wanting to move

Cost of living is similar to midwest.  I came from Ohio 13 years ago and cost of living went down a little since no state income tax and no winters.  No rust on cars and cars last much longer in florida.  No winter clothes to deal with.  Utilities are much lower in summer peak heat then winter peak cold up north.

Wear on home is much less. Winters wear everything faster. Gas goes further since no winter driving.  Gas is 2.70 right now.

No natural gas bill to deal with.  Only thing i miss from up north is a basement.  Very few homes with basements in Fl.

South fl and coastal area cost of living is higher but orlando is lower then when i was in ohio.

Grocery, entertainment, dining, essentials are all similar to midwest.

Home and flood ins is a bit more but only 15-25% more depending on where you live like on a lake.  Car ins is same.

This is an interesting topic and its a subject that I think about more and more as I get nearer to retirement. I hate the winters and short summers here in Wisconsin. I would like to move to a more temperate climate, but, every area seems to have its issues. I have heard good things about the Carolinas. Particularly the western parts. I don't know what housing costs are like there though. I think pricey. Might be wrong. LTs Douglas AR is intriguing. I have always liked the dessert SW. It might be good for my alergies too.

Good discussion.

stikpusher

What is the cost of living in Florida?

Thats something I forgot to add for Az.

Gas has been $2.35 a gal. for a full year.... untill Harvy hit.... then it jumped to $2.49

Milk $2.27 a gal.    Hamburger$3.99 a pound at Wal-mart   $1.79 at Foodcity ( thats their on sale price which is every wednesday. ) Bread av. $1.50 a loaf.

We went from Nevada, where registering our truck was $88 a year to Az. where it's $38 for 2 years.

Sales tax varies from county to county so I only know Cochiese Co. 6.87%

Houses here in Douglas can be had for "Fire sale" prices. Two stories 4 bedrooms average $140,000 ( and there are a LOT of empty houses here)

The main street (where most of the downtown shops are) is nothing but 10 blocks of " going out of buissness" or already closed and empty.

For a moment back in April I was seariously considering buying a building downtown.( asking price was $99,000.... for almost a 1/2 block long building !)

I have always wanted to own my own hobby store but as my wife pointed out to me (and she's probably right ) I would be my own best customer and go broke in a few weeks.

What is the cost of living in Florida? For somebody on a fixed income, that is quite important? All those things listed are fine, but if you can't afford them, they don't amount to much.

Is Texas the only choice?  Florida, specifically Orlando?  Yea i know, Irma.  Just like texas and Harvey, if you live inland your fine.  Irma was not that bad in Orlando compaired to the coast.

Did i mention:

No state income tax

6-7% sales tax

Some of the lowest property tax

Only 50 minute drive to atlantic coast and 1.5 hrs to gulf coast

Kennedy space center

Pensecola naval base with huge museum

Warbird museum

Some of the biggest airshows

Endless summer

Lower temps in summer then NYC

Key west 8 hour drive

Fly to cancun mexico in 1.5 hours

Orlando has 2 LHS 20 min from each other

Modelpalooza, pelicon, jaxcon model shows all central florida

Disney, universal, sea world, 

Homes average price 200k, rent average 900.

All the water sports and boating and fishing.

littletimmy

OOPPS ! Sorry Armor 2.0 

I did'nt mean to hijack your post.

Back to the subject. I find Arizona to be great. Yes it does get hot ( here in douglas average is 97 from june to september ) But during the Monsoon season it's not bad at all.

If you do move here pick a larger city. Douglas is dying.... few jobs ....buiseness closing. For me thats fine. I dont care for people that much.

I reccomend  Sierra Vista. lot's of jobs and stores.

Theres also Tuscon it's a lot bigger.

I dont know much about Phoenix ( not even sure how to spell it ) But its suburbs, Tempe ( hippy paradise) Scottsdale (Barret-Jackson auctions and carshows all the time) Chandler( I think they have a LOT of golf courses ) these may be a good choice.

Flagstaff might be a bit on the cold side during the winter ( they do have skiing)

And I have been through Page Az. several times, beautiful scenery, lot's of Native American roadside shops, but the roads are a bit on the crappy side.

There are other smaller town that I'm familliar with. Just let me knowif you need more info.

 

OOPPS ! Sorry Armor 2.0 

I did'nt mean to hijack your post.

Back to the subject. I find Arizona to be great. Yes it does get hot ( here in douglas average is 97 from june to september ) But during the Monsoon season it's not bad at all.

If you do move here pick a larger city. Douglas is dying.... few jobs ....buiseness closing. For me thats fine. I dont care for people that much.

I reccomend  Sierra Vista. lot's of jobs and stores.

Theres also Tuscon it's a lot bigger.

I dont know much about Phoenix ( not even sure how to spell it ) But its suburbs, Tempe ( hippy paradise) Scottsdale (Barret-Jackson auctions and carshows all the time) Chandler( I think they have a LOT of golf courses ) these may be a good choice.

Flagstaff might be a bit on the cold side during the winter ( they do have skiing)

And I have been through Page Az. several times, beautiful scenery, lot's of Native American roadside shops, but the roads are a bit on the crappy side.

There are other smaller town that I'm familliar with. Just let me knowif you need more info.

littletimmy

 

 

Bakster

Theres a snake in my boot!

 

 

LOL!!!!   Stand back.....I'm a trained professional..... I'll handle this...........

Now where did I put my wetsuit???????????????????

 

Ok. Fire away!

Bakster

Theres a snake in my boot!

LOL!!!!   Stand back.....I'm a trained professional..... I'll handle this...........

Now where did I put my wetsuit???????????????????

littletimmy

My wife and I moved to southern Arizona ( right on the boarder with Mexico and Texas) about a year ago. We like the heat so no problem there but ....

S N A K E ' S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE have killed 4 Diamondbacks this year. I dont go looking for them, but when they "magically"show up on the front porch well ... I finish them off with buckshot..... then I have to do laundry.

 

Theres a snake in my boot!

stikpusher

Buckshot?! Isn't that a bit of overkill?

I keep the shotgun loaded with buckshot because most of the time I'm shooting at Coyote's. We have chickens and the Coyote's sneek in around 12 am or 2 am or 4 am so I find myself wandering around most of the night. Armed and oblivious.

I dont have time to unload and reload with birdshot ....besides the OO-buck "saws" the snake in half even when I miss. ( i can usually get it in the head first shot but sometimes they strike just as I'm pulling the trigger soooooo.... halvsees it is.) 

And no I watch where I'm shooting. We have neighbors downrange  and even though all my stuff is crap, I still dont need EXTRA holes in it

[quote user="Tanker - Builder"]

Hi;

 Well , I guess I am partial . I live in New Braunfels . 45 miles from San Antonio , 45 miles from Austin . Austin is weird . San Antonio is okay . New Braunfels has Schlitterban , Wurstfest and lots going on for a small town on the edge of the Hill Country . New Braunfels is quite Germanic in outlook .

    New Braunfels is the city that is home to the main and oldest Schlitterban and it's founding Home .

 We have very hot days  ,102 etc. We have Rainy and very Cold days too . Not to many of either most times .The odd flood here and there .That's because the Comal and Guadelupe Rivers converge here . A tornado hasn't bothered us since I've lived here 14 years .

 Basically a more pleasant Texas weather situation . We are a few miles from Fredricksburg ( one hour drive ) and there is a lot to appreciate .Taxes .Well there is a persoal property tax on cars .You deal with it when you renew or get tags .

  Sales tax is about 8 % and so far not really noticeable . Question of a personal nature . Do you and the Missus ( assuming there is one ) get Retirement And Social Security ? If so New Braunfels are for you .

 Get here soon , We are in the middle of a building boom . I live on my S.S. and  small Disability Check . I also earn extra by taking commissions for those wanting ship models .  T.B.

Frist off thanks for info and yes I do live on ssid  and that is  one of the reason I'm considering texas that and I feel that the warmer climate would be better my injury.

Thanks again

For reply

Hi;

 Well , I guess I am partial . I live in New Braunfels . 45 miles from San Antonio , 45 miles from Austin . Austin is weird . San Antonio is okay . New Braunfels has Schlitterban , Wurstfest and lots going on for a small town on the edge of the Hill Country . New Braunfels is quite Germanic in outlook .

    New Braunfels is the city that is home to the main and oldest Schlitterban and it's founding Home .

 We have very hot days  ,102 etc. We have Rainy and very Cold days too . Not to many of either most times .The odd flood here and there .That's because the Comal and Guadelupe Rivers converge here . A tornado hasn't bothered us since I've lived here 14 years .

 Basically a more pleasant Texas weather situation . We are a few miles from Fredricksburg ( one hour drive ) and there is a lot to appreciate .Taxes .Well there is a persoal property tax on cars .You deal with it when you renew or get tags .

  Sales tax is about 8 % and so far not really noticeable . Question of a personal nature . Do you and the Missus ( assuming there is one ) get Retirement And Social Security ? If so New Braunfels are for you .

 Get here soon , We are in the middle of a building boom . I live on my S.S. and  small Disability Check . I also earn extra by taking commissions for those wanting ship models .  T.B.

214 is right about the west, earthquakes, wildfires, etc.. The only real place IMHO is North Idaho, don't go there cause they are full up.

I'll stick with Ohio. Love the change in the seasons. Everything is at the most an hours drive away. (The Lakes, museums, ballparks of all types)  No animals, snakes, and spiders that can kill me. Surrounded by friends and family. I'm content and can't see myself living anywhere else.

LOL! Well on the porch I'd be worried about collateral damage from the buckshot. I agree about the peace thru superior firepower with snakes... but at an appropriate level...

stikpusher

Buckshot?! Isn't that a bit of overkill? I would think a lighter load would be appropriate...

 

Buckshot?! Isn't that a bit of overkill? I would think a lighter load would be appropriate...

My wife and I moved to southern Arizona ( right on the boarder with Mexico and Texas) about a year ago. We like the heat so no problem there but ....

S N A K E ' S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE have killed 4 Diamondbacks this year. I dont go looking for them, but when they "magically"show up on the front porch well ... I finish them off with buckshot..... then I have to do laundry.

Think of it this way:

West coast - terrible heat waves, wildfires and earthquakes

Midwest - Flat land, Heat, droughts, tornadoes

South - fireants, gators, humidity and hurricanes.

Northeast - high taxes (NYS & Mass.), 3 seasons - fall winter and construction season. Winters in NY are cold and we do get Nor'Easter winter storms. I'd rather deal with my winters than deal with hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes. LOL!!

I know that I came to the party a little late, but when I saw this I thought of all the flooding that just happened last week. It's terrrible to think about this and with another hurricane on the way! I don't know of anyone else from my home state, but we get heat - not just heat, but WET HEAT! I think it's not so much where you live in a certain country, but where in the country you live. From the top of Indiana to the low tip of Texas and everywhere in between a diagonal line EVERYWHERE in that area has the same amount of humidity (90 percent) or more. We just had a storm not too long ago where we got hail although not golf ball sized, but hailing enough to make it look like it was snowing!  These were about the size of a penny (maybe bigger) which doesn't sound like much but when they hit you - you feel it! I'm just glad that they weren't much bigger since I don't have a garage to keep my truck in. Sometimes these hail storms produce enough ice to break windows in your car and damage the body, hood, deck lid, etc.

If it's not too hot here in the north east tip of Indy, then it's too cold - no real in between, except in late May, early April. I have family in Texas - they all tell me not to live there!! I already knew this myself so I have NO plans to ever do so. Plus when it rains here it does so in torrents to where if you're walking that you have to hang your head down, or cover your face so that you can breathe! I can't imagine living somewhere else and having the same crappy weather that we have here only hotter! I wouldn't mind somewhere warmer, but not blistering hot. 

~ Cobra Chris

We were transferred to Texas from Upstate New York over 20 years ago.    I much prefer it.   As I have often said 'I have yet to have to shovel 18 inches of 98 degrees off my driveway'.   My wife (from North Carolina) says that sending us to NY was Gods way of making Texas look good.

As others have mentioned,  Texas is a huge place.    In the winter it may be in the 80s in Brownsville down on the gulf coast near the Mexico border and be below zero in Amarillo up in the panhandle.   From where I live near DFW it is 3 hours to Lousiana and over 8 to ElPaso or Amarillo (and I am still in Texas).

Most of the population in Texas is along the I35 corridor from Dallas/FtWorth through Waco, Austin down to SanAntonio.   East of that is the Piney Woods -- pine forested (or formerly forested) lands.   It is a continuation of the 'South' that you see in Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana.  West of I35 the land becomes more open and rolling.  Scrub Mesquite.    A particularly nice area is  The Hill Country.  Centered around Fredericksburg, TX;  nice views,  nice food,  nice wine (Yes,  the Texas Hill Country is the site of many well known wineries).   The Nimitz Museum of WWII is in Fredericksburg.   Fredericksburg is convenient to Austin & SanAntonio if you need a big city.  

As we say here near Ft Worth; its where the West begins.  Dallas is were the east peters out.

If the little woman likes Fixer Upper on HGTV you can take her to see Joanna Gaines' place in Waco and buy lots of her little knick knacks to go around the house.

Houston is big and congested.   Lots of traffic.   Expect humidity in excess of 90%.  South of Houston you get to the gulf cities of Galveston & Corpus Christi.   If you want full time beach access look toward these places  

Yes it gets hot.   But Texas has entered the 20th Century.   Most places are air conditioned these days.   Yes, the Gulf Coast gets hurricanes.    But the weather service sees them coming and warns about them with enough time to evacuate.   Build on the beach and you get what you deserve.  Yes there are tornados and hail storms.    In 20+ years I have only had one come anywhere near my place (touch wood).  Solar and wind energy are up and coming things.   Many people rent out their roof tops to energy companies for solar collectors

No state income tax in Texas,  but sales taxes in excess of 8% which varies by community.  County property taxes are pretty steep.   Here in Tarrant County they include the county,  county public hospital,  and the Independent School District.    Texas does have homestead exeptions to some taxes and when you turn 65 some of the tax rates are frozen.

I mentioned independent school districts -- Texas doesn't have county schools.   Most are community based.   The Mansfield ISD is separate from the Arlington ISD or Ft Worth ISD although all are in Tarrant County.   A lot of replication of services,  but it is local community control.

Thanks for the reply Stik G MORRISON  and rob  right now I'm torn between Arizona or texas might have flip a coin to make a decision.

The gulf. My aunt used to have a house on the beach on Galveston Island. Or, my aunts house used to be on Galveston Island.

GMorrison

I've never been to any part of Texas where I would want to live, although as Rob says, it's a mighty big place. I did spend some time working around Fort Worth, near Carrollton (sp) and it is pretty. But I'm a near-the-water guy, and my wife is the same.

 

Texas does have an ocean, well, the Gulf of Mexico. Central Texas near Fort Hood has a fairly sizable lake, Belton Lake and there is another lake near Waco. The southern border is some big river named the Rio Grande. Portions of that are quite sizeable.

Personally, I wouldn't choose to live in Texas, but to each his own. During my time there, there was a mass shooting at Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen (a woman who lost her parents in the shooting was the driving force behind concealed carry laws). The Branch Davidians in Waco who torched their compound after a shoot out with the ATF.

Since then, there was the shooting at Hood, and then another. The Dallas police officer shooting last year. Seems like a good number of them, but it is a large state.

I have a friend who just retired out in the Shenandoah Valley. Likes it very much.

Worked in or was based from DC most of his career.

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and spent the first 60 years of my life there. I really loved it, but I am absolutely priced out now.

I've never been to any part of Texas where I would want to live, although as Rob says, it's a mighty big place. I did spend some time working around Fort Worth, near Carrollton (sp) and it is pretty. But I'm a near-the-water guy, and my wife is the same.

Another place I have always liked is England.

Right... I was stationed in Louisiana near the East Texas border. I spent a good amount of my off duty time just inside or alongside the Lone Star State. Hot humid summers, spring and fall could be hot or cold, without apparent reason compared to elsewhere. And winter could vary from freezing, no snow, just hail or sleet, to quite warm and sunny. I remember a Christmas Day playing baseball in shorts and t shirts in gorgeous sunny weather. Lots of rain year round, especially in hurricane season of late summer/early fall. Beautiful Bayous along the river border with Louisiana. Friendly people with good manners still on my last trip there a few months ago. 

Texas is a very large state. You can drive for 8 hours, move only two inches on the map and still be in Texas! Regardless of where you live, the next city will be an hour or more away.

But seriously, the weather in the state varies greatly. The western part of the state is more arid and the eastern part is more akin to living in Louisiana with heat and humidity.

I was stationed at Fort Hood in the 90s, which is considered central Texas. The heat was unbearable at times. The neighborhood playground was a gleaming metal bonfire. You couldn't even walk up to it in the summer time; the heat coming off of it was like walking towards a blast furnace. My back door faced west and the door knob could burn your hand because it would get so hot from the sun. This is grasping it from INSIDE the house, let alone the outside knob.

My first October in the state was 1993. Trick-or-treating with the kids was very cold, as bad as any I remember growing up in New England. The very next year, my daughter's first, was as hot as any summer day. I have memories of my parents calling on Thanksgiving day and coming inside because I was mowing the yard. They had quite the laugh.

We would get thunderstorms that would hit for just minutes at a time. Rain would fall so heavily that it was like trying to drive with a vinyl shower curtain wrapped around your head. Drivers would cut their speed greatly but continue to roll lest they get rear ended. It wouldn't last more than five minutes. As the song goes, "and the skies are not cloudy all day."

I do remember central Texas getting bitter cold in the winter months, but generally not staying that way. I don't recall the cost of living, but I do remember thinking the sales tax was steep and you had to pay some sort of property tax on your vehicle every year when you renewed the registration. That made the cost vary based on the vehicle value. Stealing the renewal sticker from license plates was common so they moved the sticker to the inside of the windshield.

I lived on base so I didn't have to deal with rent and utilities. I imagine the cost of running the AC is expensive. Open windows wouldn't be an option. Cars need heavy window tinting, my kids burned up in the back seat of the minivan we bought in Kentucky just prior to moving to Texas.