer, otherwise solid on 15 acres. About 2x your price range but there are smaller parcels. Some friends just moved to Liberty Lake area. North of Spokane near the mountains is also nice and there are some cheaper homes. I know nothing about the rest of the state but I love northern Idaho. We vacation there every June. I could live there but there are some pricier homes. Idaho is probably cheaper south of CDA. When my parents were overseas, I spent all my summers and Christmas vacations in Liberty Lake at my aunt and uncle's house. They live on the lake. Such happy memories. I just went back 2 years ago and hope to get back this Fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Nashville or Clarksville TN. Or someplace in KY. You might look at Murfreesboro or Columbia, TN. Chattanooga is a beautiful place, as is the Knoxville and surrounding area. Williamson County, TN is growing (and will need more teachers!), but does not have an urban feel. Columbia State Community College is building a beautiful new campus in Franklin. I expect that with the new "free community college for everyone" program in TN, CCs will be growing all over the state. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 You might look at Murfreesboro or Columbia, TN. Chattanooga is a beautiful place, as is the Knoxville and surrounding area. Williamson County, TN is growing (and will need more teachers!), but does not have an urban feel. Columbia State Community College is building a beautiful new campus in Franklin. I expect that with the new "free community college for everyone" program in TN, CCs will be growing all over the state. CC is free? That is fantastic. Here it is free to students in high schoolers. That is why so many homeschoolers go at 16 or 17 and just don't graduate their kids from high school until they have finished CC. However, I have been hearing that it affects your ability to receive quite a few scholarships at a 4 year school if you are on track to get scholarships......but I haven't looked in to it very carefully. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I know you don't like big cities but you could easily get two acres of lnd on the south side of Kansas City. If you lived south of Olathe you could just drive into that section of town for shopping, violin lessons, etc. The area isn't crowded. The very far north side of Atlanta could work as well. You would never need to drive into Atlanta itself if you don't want to. My in-laws live on several acres outside of Dallas. It's about a 30 minute drive to shopping and an hour to downtown. Living outside of a large city has benefits. I wouldn't recommend their location to you because the suburbs of Dallas can have bad traffic and are crowded. Living near a big town might not be as bad as you think. In fact a lot of the things on your list may not be as bad as you think. I've moved around a lot and every place has something to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodiesmom Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I'm giving yet another shout out for Washington state. Clark county in the southwest portion of the state can definitely meet your wants and needs...and then some. 😄 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 We had to turn down the first because the pay was so low. And it's such a huge city and growing! Pay is low but we're waiting to hear back from one (two turned us down already). I know what you're talking about and it's very sad. You do know that TN has no state income tax? Many people live out of Nashville where the COL is lower and commute into town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 that's okay- how the states got their shapes stated no one wanted northern Idaho. (or maybe that was the part western Montana got stuck with? it's been a couple years since I watched it) all those unruly miners . . pretty country though. oh my - my navigation . . it pronounced couer d'alene as "Car DEE uh laney." oh my, we were laughing so hard. I wanted to plug it back into my navigation on the way back just to hear it again! eta: here are some northwest pronunciation guides http://projects.seattletimes.com/2015/pronunciation-quiz/ http://www.stevensauke.com/say/northwest.html http://q13fox.com/2015/04/08/watch-six-californians-pronounce-washington-city-names-for-the-first-time-video/ . . . . says the person who still rolls my eyes listing to media people pronounce Oregon . . . . Ha ha , it's so true. I remember a title of a book from elementary school,something like, Don't Call It 'Or e gone'. It hasn't gone anywhere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 CC is free? That is fantastic. Here it is free to students in high schoolers. That is why so many homeschoolers go at 16 or 17 and just don't graduate their kids from high school until they have finished CC. However, I have been hearing that it affects your ability to receive quite a few scholarships at a 4 year school if you are on track to get scholarships......but I haven't looked in to it very carefully. Quite a few scholarships are for freshmen only, NOT transfer students. If you get enough CC credits to be considered above a freshmen, then you are considered a transfer student and not a freshman. This is also the reason NOT to take CC courses after you graduate if you take a gap year. It makes you a transfer student and ineligible for the freshman scholarships, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottonwood Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Wow, your list describes my town in Montana. There are deadly animals but only if you drive an hour to get to them. So in town or even the outskirts would be completely safe. Otherwise, looks like a close fit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jae3578 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I was ready to recommend Springfield, MO as well until I saw your land requirement. A quick MLS search of the surrounding communities (1 hour or less commute time) yielded only a handful of homes with 3/4 bedrooms on an acreage of that size under $100,000. In every other aspect though, it fits the bill. Homeschooling in MO is quite simple, there are lots of meet ups and co-op opportunities as well. The classical music scene here is thriving, should be no issue with lessons. We have a great kids science museum, an art museum and a soon to be opened aquarium. Ozarks Technical College (OTC) is one of the fastest growing community colleges in the nation, is very affordable and has a great job placement rate. Pretty trees :) Great hiking and camping within a short drive as well. I don't know what level you are looking for (high school level or above) but this is a dense area for universitys and is the biggest incorporated public school district in the state so covered either way. And as a fellow snake avoider, the ones to watch out for in this region are the water snakes (cottonmouths can be aggressive). Copperheads are common, but they are more reclusive. I have never seen a rattlesnake, though they claim they are in MO. Fracking is not common here, but seems to be increasing on the MO/KN line as well as all over OK, so that is a definite factor to look into. Good luck with your search! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cera2 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Have you considered the area around Richmond, VA? Teacher salaries here are actually decent and the cost of living is lower than you would expect. If you live outside the city limits you could find reasonably priced property (Goochland County, Powhatan County) and still be only half an hour from all the city has to offer (and 15 minutes from the suburbs with all the music lessons, etc you want). There are a number of community colleges plus a major University within driving distance and plenty of homeschool offerings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Florida is very homeschool friendly... There are places that are very affordable there, and with lots of land possibilities. I know you said "no desert" but - Albuquerque is fantastic. NM is totally hands off homeschooling. If they take the GED they can still qualify for the lottery college scholarships. Even without the GED, most of the public/state colleges are fantastic about accepting homeschoolers (my son is going to WNMU in Silver City in the spring and they are so very accepting...), tuition is really cheap compared to other states, and scholarships are readily available from the schools themselves. Land is certainly available. Albuquerque has some fantastic scenery, a mountain range right next to it (great hiking), very close to all sorts of forests, has the Rio Grande (very green) running right through it, and has fantastic cultural opportunities, festivals, museums, etc. There is a major airport right in town, so travel is easy. The climate is beautiful. Because of the elevation, the temperatures don't get bad in the summer - but there isn't a lot of snow in the winter (just an inch or two usually, and that melts off). There are real seasons :) They are desperate for teachers. Desperate. I'm sure the pay isn't fantastic here, but the cost of living isn't bad at all. Living outside the city, you could probably get a nice house on land for a very reasonable price. I would never have thought I'd like it there, but the military took us there and I loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Minnesota! Lots of the upper Midwest might qualify actually. I could not live in the Dakotas myself, but MN, WI, Iowa may be worth checking out. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 that's okay- how the states got their shapes stated no one wanted northern Idaho. (or maybe that was the part western Montana got stuck with? it's been a couple years since I watched it) all those unruly miners . . pretty country though. oh my - my navigation . . it pronounced couer d'alene as "Car DEE uh lane ee." oh my, we were laughing so hard. I wanted to plug it back into my navigation on the way back just to hear it again! eta: here are some northwest pronunciation guides http://projects.seattletimes.com/2015/pronunciation-quiz/ http://www.stevensauke.com/say/northwest.html http://q13fox.com/2015/04/08/watch-six-californians-pronounce-washington-city-names-for-the-first-time-video/ . . . . says the person who still rolls my eyes listing to media people pronounce Oregon . . . . I went to Oregon last year and now I'm curious how badly I say Oregon... Indiana has a Community College system with over 30 locations. It is always hiring Instructors, especially the campus locations not in Bloomington or Lafayette. You can buy land here for as little as $4000 an acre but that would be rural so not close to museums/co-ops(45 minutes-1 hour). COL where I'm at is LOW but it is a small town (15000 pop. or less) with in 45 minute drive of Louisville. The farther North you go the more expensive and flat it gets. You might consider KY, also rural, as anything close to L-ville or Lexington would cost $$$. Hsing in both KY and IN are easy as far as regulations go. Not to much dangerous wildlife, I have seen a rattlesnake 1X and I killed 2 copperheads that wouldn't leave our campsite. There are some bobcats down by lake Monroe and I have friends who swear they saw a panther there once..... and they weren't drunk, they'd only had a couple beers. Ivy Tech? Because we've watched the state (between our families) for over a decade and the Tech colleges all require a Phd (except one close to where we live now). The only jobs we find are adjunct positions that pay pennies. We have copperheads and cottonmouths here, too, apparently. Luckily not many. But I wuv the bobcats and cougars, so not an issue. I'd move to KY in a heartbeat if there were jobs for us. That's where my family is from. :/ I think many areas in NC would fit your criteria, but in good conscious I can't recommend it to a teacher. The legislature has treated the public school system and teachers horribly in the past few years. I do believe they're beginning to realize the error of their ways, but I don't hold out much hope for a big change. Maybe a stop to the blood letting, but I don't anticipate a big recovery. That's what I've heard. It's bad here, too, which is one reason we're moving. What kind of teaching job? College level? High School level? ?????? Has he not worked for 3 years? If that is the case, I wouldn't be too picky about where I moved, I would just want some income. And just as a reference, I worked in PS high school for 17 years in CA......I take almost a 50% pay cut to work in NC. So, areas do have income adjustments. And getting a teaching job in a more rural area is not easy. Even here, it is far easier to get a job IN the city than out of it. College. MS degree. He's worked for this time, but there's basically been a pay freeze so we make barely more than when he started this job in 2008 and goodness knows inflation hasn't frozen. But his job is rocky with enrollment down, layoffs, etc. When we looked at CA for teaching jobs the highest one paid $70k in Oceanside. :huh: We couldn't afford a shoebox for that. The problem is an oversaturation in academia, especially dh's field right now, so there can be hundreds of applicants for each job since only a handful open up each year. You might look at Murfreesboro or Columbia, TN. Chattanooga is a beautiful place, as is the Knoxville and surrounding area. Williamson County, TN is growing (and will need more teachers!), but does not have an urban feel. Columbia State Community College is building a beautiful new campus in Franklin. I expect that with the new "free community college for everyone" program in TN, CCs will be growing all over the state. I love Chattanooga but we never heard back after applying there this year. We actually have an offer from Knoxville, but the pay is low and they won't tell us things like salary advancement so it's not looking good. I know you don't like big cities but you could easily get two acres of lnd on the south side of Kansas City. If you lived south of Olathe you could just drive into that section of town for shopping, violin lessons, etc. The area isn't crowded. The very far north side of Atlanta could work as well. You would never need to drive into Atlanta itself if you don't want to. My in-laws live on several acres outside of Dallas. It's about a 30 minute drive to shopping and an hour to downtown. Living outside of a large city has benefits. I wouldn't recommend their location to you because the suburbs of Dallas can have bad traffic and are crowded. Living near a big town might not be as bad as you think. In fact a lot of the things on your list may not be as bad as you think. I've moved around a lot and every place has something to offer. I'm from a very big city and spent my summers outside of NYC. :) I could live outside a mediumish town if I had to, but I much prefer college town size and not metropolis. I was ready to recommend Springfield, MO as well until I saw your land requirement. A quick MLS search of the surrounding communities (1 hour or less commute time) yielded only a handful of homes with 3/4 bedrooms on an acreage of that size under $100,000. In every other aspect though, it fits the bill. Homeschooling in MO is quite simple, there are lots of meet ups and co-op opportunities as well. The classical music scene here is thriving, should be no issue with lessons. We have a great kids science museum, an art museum and a soon to be opened aquarium. Ozarks Technical College (OTC) is one of the fastest growing community colleges in the nation, is very affordable and has a great job placement rate. Pretty trees :) Great hiking and camping within a short drive as well. I don't know what level you are looking for (high school level or above) but this is a dense area for universitys and is the biggest incorporated public school district in the state so covered either way. And as a fellow snake avoider, the ones to watch out for in this region are the water snakes (cottonmouths can be aggressive). Copperheads are common, but they are more reclusive. I have never seen a rattlesnake, though they claim they are in MO. Fracking is not common here, but seems to be increasing on the MO/KN line as well as all over OK, so that is a definite factor to look into. Good luck with your search! They claim all of those are here, too, but we never see them. A friend a few miles away killed a bunch of cottonmouths on her new land. I won't kill snakes, but I will run the other direction and never leave my house again. And yes, a dear friend is a herpetologist at a zoo, I know they're usually fine, but nope. Have you considered the area around Richmond, VA? Teacher salaries here are actually decent and the cost of living is lower than you would expect. If you live outside the city limits you could find reasonably priced property (Goochland County, Powhatan County) and still be only half an hour from all the city has to offer (and 15 minutes from the suburbs with all the music lessons, etc you want). There are a number of community colleges plus a major University within driving distance and plenty of homeschool offerings. Love Virginia. We applied for one job we found there this year. Florida is very homeschool friendly... There are places that are very affordable there, and with lots of land possibilities. I know you said "no desert" but - Albuquerque is fantastic. NM is totally hands off homeschooling. If they take the GED they can still qualify for the lottery college scholarships. Even without the GED, most of the public/state colleges are fantastic about accepting homeschoolers (my son is going to WNMU in Silver City in the spring and they are so very accepting...), tuition is really cheap compared to other states, and scholarships are readily available from the schools themselves. Land is certainly available. Albuquerque has some fantastic scenery, a mountain range right next to it (great hiking), very close to all sorts of forests, has the Rio Grande (very green) running right through it, and has fantastic cultural opportunities, festivals, museums, etc. There is a major airport right in town, so travel is easy. The climate is beautiful. Because of the elevation, the temperatures don't get bad in the summer - but there isn't a lot of snow in the winter (just an inch or two usually, and that melts off). There are real seasons :) They are desperate for teachers. Desperate. I'm sure the pay isn't fantastic here, but the cost of living isn't bad at all. Living outside the city, you could probably get a nice house on land for a very reasonable price. I would never have thought I'd like it there, but the military took us there and I loved it. I've been to Santa Fe and Albuquerque and I just really can't do desert. I much prefer the lack of humidity, but I just could not live there. I love thunderstorms and rain and greenery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 <I went to Oregon last year and now I'm curious how badly I say Oregon...> Years ago, DH and I moved from Oregon to Minnesota, and it was hilarious how many people "corrected" our pronounciation. "Where did you move from?" " From Corvallis, Oregon" "Oh! You mean Or-e-GONE?" Um, no, I'm a west coast girl. I'm certain it's just regular Oregon! :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I think Kentucky would work, outside of Lexington and Louisville the cost of living is decent. There are many colleges and community colleges. If you chose Northern Kentucky your husband could work in Cincinnati too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 College. MS degree. He's worked for this time, but there's basically been a pay freeze so we make barely more than when he started this job in 2008 and goodness knows inflation hasn't frozen. But his job is rocky with enrollment down, layoffs, etc. When we looked at CA for teaching jobs the highest one paid $70k in Oceanside. :huh: We couldn't afford a shoebox for that. The problem is an oversaturation in academia, especially dh's field right now, so there can be hundreds of applicants for each job since only a handful open up each year. Would he consider high school? That would open up a lot more options. Most high school teachers these days have at least a Masters. I have two. I am licensed to teach K-Community College but the stability and pay of the school districts is higher than I found I could make working at a CC. I know some people can't handle or don't want to deal with teens, so I get that, but just curious if it would be an option. I made more than $70K when I left teaching/counseling in CA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 <I went to Oregon last year and now I'm curious how badly I say Oregon...> Years ago, DH and I moved from Oregon to Minnesota, and it was hilarious how many people "corrected" our pronounciation. "Where did you move from?" " From Corvallis, Oregon" "Oh! You mean Or-e-GONE?" Um, no, I'm a west coast girl. I'm certain it's just regular Oregon! :) Ha! I grew up in MN and my more sophisticated older sister would try to correct me on my pronunciation of Oregon, but it still comes out like Ore-a'gun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 I think Kentucky would work, outside of Lexington and Louisville the cost of living is decent. There are many colleges and community colleges. If you chose Northern Kentucky your husband could work in Cincinnati too. My hometown. ;) I can't find jobs there, though. :/ Plus there's the being by my family. Both positive and negative... Would he consider high school? That would open up a lot more options. Most high school teachers these days have at least a Masters. I have two. I am licensed to teach K-Community College but the stability and pay of the school districts is higher than I found I could make working at a CC. I know some people can't handle or don't want to deal with teens, so I get that, but just curious if it would be an option. I made more than $70K when I left teaching/counseling in CA. He would have to go back to school which we have neither the money or time (with teaching) for. I've tried to convince him. As it is he teaches more than half dual enrollment classes full of high schoolers so does double the grade reporting, evaluations, etc. anyway. Ha! I grew up in MN and my more sophisticated older sister would try to correct me on my pronunciation of Oregon, but it still comes out like Ore-a'gun. Ok, so how should I say it? LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 We live in SW MI and the cost of living is not bad and I think teacher pay is pretty decent. There are lots of rural areas, but a few mid to small cities sprinkled around. We live in a small town within easy driving distance of Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, both of which have lots of opportunities for homeschoolers. The con would be the winter weather. (And for that matter, the summer weather- our favorite pool has been closed 2 days so far in July because it was too cold to have it open!) I grew up in Kansas and while it is definitely rural, low cost of living, decent weather (IMO), the governor has completely bankrupted everything and schools are in dire straits. I would not move there for a teaching job. I know of several schools there that closed for the summer early because they couldn't pay to keep the schools open. I have heard it referred to as Brownbackistan. Good luck. I hope you find something soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 My hometown. ;) I can't find jobs there, though. :/ Plus there's the being by my family. Both positive and negative... He would have to go back to school which we have neither the money or time (with teaching) for. I've tried to convince him. As it is he teaches more than half dual enrollment classes full of high schoolers so does double the grade reporting, evaluations, etc. anyway. Ok, so how should I say it? LOL http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-correct-way-to-pronounce-Oregon The correct pronunciation or Oregon is similar to pronouncing the two words "aura" & "gun" together, although the "u" in gun is a bit shorter than that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I think Kentucky would work, outside of Lexington and Louisville the cost of living is decent. There are many colleges and community colleges. If you chose Northern Kentucky your husband could work in Cincinnati too. I was thinking Richmond, which has EKU. It's outside of Lexington, so not as pricey. I'm guessing the TN thing did not work out?? Sorry. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Yep, eastern Washington might be a good fit. We're on the western edge of eastern Washington, actually right in the center of the state. We're about two hours from Seattle traveling east on the interstate; I personally wouldn't go any further east because I need to be closer to the "big water" (Puget Sound and/or the ocean) and until you get to Spokane, which is about three hours away, it feels all sparse and deserty. Where I live, the population is about 18,000 with half that being from the state university here. The uni has an excellent music program (thus lots of opportunity for concerts and the like as well as lessons via programs or student teachers). It also has some great science programs for non-students. There are three community colleges sorta near here -- one 40-45 minutes away and two just over an hour away. There are places with more CC's on the west side, but then you fight the COL. The COL is quite a bit lower here than Seattle (!), but not as low as somewhere out in the middle of nowhere-eastern Washington. A house in our neighborhood -- 1960s rancher on two acres -- sold for about $200,000. There are both new and older houses in town in the $100's with major fixers under $100,000 (not many of those). Great, vibrant downtown (has been a "Distinctive Destination" with .... some organization whose name escapes me right now) with a lot of festivals held locally. Has been a "Tree City USA" for many years and we have lots of parks. This is a pretty area with mountains, rivers, lakes, hiking, boating, etc within short distances. Homeschooling in Washington is relatively easy; you do have to "qualify" by meeting one of four criteria (have a four-year degree, have the superintendent say it's okay for you to homeschool, take a class about homeschooling and one more that I can't remember). You have to notify the school district each year, but you don't have to turn any course work or curriculum plans in. You're supposed to test every year after 3rd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-correct-way-to-pronounce-Oregon The correct pronunciation or Oregon is similar to pronouncing the two words "aura" & "gun" together, although the "u" in gun is a bit shorter than that. Phew! I'm saying it right. I was thinking Richmond, which has EKU. It's outside of Lexington, so not as pricey. I'm guessing the TN thing did not work out?? Sorry. :( Doesn't look like it. :/ Well, there may be a place for us in Western NY. We'll find out about a week from today. That was late and very welcomed news. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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