Where Should I Move?

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alcuin18

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Before the title of this topic becomes misleading, I am not asking for anyone to tell me where to move. This topic is meant for advice. Specifically, I am trying to decide on a U.S. state, or particular region of a state, that would fit what I’m looking for. To help with this, I would like to list a few things I hope to find wherever I move, most of which I do not have in my current residence. I understand that this kind of topic can open up other issues or considerations, but I would greatly appreciate any advice based on the things I am about to list in particular. My desired attributes are (listed in order of importance from most to least):
  1. No extreme/dangerous weather (tornadoes, hurricanes, persistent sub-zero temperatures, etc.)
  2. Low crime (especially violent)
  3. Traditional Catholic options (parishes with traditional Church architecture, with either Tridentine or traditional NO Masses or even Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgies, an orthodox Catholic culture, etc.)
  4. Conservative/Republican state
  5. Cultural options (museums, art galleries, theatres, orchestras, professional sports, etc.)
These are the most important issues to me, and after combing through America it has been rather difficult to find anywhere that has all of these. If anything on the list was unclear, let me know and I’ll try to clarify.

God bless!
 
Rural Virginia (conservative, no extreme weather or high chances of natural disasters, low crime rate, Latin Mass etc) but about 1 hour from DC (museums, culture etc)
 
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Louisville, KY
Indianapolis, IN
Dallas, TX

Or suburbs surrounding these areas. You may have to drive a smidge for the Latin Mass. Or you could live by the Latin Mass and drive to these cities. But you get the idea. These are the regions I’d recommend.

Edited to add: obviously any big city has higher crime areas and lower crime areas. You’d have to research to find the best spot for you.
 
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I don’t know if you can find the weather you want, so you might consider the old Scandinavian saying, “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”
 
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Do you have a job that you can do anywhere? Is the job market a factor at all?
 
aroosi said:
no extreme weather or high chances of natural disasters,
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Multiple feet of snow is extreme in my opinion, and that happens every few winters in the parts of rural Virginia that I have lived in. And some of the not quite as rural parts that I have lived in have more cyclonic storms, although I remember the effects that Hurricane Floyd had on the Shenandoah Valley when it came through some years ago. But overall, I have to agree with the assessment. Whether I am looking for the same things is another topic, however.

ETA: I am unaware of any significant portion of the US that has absolutely zero extreme weather events, especially if you include earthquakes as weather events for this exercise (although Southern California has extreme rains causing mudslides every now and then).
 
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Yes, the risk is not zero but much better than other areas of the country (like Florida or Louisiana for Hurricanes, Kansas or Oklahoma for tornadoes, Michigan or Alaska for cold weather, California for wildfires and earthquakes etc).
 
Oh, don’t let my remarks lead you to believe that I don’t love Virginia, even if I don’t necessarily love every single thing about every part of it. My wife and I are planning to build our retirement residence on a recently purchased parcel smack in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, in farm country. We expect large amounts of snow on a somewhat regular basis, and intend to include additional bits in the build to alleviate some of the effects. But we are mostly there for the views - 360 degrees worth of mountain views and still no more than about 2-3 hours away from a Nationals game or a visit to the Smithsonian (depending on traffic, as the standard caveat goes around here). And plenty of other history and culture closer to hand as well.
 
I don’t live in Virginia but I have been in the area several times. Shenandoah valley is very beautiful and I understand why you are planning to retire there. For me the two biggest issues about the area (but I am not the original posters) would be the job market and fit in with the locals if you don’t share the same values and/or ethnic background.
 
There is definitely work there, and not all of it agricultural or labor. Thee is definitely a good market for skilled trades, and overall what seems to me to be a decent mix of opportunities for anyone who wants to work, even if some extremely specialized areas (like Aeronautical Engineering as an example off the top of my head) may not be well represented. There are several colleges in the area, and actually more Federal operations relatively close than one would assume. I like to think that I share many of the same values, if not necessarily the same political views, as longer-term residents. I actually lived there for many years quite a few years ago. Both of my children, now grown and out of the house, were born within a 45-minute drive of where our land is located, but my wife then is not the same as my wife now and she has never lived there, only visited.
 
why do people move when they retire??..i would never move from a place i spent my life there??
 
alcuin18 said:
  • No extreme/dangerous weather (tornadoes, hurricanes, persistent sub-zero temperatures, etc.)
  • Low crime (especially violent)
  • Traditional Catholic options (parishes with traditional Church architecture, with either Tridentine or traditional NO Masses or even Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgies, an orthodox Catholic culture, etc.)
  • Conservative/Republican state
  • Cultural options (museums, art galleries, theatres, orchestras, professional sports, etc.)
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I lived for 3 years in Charlotte, NC years ago, and I’d say it fits the bill. Most of my life I’ve lived in the metro Atlanta area and it certainly does too. Both have everything on your list with politics being the only asterisk. Like many states now, which have large cities, it’s a more of a “purple” state, which can go either way (red or blue), but outside of large city-limits, they lean conservative.
 
Huntsville, AL fits your list pretty well I think. You might have to drive an hour and a half to Nashville for some of the cultural options.
 
enoch1 said:
why do people move when they retire??..i would never move from a place i spent my life there??
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I have always wondered this too! I am a sentimental person. It seems horrible to think of leaving the places of all my memories behind! But… now that we are starting to outgrow our house (again) I’m seeing why folks talk about downsizing once they can…!
 
Currently moving from Colorado to Arizona for the reasons you listed. The Denver area has a great traditional community but the Denver and overall Colorado politics drove my wife and I out. I wish it wasn’t so because it is a beautiful state.
 
Weave said:
Currently moving from Colorado to Arizona for the reasons you listed. The Denver area has a great traditional community but the Denver and overall Colorado politics drove my wife and I out. I wish it wasn’t so because it is a beautiful state.
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I have thought about Arizona too but it seems to have become more of a swing state lately. A large portion of the immigrant population seems to lean left, at least that is my impression.
 
When making long-term plans for moving to the Phoenix area, consider waiting a year, to see who will be appointed the successor of the Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted. Since 2003 he has built on the success of his predecessor, making Phoenix into a shining city on a hill. (Even though it is in a valley…)
 
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