MommyInTraining Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 We are contemplating a move. Where would you say is the best place to live if you had no attachments to family or friends or work? Looking forward to hearing responses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Idaho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyInTraining Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Thanks. Where in Idaho and why? I am looking for specific places, not just states in general. Thanks a bunch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 We've been in Omaha since Feb, and absolutely love it! But we are leaving... :( (another story) Great city benefits: awesome children's museum, zoo, art museum, theatre, any shopping you could want (almost - no IKEA or Trader Joe's), and WIDE roads (think 6 lane highways are standard). I live on the west end of the city, and can get most anywhere in the city in 20 minutes or less. Also, I am in suburbia - great neighborhoods, great parks and walking trails. Lots of different neighborhoods to find where you are comfortable - if you prefer to be more intown, and have access to bus routes, or prefer to bike/walk, there's lots of options. And rural america is also minutes in the other direction - ten minutes out and you are surrounded by farmland. Great farmers markets and local producers. There is only registration to homeschool in NE. No testing, no portfolios, no evaluations. There has been some talk of changing that, but opposition by homeschoolers was incredibly strong last year, and a few pro-homeschooling state reps were elected for the next term. Can get a bit chilly in the winter (Dec, Jan) and really hot and humid in the summer (July, Aug), but the rest of the year is pretty wonderful. We did more homeschooling in Aug to compensate for the time we wanted to spend outside while traditional schools are stuck in classrooms. (July was full of company.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyInTraining Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Sounds great, never really considered NE. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battlemaiden Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I would like to be near a college town- good libraries, art and entertainment, generally pedestrian friendly, and many other ammenities. I would like to be somewhere with 4 solid seasons- no extremes. I wouldn't want to live at the beach or up a mountain, but it would be nice to be within driving distance if possible. My dh and I lean towards the Virginia, North Carolina, northern South Carolina. Of course, if my dh could teach at the Univ. of Florida we would move to Gainesville in a heartbeat. Being a military family, we think and talk about our next career location, but ultimately the job will decide in the end. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 General area south east Texas, piney woods area, maybe. We have not lived there yet, but plan to in the future. Why? Simple homeschooling law close to the beach No or limited snow Better access to extra curricular events Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumbledeb Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I absolutely love it right here. North Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The whole family think it is possibly the most perfect spot on earth. The climate is temperate and not unpredictable. There are no poisonous creatures. Low crime rate. Sparsely populated but towns within easy driving distance. (or for the athletically inclined, cycling distance) Good, fertile land. Beautiful scenery. Distinct seasons. Generally friendly and polite populace. A community that so far has not been affected by the economic downturn. When we've been anywhere and we are returning home, as we drive up the road that leads to our house, someone almost always remarks, "We are so lucky to live here." It's just so beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 come to Australia. nice and sunny most of the time, a little dry though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 NYC area! Not Manhatten itself, but just outside in Jersey, an easy train ride in distance. Or the Manhatten end of Long Island! Which is what I'm currently crossing my fingers for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Idaho is a lot like living in what Walt Disney wanted his "Celebration" town to be like. Everyone says hello to you. Teenagers help you with your groceries. Grocery stores take your bags to the car for no charge. Neighborhoods have sidewalks, even in new developments. Faith is big, but quiet. You would never know someone's religious affiliation unless you asked, and even then, they might look at you quietly for awhile and politely ask why you are asking. It is a very individual state. Not in a secessionist manner, but in a "we are the united STATES" manner. They believe in people taking care of their own, not having the government taking care of people. The capital, Boise, is everything a capital is in any other state: busy, bustling, too much traffic at peak times. It is also very beautiful, with victorian homes, a river running through it, a massive central park, a university, and a "small town" feel. It is in a valley that gets smog inversions due to fog in the winter. There is snow on the surrounding mountains for skiing, and sometimes in the city. The southern part of the state, the "snake river" area, is stunning open high desert with small towns and farming communities. The middle and northern part of the state is forested, has more small towns (some with ski resorts) up until you get to Moscow, which is another university town on the border of Washington. Idaho is completely HS friendly. They have a big locally owned co-op instead of a Whole Foods. They have a cheese factory (Nampa, ID) where you can watch the cheese being made and buy cheese curds (the only place I know of outside of Wisconsin). They still have crunchy-granola artists who actively show and sell their (good) art and are willing to patiently teach your kid. The soccer clubs aren't mean. They're competitive, but not mean. The people are just nice. I can't explain it. I've been all over the world, and I've never met such nice people. Here's their website. It is just a beautiful state. asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percytruffle Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I absolutely love it right here. North Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The whole family think it is possibly the most perfect spot on earth. The climate is temperate and not unpredictable. There are no poisonous creatures. Low crime rate. Sparsely populated but towns within easy driving distance. (or for the athletically inclined, cycling distance) Good, fertile land. Beautiful scenery. Distinct seasons. Generally friendly and polite populace. A community that so far has not been affected by the economic downturn. When we've been anywhere and we are returning home, as we drive up the road that leads to our house, someone almost always remarks, "We are so lucky to live here." It's just so beautiful! That sounds just perfect to me! :D I cannot think of a more appealing location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJB Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) For *us*, given my dh's career, if dh wasn't in the USAF, he would probably try to work for the State Dept in the Foreign Service. If he had that job, we'd continue to move frequently, but get to live abroad many great places. For us, getting the opportunity to travel and live all over is ideal for us at this point in our lives. Ultimately, we want to spend time between Anchorage, AK and someplace warm like Florida. For homeschooling, Alaska is marvelous. If you choose to participate in a state sponsored "correspondence" program, you are eligible for up to around $2000 per student per year. The programs' requirements are easily met and in my experience they give you latitude to run your school as you see fit. Also, the state gives you money for every eligible member of your family just for living there. Last year, the fund was around $3000 per person. It's also a beautiful place to live and people aren't caught up in Pottery Barn madness (stop the insanity!!) People are real, good, interesting, and hard working. The pace of life is slow. The scenery is unimaginable. And the salmon is to die for. Fresh salmon caught by you or your dh by the ton (dip-netting with enormous limit) is reason enough all by itself to live there. When we live there, we eat salmon all winter long. And halibut. Mmmmm. I'm hungry now. Oh, and no state tax. And, if your children attend public high school, the top 10% of every high school class receives college scholarships. Anchorage isn't a big city (it's no NYC), but they have enough culture to keep you satisfied. Specifically, I want to live in the Soldotna area, but there are many great places close to Anchorage. Edited November 15, 2008 by KJB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I think I'd move next door to Laura in China (now in Scotland). The pictures that she posted since moving are AWESOME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 We are contemplating a move. Where would you say is the best place to live if you had no attachments to family or friends or work? La Grande, Oregon. Every time I drive through it I get a feeling of home no other place in the world (and I've been on 4 continents and visited 49 states) has for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 New England! I can't imagine living anywhere else. We live in northern CT, but I'd also recommend middle MA, southern NH or maybe southern ME. Easy to get to Boston, easy to get to New York, very definable seasons (gorgeous foliage), close to the ocean, lakes, mountains (think skiing!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Oh, another plus...absolutely NO homeschool regulation in CT. Super, super easy :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Well I do have family locations in mind for my dream places. My parents are in central Nebraska, my sister in western Nebraska, my in-laws in St. Louis, MO and my brother will probably eventually land in north/central Missouri somewhere. But I'm not a rural or small-town girl anymore and prefer at least a small city, so if I could choose, I'd choose Omaha, which really is a great small city. Or Fort Collins, Colorado. Dh thinks Colorado sounds better than Omaha. For now we're in North Texas. And it's okay. Awesome for homeschooling and family-oriented activities. Too hot for me. And just farther from family than I would prefer to be. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 If money/jobs were not a consideration, we'd pick St. Augustine, FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Along the lines of Idaho, Missoula Montana. Anywhere in that general area. It is just beautiful and the air is so clean. And you'd be in driving distance of Yellowstone. What more could you ask for?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 NYC area! Not Manhatten itself, but just outside in Jersey, an easy train ride in distance. Or the Manhatten end of Long Island! Which is what I'm currently crossing my fingers for! Since I live a train ride away from NYC in Jersey, I'll list some negatives: terrible congestion - traffic a very high cost of living - think starter home around 500k high property taxes - think between $5,000 to $20,000 I wouldn't recommend this part of Jersey unless you or your spouse have a well paying job - I'd say $250,000 :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Florida or Tenessee. Both states do not have income state income taxes and have generous homeschooling laws. I use to live in Florida. When I moved away, I was amazed how much money came out of a check for state income taxes!!! I would probably choose Tennnesse over Florida; so many huricanes have scared me away. Tenessee has 4 season and mountians. I would probably choose to live near Nashville because it would probably provide more singing opportunitites for my dd and me. I also think housing and living expiences are less expensive in TN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I would like to be somewhere with 4 solid seasons- no extremes. I wouldn't want to live at the beach or up a mountain, but it would be nice to be within driving distance if possible. My dh and I lean towards the Virginia, North Carolina, northern South Carolina. Jo You don't want to move to NC then!! Summer is extreme here and we have no real winter, unless you live in the mountains, which you said you didn't want to do. My ideal place would be northwestern VA, but my reasons probably don't apply to anyone else. I love looking at the mountains; it's in a good Catholic diocese; it's closer (but not too close) to our families; we could do day trips to DC; we would get more winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I want to move back to the mountains of western NC. Desperately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldjoy Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 The oregon coast......or Alaska........if I wasn't absolutely smitten with where I live now. It is so intersting to me the flavours of human beings and their loves. Reading responses on a topic as this is very telling. So very diverse.... emerald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 The hs laws in AL are great. There are tons of hs'ers in all parts of the state. I live near Montgomery, which is not the most exciting city. North AL, like Huntsville and Florence are good places, which also have your 4 seasons (but not too much snow). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) New England! I can't imagine living anywhere else. We live in northern CT, but I'd also recommend middle MA, southern NH or maybe southern ME. Easy to get to Boston, easy to get to New York, very definable seasons (gorgeous foliage), close to the ocean, lakes, mountains (think skiing!). I can list a lot of benefits to living in New England, but the drawbacks outweigh them, IMO. The problems with living in New England begin with the extremely high taxes and the very high cost of living. I would choose a place that had reasonable taxes and a much lower cost of living. Friends of ours have moved from here to Kansas, Florida, Georgia and Virginia. They enjoy a much higher standard of living than they did here. If it were up to me, I'd move to a Southern state at a location in which tornadoes and snow are rare. Edited November 15, 2008 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunny Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 We moved to Idaho last year. We LOVE it. We're in Boise, but there are many nice places, depending on what you are looking for. Boise offers all the amenities of larger cities, a college, arts, entertainment, business. But it also offers one of the top 5 spots rated in North America for outdoor living. We have rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing, open land for ATV's, hunting, fishing, white water rafting, and all the other things that can go along with public lands. Excellent river trails offering easy riding commutes throughout the city. There are only 500k people in this valley, so we're spread out. Check it out, Money magazine, Forbes and National Geographic Magazine all rated Boise, ID as one of the top 10 cities in america for one reason or another. We found out about it from National Geo-Outdoor Adventurer a couple of years ago. We have seasons, but not extreme. We rarely get enough snow to shovel our driveway, but there was a good amount of snow on the mountain for skiing just 30 minute's drive. Olympic quality an hour's drive. It is dry here, so 90 summer heat feels more like 80 in So. Calif. (where we were from). It's about ave. 35 in the coldest winter time. Beautiful inbetween times. I like the country feel yet with enough people to keep the city going. Hope you find the perfect place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) I absolutely love it right here. North Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The whole family think it is possibly the most perfect spot on earth. The climate is temperate and not unpredictable. There are no poisonous creatures. Low crime rate. Sparsely populated but towns within easy driving distance. (or for the athletically inclined, cycling distance) Good, fertile land. Beautiful scenery. Distinct seasons. Generally friendly and polite populace. A community that so far has not been affected by the economic downturn. When we've been anywhere and we are returning home, as we drive up the road that leads to our house, someone almost always remarks, "We are so lucky to live here." It's just so beautiful! I like that we have a university town nearby too, for all that cultural aspect, and Edinburgh is only an hour away by train. ETA: home educating in Scotland is very easy. As my children have never been in school here, I am under no requirement to register or provide reports. Laura Edited November 16, 2008 by Laura in China Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 So Middle Earth doesn't count then? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Where in Washington are you, Terri? We're just over the mountains in eastern Washington and love, love, love where we live -- if we could live anywhere, it would be *here*. We've lived west of the mountains, and in Colorado, but came back to eastern Washington (Ellensburg) about three years ago and plan to stay put unless the Lord has other plans we know not of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascamps Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Firstly, I suggest Texas, Pretty much any mid to large city in Texas is great! I do not live in Texas anymore. We moved to a mountain state, took a 30% pay cut and had to buy a more expensive house just so we could look at a mounting (My idea) But, Texas is recession-proof so to speak. It has agriculture, education, energy, ranching, ports, refineries, big business, manufacturing,etc. so when one market drops, there are others doing just fine. We weathered 9/11 with barely a speed bump. Cost of living is cheap cheap cheap! Food is cheap, homes are cheap, gas is cheap. But, there are no real seasons, its just Texas weather. So an alternative would be Arkansas or Oklahoma. Very similar economies, (except no ports or refineries) They don't have the schozophrenic highs and lows in their economies like the mountain states, California, Florida, east coast, etc. I've heard Omaha is awesome for families, as well as Boise. All the different cities in Texas kind of have their own personalities, mostly because of their industries. They are all red states, so if your blue.....you may hate them. Even the blue folks are pretty red. Purple so to speak. Good luck on your new adventure. You have a long list of places to investigate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Since I live a train ride away from NYC in Jersey, I'll list some negatives: terrible congestion - traffic a very high cost of living - think starter home around 500k high property taxes - think between $5,000 to $20,000 I wouldn't recommend this part of Jersey unless you or your spouse have a well paying job - I'd say $250,000 :tongue_smilie: Since I lived there, and that's why I want to go back, I'll add a few postives: Traffic is reallly not that bad. Plus there are so many alternatives from buses to trains, and of course the subway when in the city. Plus you can walk to so many more places than when living in a subdivision where the sidewalk stops at the entrance and just dumps you at a major city road. I don't think the cost of living there is that much more than other major cities. And the houses are usually a better quality, because they aren't just slapped together pre fabbed crap that passes for so many houses today. They were often built going on 100+ years ago. We've been appalled by the construction we've seen in the "new and great' subdivisions we've had to look at in our last two moves. I ran a Habitat for Humanity house project. It was built better than many houses we've seen. More care put into it. As for property taxes and things, I know plenty of people with just ordinarly jobs that do perfectly fine living in that area. Plus you just have EVERYTHING there! Museums, music, art, culture, shows, architecture, events, diversity of everything! It's like homeschool field trip dream! Honestly, I think you have to leave to really be able to appreciate it. When we first left, I was totally ready for a change. After time in NC, GA, TX and now Japan, I can't wait to get back to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 I'd love to put in a plug for Pennsylvania (we live 7 miles from the Gettysburg battlefields) but PA is a tough state for homeschooling. If I'd have know that I might not have moved up here from Maryland (which is pretty easy for Hsers compared to PA.) Oh well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyInTraining Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 Where in Washington are you, Terri? We're just over the mountains in eastern Washington and love, love, love where we live -- if we could live anywhere, it would be *here*. We've lived west of the mountains, and in Colorado, but came back to eastern Washington (Ellensburg) about three years ago and plan to stay put unless the Lord has other plans we know not of. Hi :001_smile:! We are in the Puyallup area. We have been here about 7 years and are originally from OH and KY. I really like the climate here (well, minus a little rain and the lack of thunderstorms), but we would like a bigger house and more land and it is just way too expensive to get that here. We also need to be near some type of aviation business (airport, etc.) How are things in Ellensburg? Are things less expensive over there? Do you know of any opportunities in the aviation field? Looking forward to hearing back from you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Hen Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 I can list a lot of benefits to living in New England, but the drawbacks outweigh them, IMO. The problems with living in New England begin with the extremely high taxes and the very high cost of living. I would choose a place that had reasonable taxes and a much lower cost of living. Friends of ours have moved from here to Kansas, Florida, Georgia and Virginia. They enjoy a much higher standard of living than they did here. If it were up to me, I'd move to a Southern state at a location in which tornadoes and snow are rare. was when we moved south. Well, maybe not the happiest day, but it certainly ranks up there. After 16yrs there I was quite happy to leave for warmer climate. I do enjoy the warmer weather, the shorter winters, the lack of snow, the sun that is higher in the sky throughout the winter months, the lower taxes, the lower cost of living, beaches with warm ocean waters that are close by, not needing a jacket through most of the winter..... ..... and sad to say, but I found the folks friendlier away from New England. I know there are always exceptions but that's my experience. Yep, our move south was a wonderful one and after 7 years here my only regret is that we weren't able to swing this move 15 years before. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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