The ideal state for retirement?

[Lee in Quartzsite]

I don't consider Pensacola very humid.

I have been to Pensacola twice, both for Navy reunions at NAS Pensacola, and enjoyed the visit both times. What I remember is driving in a car with AC and then when we stopped and I got out I couldn't see for about 5 minutes because my glasses fogged over from the humidity! Happened every time! Then the Love Bugs completely covered the windshield after driving on the freeway for about 45 minutes...guess they died happy because they always died in pairs. Two months after the reunion the hotel we stayed at on the Gulf Breeze Parkway was destroyed by a hurricane.

We'll go back for another visit someday, but I still prefer the dry heat of Arizona and calmer weather............

 

[-db-]

Yeah, but how about slapping mesquitos, gnats up your nose, putting chains on your vehicles, the mud everywhere, rust on the vehicles etc. I worked the UP two summers and W. Va, raised in wisconsin and remember it being more miserable with the humidity at 85 degerees than the west at 115. We used to go up around kenora Onterio to fish summers and the gnats made it miserable beyound belief.

Winter kind of loses its appeal after a certain age [emoji57]

You guys are right. Truthfully, the last thing I want is more people moving up north here and driving up real estate prices and spoiling what's left of God's country. I need to go back to discouraging people from staying or coming here and telling them about how wonderful the swamps and deserts of the South/Southwest are instead.

Michigan is a dead-end. Go south, I say!

 

[feralmerril]

Somewhere I read the east is more lovely and the west more spectacular. My job took me from texas to west virginnia back around the end of winter beginning of summer back in 1964. I had already worked in the west before that, california and wyoming, raised in wisconsin. I was surprised to see mountains back there! Whats different is in the west you might be at already 5,000 feet and looking up at a 10,000 ft peak whereas in the east you might be at close to sea level looking up at 4,000 ft? peak. Also deciduous vs conifer trees.
I never will forget I was following a power line in the boonies. I could see a highway far below and made for it. At one point I came to a spot I had to slide down on my butt to reach. I slid into dogpatch! There was a couple of kids playing in front of a log shack on about a 800 sq ft level spot clinging on the side of a mountain with no road or driveway to it. A very heavy poor dirty uneducated type woman was sitting on the doorstep smoking a pipe. I tried to talk to her but for whatever reason she couldnt answer me but just kept rocking, smiling toothlessly and smoking. It was a school day and the kids weren't in school. I did a little better with a boy. Asked him how do you get down to the road? He showed me a path that I litteraly had to again slide down on my butt to get down. There was no earthly way that woman could have climbed up there. I figured her "man" must have took her up there before she got heavy. I suppose he worked somewhere all week and would come home with a tote sack of groceries bi weekly or so. I wonder if Appalachia and the south still has some of that?
I had a cheap un AC apartment and recall sweating like a hog. No thanks! It was as quaint as could be imagined and similar to deliverance. Is any of that type life left back there like that?

 

[turbo6]

Someone mentioned NH from purely a tax standpoint but otherwise its a beautiful place to live and ranked highly in terms of quality of life, education, healthiness, low crime etc..Politically, there are still many freedom loving patriots there as well.

I'm hoping to follow my parents lead when I retire - somewhere sunny and nice for the winter and back to the coastal summer house in NH for the summer months.



Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jimmyj]

MOTOR HOME !
If you don't like the region/weather/people of one place--start engine and go elsewhere.

 

[W.E.G.]

Home is where you make it...

I wonder if Appalachia and the south still has some of that?

Appalachian health care: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/mobile-free-clinic-brings-health-care-uss-underserved/story?id=20016498


http://youtu.be/st5mo4siHJ8

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[Muley Gil]

Somewhere I read the east is more lovely and the west more spectacular. My job took me from texas to west virginnia back around the end of winter beginning of summer back in 1964. I had already worked in the west before that, california and wyoming, raised in wisconsin. I was surprised to see mountains back there! Whats different is in the west you might be at already 5,000 feet and looking up at a 10,000 ft peak whereas in the east you might be at close to sea level looking up at 4,000 ft? peak. Also deciduous vs conifer trees.
I never will forget I was following a power line in the boonies. I could see a highway far below and made for it. At one point I came to a spot I had to slide down on my butt to reach. I slid into dogpatch! There was a couple of kids playing in front of a log shack on about a 800 sq ft level spot clinging on the side of a mountain with no road or driveway to it. A very heavy poor dirty uneducated type woman was sitting on the doorstep smoking a pipe. I tried to talk to her but for whatever reason she couldnt answer me but just kept rocking, smiling toothlessly and smoking. It was a school day and the kids weren't in school. I did a little better with a boy. Asked him how do you get down to the road? He showed me a path that I litteraly had to again slide down on my butt to get down. There was no earthly way that woman could have climbed up there. I figured her "man" must have took her up there before she got heavy. I suppose he worked somewhere all week and would come home with a tote sack of groceries bi weekly or so. I wonder if Appalachia and the south still has some of that?
I had a cheap un AC apartment and recall sweating like a hog. No thanks! It was as quaint as could be imagined and similar to deliverance. Is any of that type life left back there like that?

It's all like that. It's best to stay up Nawth!

 

[walkin jack]

I gotta recommend Texas. Down by the gulf coast it IS humid but up in the north central part of the state (where I am right now) it's great. It gets a little colder up here than it does down by the coast but you don't have to plug your car in at night to keep your motor oil from freezing. Out west is hot and dry. Mater of fact we have something for every one. Farm country, Hill country, desert, coastal, piny woods...you name it and we got it.

 

[feralmerril]

I had 10 acres of raw mountainside land in northern California near Portola and lake davis. It`s 50 miles NW of Reno. I love the area but when push came to shove I sold it. I didnt like california politics and gun laws. Were it not for that northern califonia was and still is my first choice. Too bad a few liberal citys control the rest of california. I am so sick of hearing about "californians dont come here" etc. You couldnt prove it by me. Just about the majority of my friends that I worked with were conservative redneck republicans. But then I was in aircraft security and most that I worked with were retired military and LEO on their second career. I guess water seeks its own level. I just never could believe the state voted liberal from my viewpoint as I didnt know but a couple libs.
Geographically speaking I think its hard to beat the coast and northern california. Politics and property prices makes it far down the list though.
The funny thing was I didnt hardly know any native californians. Most every worker I knew came from someplace else. I like it around carson city too.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I have been to Pensacola twice, both for Navy reunions at NAS Pensacola, and enjoyed the visit both times. What I remember is driving in a car with AC and then when we stopped and I got out I couldn't see for about 5 minutes because my glasses fogged over from the humidity! Happened every time! Then the Love Bugs completely covered the windshield after driving on the freeway for about 45 minutes...guess they died happy because they always died in pairs. Two months after the reunion the hotel we stayed at on the Gulf Breeze Parkway was destroyed by a hurricane.

We'll go back for another visit someday, but I still prefer the dry heat of Arizona and calmer weather............

Having lived in both places, AZ and FL, I would say there is no place in FL that doesn't have high humidity. Actually there are very few places on the east coast that don't have high humidity. You have to have a desert to have low humidity, I didn't see any of those in my travels in the eastern states. To give an example, some places in AZ have what I consider to be high humidity. Those would be where the desert has turned green and crops are growing.

 

[Bill Bates]

The wife and I are getting close to retirement and we have been doing some exploring trying to decide where we want to live in our retired years.

Like Feralmerril we're pretty happy here in Utah. We like four seasons and winters in the valleys are pretty mild. Sure we get some snow but within a day roads are clear and dry. Summers can see 100 degree temps but upper 80s and low 90s are more the norm. Humidity is rarely an issue. I love the mountains and deserts. Bird hunting to me is what my life revolves around. Where ever we land had better have ruffed grouse to hunt along with other birds. Fishing and hunting big game are important but not what bird hunting is to me.

Where I live in Utah I can hunt grouse or turkeys and still make into work by 10AM. I have a good hospital, super Wal-Mart, movie theaters, and a number of restaurants within a few blocks. I watch deer and elk out my back window during the winter. The only thing that really sucks in my part of Utah is the air quality for a handful of weeks during the winter. At times we have the worst air in the US. The local dominate culture may take getting use to but also has some advantages. I have no problem finding a drink these day but getting a fine cigar takes a drive for me or the UPS guy. The Mormons are the original preppers and have good backup infrastructure in case of disasters. They are conservative by nature so the state is run pretty well.

Places we toy with moving are further south down in Feralmerril's Cedar City area. Places we have traveled and could feel at home are the northern part of Idaho and the dry sides of Oregon and Washington. All are about as cold in the winter and a bit cooler in the summer. All have mountains I have to be near.

Honestly, the politics of Washington and Oregon worry me some when it comes to firearms. I could see the city folks in both states taking those states the way of Colorado. I don't worry about Idaho when it comes to keeping my guns.

So, we'll either stay here in Utah and travel in the depths of winter inversion or we may move north to Idaho because the bird hunting is better than here in Utah. If we do Idaho it will be up north or the south east corner.

A ruffed grouse delivered to hand only a 15 minute drive from home. Moving anywhere I need to be able to do this.

 

[H Richard]

Bill, you better stay where you are!

 

[redlevel]

Buck the trend and ignore the herd who head south. Go north, I say!

It's all like that. It's best to stay up Nawth!

Yes!!
What they said!!

 

[feralmerril]

Bill, you must be just north of salt lake. Anyplace 30 miles south of us in summer it gets too hot for us. The bottom 25 miles of utah is hot along I-15, st. george. I would say the average summer day in st. george gets 102. Another 35 miles south to mesquite its another 10 degrees, 112. We might get to 92 here. St george 45 miles south is the place to shop heavy although we really have almost as much here. Theresa insisted on a walmart nearby and we have one. We arent mormon but get along well here. Have a good hospital here. We have a fine FREE county gun range about 10 miles out of town. Have a good airport too where you can get connecting flights to salt lake and probley vegas. I know we have turkeys but dont know how to compare the grouse to what your used to.

 

[JeffShrugged]

... Honestly, the politics of Washington and Oregon worry me some when it comes to firearms. I could see the city folks in both states taking those states the way of Colorado. I don't worry about Idaho when it comes to keeping my guns.

Although I live in California now (and hate it), I am from Washington State, and it is a very friendly gun state. Getting a CCW is Washington is even easier than it is in Idaho. I don't see things changing at least in our lifetime.

My wife and I are making our plans to escape the PRK as we speak, and in the next two years we will be returning to Washingon State. I wouldn't hesitate to go there at all. That being said, Idaho is beautiful and I spent a lot of weekends in my youth in Coeur d'Alene. Idaho has a lot going for it too for sure.

 

[ladder13]

Interesting article, and not what most would expect.
Everyone has an opinion.

America's 10 worst states to live in

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101719133

 

[GaryS]

I wouldn't put too much faith in that article. They list TN as the most violent state, but somehow don't seem to mention IL which has Chicago.

You can make any state look good or bad depending on what metrics you use. Notice that they didn't pick things like taxes, cost of living, cost of insurance, and so on. They focused on how many people smoke in states, but they didn't explain why that made the state a bad place to live. Nor did they explain what they meant by "toxic chemical releases" and how it relates to living conditions.

In simpler terms, the article is tripe.

Interesting article, and not what most would expect.
Everyone has an opinion.

America's 10 worst states to live in

America?s top states to live in 2014

 

[ladder13]

I wouldn't put too much faith in that article. They list TN as the most violent state, but somehow don't seem to mention IL which has Chicago.

You can make any state look good or bad depending on what metrics you use. Notice that they didn't pick things like taxes, cost of living, cost of insurance, and so on. They focused on how many people smoke in states, but they didn't explain why that made the state a bad place to live. Nor did they explain what they meant by "toxic chemical releases" and how it relates to living conditions.

In simpler terms, the article is tripe.

I kind of thought so especially after seeing Mass as one of the top 10 places to live in.

 

[GaryS]

I kind of thought so especially after seeing Mass as one of the top 10 places to live in.

I think MA is actually one of the top 10 states to leave.

 

[redlevel]

Those top ten lists are mostly laughable.
Whoever made the list of top ten best states evidently loves snow and sub-zero temps.

Much was made on Facebook recently about a list of the top ten states with the most corrupt governments. Georgia was listed at #1. Funny thing about the list, neither Illinois nor New Jersey made the top ten. I understand Illinois has a separate wing of the state pen at Joliet exclusively for ex-governors.

Turned out the outfit that compiled the list was a Soros-funded group who is trying to turn red states blue.

 

[GaryS]

In MA, the last three Speakers of the House have plead guilty to felonies in federal court. The last one (DeLeo) in still in prison. The current speaker and the current Senate President were investigated as part of hiring corruption probe. Neither was indicted, but the Senate President is retiring at the end of her term.

We're not up there in IL territory, but MA didn't make that list.

Those top ten lists are mostly laughable.
Whoever made the list of top ten best states evidently loves snow and sub-zero temps.

Much was made on Facebook recently about a list of the top ten states with the most corrupt governments. Georgia was listed at #1. Funny thing about the list, neither Illinois nor New Jersey made the top ten. I understand Illinois has a separate wing of the state pen at Joliet exclusively for ex-governors.

Turned out the outfit that compile the list was a Soros-funded group who is trying to turn red states blue.

 

[nsl]

From all the doom and gloom on the net these days, I'd say the best state is out of the US.

 

[feralmerril]

Outside of day trips beyond our borders to canada and mexico I havent been outside the U.S. I only know what I have read and heard about other countrys. Outside of trips I dont think I want to live in any of them. What could be better and why? Bad as we are getting I still doubt there is better. My opinion is greatly influenced by biblical prophecy also. I have been through much but not all of the U.S. I have found good and bad in all places. Areas either draw me or dont. Most everyone has to make compromises during their working lives. In many cases I have seen people move near their kids only to have the kids relocate far away or have a falling out with them. Happened with us.
This all boils down to "Each to their own". On this site it seems many of us build their lives around gun laws. Guess thats understandable to a point. There are many facets to life. Lots to consider. How important is it to live on the cheap? Its about feeling at home, economics, home church, relatives, environment, hobbys, what kind of weather we like, type people in the area, on and on. Whats important to me wont turn on someone else and vice versa. You arent often going to put them all together in one spot. If you do, you are already dead and have arrived in heaven.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

After 30 long years on the Left Coast near Seattle my wife and I made a big life change and moved to Prescott Valley, AZ about 6 months ago.
Best move I have made. I am 52 and still working, plenty here in this growing area to do. Moderate climate and 4 seasons....lots of shooting either in the hills or at a local range.

Curious to know where you decided to go??