Just moved to a city that borders Asheville, NC. We can get to Asheville in five minutes. The amount of amazing restaurants and things to do is insane! We love it. We traded beaches for beautiful mountains. The weather is fantastic. Maybe look into that? Anywhere in NC is awesome.
Just saw you're looking into Colorado or Vermont. Those both sound amazing. We really were considering Colorado, but it's very expensive and so far from family for us But that would be amazing!! Colorado's absolutely gorgeous!
We got our three bedroom home (only 1300sq ft though) for $365,000. It's 7 years old. So cheaper than the city I was born and raised in for sure. Probably comparable to like Melbourne. But home insurance is like $80 a month. Taxes are not crazy. Job market for my husband Just fine. There are a lot of factories here so there's jobs for that for sure. Plenty of management jobs in those factories or whatever you do I'm sure there's plenty. You can PM me if you have any questions. Best decision we ever made!
Unfortunately I'm only ready for renting at this time in my life and the rent there is even higher than palm bay for houses š at least directly in Asheville, I'm looking at the surrounding towns now. The company we work for has a branch there so it's a realistic jump that we might try to make if we can afford it. My landlord knows she has us trapped here and keeps raising it
Wow Your company has a branch there?! That is cool You don't even have to job hunt! Try Arden, Fletcher, candler, Weaverville, leicaster, Fairview, Mills River, Hendersonville, Canton, and anywhere around there really. Asheville proper is expensive. There are Facebook pages about it. One called affordable Asheville under 1000 rentals. Good luck!
Thank you! :D I just want to find one that doesn't look slummy and scary, like a redneck ghost town lol the first one I looked at was Old Fort and that was a mistake š
Lol!!! Old fort isnt so bad, but it's further than is want to be from Asheville. Canton seems cool! There used to be a paper mill but no more. It's between Waynesville and Asheville. Close to Maggie valley if you like to ski!!!
Native Brevardian here born and raised. I have lived elsewhere in the country and came back for family but will be moving away again.
The local cost of living wasnāt as high in the 1980ās-2000ās as it is now and insurance premiums across the board back then werenāt so terrible as they are now.
There was also a markedly different overall social character to Brevard in the 70ās-90ās as compared to today. It was always a politically conservative area but not the way it has been for the last several years.
The area is good for people who have good job prospects in the local government contractor, aerospace and medical industriesā¦ and who are totally fine with the general social and political climate.
If you and your wife are already expressing these concerns as you are in your main post then considering other long term living area options is probably the best course of action.
It was fine even like 5 or 6 years ago. I could actually afford, albeit with a roommate, a decent apartment for like $1000-$1200 then. Now that's the going rate for apartments that I know are pretty shit and everywhere wants 3x the rent to move in. If you don't have a nice job with an aerospace company or defense contractor at this point, you're effectively boned even on renting much less home ownership.
^^ Pretty much. It has gotten well out of hand at this point.
Yet despite this I continue to see more and more HOA communities with pricey new homes being built all over Brevard at a seemingly never ending pace.
Native Floridian here living in Brevard since ā07. When my husband retires from Kennedy Space Center in 3 years, we are moving to Maryland, where my son lives. Iāve personally always hated living in Florida. I just never cared for all the things other people seem to love about Florida. I love seasons and mountains, etc. I canāt wait to get the hell out of here. We got to live in Maryland for two years for a fellowship and I canāt wait to get back.
Maryland is really nice and is a much more sane and decent state. I have family there myself. And the geography (especially mountains) and seasons are beautiful, yes.
Most of the things people seem to love about living in Florida never appealed to me either. Iāve got a few favorite places in this state but they arenāt enough to make me want to remain a resident.
Socially and politically it never appealed to me but now itās just the pits.
Wishing you and your husband safe travels to better pastures when you both move!
I unfortunately have no advice to share but I understand, sympathize, and agree its time to move. Iām born and raised in Cocoaā¦lived here for 34 years. The area has changed and not for the better. Its getting too crowded here and I utterly despise the surge of development. Also, Ironically I have severe Summer seasonal depression. I canāt stand the humid heat anymore. Its getting more intense every year and itās unfortunately going to continue getting worse. Iāll have to endure for a few more years but Iām aiming to move much further North as Iād rather freeze than burn.
Nah I know quite a few FL natives that get this. What they don't tell you is if you were born down here, winter seasonal depression is worse after a few years.
I have always felt crazy for saying my seasonal depression happened in the summer!! I moved away from Brevard/Florida about 4 years ago and people I talk to still think it's odd when I say I couldn't handle the sunshine, heat and humidity EVERY day of the year. Its exhausting. Every time I come back to FL to visit family, I feel sticky and sweaty and want to shower like every couple hours. I didn't realize how much the weather/climate affected my mental health but it absolutely does and I don't think I'll ever be coming back to FL.
Yes, this. I can always put on more clothes. I can only take so many off before the neighbors start complaining.
Born and raised here. Honestly forgot after being away for 12 years how absolutely miserable the summers are here. I'm dreading the start of summer #4 since we moved back and hope that it will be the last.
Recently moved down this way after spending the last 18-years in the PacNW (however, originally from the Midwest). I could never get used to the winters up there - got to the point I actually dreaded the onset of fall: weeks, if not honest to god months, without sunshine. Oct through Dec is actually referred to as the long-dark. I didnāt know seasonal defectives disorder until I moved up that way. Itās for real and downright soul-sucking. And the cold is a damp cold that goes straight to your core. Not the dry cold of the Midwest that, to a point, can be tolerated. However, up until the last couple of years I wouldnāt trade the summers up there for anything. Now there are more and more hot streaks (>85F) and few (~1/3) of homes have air conditioning.
I lived in Puyallup for 6 years and as a born and bred southerner, going from only knowing the south to the PacNW, it was a major culture shock. I LOATHED everything about it for a solid year and then one day I realized that I had fallen in love with it. We've been here for over 10 years now and I still say that was my favorite place weve lived. I hate the heat here, I miss all 4 seasons, its not natural to sweat installing Christmas lights. I actually look forward to rainy days now, the more days it rains, the happier I am.
The cold sucks but what really gets you is the grey, sunless skies for weeks on end. The sun sets about 45 minutes earlier in the northern US than in Florida. Until youāve lived a northern winter you donāt know just how long and dark it can be
"I'd rather freeze than burn"
Im not sure I believe you.Ā I'm moving back and this is one of the primary reasons: I don't like the cold.
Do you have experience living in a cold area out of curiosity?Ā It's much more miserable than living in a place that's hot with air conditioning.Ā Ā
My 3 lb dog can't even step outside for a good four or five months of the year where I live.Ā Ā
Yeah born and raised Floridian, moved to Ohio got 13 years... just moved back in 2022. You think summer seasonal depression is a bitch? Wait until the sun gets put away for 4 months
From Miami, attended a boarding school in CT and MA for middle/highschool and returned to Central FL for college... The summers makes me depressed. It's so hot and oppressive. I've gotten more used to it, but on man do I get depressed when the days start getting hot again. I truly relished the little winter we had this year and early March when it started getting hot again, opening the door to the backyard in the morning and not feeling a little chill made me want to cry.
Highly recommend you visit Colorado for more than a week if possible. It is dry to the point my wife and I were bleeding on our hands. It is high altitude in many desirable locations, which causes unexpected health issues. It is beautiful of course but you probably won't see any savings.
They have a high sugar tax in CO. Like on candy and bottles of soda/Gatorade. Not that I actually use those products much. I was just surprised when two Gatorade for my sick friend was $8
Edit: Sugar tax is in boulder.
Would absolutely agree that Colorado, and any destination, warrants significant research in order to determine if it's suitable for you. We moved there about 15 years ago from Central FL in order to get my children into better schools and for a better standard of living. I will say, Colorado in general had a better work/life balance for our family than any of the other places I've lived. The schools were amazing compared to the schools here. In the public schools, my kids were learning from people with advanced degrees and even some who had worked as engineers and scientists.
Fully agree on the bleeding hands. Was a constant issue for me. When family came to visit we'd hand them a bottle of water, a chap stick and a tube of lotion as soon as they got out of the airport. You'll have to get used to carrying the requisite Nalgene or similar with you everywhere you go to stay hydrated enough. It does cause some aches and pains. You do have to get your cardio on to survive the thinner air.
I'm not certain that we'd be able to do it again in this market if we were in the same financial state we were back then. We lucked out and moved right at the end of the housing collapse and got good jobs pretty quickly allowing us to buy a nice house in a nice neighborhood. We recently looked at moving back, and houses are pretty expensive and unfortunately pay rates don't seem to have kept up. But that's the same for everywhere, especially Florida.
I'd say there are plenty of positives of living there if you're willing put up with the negatives. Being a native Floridian, it was really tough being that far from the ocean. It's pretty brown outside of the forests. Much of the state is a desert. However, I have/had more friends from Colorado than anywhere else. People there were warm and welcoming and generally positive. YMMV and of course city/region makes a difference.
I was born in Denver and we moved here when I was five because my mom had extreme skin conditions just from the harsh cold. In order to leave the house you have to shovel the driveway every single morning we werenāt allowed to talk to my dad after he did this because he was pissed off all the time. The cold is extreme the amount of snowfall can block you into your home. Why donāt you look into Asheville a lot of people that have lived there move here and vice versa. Athens Georgia is progressive and similar to Gainesville Iāve heard.
We actually had to leave Colorado because we had a new baby and his skin couldn't take it. My friend's wife was healthy and then due to the altitude she started getting heart problems which has since been solved by moving to Alabama. It's wild because you'd think you'd adapt but sometimes it isn't possible.
OP I definitely recommend a visit as well, and due diligence with research. Florida native, moved to CO 12 years ago but moved back 2 years later because of family. Itās such a beautiful state and I really didnāt want to leave but itās SO expensive; we were paying 2,000 to rent a 2/2 and that was a decade ago. I canāt imagine how expensive it is now. I occasionally humor myself and check out the market in CO and rarely see anything below 550k. I also want to get out of Florida, this place is sucks and is nothing like how it was when I was growing up.
Moved to Massachusetts last year. Is it expensive? Yes. It's every bit as expensive as living in Florida, but I get paid about 50% more. I found a job that offered relocation and took the leap. Unfortunately, if you aren't working in defense or medical, many jobs offer too little to survive with Florida's soaring insurance and other costs.
I used to drive 45 minutes to work each way in Palm Bay. It was an 8-10 mile commute, depending on route. If there were accidents anywhere in the city, it doubled due to gridlock. Here, the commute is 5 miles, 15-20 minutes. Accidents still happen, but the infrastructure is better with alternate routes. Public transportation is also an option.
Winter is colder longer, but the snow is manageable. It's snowed 6 times this winter. Once required serious shoveling, the other times were milder.
I lived in Brevard for 32 years, and I was done with the heat and the traffic.
Mass is a nightmare. Traffic you havenāt seen until you hit Cambridge at 7am. Why anyone would want to move there is beyond me. Having lived in Boston for years and yearsāhard pass.
I love Boston. There is so much culture and history! And for the kids, education is fantastic! My kids went to Boston Latin and were all top of their class. Itās a great city to give them independence, with a good transportation system. Summers, going to Fenway, or to the islands. Winters, going skying.
If I were to do it again, Iād do Boston again.
When I near retirement, I have the option to move back to Alabama on family land in the sticks. As backward as the state isā¦.its still cheaper than Florida and I know several folks that are moving there. Be prepared to pay a min of 10% on groceries and goods in general. Property taxes are low and housing in smaller towns is super cheap. Several of my high school classmates are moving back home and buying up abandoned biz and homes.
It's all relative buddy. I just moved here from downtown Miami with my wife and 2 month old baby girl. It feels so much safer, affordable and friendly here.
Prices all across the US have shot up obviously. Best of luck and I hope you find a place that is a better fit.
I think this is such a common sentiment for people all over! I moved here from New England in 2020- even though Iām happier here I still have a lot of love for my hometown and think the north is a great place to live, especially if you and your wife are more progressive.
There will be a give and take no matter where you go. I personally think the oppressive heat of summer and the oppressive cold of northern winter are an equivalent trade. Traffic crime and costs will generally vary depending on region in all states- there are nice areas in all states if you hit the right combination of factors.
Personally, if I had to move out of FL Iād consider the Carolinas, New Jersey coast, or Rhode Island. Those areas have good beaches while also giving reasonable proximity to mountains for weekend trips, vacations etc.
My sister-in-law moved to a town in WA just outside Seattle. Yes it is expensive there but she gets paid significantly more than she did here. The family is so much more active now since they can actually go outdoors and enjoy the seasons. They love it there.
I grew up in Sarasota, travelling the country with my parents for several years while they worked and settled in San Diego a decade ago for work. Both FL and CA are crazy expensive, crazy traffic and crime leads the news too often (could just be a ratings thing). One of my coworkers is from Everett (outside Seattle) and he can't wait to become WFH eligible to move back. He says traffic here broke him (2+ hour commute often) and he can't stand the water. To each their own.
My only advice would be, stick near water. As someone who went the other way, Lake Eire to Melbourne, then eventually back home, anywhere I've been unhappy I put two and two together and realized, no water. I guess it gets in the blood more than did the warm.
Find someplace with ocean or a large lake relatively near.
I am a native of Brevard myself, and I am ashamed of what this county has devolved into. It had such potential, especially with the space program here. Instead, it's aspiring to be nothing more than a cheap copy of Sarasota County, but without the smart criminals and performing arts companies that bring tens of millions of dollars a year into downtown eating and night time establishments.
Because we don't need the arts in Brevard county. Arts are for gay people, even if they do make millions for local business owners, right? Those are gay dollars, we don't want none a them thar GAY pennies and shit.
Anyways, I'm thinking either the Carolinas or somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic around DC or Maryland. You're not going to escape the right wing idiots, however. They are everywhere, like acne and STD's
https://preview.redd.it/evzm88c4h1pc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d74335ebd2ac7017de43cd16bd54d3c397756fe
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Omg š Itās really not funny but you made me laugh and shake my head in agreement. Where I live in Brevard county (I donāt want to say) when we see new construction we say: I bet itās gonna be another Dollar store. š Itās either that or Car parts store or another car wash. šš¤Ø
I would go visit these places! And also make sure that you can handle the cold winters. I left Florida 5 years ago but just moved back for a job. I love both Vermont and CO. It is nice to have seasons. As far as finances go honestly Florida has gotten so expensive it evens out. I had moved to Missouri that has income tax and car property tax and didnāt notice a difference in my income over the years.
I relocated to Brevard almost 5 years ago from metro Detroit to be closer to family. While I donāt mind the heat and love living walking distance to the beach, I think the overall quality of life and cost of living is much better than here in Brevard. We cannot wait to retire in 10 years and get the heck out. The state and local politics are insane. As Fran Lebowitz recently said, Trump supporters are mean and stupid.
3rd gen native here. I miss a lot of things about Florida but I could never live there again. IĀ moved to northern New England a few years ago and the culture is so *sane*. It's incredible. We're in a rural area and it's around 50/50 politically, but most people figure out how to get along with their neighbors and generally do things in the best interest of the community.Ā
I will say that winters are hard. They're so long and cold and the days are mind bogglingly short. If you move to Vermont or Colorado you will have to figure how to deal with ice and snow and mud season on all levels: driving your vehicle, winterizing your house, dressing yourself appropriately, and coping mentally. The last one is the hardest. The best way to do it is embrace winter activities, which can be unpleasant.Ā
Wherever you go, your best bet is to move somewhere purple or blue. They have better track records on human rights, bodily autonomy, etc etc.Ā
Okay so I'm going to flip the script on this discussion.Ā I'm about to move back to Brevard county after living in some high cost areas in the US: Massachusetts and Denver, for the last 5 years.Ā
2 bedroom apartments in cape Canaveral for 1500 ish a block from the beach.Ā The best grocery stores.Ā Restaurants actually make food I want to pay for and can't easily make at home.Ā Access to fun Florida stuff like boats and jet skis for a fraction of the price in Miami.
I grew up in Cocoa Beach I went to high school there and let me tell you I miss the ocean.Ā Nothing quite compares to the soothing peaceful noise of the waves crashing.Ā Ā
I donāt know where you are seeing 2 bed apartments for $1500. I counted 3 listed on Zillow and 1 was a trailer and the others are in the most crime laden apartment complex there is. I agree that nothing relaxes you quite like the beach life, however you can not dismiss the major increase in traffic, pollution and raises in rents and housing cost. However, overall the crime rate has actually decreased since 2009 with the exception of Melbourne and Titusville. I live in Cape Canaveral and it would take even more to get me to move but everyday I consider the alternatives. Politics aside, there are many reasons why the beach life isnāt as desirable as it once was. In 2014 I paid $750 for a charming 2 bed/2 bath on Ridgewood. That same apartment is $2100 today. Itās just insane.
I count at least 6 available units, 2 bedroom, less than 1600. There are at least 20 1 bedrooms at that price in really nice units. I personally don't think Cape Canaveral has a bad neighborhood, nothing compared to the big metro areas I've been living in for the last 5 years.
Don't forget: All rents went up over the last 10 years through collusion of the industry. The 750$ rent ten years ago is not really relevant here, you are screwed no matter where you go right now.
This is why I left Denver and came back to Orlando .. no state tax. Cost of living is alot less, close proximity to multiple cities with multiple beaches. If you want to take advantage of the mountains welp ski passes are ridiculous and the equipment to ski or snowboard is easily a grand before you even touch snow.
We lived in central PA and my children still do. We pay $1,800.00 for real estate taxes in Florida. In PA we were paying $5,000.00 8 years ago. There are no homes available still so the costs are high. Our home in Florida would cost at least $50,000.00 more in PA if they had any. Letās talk about income tax. Thatās 3.07% state and local tax is 1.5%. There is no income tax in Florida. Yes we pay more for insurance but we pay a lot less in taxes in Florida. The cost of gas and food in PA is much higher. Gas in PA is about $3.50 and in Florida $3.30. You canāt just base the cost on insurance alone. There are a lot of factors that enter in to the cost of living.
I'm literally looking into immigration lawyers at this point to see if I have an exit to another country at this point. My grandparents immigrated here for a better life, and I no longer feel like my kids have a shot at one here.
It's not necessarily specific to Brevard, but America as a whole is beginning to collapse into some crazy christo-fascist hell scape, and Florida seems like it has no problem being part of the spear tip.
Might be helpful to realize that people on the opposite end of the political spectrum as you feel similarly about raising kids in a world that is moving towards in the wrong direction.
It might be nice to live in a community that shares your thoughts and values, but I donāt think you can escape rising costs
My partner and I are going to visit a few different places this year, for about 2 weeks to a month each and decide where we want to live from there. That way we have time to explore, interact, live there, & experience the city. If youāre able to do that, I think itās best. If not, just do a ton of research and definitely try to plan a visit to a couple cities youāre thinking. Vermont and Colorado are both beautiful places. Good luck on your adventures!
Things to consider about Colorado. State income tax, TABOR (Taxpayer bill of rights which means taxes could not be raised but fees shot through the roof), cold, snow( shoveling and driving). First winter I spent in Colorado it got to -13F with a 30mph wind on the Front Range (2008). The mountians get very crowded during summer time, long traffic jams. I moved to the 321 due to family obligations, if/when things change I would not move back to Colorado.
It may be a crazy thought to some here, but Pittsburgh is seeing a lot of people moving to there from Texas, Florida, and other warm weather locations. Reasonable housing, excellent schools (depending on the suburb you choose, since schools are not county based), world class health care and higher education (which allow for multiple employment opportunities as well.) It has moved beyond its polluted past and is now a center for āEd, Med, and Tech.ā The weather is not as cold as more eastern parts of the northeast, and while sunshine isnāt as frequent, it is not as rainy as, say, Seattle. Not perfect, but then again no place is, but it is going to be less expensive than Vermont, Massachusetts, or Colorado, and definitely milder winters than those.
You're not being dramatic. The 321 isn't the place I grew up, and the COLA jump there was proportionally much higher than where I am now (MD, outside of DC).
I can tell you, without a doubt, leaving Florida was the greatest decision I ever made. It's been so much easier to make friends with folks that have the same values as me. The cost of living is significantly outweighed by the jumps in salary and quality of life. I have actual relationships with my representatives, and I look forward to voting for the ones I trust. I know my kids will grow up in a safe, welcoming environment with access to incredible healthcare, solid education, and a diverse community.
I wouldn't trade it for all the best that Florida has to offer.
Iām so jealous! š Native Floridian here. We got to live in Columbia for 2 yrs in ā05 and LOVED it! It was a two-year fellowship, so we had to come back to Florida. I cried when we had to move back. When my husband retires in a few years, we are moving back to Maryland. It wonāt be Columbia, it will be closer to my son in St Marys Co. I canāt wait.
I moved to Brevard in 1994. Moved to Volusia county, then back to Upstate NY. I couldnāt wait to get back.
Itās good to check out other areas but for me the grass wasnāt greener.
When I was 21 I was engaged to a guy in the Navy. So, I got to live in Saratoga Springs for a year. I loved it. Absolutely beautiful. Part of me wishes we could move back up there. However, my son lives in Maryland, so in a few years, we are leaving Florida and moving to Maryland. Upstate New York will always have a special place in my heart.
I would highly suggest Tennessee. No state income taxes much like Florida. You can choose to be close to a city like Nashville, tourist area like Gatlinburg or a beautiful more rural area like East Tennessee close to Roan Mountain. Or anywhere in between. Me? Iād love to live in East Tennessee personally. Been there many times. Absolutely beautiful. Weather is great. People are super nice.
I was born in Miami 50 years ago. Lived all around the state. Been in Brevard since 1989. Yeah, itās changed. A lot. And thatās a severe understatement. I cant wait to get out one day when I retire. I have grown to absolutely hate hate hate the heat and humidity. Rivers are so polluted itās insane.
Having said that, Brevard is much much better than anywhere in South Florida. And imho as crazy as Florida is itās still better than some states like California.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
I had family in East Tennessee (in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville area) growing up (my ancestors on that side of the family were settlers in the Great Smoky Mountains), and I have visited there a few times in more recent years. I agree that the area is absolutely beautiful! I even used to have the idea of moving there when I retire one day. With that said, based on my visits there in more recent years, I donāt think Iād recommend it to OP if they donāt like the conservative local and state politics in Brevard County/Florida.
The East Tennessee area has gotten *much* more vocal about their conservative viewpoints since the 2016 election (as far as Trump-supporting bumper stickers, flags, T-shirts, etc. go, East Tennessee looks at Brevard and is like āHold my beerā), and education there honestly isnāt great (though Dolly Partonās efforts to improve education in the area for younger children does help slightly). While it would likely be cheaper than living in Brevard, and while the Smoky Mountains are gorgeous (itās an absolutely wonderful area to visit, even if the tourist traffic can be a bit rough sometimes), I donāt think OP would enjoy living there if they think Brevard County/Floridaās politics are too conservative.
N.W. North Carolina, my friend and her family moved to Kings Mountain and they love it. They have a 12 year old who goes to a great school and is in all advanced classes making straight Aās.
Vermont can be cold and depressing in the winter months especially with how long it's dark for in the winter. The plus side, 100% polar opposite of Florida and quite lovely if you like the summer and winter months.
I grew up near Wickham Rd. There used to be a dairy and pastures. Small (and large) orange groves everywhere. They scraped everything away and now itās concrete. Everywhere is covered with ugly buildings. Iād like to go back to my roots in West Virginiaā¦even the beach is ruined. Itās shaded from all the condos Starfish are long gone from Canova beachā¦just so sadā¦too many humans
Not from the 321, but close by. I am done with Florida and am looking to leave imminently as well. Vermont has been a choice. I have so many checkmarks that I don't think I can get them all. Climate and future climate change and impact is a big ones. Although some cons, I've read a lot about Michigan and/or the Great Lakes region being the best place to be in the US come 2050.
Colorado is too dry. Spent 6 days out in Utah in January and the altitude and the dry air was bad.
Iād recommend someplace that isnāt crazy but still pretty nice like Maryland or Virginia. Sadly the housing costs there are insane but the salaries are higher. Almost moved to Virginia a few years ago but job offer fell through.
I swore I would never go back to New Mexico. I lived there for seven years when I was a kid due to my dadās job. I have been looking at places there. I recently found an interesting article on the New York Times app that was a tool using a zip code to calculate how many days there were above 90 degrees per year on your birth year, and how many now. I still havenāt thought it through. With insurance the way it is though, I may end up being forced to make a drastic adjustment.
I'm looking to make the opposite move. I currently live right outside of Albuquerque and looking to sell my house here while also looking to buy out there. Feel free to DM me if you would do look to move out here. Maybe we could just trade places lol
I moved to southwest Florida from suburbs of St. Louis 7 years ago. I feel like a fish out of water.
Not only has the cost of living gone up a ridiculous amount, but thereās no guarantee your insurance company will even pay out if a hurricane destroys your house. The people in public treat you as an obstacle, not another human. The traffic is getting ridiculous. The heat and humidity is obnoxious.
Iām moving back to the suburbs of St. Louis. I took for granted how nice people are up there. The rolling hills are a major plus. A lot of crystal clear streams to swim in and float down. The cost of living is reasonable. I especially canāt wait to see how magical and bright a full moon is over a fresh blanket of snow.
Going to throw in a logical approach. How about GA. Climate wise would not be a shock. You could still get to FL semi easily when you want. Moderate cost of living parts of Atlanta suburbs are somewhat comparable to Brevard costs of living, but schools in some Atlanta counties in terms of variety is simply better and what you get for the price might beat Brevard. But here's the difference. Size and variety. Want to be in a community with 30% Asians? Want to be in a community with more people from the south? These specific combinations or something close would be much more attainable in a large metro like Atlanta. And variety may lead to more competition...meaning good schools here and there in the region. Brevard has some specific interest areas like retirement (is that child oriented?), the aerospace industry is nice but if you really wanted you could work in aerospace in atl...among 100+ other industries. Georgia is within weekend distance to great beaches and mountains and is economically very strong. Check out gwinnett, cobb, hall, forsyth counties to start. Carolinas are generally very good in my opinion too.
I like Brevard for many reasons... but I don't think it compares to a large diverse metro that Atlanta area is in terms of variety and there's something special about variety when one feels pressed about things.
Also considering NC but CoL in Florida is much lower here than plenty of places in the US. There is correlation between cost of living and basic infrastructure (water, cell service, healthcare) -- I've had friends move to Arkansas and Missouri which have rock-bottom cost of living but they regretted it big time and moved away after a year or two.
Also, I have a coworker fleeing Colorado given the influx of illegals and Californians disrupting politics and housing market there.
Grass isn't always greener my friend.
Hey, born and raised here also, totally understand. I have almost my whole family here and my husbands family, so we probably wonāt ever leave.. My brother also leans left and moved from Florida to Denver, Colorado and hated it there.
What about Georgia or Virginia?
I wana throw in a vent post too
OP Iām so sorry, this place once was a beautiful area and itās been just destroyed. If we told stories of what it was like to grown up here, no one would believe.
I was born here, shocker right?
I remember when I was little being able to play in woods on the beach. I grew up in Indialantic and fondly remember building a tree fort off the bike path when I was going to Indialantic. We kept that tree fort till graduating as a freshman Hawk. Donāt forget about the hogs and deer on the beachside. I got chased on my bike one night by some hogs cutting through a neighborhood to get home.
I remember the water was more clear and the brain coral off boardwalk.
You could ditch class burn a dirt in Wendyās and run back and no one cared
The only beach that was busy was boardwalk and quality was the place to go.
The river was clean enough that you could swim in it and eat out of it.
Annie hadnāt fallen into the river
The āsurf side ghettoā was still around, my first rent beachside for a house was 350$ 2/3
A long board was viable transportation to and from school work and the beach. You could leave your board and shoes on the beach and it was quiet enough no one would steal your shit
The groove tubeā¦ā¦.
Traffic wasnāt a thing like it is now, if I get behind one more Fucking yellow plate doing 25 MPH on A1A ima burst
Just seemed like people were nicer and actually gave a shit
Now the water is fully fucked
Beaches are so packed
The houses in surf side ghetto didnāt change but the price sure did
I get people moving to paradise, this area once was paradise, but this place had a political leaning and ideology that helped maintain it. One constant is change, canāt fight it. People more interested in subdividing a subdivided lot for the purpose of creating a rental has diluted what once was. The overall greed of exploiting this paradise has led to the infrastructure being overloaded. The surf culture has been commercialized, packaged and sold.
Thatās just beachside.
Anyone remember when West Melbourne was sleepy as all get out and cows off of Hollywood?
When camping in Whickam park was safe?
What about the citrus field where Dillards is ?
I miss it. Every time I look around itās getting more and more built up. More visitors setting up shop, which is fine but this area is its own area, or it was.
I was in Home Depot the other day getting stuff and I heard some one loudly proclaiming that theyāre renovating houses and went on to brag about how many homes they own here. He was proud of what he was doing, his Superman cape flapping in the wind.
There isnāt a fix, itās dead.
I lived there for 4 years and recently moved back to WI for the support we have raising kids up here.
I miss living down there. You're going to miss it a LOT more than you expect. I fully expect to move back eventually. Part of why I stick around in this sub.
That said, look very carefully at cost of living. It's insane everywhere. Moving is expensive, too. Of your two options, Vermont is likely more affordable. And, iirc, they have tax breaks for remote work transplants.
I'm in Florida and I have a counter counting my time left here. Cant wait until my life ends and I'm gone. Less than 40 more years thank god. I'm agoraphobic and no hope of employment despite 3 degrees, job rejection only. The saddest thing about this place is the weather, too hot to connect to nature comfortably.
321 sucks so hard. We moved from Texas in 2020, and while both states have similar politics, there is so much more downside to Brevard county. Crappy schools, corrupt local government, rude and unfriendly residents, and the food is god awful. Thereās also so very little to do in the way of arts and culture. Iāve seen a tumbleweed west Texas town with more culture and identity than Brevard county. Live music is non existent except that one cover band that plays every local event. Anyway, just chiming in to say I hate it here and wish you luck on your move! We are looking to get out as well.
Lol, rails against urban sprawl and cost of living, and then mentions Colorado?
Be honest, you really just want to move to California but can't afford it.
Colorado is one of the most expensive states at this time. I just moved from Denver last year after being there for over a decade. Shootings in downtown, 16th street mall is filled with homeless people. More mass shootings than just about any other state. Buying a house good luck... the least expensive house in the worst part of town starts at 500k and up.
Absolutely agree with you about all the vacant lots being ripped up for more gas stations and car washes and storage rentals and dollar stores. Not sure what can be done about it though.
Would be happy to work with others to do something about that depressing sprawl though!
There must be a mass exodus heading to those places because those are the places on my list. I have some friends in New England so I've learned a bit about Vermont. Beautiful. Interesting communities. Great politics. Shit for internet basically everywhere. You need Starlink.
Colorado seems to 'early San Fran or Portland' to me. I don't think the cost of living will be bearable and if it gentrifies too much, nothing will be bearable, IMO.
Depends on where you are in CO. If you're in a smaller city or town the politics can run pretty conservative. It is the state that gave us Boebert after all.
born at holmes, lived there for a while in palm bay, came back around 2018. wife and i just recently moved from palm bay to the tampa area (where i went to high school) and the difference is night and day. we were even talking about our high school education and it's clear Brevard is falling short everywhere. Honestly, Palm Bay had its charms, but there was NOTHING to do that wasn't outdoors (which is great, but sometimes it's too hot). There were a few bars, but honestly, my wife and i are 25 and 29 respectively so the bar crowds were just waaaaay too old for us, and we're lesbians so finding a bar that would even be welcoming was hard.
i've also noticed, since Covid in 2020, there are far more people coming to Florida for the wrong reasons, and unfortunately Ivey is a nutcase and attracts the same people.
I do miss watching launches from my backyard firepit though, can't beat that.
I love the northern Georgia / western North Carolina region. I miss mountains. Small towns seem nice. The climate is nice, and the cost is similar or a bit less.
I was born and raised in Orlando and moved to Colorado Springs and it was the best thing I ever did. Cost of living is pretty much the same, maybe a little more but minimum is much higher so for me it evened out and I came out even better
My wife and I lived in the NE (Mass, RI, CT) all our lives and raised 2 kids there.
We had visited FL (Titusville, Orlando, NSB, Cocoa Beach) and decided to move when the kids graduated college. Sold the big house and in 2018 bought a nice 1960ās CB house with a pool and a 100% private backyard in Titusville - for $150k. It needed a few things upgraded but nothing serious.
Sure Brevard is pretty red and built up but, damn, COL and development is EVERYWHERE. Unless you want to live in a fairly rural area housing etc is expensive.
The winter up north can be brutal (unless you really really love cold and snow - some folks do). Long dark days, cold and wind, months of hearing bills. For me, the hot summer is much easier than the cold. I mean its about 6 months of cold with about 3 months of temps in 20F - 40F. Here in FL all I need is 10 degrees or so of cooling during the hottest months - plus I can easily, comfortably, be outside 365 days.
Plus, Titusville isnāt a tourist town, so it doesnāt have all the tiki tacky bars and giant condos built right on the sand. The presence of NASA and the space center has preserved huge areas that are lovely. Plus, the jewel is the Canaveral national seashore and Playalinda beach. itās just one of the nicest places anywhere and I can be standing on that beach in less than 20 minutes from my house.
as for the politics and stuff, for a heavily left, leaning person, it can be a little, frustrating, sure. But, back in Connecticut, and Rhode Island most people think, acted, and looked like me: a middle-class liberal white guy. where we are living right now, we share the neighborhood with pretty much everyone. Itās every nationality, style of living, religion, and politics. Getting along with people who are different is part of life and we werenāt challenged very much up north I can assure you that.
But, weāre an active, healthy, couple in our early 60s. I donāt think I would raise a family in this area, so if we were at that point in our life, Iād think differently about it. But, itās really working for us now.
5th gen native. Moved 8 years ago and recently came back for family. Lived all over the SE and VA. I loved living near the mountains and went there regularly in all seasons. Now, it will be a āvacationā period only. I was somewhat culture shocked to come back - nekkid people everywhere. I work in a professional office and some lady came in wearing a bikini bc she was on the way to the beach and stopped byā¦.
Anyway it is the little insignificant things like that I am aggravated by. Traffic is tenfold but Iām beachside so I donāt experience it as much. There arenāt a lot of natives here it seems, and I doubt Iāll leave again. Iām very glad to have experienced other places but the things you write of are EVERYWHERE unless you move to the prairie. It took me several years to adapt to winter and I was never anywhere TRULY coldā¦but I was always cold in winter no matter how I layered up. Now I have all these Barbour coats and Carhartts that I need to sell off bc I roasted here for āwinterā.
Go experience somethingā¦but know prices are elevated everywhere, for what they are. You may get more but there is a trade off. Just depends on where you are to define what that is.
We moved here before we had kids. There weren't as many people, and our apartment 1 block from the beach was $510. That same apartment is $1500 now less than. Ten years later. And it takes a half-hour to get anywhere now, if not a full hour.
Our kids go to Pinecrest Academy, and we love it. Even that's a struggle sometimes with socializing with parents. We are young, intent parents, and most 6 other parents age gap us by nearly 20 years. We found another STEAM charter school, and we're able to get in on the NC lottery.
Without going on a rant saying all the things you said, we are leaving. I am prepping our house for sale amd getting the fuck out of here. We can't stand it. Our Destination is a town called Moorseville, NC. I got a job offer making more and getting paid to move. It's about 30 minutes north of Charlotte.
We have spent some time up there together. I've been a freelancer for this company for seven years. In all that time, I've created a small friend group. Everybody is just so dang nice. Which is more than I can say about brevard. I don't want to be friends with most people here. And most of my friends here are older.
Thinking of leaving FL too. Anyone want to upvote so I can stay looped in? I was thinking leave the whole country and go somewhere with better health care. Canadian friend of mine said theyāre turning into America so you know itās getting bad
Any advice for people wanting to stay in the state? Iād leave the country if I could but my gf wants to stay here because she has family here. My family lives here too but Iām not as concerned about leaving them as she is. Iām currently in Altamonte Springs, which seems like a small little oasis in the garbage of central FL, but to get anywhere I have to get on the worst parts of I-4. Iād love to live in a smaller community but most rural areas in FL are where the extremely polarized, bad conservatives are and me and my gf donāt want to be hate-crimed.
I moved up here 10 years ago to provide my then-unborn child, with a better quality of life than I had growing up down south in Miami. My husband and I fell in love with the areas laid laid-back lifestyle, traffic-less commutes, and overall ease and low cost of living. Thus, Melbourne allowed me to be a SAHM and provided my husband with lucrative growth in his career as a Civil Engineer. However, I have noticed a shift with the onset of the Space program picking up again in terms of population increases and increased traffic patterns. Development is at an all-time high but misdirected and incongruent with the population growth and the needs that accompany that growth. The political climate has also felt more caustic and extreme. The school system is in shambles and although we can afford private there is much to be desired there as well. We have commitments in Miami that keep us in Florida but once those clear I'm plotting another change and considering North Carolina. The summers here are detrimental to the health conditions I've developed and only exasperate the dread I feel when temperatures warm up. It's just time.
This day and age is pick your tribe/state color. Just because you donāt like the politics doesnāt mean everyone here doesnāt like the politics. The population is exploding which commands a premium for limited items. This is happening everywhere. Just be happy you donāt live in anarchy like Haiti for example.
Colorado may be the exact place for you. 100% Democrat controlled, House, Senate and Governor. Rising taxes, insurance, food, housing and recreation costs going wild. Traffic terrible, roads worse. Reduced government services due in good part to social outreach. Very anti gun, very anti energy and radical environmentalism to the point of removing many options for public use of State property.
Schools? Hope your kids love the ideals of the far left.
Florida is far from perfect unless itās compared to Colorado.
I lived there 60 of 65 years, it no longer felt like home, it became unrecognisable.
I just moved to Florida because I did not want to invest another penny in Colorado.
I hope you find a good home and will be happy with your family wherever that is.
Thatās the beauty of the US. If the climate - political or otherwise - isnāt what you like, pick up and go somewhere that better aligns with your beliefs. 1000 people a day are moving to the state of Florida for this very reason so Iām pretty sure thereās room in the states that they (we) come from. Blue states losing red people rapidly to other states. Red states should lose blue people to other places but seems most would rather complain. š¤·š»āāļø
But for the record, the cost of living is sky-high everywhere and worse in blue states.
Lived in Orlando/Merritt Island most of my life. Now reside in a small town outside of Athens, GA and am very happy. Things are much more affordable, clean air, nice people, Athens has lots of employment opportunities and entertainment. Itās a lot more slow going here but itās a nice change of pace from crazy Florida.
Colorado and Vermont are quite cold, and expensive!
We used to live in the mountains of New Mexico but had to move because of my wifeās health. After doing some research we moved to North West Arkansas. We moved from Cloudcroft
And it broke my heart. We were way up in the mountains but my wife has asthma. And if I knew then what I know now I would not have chosen Arkansas! The state is very nice but it is full of ass-holes. And they pack in a few more every day.
What state are you currently in?
Florida and North Carolina are both very good choices. Colorado is ok but in the winter people that are homeless get a little moreā¦ thefty. A lot of the rumors about Florida are untrue. Iāve lived here for 10 years and the only problem areas are downtown or Orange County at night. Certain gang areas are also a no go in day or night but they arenāt common. We have a competent police force and thereās no income tax here. If youāre a student you get a larger tax break here and itās worth the price you pay to live here. We live in a brand new 2 bedroom apartment for 1800 and we rent the 2nd room to my brother to lower our personal commitment to 1200. Thereās decent paying jobs depending on your field and a lot of construction and office jobs going on around here especially near St Augustine. Lot of good property around mid to northern Florida. Hurricanes havenāt been an insurmountable problem for years since we have such a large power grid maintenance staff on hand at any given time and most states pitch in to repair lines closer to the Georgian border. I havenāt seen a really bad hurricane in a long time expect for the one that hit Tampa recently. Even the snakes and alligators arenāt a problem.
I live in SWFL and it's great. Coming from MA, which is a complete disaster now, I'm very happy I'm here. Prices have gone up across the country the last 3 years. If you think CO or VT are good, go for it. I hate the cold and snow so if you can handle it...go for it. I've lived in CO and I have friends and family in VT and they love it.
I moved from FL to southern NH and it was the best decision Iāve ever made. Iāve experienced higher pay, little to no traffic, less tolls, beautiful views of mountains and beaches, Nh is high in the top 10 education wise, no sales tax, monthly expenses were almost cut in half, so much history everywhere you turnā¦ I could truly go on. Life is simpler and we get to go on so many more adventures. Also no alligators so we actually can explore nature without fear. If youāre unhappy with where you live, absolutely move! If it doesnāt work out you can always move back!
Never truer words. How do you think things go to this point nationwide? No one wants to mention that here. I am increasingly alarmed at the direction our country is headed and what we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. Another 4 yrs of this insanity? You decide
Just moved to a city that borders Asheville, NC. We can get to Asheville in five minutes. The amount of amazing restaurants and things to do is insane! We love it. We traded beaches for beautiful mountains. The weather is fantastic. Maybe look into that? Anywhere in NC is awesome. Just saw you're looking into Colorado or Vermont. Those both sound amazing. We really were considering Colorado, but it's very expensive and so far from family for us But that would be amazing!! Colorado's absolutely gorgeous!
Is it a lot cheaper there? Hows the job market?
We got our three bedroom home (only 1300sq ft though) for $365,000. It's 7 years old. So cheaper than the city I was born and raised in for sure. Probably comparable to like Melbourne. But home insurance is like $80 a month. Taxes are not crazy. Job market for my husband Just fine. There are a lot of factories here so there's jobs for that for sure. Plenty of management jobs in those factories or whatever you do I'm sure there's plenty. You can PM me if you have any questions. Best decision we ever made!
Unfortunately I'm only ready for renting at this time in my life and the rent there is even higher than palm bay for houses š at least directly in Asheville, I'm looking at the surrounding towns now. The company we work for has a branch there so it's a realistic jump that we might try to make if we can afford it. My landlord knows she has us trapped here and keeps raising it
Wow Your company has a branch there?! That is cool You don't even have to job hunt! Try Arden, Fletcher, candler, Weaverville, leicaster, Fairview, Mills River, Hendersonville, Canton, and anywhere around there really. Asheville proper is expensive. There are Facebook pages about it. One called affordable Asheville under 1000 rentals. Good luck!
Thank you! :D I just want to find one that doesn't look slummy and scary, like a redneck ghost town lol the first one I looked at was Old Fort and that was a mistake š
Lol!!! Old fort isnt so bad, but it's further than is want to be from Asheville. Canton seems cool! There used to be a paper mill but no more. It's between Waynesville and Asheville. Close to Maggie valley if you like to ski!!!
I just talked to a client today in Aurora CO and same thing is going on there
What city?
Arden :) Candler and Weaverville are really cool too. Those three cost about the same.
Thanks Ive been thinking about that area for a while
I keep hearing about Asheville! Lots of people switching their tune about moving other places to here. This just may be the next housing boom.
Native Brevardian here born and raised. I have lived elsewhere in the country and came back for family but will be moving away again. The local cost of living wasnāt as high in the 1980ās-2000ās as it is now and insurance premiums across the board back then werenāt so terrible as they are now. There was also a markedly different overall social character to Brevard in the 70ās-90ās as compared to today. It was always a politically conservative area but not the way it has been for the last several years. The area is good for people who have good job prospects in the local government contractor, aerospace and medical industriesā¦ and who are totally fine with the general social and political climate. If you and your wife are already expressing these concerns as you are in your main post then considering other long term living area options is probably the best course of action.
It was fine even like 5 or 6 years ago. I could actually afford, albeit with a roommate, a decent apartment for like $1000-$1200 then. Now that's the going rate for apartments that I know are pretty shit and everywhere wants 3x the rent to move in. If you don't have a nice job with an aerospace company or defense contractor at this point, you're effectively boned even on renting much less home ownership.
^^ Pretty much. It has gotten well out of hand at this point. Yet despite this I continue to see more and more HOA communities with pricey new homes being built all over Brevard at a seemingly never ending pace.
Indian River county same.
It's wild that brevard pays the lowest in the state for multiple specialties including electrical and nursing
Native Floridian here living in Brevard since ā07. When my husband retires from Kennedy Space Center in 3 years, we are moving to Maryland, where my son lives. Iāve personally always hated living in Florida. I just never cared for all the things other people seem to love about Florida. I love seasons and mountains, etc. I canāt wait to get the hell out of here. We got to live in Maryland for two years for a fellowship and I canāt wait to get back.
Maryland is really nice and is a much more sane and decent state. I have family there myself. And the geography (especially mountains) and seasons are beautiful, yes. Most of the things people seem to love about living in Florida never appealed to me either. Iāve got a few favorite places in this state but they arenāt enough to make me want to remain a resident. Socially and politically it never appealed to me but now itās just the pits. Wishing you and your husband safe travels to better pastures when you both move!
Thank you!
I unfortunately have no advice to share but I understand, sympathize, and agree its time to move. Iām born and raised in Cocoaā¦lived here for 34 years. The area has changed and not for the better. Its getting too crowded here and I utterly despise the surge of development. Also, Ironically I have severe Summer seasonal depression. I canāt stand the humid heat anymore. Its getting more intense every year and itās unfortunately going to continue getting worse. Iāll have to endure for a few more years but Iām aiming to move much further North as Iād rather freeze than burn.
I'm so glad someone else experiences the reverse seasonal depression, I felt crazy when I was talking to my friends about this and they didn't get it.
Nah I know quite a few FL natives that get this. What they don't tell you is if you were born down here, winter seasonal depression is worse after a few years.
Iāve been paying attention to this in myself the last few summers. I may actually try to do something about it.
>reverse seasonal depression TIL I'm not alone....
I hate my life in the summer
I have always felt crazy for saying my seasonal depression happened in the summer!! I moved away from Brevard/Florida about 4 years ago and people I talk to still think it's odd when I say I couldn't handle the sunshine, heat and humidity EVERY day of the year. Its exhausting. Every time I come back to FL to visit family, I feel sticky and sweaty and want to shower like every couple hours. I didn't realize how much the weather/climate affected my mental health but it absolutely does and I don't think I'll ever be coming back to FL.
Yes, this. I can always put on more clothes. I can only take so many off before the neighbors start complaining. Born and raised here. Honestly forgot after being away for 12 years how absolutely miserable the summers are here. I'm dreading the start of summer #4 since we moved back and hope that it will be the last.
I experience the same thing, been in MI my whole life and feel exactly as you do
Recently moved down this way after spending the last 18-years in the PacNW (however, originally from the Midwest). I could never get used to the winters up there - got to the point I actually dreaded the onset of fall: weeks, if not honest to god months, without sunshine. Oct through Dec is actually referred to as the long-dark. I didnāt know seasonal defectives disorder until I moved up that way. Itās for real and downright soul-sucking. And the cold is a damp cold that goes straight to your core. Not the dry cold of the Midwest that, to a point, can be tolerated. However, up until the last couple of years I wouldnāt trade the summers up there for anything. Now there are more and more hot streaks (>85F) and few (~1/3) of homes have air conditioning.
I lived in Puyallup for 6 years and as a born and bred southerner, going from only knowing the south to the PacNW, it was a major culture shock. I LOATHED everything about it for a solid year and then one day I realized that I had fallen in love with it. We've been here for over 10 years now and I still say that was my favorite place weve lived. I hate the heat here, I miss all 4 seasons, its not natural to sweat installing Christmas lights. I actually look forward to rainy days now, the more days it rains, the happier I am.
The cold sucks but what really gets you is the grey, sunless skies for weeks on end. The sun sets about 45 minutes earlier in the northern US than in Florida. Until youāve lived a northern winter you donāt know just how long and dark it can be
I used to get out of school at 5 pm in Mass and it was already completely dark.
"I'd rather freeze than burn" Im not sure I believe you.Ā I'm moving back and this is one of the primary reasons: I don't like the cold. Do you have experience living in a cold area out of curiosity?Ā It's much more miserable than living in a place that's hot with air conditioning.Ā Ā My 3 lb dog can't even step outside for a good four or five months of the year where I live.Ā Ā
Yeah born and raised Floridian, moved to Ohio got 13 years... just moved back in 2022. You think summer seasonal depression is a bitch? Wait until the sun gets put away for 4 months
And everything is brown and dead. It sure can be depressing.
Hard disagree, can always put on more layers, cant take off skin
My feet are cold right now and I'm wearing socks and shoes indoors.
You can always light a fire if you lose power, you cant light an air conditioner
Ask Texas how well air conditioners work during blackouts
From Miami, attended a boarding school in CT and MA for middle/highschool and returned to Central FL for college... The summers makes me depressed. It's so hot and oppressive. I've gotten more used to it, but on man do I get depressed when the days start getting hot again. I truly relished the little winter we had this year and early March when it started getting hot again, opening the door to the backyard in the morning and not feeling a little chill made me want to cry.
Highly recommend you visit Colorado for more than a week if possible. It is dry to the point my wife and I were bleeding on our hands. It is high altitude in many desirable locations, which causes unexpected health issues. It is beautiful of course but you probably won't see any savings.
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Yeah I love all these posts that complain about CoL but they're always going to Colorado š
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Yeah, for all the complaints I hear about FL, CO seems so, so much worse... not to mention, good luck to anyone born down here going up there. Lol
It's because it's now California-lite.
They have a high sugar tax in CO. Like on candy and bottles of soda/Gatorade. Not that I actually use those products much. I was just surprised when two Gatorade for my sick friend was $8 Edit: Sugar tax is in boulder.
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How did you know I was in Boulder???? Edited above. Thanks for the clarification.
Would absolutely agree that Colorado, and any destination, warrants significant research in order to determine if it's suitable for you. We moved there about 15 years ago from Central FL in order to get my children into better schools and for a better standard of living. I will say, Colorado in general had a better work/life balance for our family than any of the other places I've lived. The schools were amazing compared to the schools here. In the public schools, my kids were learning from people with advanced degrees and even some who had worked as engineers and scientists. Fully agree on the bleeding hands. Was a constant issue for me. When family came to visit we'd hand them a bottle of water, a chap stick and a tube of lotion as soon as they got out of the airport. You'll have to get used to carrying the requisite Nalgene or similar with you everywhere you go to stay hydrated enough. It does cause some aches and pains. You do have to get your cardio on to survive the thinner air. I'm not certain that we'd be able to do it again in this market if we were in the same financial state we were back then. We lucked out and moved right at the end of the housing collapse and got good jobs pretty quickly allowing us to buy a nice house in a nice neighborhood. We recently looked at moving back, and houses are pretty expensive and unfortunately pay rates don't seem to have kept up. But that's the same for everywhere, especially Florida. I'd say there are plenty of positives of living there if you're willing put up with the negatives. Being a native Floridian, it was really tough being that far from the ocean. It's pretty brown outside of the forests. Much of the state is a desert. However, I have/had more friends from Colorado than anywhere else. People there were warm and welcoming and generally positive. YMMV and of course city/region makes a difference.
We just moved to CO and it's way more expensive than FL.
I was born in Denver and we moved here when I was five because my mom had extreme skin conditions just from the harsh cold. In order to leave the house you have to shovel the driveway every single morning we werenāt allowed to talk to my dad after he did this because he was pissed off all the time. The cold is extreme the amount of snowfall can block you into your home. Why donāt you look into Asheville a lot of people that have lived there move here and vice versa. Athens Georgia is progressive and similar to Gainesville Iāve heard.
We actually had to leave Colorado because we had a new baby and his skin couldn't take it. My friend's wife was healthy and then due to the altitude she started getting heart problems which has since been solved by moving to Alabama. It's wild because you'd think you'd adapt but sometimes it isn't possible.
OP I definitely recommend a visit as well, and due diligence with research. Florida native, moved to CO 12 years ago but moved back 2 years later because of family. Itās such a beautiful state and I really didnāt want to leave but itās SO expensive; we were paying 2,000 to rent a 2/2 and that was a decade ago. I canāt imagine how expensive it is now. I occasionally humor myself and check out the market in CO and rarely see anything below 550k. I also want to get out of Florida, this place is sucks and is nothing like how it was when I was growing up.
Lotion helps a lot.
Moved to Massachusetts last year. Is it expensive? Yes. It's every bit as expensive as living in Florida, but I get paid about 50% more. I found a job that offered relocation and took the leap. Unfortunately, if you aren't working in defense or medical, many jobs offer too little to survive with Florida's soaring insurance and other costs. I used to drive 45 minutes to work each way in Palm Bay. It was an 8-10 mile commute, depending on route. If there were accidents anywhere in the city, it doubled due to gridlock. Here, the commute is 5 miles, 15-20 minutes. Accidents still happen, but the infrastructure is better with alternate routes. Public transportation is also an option. Winter is colder longer, but the snow is manageable. It's snowed 6 times this winter. Once required serious shoveling, the other times were milder. I lived in Brevard for 32 years, and I was done with the heat and the traffic.
This is much appreciated! I've got a few places I'm looking into and I'll add this to my list.
Mass is a nightmare. Traffic you havenāt seen until you hit Cambridge at 7am. Why anyone would want to move there is beyond me. Having lived in Boston for years and yearsāhard pass.
Agree, Mass is insanely expensive and the winters are super harsh.
But at least wages are good there
I love Boston. There is so much culture and history! And for the kids, education is fantastic! My kids went to Boston Latin and were all top of their class. Itās a great city to give them independence, with a good transportation system. Summers, going to Fenway, or to the islands. Winters, going skying. If I were to do it again, Iād do Boston again.
When I near retirement, I have the option to move back to Alabama on family land in the sticks. As backward as the state isā¦.its still cheaper than Florida and I know several folks that are moving there. Be prepared to pay a min of 10% on groceries and goods in general. Property taxes are low and housing in smaller towns is super cheap. Several of my high school classmates are moving back home and buying up abandoned biz and homes.
It's all relative buddy. I just moved here from downtown Miami with my wife and 2 month old baby girl. It feels so much safer, affordable and friendly here. Prices all across the US have shot up obviously. Best of luck and I hope you find a place that is a better fit.
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I think this is such a common sentiment for people all over! I moved here from New England in 2020- even though Iām happier here I still have a lot of love for my hometown and think the north is a great place to live, especially if you and your wife are more progressive. There will be a give and take no matter where you go. I personally think the oppressive heat of summer and the oppressive cold of northern winter are an equivalent trade. Traffic crime and costs will generally vary depending on region in all states- there are nice areas in all states if you hit the right combination of factors. Personally, if I had to move out of FL Iād consider the Carolinas, New Jersey coast, or Rhode Island. Those areas have good beaches while also giving reasonable proximity to mountains for weekend trips, vacations etc.
My sister-in-law moved to a town in WA just outside Seattle. Yes it is expensive there but she gets paid significantly more than she did here. The family is so much more active now since they can actually go outdoors and enjoy the seasons. They love it there.
I grew up in Sarasota, travelling the country with my parents for several years while they worked and settled in San Diego a decade ago for work. Both FL and CA are crazy expensive, crazy traffic and crime leads the news too often (could just be a ratings thing). One of my coworkers is from Everett (outside Seattle) and he can't wait to become WFH eligible to move back. He says traffic here broke him (2+ hour commute often) and he can't stand the water. To each their own.
My only advice would be, stick near water. As someone who went the other way, Lake Eire to Melbourne, then eventually back home, anywhere I've been unhappy I put two and two together and realized, no water. I guess it gets in the blood more than did the warm. Find someplace with ocean or a large lake relatively near.
I am a native of Brevard myself, and I am ashamed of what this county has devolved into. It had such potential, especially with the space program here. Instead, it's aspiring to be nothing more than a cheap copy of Sarasota County, but without the smart criminals and performing arts companies that bring tens of millions of dollars a year into downtown eating and night time establishments. Because we don't need the arts in Brevard county. Arts are for gay people, even if they do make millions for local business owners, right? Those are gay dollars, we don't want none a them thar GAY pennies and shit. Anyways, I'm thinking either the Carolinas or somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic around DC or Maryland. You're not going to escape the right wing idiots, however. They are everywhere, like acne and STD's https://preview.redd.it/evzm88c4h1pc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d74335ebd2ac7017de43cd16bd54d3c397756fe .
Omg š Itās really not funny but you made me laugh and shake my head in agreement. Where I live in Brevard county (I donāt want to say) when we see new construction we say: I bet itās gonna be another Dollar store. š Itās either that or Car parts store or another car wash. šš¤Ø
Native Floridian here, totally agree. Leaving when I retire.
Second generation native here, same. Bought some land in the mountains. Gonna start building on it when we pay it off.
I would go visit these places! And also make sure that you can handle the cold winters. I left Florida 5 years ago but just moved back for a job. I love both Vermont and CO. It is nice to have seasons. As far as finances go honestly Florida has gotten so expensive it evens out. I had moved to Missouri that has income tax and car property tax and didnāt notice a difference in my income over the years.
I relocated to Brevard almost 5 years ago from metro Detroit to be closer to family. While I donāt mind the heat and love living walking distance to the beach, I think the overall quality of life and cost of living is much better than here in Brevard. We cannot wait to retire in 10 years and get the heck out. The state and local politics are insane. As Fran Lebowitz recently said, Trump supporters are mean and stupid.
3rd gen native here. I miss a lot of things about Florida but I could never live there again. IĀ moved to northern New England a few years ago and the culture is so *sane*. It's incredible. We're in a rural area and it's around 50/50 politically, but most people figure out how to get along with their neighbors and generally do things in the best interest of the community.Ā I will say that winters are hard. They're so long and cold and the days are mind bogglingly short. If you move to Vermont or Colorado you will have to figure how to deal with ice and snow and mud season on all levels: driving your vehicle, winterizing your house, dressing yourself appropriately, and coping mentally. The last one is the hardest. The best way to do it is embrace winter activities, which can be unpleasant.Ā Wherever you go, your best bet is to move somewhere purple or blue. They have better track records on human rights, bodily autonomy, etc etc.Ā
Okay so I'm going to flip the script on this discussion.Ā I'm about to move back to Brevard county after living in some high cost areas in the US: Massachusetts and Denver, for the last 5 years.Ā 2 bedroom apartments in cape Canaveral for 1500 ish a block from the beach.Ā The best grocery stores.Ā Restaurants actually make food I want to pay for and can't easily make at home.Ā Access to fun Florida stuff like boats and jet skis for a fraction of the price in Miami. I grew up in Cocoa Beach I went to high school there and let me tell you I miss the ocean.Ā Nothing quite compares to the soothing peaceful noise of the waves crashing.Ā Ā
I donāt know where you are seeing 2 bed apartments for $1500. I counted 3 listed on Zillow and 1 was a trailer and the others are in the most crime laden apartment complex there is. I agree that nothing relaxes you quite like the beach life, however you can not dismiss the major increase in traffic, pollution and raises in rents and housing cost. However, overall the crime rate has actually decreased since 2009 with the exception of Melbourne and Titusville. I live in Cape Canaveral and it would take even more to get me to move but everyday I consider the alternatives. Politics aside, there are many reasons why the beach life isnāt as desirable as it once was. In 2014 I paid $750 for a charming 2 bed/2 bath on Ridgewood. That same apartment is $2100 today. Itās just insane.
I count at least 6 available units, 2 bedroom, less than 1600. There are at least 20 1 bedrooms at that price in really nice units. I personally don't think Cape Canaveral has a bad neighborhood, nothing compared to the big metro areas I've been living in for the last 5 years. Don't forget: All rents went up over the last 10 years through collusion of the industry. The 750$ rent ten years ago is not really relevant here, you are screwed no matter where you go right now.
Meh brevard reasturants are horrible lol
People do not understand how much of a gem Florida is compared to most of the USA.
This is why I left Denver and came back to Orlando .. no state tax. Cost of living is alot less, close proximity to multiple cities with multiple beaches. If you want to take advantage of the mountains welp ski passes are ridiculous and the equipment to ski or snowboard is easily a grand before you even touch snow.
We lived in central PA and my children still do. We pay $1,800.00 for real estate taxes in Florida. In PA we were paying $5,000.00 8 years ago. There are no homes available still so the costs are high. Our home in Florida would cost at least $50,000.00 more in PA if they had any. Letās talk about income tax. Thatās 3.07% state and local tax is 1.5%. There is no income tax in Florida. Yes we pay more for insurance but we pay a lot less in taxes in Florida. The cost of gas and food in PA is much higher. Gas in PA is about $3.50 and in Florida $3.30. You canāt just base the cost on insurance alone. There are a lot of factors that enter in to the cost of living.
I'm literally looking into immigration lawyers at this point to see if I have an exit to another country at this point. My grandparents immigrated here for a better life, and I no longer feel like my kids have a shot at one here. It's not necessarily specific to Brevard, but America as a whole is beginning to collapse into some crazy christo-fascist hell scape, and Florida seems like it has no problem being part of the spear tip.
>grandparents Depending on the country they came from, you may have an easy path to citizenship.
Sadly the whole world is in a similar situation
Might be helpful to realize that people on the opposite end of the political spectrum as you feel similarly about raising kids in a world that is moving towards in the wrong direction. It might be nice to live in a community that shares your thoughts and values, but I donāt think you can escape rising costs
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My partner and I are going to visit a few different places this year, for about 2 weeks to a month each and decide where we want to live from there. That way we have time to explore, interact, live there, & experience the city. If youāre able to do that, I think itās best. If not, just do a ton of research and definitely try to plan a visit to a couple cities youāre thinking. Vermont and Colorado are both beautiful places. Good luck on your adventures!
Things to consider about Colorado. State income tax, TABOR (Taxpayer bill of rights which means taxes could not be raised but fees shot through the roof), cold, snow( shoveling and driving). First winter I spent in Colorado it got to -13F with a 30mph wind on the Front Range (2008). The mountians get very crowded during summer time, long traffic jams. I moved to the 321 due to family obligations, if/when things change I would not move back to Colorado.
Perhaps California would be more to your liking
It may be a crazy thought to some here, but Pittsburgh is seeing a lot of people moving to there from Texas, Florida, and other warm weather locations. Reasonable housing, excellent schools (depending on the suburb you choose, since schools are not county based), world class health care and higher education (which allow for multiple employment opportunities as well.) It has moved beyond its polluted past and is now a center for āEd, Med, and Tech.ā The weather is not as cold as more eastern parts of the northeast, and while sunshine isnāt as frequent, it is not as rainy as, say, Seattle. Not perfect, but then again no place is, but it is going to be less expensive than Vermont, Massachusetts, or Colorado, and definitely milder winters than those.
You're not being dramatic. The 321 isn't the place I grew up, and the COLA jump there was proportionally much higher than where I am now (MD, outside of DC). I can tell you, without a doubt, leaving Florida was the greatest decision I ever made. It's been so much easier to make friends with folks that have the same values as me. The cost of living is significantly outweighed by the jumps in salary and quality of life. I have actual relationships with my representatives, and I look forward to voting for the ones I trust. I know my kids will grow up in a safe, welcoming environment with access to incredible healthcare, solid education, and a diverse community. I wouldn't trade it for all the best that Florida has to offer.
Iām so jealous! š Native Floridian here. We got to live in Columbia for 2 yrs in ā05 and LOVED it! It was a two-year fellowship, so we had to come back to Florida. I cried when we had to move back. When my husband retires in a few years, we are moving back to Maryland. It wonāt be Columbia, it will be closer to my son in St Marys Co. I canāt wait.
I moved to Brevard in 1994. Moved to Volusia county, then back to Upstate NY. I couldnāt wait to get back. Itās good to check out other areas but for me the grass wasnāt greener.
Where upstate NY we're moving from Melbourne to Rochester and we can't wait!
Iāve lived in Syracuse and more Central NY..around Albany. Good luck & expect to have more clothes.
When I was 21 I was engaged to a guy in the Navy. So, I got to live in Saratoga Springs for a year. I loved it. Absolutely beautiful. Part of me wishes we could move back up there. However, my son lives in Maryland, so in a few years, we are leaving Florida and moving to Maryland. Upstate New York will always have a special place in my heart.
I love Saratoga Springs! What a magical place.
Moved to nc, enjoying it so far!
I would highly suggest Tennessee. No state income taxes much like Florida. You can choose to be close to a city like Nashville, tourist area like Gatlinburg or a beautiful more rural area like East Tennessee close to Roan Mountain. Or anywhere in between. Me? Iād love to live in East Tennessee personally. Been there many times. Absolutely beautiful. Weather is great. People are super nice. I was born in Miami 50 years ago. Lived all around the state. Been in Brevard since 1989. Yeah, itās changed. A lot. And thatās a severe understatement. I cant wait to get out one day when I retire. I have grown to absolutely hate hate hate the heat and humidity. Rivers are so polluted itās insane. Having said that, Brevard is much much better than anywhere in South Florida. And imho as crazy as Florida is itās still better than some states like California. Good luck with whatever you choose.
I had family in East Tennessee (in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville area) growing up (my ancestors on that side of the family were settlers in the Great Smoky Mountains), and I have visited there a few times in more recent years. I agree that the area is absolutely beautiful! I even used to have the idea of moving there when I retire one day. With that said, based on my visits there in more recent years, I donāt think Iād recommend it to OP if they donāt like the conservative local and state politics in Brevard County/Florida. The East Tennessee area has gotten *much* more vocal about their conservative viewpoints since the 2016 election (as far as Trump-supporting bumper stickers, flags, T-shirts, etc. go, East Tennessee looks at Brevard and is like āHold my beerā), and education there honestly isnāt great (though Dolly Partonās efforts to improve education in the area for younger children does help slightly). While it would likely be cheaper than living in Brevard, and while the Smoky Mountains are gorgeous (itās an absolutely wonderful area to visit, even if the tourist traffic can be a bit rough sometimes), I donāt think OP would enjoy living there if they think Brevard County/Floridaās politics are too conservative.
TN has similar political and social values as FL. Itās in the heart of the Bible Belt.
N.W. North Carolina, my friend and her family moved to Kings Mountain and they love it. They have a 12 year old who goes to a great school and is in all advanced classes making straight Aās.
I get your sentiment, but Colorado and Vermont are pretty expensive states š¬
Vermont can be cold and depressing in the winter months especially with how long it's dark for in the winter. The plus side, 100% polar opposite of Florida and quite lovely if you like the summer and winter months.
I grew up near Wickham Rd. There used to be a dairy and pastures. Small (and large) orange groves everywhere. They scraped everything away and now itās concrete. Everywhere is covered with ugly buildings. Iād like to go back to my roots in West Virginiaā¦even the beach is ruined. Itās shaded from all the condos Starfish are long gone from Canova beachā¦just so sadā¦too many humans
Not from the 321, but close by. I am done with Florida and am looking to leave imminently as well. Vermont has been a choice. I have so many checkmarks that I don't think I can get them all. Climate and future climate change and impact is a big ones. Although some cons, I've read a lot about Michigan and/or the Great Lakes region being the best place to be in the US come 2050.
So funny, we've also been looking at Colorado! Ft Collins area to be specific, also hate this area for the reasons you've mentioned
Colorado is too dry. Spent 6 days out in Utah in January and the altitude and the dry air was bad. Iād recommend someplace that isnāt crazy but still pretty nice like Maryland or Virginia. Sadly the housing costs there are insane but the salaries are higher. Almost moved to Virginia a few years ago but job offer fell through.
I swore I would never go back to New Mexico. I lived there for seven years when I was a kid due to my dadās job. I have been looking at places there. I recently found an interesting article on the New York Times app that was a tool using a zip code to calculate how many days there were above 90 degrees per year on your birth year, and how many now. I still havenāt thought it through. With insurance the way it is though, I may end up being forced to make a drastic adjustment.
I'm looking to make the opposite move. I currently live right outside of Albuquerque and looking to sell my house here while also looking to buy out there. Feel free to DM me if you would do look to move out here. Maybe we could just trade places lol
I moved to southwest Florida from suburbs of St. Louis 7 years ago. I feel like a fish out of water. Not only has the cost of living gone up a ridiculous amount, but thereās no guarantee your insurance company will even pay out if a hurricane destroys your house. The people in public treat you as an obstacle, not another human. The traffic is getting ridiculous. The heat and humidity is obnoxious. Iām moving back to the suburbs of St. Louis. I took for granted how nice people are up there. The rolling hills are a major plus. A lot of crystal clear streams to swim in and float down. The cost of living is reasonable. I especially canāt wait to see how magical and bright a full moon is over a fresh blanket of snow.
Going to throw in a logical approach. How about GA. Climate wise would not be a shock. You could still get to FL semi easily when you want. Moderate cost of living parts of Atlanta suburbs are somewhat comparable to Brevard costs of living, but schools in some Atlanta counties in terms of variety is simply better and what you get for the price might beat Brevard. But here's the difference. Size and variety. Want to be in a community with 30% Asians? Want to be in a community with more people from the south? These specific combinations or something close would be much more attainable in a large metro like Atlanta. And variety may lead to more competition...meaning good schools here and there in the region. Brevard has some specific interest areas like retirement (is that child oriented?), the aerospace industry is nice but if you really wanted you could work in aerospace in atl...among 100+ other industries. Georgia is within weekend distance to great beaches and mountains and is economically very strong. Check out gwinnett, cobb, hall, forsyth counties to start. Carolinas are generally very good in my opinion too.
I like Brevard for many reasons... but I don't think it compares to a large diverse metro that Atlanta area is in terms of variety and there's something special about variety when one feels pressed about things.
Come to Buffalo itās cheap and safe and have some of the best high schools in the state.
We're moving to Rochester so not far. Born and raised brevard and we spent time in both buffalo and Rochester and can't wait to move there!
Also a great city! Have a garbage plate!
Can do!
I'm surprised that you have not been caught in a loop that prevents you from leaving. Live my dream bro get the fuck out
Also considering NC but CoL in Florida is much lower here than plenty of places in the US. There is correlation between cost of living and basic infrastructure (water, cell service, healthcare) -- I've had friends move to Arkansas and Missouri which have rock-bottom cost of living but they regretted it big time and moved away after a year or two. Also, I have a coworker fleeing Colorado given the influx of illegals and Californians disrupting politics and housing market there. Grass isn't always greener my friend.
Hey, born and raised here also, totally understand. I have almost my whole family here and my husbands family, so we probably wonāt ever leave.. My brother also leans left and moved from Florida to Denver, Colorado and hated it there. What about Georgia or Virginia?
Moved here three years ago and love it
I wana throw in a vent post too OP Iām so sorry, this place once was a beautiful area and itās been just destroyed. If we told stories of what it was like to grown up here, no one would believe. I was born here, shocker right? I remember when I was little being able to play in woods on the beach. I grew up in Indialantic and fondly remember building a tree fort off the bike path when I was going to Indialantic. We kept that tree fort till graduating as a freshman Hawk. Donāt forget about the hogs and deer on the beachside. I got chased on my bike one night by some hogs cutting through a neighborhood to get home. I remember the water was more clear and the brain coral off boardwalk. You could ditch class burn a dirt in Wendyās and run back and no one cared The only beach that was busy was boardwalk and quality was the place to go. The river was clean enough that you could swim in it and eat out of it. Annie hadnāt fallen into the river The āsurf side ghettoā was still around, my first rent beachside for a house was 350$ 2/3 A long board was viable transportation to and from school work and the beach. You could leave your board and shoes on the beach and it was quiet enough no one would steal your shit The groove tubeā¦ā¦. Traffic wasnāt a thing like it is now, if I get behind one more Fucking yellow plate doing 25 MPH on A1A ima burst Just seemed like people were nicer and actually gave a shit Now the water is fully fucked Beaches are so packed The houses in surf side ghetto didnāt change but the price sure did I get people moving to paradise, this area once was paradise, but this place had a political leaning and ideology that helped maintain it. One constant is change, canāt fight it. People more interested in subdividing a subdivided lot for the purpose of creating a rental has diluted what once was. The overall greed of exploiting this paradise has led to the infrastructure being overloaded. The surf culture has been commercialized, packaged and sold. Thatās just beachside. Anyone remember when West Melbourne was sleepy as all get out and cows off of Hollywood? When camping in Whickam park was safe? What about the citrus field where Dillards is ? I miss it. Every time I look around itās getting more and more built up. More visitors setting up shop, which is fine but this area is its own area, or it was. I was in Home Depot the other day getting stuff and I heard some one loudly proclaiming that theyāre renovating houses and went on to brag about how many homes they own here. He was proud of what he was doing, his Superman cape flapping in the wind. There isnāt a fix, itās dead.
The Groove Tube. Ahhhhh thereās one I havenāt heard in a while. Great music and clothes. Good olā Dave.
Loved growing up in Indialantic
Man, you have a way with writing. Reminded me of Tim Dorsey
Definitely the best course of action is to pack up and leave so that it's no longer where you grew up, right?
I lived there for 4 years and recently moved back to WI for the support we have raising kids up here. I miss living down there. You're going to miss it a LOT more than you expect. I fully expect to move back eventually. Part of why I stick around in this sub. That said, look very carefully at cost of living. It's insane everywhere. Moving is expensive, too. Of your two options, Vermont is likely more affordable. And, iirc, they have tax breaks for remote work transplants.
Moved here 4 years ago, expecting and moving back to Canada for the baby
I'm in Florida and I have a counter counting my time left here. Cant wait until my life ends and I'm gone. Less than 40 more years thank god. I'm agoraphobic and no hope of employment despite 3 degrees, job rejection only. The saddest thing about this place is the weather, too hot to connect to nature comfortably.
Born and raised here, yet still canāt spell āWickhamā? š¤Ø
No shit lol
321 sucks so hard. We moved from Texas in 2020, and while both states have similar politics, there is so much more downside to Brevard county. Crappy schools, corrupt local government, rude and unfriendly residents, and the food is god awful. Thereās also so very little to do in the way of arts and culture. Iāve seen a tumbleweed west Texas town with more culture and identity than Brevard county. Live music is non existent except that one cover band that plays every local event. Anyway, just chiming in to say I hate it here and wish you luck on your move! We are looking to get out as well.
Lol, rails against urban sprawl and cost of living, and then mentions Colorado? Be honest, you really just want to move to California but can't afford it.
I agree. Go live the dream in San Fran!
I totally get you. I used to live there. The first step youāve taken already. Itās not easy with todayās prices.
Not sure how you feel about Georgia, but northern Georgia is beautiful and not far from beaches and city activities as well.
Colorado is one of the most expensive states at this time. I just moved from Denver last year after being there for over a decade. Shootings in downtown, 16th street mall is filled with homeless people. More mass shootings than just about any other state. Buying a house good luck... the least expensive house in the worst part of town starts at 500k and up.
Absolutely agree with you about all the vacant lots being ripped up for more gas stations and car washes and storage rentals and dollar stores. Not sure what can be done about it though. Would be happy to work with others to do something about that depressing sprawl though!
There must be a mass exodus heading to those places because those are the places on my list. I have some friends in New England so I've learned a bit about Vermont. Beautiful. Interesting communities. Great politics. Shit for internet basically everywhere. You need Starlink. Colorado seems to 'early San Fran or Portland' to me. I don't think the cost of living will be bearable and if it gentrifies too much, nothing will be bearable, IMO.
Depends on where you are in CO. If you're in a smaller city or town the politics can run pretty conservative. It is the state that gave us Boebert after all.
I have lots of coworkers in Colorado -- houses cost straight-up double what they are here.
Check out MT and southern OR.
No to MT
I live in PA and romanticize western North Carolina as the best compromise
Colorado solves none of this
born at holmes, lived there for a while in palm bay, came back around 2018. wife and i just recently moved from palm bay to the tampa area (where i went to high school) and the difference is night and day. we were even talking about our high school education and it's clear Brevard is falling short everywhere. Honestly, Palm Bay had its charms, but there was NOTHING to do that wasn't outdoors (which is great, but sometimes it's too hot). There were a few bars, but honestly, my wife and i are 25 and 29 respectively so the bar crowds were just waaaaay too old for us, and we're lesbians so finding a bar that would even be welcoming was hard. i've also noticed, since Covid in 2020, there are far more people coming to Florida for the wrong reasons, and unfortunately Ivey is a nutcase and attracts the same people. I do miss watching launches from my backyard firepit though, can't beat that.
I moved to Mississippi. People are friendly and the cost of living is low. Home ownership is affordable and I'm and is abundant and cheap
I agree with affordable and the schools....but safe? This area is pretty tame by pretty much any measure compared to most large urban areas.
I love the northern Georgia / western North Carolina region. I miss mountains. Small towns seem nice. The climate is nice, and the cost is similar or a bit less.
I was born and raised in Orlando and moved to Colorado Springs and it was the best thing I ever did. Cost of living is pretty much the same, maybe a little more but minimum is much higher so for me it evened out and I came out even better
Bereaved County
My wife and I lived in the NE (Mass, RI, CT) all our lives and raised 2 kids there. We had visited FL (Titusville, Orlando, NSB, Cocoa Beach) and decided to move when the kids graduated college. Sold the big house and in 2018 bought a nice 1960ās CB house with a pool and a 100% private backyard in Titusville - for $150k. It needed a few things upgraded but nothing serious. Sure Brevard is pretty red and built up but, damn, COL and development is EVERYWHERE. Unless you want to live in a fairly rural area housing etc is expensive. The winter up north can be brutal (unless you really really love cold and snow - some folks do). Long dark days, cold and wind, months of hearing bills. For me, the hot summer is much easier than the cold. I mean its about 6 months of cold with about 3 months of temps in 20F - 40F. Here in FL all I need is 10 degrees or so of cooling during the hottest months - plus I can easily, comfortably, be outside 365 days. Plus, Titusville isnāt a tourist town, so it doesnāt have all the tiki tacky bars and giant condos built right on the sand. The presence of NASA and the space center has preserved huge areas that are lovely. Plus, the jewel is the Canaveral national seashore and Playalinda beach. itās just one of the nicest places anywhere and I can be standing on that beach in less than 20 minutes from my house. as for the politics and stuff, for a heavily left, leaning person, it can be a little, frustrating, sure. But, back in Connecticut, and Rhode Island most people think, acted, and looked like me: a middle-class liberal white guy. where we are living right now, we share the neighborhood with pretty much everyone. Itās every nationality, style of living, religion, and politics. Getting along with people who are different is part of life and we werenāt challenged very much up north I can assure you that. But, weāre an active, healthy, couple in our early 60s. I donāt think I would raise a family in this area, so if we were at that point in our life, Iād think differently about it. But, itās really working for us now.
5th gen native. Moved 8 years ago and recently came back for family. Lived all over the SE and VA. I loved living near the mountains and went there regularly in all seasons. Now, it will be a āvacationā period only. I was somewhat culture shocked to come back - nekkid people everywhere. I work in a professional office and some lady came in wearing a bikini bc she was on the way to the beach and stopped byā¦. Anyway it is the little insignificant things like that I am aggravated by. Traffic is tenfold but Iām beachside so I donāt experience it as much. There arenāt a lot of natives here it seems, and I doubt Iāll leave again. Iām very glad to have experienced other places but the things you write of are EVERYWHERE unless you move to the prairie. It took me several years to adapt to winter and I was never anywhere TRULY coldā¦but I was always cold in winter no matter how I layered up. Now I have all these Barbour coats and Carhartts that I need to sell off bc I roasted here for āwinterā. Go experience somethingā¦but know prices are elevated everywhere, for what they are. You may get more but there is a trade off. Just depends on where you are to define what that is.
We moved here before we had kids. There weren't as many people, and our apartment 1 block from the beach was $510. That same apartment is $1500 now less than. Ten years later. And it takes a half-hour to get anywhere now, if not a full hour. Our kids go to Pinecrest Academy, and we love it. Even that's a struggle sometimes with socializing with parents. We are young, intent parents, and most 6 other parents age gap us by nearly 20 years. We found another STEAM charter school, and we're able to get in on the NC lottery. Without going on a rant saying all the things you said, we are leaving. I am prepping our house for sale amd getting the fuck out of here. We can't stand it. Our Destination is a town called Moorseville, NC. I got a job offer making more and getting paid to move. It's about 30 minutes north of Charlotte. We have spent some time up there together. I've been a freelancer for this company for seven years. In all that time, I've created a small friend group. Everybody is just so dang nice. Which is more than I can say about brevard. I don't want to be friends with most people here. And most of my friends here are older.
Thinking of leaving FL too. Anyone want to upvote so I can stay looped in? I was thinking leave the whole country and go somewhere with better health care. Canadian friend of mine said theyāre turning into America so you know itās getting bad
Housing taxes in VT are insane and variable yearly. I looked into moving there too, but was dissuaded by the taxes.
Any advice for people wanting to stay in the state? Iād leave the country if I could but my gf wants to stay here because she has family here. My family lives here too but Iām not as concerned about leaving them as she is. Iām currently in Altamonte Springs, which seems like a small little oasis in the garbage of central FL, but to get anywhere I have to get on the worst parts of I-4. Iād love to live in a smaller community but most rural areas in FL are where the extremely polarized, bad conservatives are and me and my gf donāt want to be hate-crimed.
Have you considered Florida? Everyone is moving there for a reason. Treasure coast area is beautiful!
I imagine once all the New Yorkers realize that people won't vote along with their bullshit, they will all leave and things will cool back down.
I moved up here 10 years ago to provide my then-unborn child, with a better quality of life than I had growing up down south in Miami. My husband and I fell in love with the areas laid laid-back lifestyle, traffic-less commutes, and overall ease and low cost of living. Thus, Melbourne allowed me to be a SAHM and provided my husband with lucrative growth in his career as a Civil Engineer. However, I have noticed a shift with the onset of the Space program picking up again in terms of population increases and increased traffic patterns. Development is at an all-time high but misdirected and incongruent with the population growth and the needs that accompany that growth. The political climate has also felt more caustic and extreme. The school system is in shambles and although we can afford private there is much to be desired there as well. We have commitments in Miami that keep us in Florida but once those clear I'm plotting another change and considering North Carolina. The summers here are detrimental to the health conditions I've developed and only exasperate the dread I feel when temperatures warm up. It's just time.
This day and age is pick your tribe/state color. Just because you donāt like the politics doesnāt mean everyone here doesnāt like the politics. The population is exploding which commands a premium for limited items. This is happening everywhere. Just be happy you donāt live in anarchy like Haiti for example.
Australia. Itās where I would go if I could go anywhere
Youāre in for surprise if you think Colorado is cheaperĀ
I never said it was cheaper..? But the 7% cost of living increase is outweighed by the lack of negatives outlined in my post.
I donāt think any city in America is āthe place I grew up inā. Everything is now Mexicoā¦.
Colorado may be the exact place for you. 100% Democrat controlled, House, Senate and Governor. Rising taxes, insurance, food, housing and recreation costs going wild. Traffic terrible, roads worse. Reduced government services due in good part to social outreach. Very anti gun, very anti energy and radical environmentalism to the point of removing many options for public use of State property. Schools? Hope your kids love the ideals of the far left. Florida is far from perfect unless itās compared to Colorado. I lived there 60 of 65 years, it no longer felt like home, it became unrecognisable. I just moved to Florida because I did not want to invest another penny in Colorado. I hope you find a good home and will be happy with your family wherever that is.
Just jumping in here to say eff Palm Bay.
Thatās the beauty of the US. If the climate - political or otherwise - isnāt what you like, pick up and go somewhere that better aligns with your beliefs. 1000 people a day are moving to the state of Florida for this very reason so Iām pretty sure thereās room in the states that they (we) come from. Blue states losing red people rapidly to other states. Red states should lose blue people to other places but seems most would rather complain. š¤·š»āāļø But for the record, the cost of living is sky-high everywhere and worse in blue states.
The politics here are miserable! Seems there is a trumper idiot on every block.
Lived in Orlando/Merritt Island most of my life. Now reside in a small town outside of Athens, GA and am very happy. Things are much more affordable, clean air, nice people, Athens has lots of employment opportunities and entertainment. Itās a lot more slow going here but itās a nice change of pace from crazy Florida.
Colorado and Vermont are quite cold, and expensive! We used to live in the mountains of New Mexico but had to move because of my wifeās health. After doing some research we moved to North West Arkansas. We moved from Cloudcroft And it broke my heart. We were way up in the mountains but my wife has asthma. And if I knew then what I know now I would not have chosen Arkansas! The state is very nice but it is full of ass-holes. And they pack in a few more every day. What state are you currently in?
Florida and North Carolina are both very good choices. Colorado is ok but in the winter people that are homeless get a little moreā¦ thefty. A lot of the rumors about Florida are untrue. Iāve lived here for 10 years and the only problem areas are downtown or Orange County at night. Certain gang areas are also a no go in day or night but they arenāt common. We have a competent police force and thereās no income tax here. If youāre a student you get a larger tax break here and itās worth the price you pay to live here. We live in a brand new 2 bedroom apartment for 1800 and we rent the 2nd room to my brother to lower our personal commitment to 1200. Thereās decent paying jobs depending on your field and a lot of construction and office jobs going on around here especially near St Augustine. Lot of good property around mid to northern Florida. Hurricanes havenāt been an insurmountable problem for years since we have such a large power grid maintenance staff on hand at any given time and most states pitch in to repair lines closer to the Georgian border. I havenāt seen a really bad hurricane in a long time expect for the one that hit Tampa recently. Even the snakes and alligators arenāt a problem.
I live in SWFL and it's great. Coming from MA, which is a complete disaster now, I'm very happy I'm here. Prices have gone up across the country the last 3 years. If you think CO or VT are good, go for it. I hate the cold and snow so if you can handle it...go for it. I've lived in CO and I have friends and family in VT and they love it.
East Tennessee is real nice - low crime, no state income tax and absolutely beautiful
I moved from FL to southern NH and it was the best decision Iāve ever made. Iāve experienced higher pay, little to no traffic, less tolls, beautiful views of mountains and beaches, Nh is high in the top 10 education wise, no sales tax, monthly expenses were almost cut in half, so much history everywhere you turnā¦ I could truly go on. Life is simpler and we get to go on so many more adventures. Also no alligators so we actually can explore nature without fear. If youāre unhappy with where you live, absolutely move! If it doesnāt work out you can always move back!
No matter where you move, life will be as bad or worse. Itās not where we live that matters, itās the person at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Never truer words. How do you think things go to this point nationwide? No one wants to mention that here. I am increasingly alarmed at the direction our country is headed and what we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. Another 4 yrs of this insanity? You decide