IF you could move where would you move to?

[NW Backpacker]

All three are good. First choice out of those 3 would be Idaho. Hiking and mountains are what attracts me. As a place to retire here are a few, of many, possibilities:

Arizona
Somewhere around Flagstaff, maybe Williams, would be good - high and not so hot. Needs to be minimum 6,000' in AZ or else it's too hot IMHO. Land is affordable in some rural areas.

Idaho
I'd look around Sun Valley or Stanley. (Both probably too much $$ for me.) Stanley is cold in winter. Good hiking in that area. I'm not too familiar with Northern Idaho.

Utah
I'd try to live near the Uintah Mountains, or perhaps near Flaming Gorge reservoir. There are probably places in the hills east of the megalopolis (Ogden/SLC/Provo) that are OK too. Price, UT might be OK - a tad warm in summer, but probably not like AZ - lots of canyon country around there.

 

[User 1234]

Depends whether you need to be near a population center for work. If not then Flagstaff or Prescott would be ideal. Phoenix is ridiculously hot four months out of the year, but gorgeous the rest of the year. Phoenix is however having urban sprawl problems due to all the California expats moving there. Arizona is shifting blue. Great laws right now, but definitely shifting.

 

[Camelfilter]

I love Northern Idaho. BUT I have never spent a winter there? View attachment 600819
Picture this spring from the 'Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes'. 72 mile paved bike trail.

I'm confused, where's the homeless tents & meth head zombies?....

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

2C or northern AZ

 

[BillGabby1]

I'm partial to Arizona. I'm not from there but grew up only a couple hours away in CA. I think Northern Arizona is so underrated in terms of beauty. Also, gun friendly.

States like WA, ID, UT, MT, CO and others are going to be California-esque before too long. Many Californians leave their home state because it's too expensive and then proceed to move to areas with tepid economical and political climates in an effort to make them more like California. It sounds like madness because it is.

AZ doesn't have that problem because it is slightly harsher of an environment and, IMO, detracts people from moving there. Extreme heats and frigid cold. I think those soft-bodies from CA will stay away for a while.

Sorry being a life long resident of AZ up till 1998.
I hate to pop your bubble about AZ, we built two spec houses in The Prescott area and sold them both to CA residents, who had sold their homes in S CA for a bundle and were looking for cheaper places to buy. We did well and followed their lead and bought here in OR for the same reasons. We were a little (I repeat a LITTLE) better informed than they were, the taxes and cost of living in AZ were the main reason other than the climate for locating in SW OR, it's just plain more expensive to live there.
I'd have to do a bunch more research before I'd jump out of this frying pan into another fire. At my age and condition I'd want a mild climate without too great of extremes. No snow to shovel if at all possible, and no really skortcher weather to cook my brains, the lowest taxes I could find and a reasonable (for a limited income retired person) price.
Sounds a lot like utopia doesn't it?
So you can see there really isn't any one place that fits the description in the lower 48.
So you have to be able to compromise, OH and I almost forgot a real deal breaker, Political Climate!
If I had seen what was going on here in OR I would have looked at a lot of other places first before we settled here. We are CA light especially since the Dem's have control of the vote here and it will take a lot to pry it away from them. I can only hope a bunch of them get smart and read the hand writing on the wall in the next elections, or places like where I live could become ghost towns, I'm not going to hold my breath though!
Gabby
Ex desert rat.

 

[BillGabby1]

I'm confused, where's the homeless tents & meth head zombies?....

Do a little weather research that part of the country can have snow azz deep to a tall Indian for months, sure makes for nice streams though don't it? Laws may make it tough on indigent stone freaks! IDK
Gabby

 

[tac]

We'd like to move to Oregon, somewhere around Eugene to Port Orford.

 

[Baseacegoku]

Idaho or Arizona. Missouri is my favorite place that I've lived so far, however.

I am curious to why Missouri is your favorite?

 

[Haftard]

I was looking into Montana or idaho ... But i dont like snakes ... At all ... So ill stay in sw washington with the libtards where the only rattle you'll here is bums begging for money

 

[3MTA3]

I was looking into Montana or idaho ... But i dont like snakes ... At all ... So ill stay in sw washington with the libtards where the only rattle you'll here is bums begging for money

I've lived in snake country (Idaho) and plan to move back there in the next year or two. Snakes are easy - they just want to go about their snake business which you are not a part of. Just keep your eyes open and leave it alone.

The snakes in Portland, OTOH, will find you and then raise your taxes and go for your guns and other liberties. The snakes that bite are much more friendly.

 

[notazombie]

2C or northern AZ

You only say that because you haven't tried 2O yet. I'm right across the Snake from 2C and it's just isolated enough. Can't stop the Californian invasion anywhere but at least the ones in my area are generally freedom lovers -- political refugees, much like I was from Oregon. Boise has it's issues.
Sad fact is, no place is safe. Idaho is a pretty constitutional state and I'm hoping they/we stand up for those principles. I read comments on this forum (almost always from OR & WA residents) saying that Idaho is the next to fall. I don't believe that. However, if the political tide were to dramatically shift, there's enough empty space out here to peacefully not comply.

...I mean...Idaho sucks. Don't move here.


Haven't spent enough time in Arizona or Utah to comment on them.

 

[3MTA3]

My response to the OP is Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota. As others have mentioned the leftists will continue to destroy each area they occupy and then move on to the next area, much like a necrotic disease. You can run but you can't hide. Ultimately you need to stand up and stop it. There are some States where you still can, but at some point the Blue Death will control the Fed and your still Free State will be subjugated. I'm looking at areas they won't give an eff about when they eventually crack down.

 

[OldTengu]

I am curious to why Missouri is your favorite?

It was cheap, and is (was?) by far the most libertarian state I've lived in.

 

[Haftard]

The snakes that bite are much more friendly.

That may be but i cant figgure out how they move and that gives me the heebie geebies

 

[Oregonhunter5]

I love my state.
But given a chance to move?
It would be Wyoming. Wyoming is much more fun friendly than Arizona. Don't believe what you read on polls on the net.

In Idaho? I love it. But you all never mention places like Montpelier. Or Grace. Or soda springs.
Tough winters but 99% republican

 

[notazombie]

It was cheap, and is by far the most libertarian state I've lived in.

I've heard good things. Have an uncle in Salem who fled Illinois 20 years ago. He's leaving Oregon next spring and will likely land in Missouri.

 

[winterveil]

The only thing stopping me from invoking the words of a distant relative is means to pay for it.

"You all can go to Hell, I'm going to Texas."--Davy Crockett

Still a great state for the most part, and for the time being . I grew up there and if I had to do it all over again, I'm not sure I'd leave. I've been made to understand that it's starting to turn blue though. It kills me to know that.

 

[3MTA3]

That may be but i cant figgure out how they move and that gives me the heebie geebies

Usually they take taxpayer paid transportation, frequently using a driver and security to demonstrate how much they are like "the little people". On election years they frequently drive a Prius long enough for the photo op.

Oh,... you meant bitin' snakes. They basically "swim" on the land much like a fish swims through the water. It's sorta like crawling across your bed after you have put on a few pounds.

 

[OldTengu]

I've heard good things. Have an uncle in Salem who fled Illinois 20 years ago. He's leaving Oregon next spring and will likely land in Missouri.

Oregon is where I was born and raised, lived in Corbett til I was 18, but will always regret moving back from Missouri. I feel like the Midwest is a secret no one wants to hear.

 

[3MTA3]

Oregon is where I was born and raised, lived in Corbett til I was 18, but will always regret moving back from Missouri. I feel like the Midwest is a secret no one wants to hear.

The midwest comes up a LOT on survival boards. A friend on one has shown me some great property she has located with stupid low prices. Obviously avoide Illinois.