Okay, okay, I’ve talked about moving a lot in the past.
Last year, we were thinking about selling our current house and buying a new one in the St. Louis area again. But, then I left my day job for full-time freelancing and there were just too many things going on.
Good thing we put our home purchase on hold, because now we are thinking about leaving the St. Louis area and buying a home in a different state.
The two main states we are thinking about now are Colorado and Florida.
Yes, I know, these are two completely different states. Florida is hot and humid and doesn’t get any snow. Colorado experiences all four seasons and isn’t humid at all.
Below are some of the different things we are wanting and are thinking about when it comes to our potential move.
A beautiful area.
I used to really love the St. Louis area, but that was before we went to Colorado. After hiking and camping in Colorado, nothing in St. Louis is even remotely comparable.
I love how there are so many things to do in Colorado.
We can visit national parks, national forests, amazing trails, lakes, and so on. There are several outdoorsy things to do in this state and I think it would be impossible to ever feel bored if we moved to Colorado. Colorado is also closer to many other beautiful areas in the country, so it would be much easier to have beautiful outdoor vacations than where we are in Missouri right now.
What we love about Florida is the warmer weather and the beaches, of course!
We are also interested in getting a sailboat, and living in Florida would mean that we could travel the Caribbean potentially with a sailboat. That is a dream and sounds a little crazy though, and I’m not sure if that would ever realistically happen.
Good schools.
No, we don’t have children yet. However, we are thinking about having them in the next few years.
This means that we are looking into the school system for wherever we move. We forgot to do this when we bought our current house, mainly because we were so young when we bought and we knew we didn’t want children in the near future at that time.
The only way I really know how to check this though is with the website Great Schools. Does anyone know if this is a good way to check? Or are there better websites?
If you live in Colorado or Florida, or know of any school systems, please let me know. I’d love to hear!
Budget.
We will, of course, have a budget wherever we move. I’m not the type of person who could live in Los Angeles or New York City where the cost of living is extremely high.
I want a decent house that is within our budget. I’m not exactly sure what our budget will be, but somewhere between $300,000 to $400,000 I think would be good.
Also, we want a home with at least a little bit of land. At least one acre would be great. I just want a little bit a land, a pretty view, and possibly an area where I can attempt to grow a garden.
I’m not sure if all of this is possible in Colorado though. We have been looking at Realtor.com and Zillow and it seems like housing is a little bit more expensive there then it is here in St. Louis. $300,000 to $400,000 in St. Louis could buy you a 4,000 square foot brand new McMansion!
If anyone wants to help with a budget (how much is the average home in a city in both of these states?), cost of living, property and income taxes in each of these states, how is the social life like, and so on? I know this can vary greatly, but I would like to hear anyone’s input about these areas.
Not too, too far away.
Colorado is around 12 hours from where we live in St. Louis. That is definitely a long car drive, but it is something that we can do within one day. Also, a plane trip wouldn’t be too terribly long, so that is doable as well.
Florida would be a minimum of 12 hours from our home, and some places in Florida could even be 25 hours a way. That is definitely a long drive!
One reason why we are thinking about leaving the St. Louis area is because we don’t have much family here in St. Louis anymore. Wes’s parents and his younger siblings all just recently moved to Memphis, and my whole family lives in Chicago.
Would you ever move to a new area? Why do you currently live where you live?
What must a city have for you to want to move there?
Image: The picture above is one I took with my iPhone while we were driving when we went to Colorado in June. No editing or anything, that’s just how beautiful Colorado is!
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NZ Muse says
Auckland is definitely not perfect but I’ve yet to visit another place that overall beats it. The hardest parts to bear are the cost of living and lack of certain cuisines (MEXICAN).
Michelle S. says
Aww I don’t know what I would do without Mexican food!
Amy says
Sounds like a good list of factors to consider. I’m pretty unfamiliar with both Florida and Colorado (and St. Louis, actually!), but my uninformed vote would be for Colorado. I’m not a fan of humidity, and I love having the seasons. I’ve lived all my life in the northeast, with the exception of about 20 months in the San Francisco Bay Area. (I moved for a job.) I REALLY missed the seasonal changes there.
Michelle S. says
Yeah I’m not a fan of humidity either, and St. Louis is horrible when it comes to that!
Brian says
We currently live in Indianapolis because that is where our family lives. Family is extremely important to my wife and fairly important to me. It also means we have lots of willing free babysitters (when you have kid(s) this is a major plus!).
As far as moving, we are looking into moving abroad for a while. It probably won’t happen until our kids are older and my parents are no longer around (yeah that is pretty morbid I know). We have narrowed it down to Ireland (I was born there and have citizenship… thus my kids have citizenship so that would be easy) or Austria. Both have their positives and negatives, but then again so does staying in Indianapolis.
Michelle S. says
Yeah, family is important to us. I wish they all lived closer and in one place! 🙂
Holly@ClubThrifty says
We live in Indiana. It is not perfect, but we do love it here. I like the change of the seasons and the affordability. For the 400K you mention, you could get a huge mega-mansion!
I also like our county because it has the top schools in the state.
Michelle S. says
I’ve been looking, and $400K doesn’t buy nearly as much in Colorado as it would in Indiana or Missouri. It makes me sad!
James Salmons says
Perhaps, but it depends on where you go.
A smaller town or rural area, still near to Denver or Colorado City or wherever would not be nearly so expensive as in the larger citie. For example, Florrisant would make you feel at home since you have a Florrisant suburb of St. Louis (I mention this town only because my wife’s sister lives in Florissant, MO), and prices there would not be nearly so high.
Homes outside city limits can have a little acreage and prices are usually lower as well. We are only two miles outside the city limits of our nearest town and our taxes as well as building costs were much better than they would have been otherwise.
We ended up with more land than we planned, over 20 acres, but having the space is wonderful. And working from home I do not have to worry much about car expenses.
Michelle S. says
Oh yes, I know that. However, we have been looking and have looked at over 1,000 houses online in Colorado and the cost of living is definitely higher there.
John @ Wise Dollar says
Those are all good things to be looking for/keep in mind when looking to move. When we moved out to Omaha (I had lived here in the past) we found our first place on the internet and simply made the move. We wouldn’t do it that rashly at all again – especially with the kids. The big thing for us would be the ability to get anywhere we needed within a day. Our family lives all over the country, so if an emergency happened we’d want to be able to get to one of them by plane. Other than that, we’re pretty open.
Michelle S. says
I think we definitely want to test out an area first, before we commit to buying something.
Deb @ Saving the Crumbs says
So, you may be familiar with Mr. Money Mustache (retired by 30 and gives great money saving advice). He lives in Longmont, CO and has a whole blog post on why he thinks it’s an idea place for his lifestyle. He’s even willing to help others with similar views in their relocation. You might want to check out his blog post if you haven’t already, it’s called ‘Stashtown, USA.
Michelle S. says
I love MMM, but I’m not sure if I’ve read that blog post. I will be checking it out now. Thanks so much!
Christine Presto says
I would think about moving to a new area, but not in my current city in Atlanta. We love the location and the convenience of where we are in the city, and having a pool is a big factor as well! The only problem is my work commute is heinous!!
For me to move to a new city, first, it probably needs to be in the south or around some type of water body that you can actually enjoy (aka not Canada), and it must also have opportunities for work! I am location-dependent right now (I wish that would change). Honestly, friends aren’t a huge factor as I know the ones I have now will forever remain my friends into the future.
Michelle S. says
Yes, having a pool must be nice!
Michelle S. says
Yeah, it’s really tough to choose somewhere to live. I would definitely choose to be near family, but there is a whole ‘nother backstory to most of thing which I can’t include on the blog.
Retired by 40 says
I’ve been told – by other bloggers- that Colorado is great for those who want to be active. Many of their town not only have access to beautiful national parks, but they are becoming more friendly to those who want to walk everywhere they go. I’ve also been told that neighbors in Colorado are some of the most friendly you’ll ever meet. Hopefully you’ll be able to make the decision!
Michelle S. says
Thanks!:)
femmefrugality says
No state income taxes in Florida! I’ve only ever driven through Colorado, but every one I know that’s lived there has raved about it. For schools, Great Schools is a decent place to start, but nothing can compare to talking to locals with kids from a wide array of local school districts. Some people have a lot of pride about their area that blinds them to potential problems, so that’s why I say talk to a BUNCH of people.
Michelle S. says
Thanks! Hopefully I can find some people to talk to 🙂
Charlotte says
Hmmm considering I’ve never been to either Florida or Colorado, I don’t know how much my vote is worth….but that being said, I’d TOTALLY pick Florida! I’m all about the beach and warm weather, even if that means humidity. Think of all the outdoor activities you can do year round! Colorado would be great too, but I’d rather live near the water than the mountains. Either way, you’ll be happy!
Michelle S. says
Thanks Charlotte!
Mary Happymommy says
We live in North Carolina and love it. We are originally from New Jersey and lived in Ohio for a while. We love the weather and the low taxes here. I guess the only thing we wish we had is that we were closer to the beach. We’re currently about 2 hours from the nearest beach.
Michelle S. says
2 hours isn’t bad! 🙂
Rachel says
Those are definitely very different locations! We live in Cleveland because it’s where we work… the hours drive is too much for mys husband’s family’s taste already! We’re definitely open to moving away from here in the future… but we’d like it to be a climate improvement!
Michelle S. says
Yes, they are very different, which makes the decision hard!
EL @ Moneywatch101 says
I would move if I don’t connect (Job, family, friends) anymore to an area and if another area can provide better benefits for my family. Florida is more of a place I would lean towards because Im kind of tired of the snow here in the northeast, it is semi-tax free, low cost of living, and you can get a decent house for your money. The only thing that would be of concern is the diversity and culture in certain parts of Florida. Good Luck.
Michelle S. says
Thanks! 🙂
Michelle S. says
Miami sounds nice! When I was younger, I spent a lot of time in Boca because that’s where my grandpa lived.
Julie Wood says
I live in my City because I was born here. We do not have tornadoes or hurricanes where I live, but it does get really cold in the winter. But the biggest reason I live here is the cost of living. It is not high like some other cities are. If I could afford it, a City that I would love to live at would have not tornadoes or hurricanes. I would love to live in California where it never gets really cold. My dream City would be in a really nice house in San Diego.
Michelle S. says
San Diego would be nice!
Kim says
Obviously, I am partial to Southwest Colorado. We have a big house with 3 acres for well under your housing budget. It is very rural, so I’m not sure that’s what you’re looking for. Outdoor activities are the real selling point of the area, but if you are looking for anything else, you’d be very disappointed. I agree the Longmont area would be a good place. It is similar to the Boulder area but much less expensive. Louisville is also in that area and consistently ranks as one of the top places to live and raise kids in CO, but I have no idea about costs there. Douglas County consistently ranks as the best school district. Lots of it, like Highlands Ranch, are very conservative and you’d have to live in a subdivision where all the houses look the same. Castle Rock would be my favorite part of Douglas and I would try to live there if I had to live in the Denver area, but I’m not sure you could get a house with an acre for your budget.
Now, the thing about living in Denver is that it does take a long time to get to the mountains. Most of my friends who live there actually ski and hike very little. On weekends, it can take 3 or more hours to drive back from the ski areas. You would probably have better luck being about to do it on weekdays, but still something to consider.
Ski towns have the absolute best individual schools according to the ranking, but you’d never be able to buy a house there.
If I were doing it all over again and we weren’t established where we are, I’d look into the Grand Junction area. It’s cheap. Maybe not as pretty or exciting as Denver, but there is a downtown area that is pretty cool and has been totally redone over the last decade. There is a decent sized university. They have a small airport, but you can get really cheap flights on Allegient Air to Las Vegas or LA or take United into Denver and connect from there. The schools vary depending on where you live in the area, but overall pretty good. It has crazy good mountain biking nearby and is relatively close to Aspen or Telluride areas without having to fight traffic. It’s also only a bit over an hour to Moab, one of our favorite places. There would not be much diversity there though. I also really like Glenwood Springs, which is small, but only an hour from Aspen or Grand Junction and about two and a half hours from Denver.
How amazing that you are location independent and can go anywhere! I can’t wait to see what you choose.
Michelle S. says
Thank you Kim for saying all of this! I was hoping that you would comment since I know you live in Colorado. We liked all of these places when we went on our trip to Colorado. It’s really such a hard decision.
Kathy says
FYI Florida has no state income tax.
Michelle S. says
Yes, that is a big plus!
kammi says
Colorado is great (I have family in Denver), but I’m a bit biased toward the East Coast, even though I live in California (used to live in NY; NJ has GREAT schooling, I remember that, and I really liked the NY educational system; it’s rigorous). You can get to ANYWHERE from the East Coast, which I LOVE. I DO hope you make it to the Caribbean, btw; it’s beautiful! Make sure you go to the little islands like Martinique and Montserrat and Antigua. Go for Carnival, also 🙂 It’s pretty awesome; Richard Branson goes every year! Do the Harrison caves in Barbados and all that, too. Antigua has 365 beaches! Google Image “Parlatuvier”. People make it sound like it’s so out there to go to the Caribbean, but I go every other year, so it can’t be THAT difficult. 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
Michelle S. says
Thanks Kammi! We’ve been the Caribbean many times, but we’ve never sailed it on a sailboat.
michellr says
We have 300+ days of sunshine in Colorado a year 🙂 except for today. It’s actually raining!
Michelle S. says
Nice! 🙂
MomCents says
This all sounds very exciting for your family!
When I bought our current home, I didn’t consider schools either. But one website I use besides Great Schools is the cityData forums. There are real people who give candid information and most major cities are already covered. If not…pose your question and as long as the city isn’t too obscure, you’ll probably get a few replies.
Personally, I’ve always wanted to at least visit CO. I didn’t realize it was only a 12 hr drive….hmmm…may have to make that happen sooner rather than later.
Florida – Hurricanes – nope!
I’m sure you’ll enjoy whichever move you decide to make!
Michelle S. says
Thank you! 🙂 I’ll have to look into cityData.
michelle says
OK, here’s why Colorado is great.
1.) Nice people
2.) If you like to be active-this is your place. Hiking, biking, walking, camping, skiing, etc.
3.) Brew pubs
4.) Movies on the Rocks-google it
5.) Fourth strongest economic recovery in the U.S.
6.) Huge public works projects
7.) Finally, finally really good food
8.) We like to party. If there is something to celebrate we’re on it!
9.) People understand why you would work from home-weekday skiing
10.) Hanging Lake, Crested Butte, Breckenridge, Denver, Boulder, Sand Dunes
11.) There are lots of negatives of course, but the positives are pretty good
12.) Access to the arts! Theater, etc
*I wouldn’t buy right when you move. Get a feel for whatever city you decide to move to. Market is too hot in Colorado.Real estate always goes down.
Will show you around!
Michelle S. says
Thank you Michelle! Glad you replied. I am EXTREMELY interested in Colorado 🙂
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life says
A thriving cultural scene is a MUST for me- art, theatre, and good international food 🙂
Michelle S. says
Yummm food! 🙂
Newlyweds on a Budget says
I would DEFINITELY move somewhere else, BUT our families both live in sunny Orange County, CA so moving isn’t as appealing. The cost of living is incredibly expensive here, but I wouldn’t want to spend all our vacation time coming back to visit family, and with our hectic schedules it will be a big benefit to have family around when we have kids. I am rooting for Colorado!! I have heard nothing but good things baout that place. I love the outdoorsy stuff and it seems very family-centric.
Michelle S. says
Definitely sounds like you have good reasons for staying in California. I would stay if I were you too!
Aprille Joie San Luis says
You’re an inspiration 🙂
Michelle S. says
Aww thanks!
Kara Bissonnette says
I can’t imagine to moving mainly because I like being close to family. I know a lot of people who have moved to Colorado though and just love it there!
Michelle S. says
Awesome, good to hear! 🙂
Kristin says
I am from Florida (having lived in Orlando, Tampa and Tallahassee) and just relocated to Seattle last year (I am 33). Since you are self employed, you won’t have to worry about finding a new job- but I will say Florida is still recovering from the recession where many other places, like Colorado, have already recovered and are thriving. I think salaries in general are lower in Florida, but the cost of living is fairly inexpensive.
If you are looking for “A” schools, check out http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/ – Lake Mary is voted one of the top cities and schools in the country.
I absolutely miss Florida- nothing beats the Gulf beaches & trips to the Keys 🙂
Michelle S. says
Thank you Kristin! Glad someone from one of the states I talked about commented. Yes, Florida is awesome so this is a tough decision.
Broke Millennial says
I’d factor in that Florida doesn’t have state income tax…Just something to consider!
I love that you’ve broken it down to two totally different type of states. Just be sure to visit the area you’d want to move to and get a feel of the local culture to see if you feel it’s a good fit.
Michelle S. says
Yes that is definitely one big plus that Florida has! That makes the decision even more tough haha.
E.M. says
I would choose CO just because of the weather. I really hate the humidity, and we’re only in NC! Being near the beach is nice, but seeing as I lived within 20 minutes of a beach once and never went, I’ve decided it’s not worth it for me. I’d rather have the mountains and nice scenery. You could always rent in both places and see which one you love more!
Michelle S. says
Thanks! And yes, we plan on renting in multiple areas before we make the decision. It will be tough!
Shannon @ Financially Blonde says
I have lived in Florida and my husband taught high school there and I can tell you the public schools are not great. It is one of those states where they pay teachers poorly and I think it reflects in the public school system. A number of people send their kids to private school starting at kindergarten which is crazy because it certainly adds up. My hubby has now taught in 4 states and he says the consistently best educated and well-rounded group of kids he has ever taught have been in New York. We pay a lot in taxes, but we have a great public school system.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I’ve heard from many people that the schools in Florida are not great. That is a big negative for us.
Alicia @ Monster Piggy Bank says
I wish I could move, but my husband is too scared to let us. He hates change. Yet I am the type of woman who loves to experience new things and not just be comfortable most of the time. I want to step out of my comfort zone and try something new..
Michelle S. says
Where would you want to move?
Jason B says
I would definitely move to a new area. In fact I probably will do it within the next few years. I currently live in Atlanta because it was the city that gave me approval to transfer when I left Savannah. A city has to have nice weather, diversity and at least two out of the three main pro sports teams.
Michelle S. says
LOL I love how you mentioned sports teams 🙂
Alexis says
Colorado! When I visit or dog-sit I want to be in CO, not Florida. =)
Michelle S. says
Haha thanks Lexy!
Anna Pry says
yes, we moved to another state a month ago and are now where we’ve been wanting to live for many years- North Carolina. Its so beautiful here and an endless list of things we can do outdoors and culturally. I love how much friendlier people are here and the strong sense of community. I think before you choose a town, really do your research to see what the area offers and visit it to get a feel for it first.
Michelle S. says
Thanks Anna! We plan on doing a lot of research, and then renting a home in different areas before we buy. I definitely don’t want to regret such a big decision.
Shannon says
The factors would be the same for me, would it be affordable, near shopping/my husband’s job, etc. I wouldn’t want it to be in a climate that was extremely cold or hot and I would want it to be in a good neighborhood. Schools would not be a factor for me.
Michelle S. says
Yeah, I don’t want anything too extremely hot or too cold.
Karen S. says
I currently live in the location I do because I was born and raised here, I love it, it’s comfortable and it’s very affordable for me. I’m Canadian and live in Montreal, a beautiful city. Of course it’s not the only beautiful city, and I could see a day coming when I could move (after winning the lottery), but I’ve set down a few roots (my house, my friends, family) and frankly I can’t afford the places that might entice me away! (Vancouver, Hawaii).
Michelle S. says
Hawaii would be nice! 🙂
Nicole Dz says
I would love to move to Dallas Texas or even Fort Worth Texas. I have most of my family there and would love to be closer to them, and they have a lot more to do there, as in activities and experiecnes, then where I live now which is in small town in Michigan. Dallas has a bunch of stuff that suits my lifestyle.
Michelle S. says
Texas sounds nice! 🙂
Michelle S. says
Thank you!
Michelle S. says
Thanks Catherine!
Jenni says
I lived in Colorado for 8 years and only moved because I got an opportunity to transfer to Hawaii last year 🙂 So I will vote CO!
I lived in Aurora (suburb technically, though it’s about the same size as Denver). Housing wise, your money will go further if you live in the suburbs – small houses in Denver, say near Wash Park or City Park, are very cute but you pay for the neighborhood. Single family houses are more expensive than in the Midwest (probably 220k +). I had a townhouse, so it wasn’t as much.
Cherry Creek Schools are considered very good – though I would say the reputation of most of the southern/western suburbs are pretty good. Great variety of outdoor activities, professional sports, theater, most of the major concerts come through (between Pepsi Center, Red Rocks or Fiddler’s Green). Very bike friendly with bike lanes, paths, parking, bike sharing, as well as public transportation including light rail. Lots of restaurants with new places opening all the time. Denver’s airport, although it feels like it’s all the way in Kansas, has non-stop flights to almost everywhere – easy to go back to the Midwest to see the family. Skiing, camping, hiking all within an easy drive (give or take weekend ski traffic on I 70 in the winter). The one thing CO doesn’t have a lot of – big bodies of water.
It’s exciting to consider a change – what an adventure!
Michelle S. says
Thanks Jenni for all of this! Everyone is making me very excited for Colorado 🙂
Mary Beth Elderton says
I am from Houston, TX–I raised my kids there, though we are all elsewhere now. In fact, I am in St Louis! I moved from Texas to Colorado to South Carolina, to Missouri. We have a small home in town right now,but will be moving again in about 9 years–retirement time. I think we are likely to stay in Missouri….maybe someplace with a little slower pace than St Louis, since we don;t have to worry about kids in school any more, and being in the middle of the country makes us about halfway to any place else in the country
I recommend that you take a look at Fort Collins or Boulder (we lived in both Fort Collins and Denver) in Colorado as a place to raise a family. They are beautiful small cities. Being “college towns” they offer a fun and more cultured atmosphere with great education at every level, cool shops, a wonderful variety of restaurants and events.
Michelle S. says
Thank you! I am definitely interested in Fort Collins and Boulder.
Laura S. says
I taught in the Florida schools for four years (SW Florida). The schools are awful in my opinion. There is no sense of community whatsoever (as teachers part of our job was to literally beg for parents to come to open houses etc.). Many of my teacher friends who have taught elsewhere in the state agree. The quality of living and the schools are a little better in the northern half of the state. I could never live there again, but if I absolutely had to, I would pick living anywhere north of Tampa. I can’t speak for the schools in Colorado, but there is so much more to do there overall.
Michelle S. says
Thank you Laura for your input. Many people have mentioned the school problem there and it makes me sad! The state needs to work on that.
Will @firstqfinance says
You could move out to Longmont with Mr. Money Mustache! He would probably want you to sell the Jeep and Camaro, however..
Michelle S. says
Haha thanks Will!
Mishelle says
I currently live in Bridgewater, NS (the armit of NS I might add) and think every day of moving to the Dartmouth area or even BC as it’s more temperate, and more importantly – precious little snow) but the kids are in a good school and I can’t risk moving them to a larger one. I’d love to give them and myself a new start but it’s such a chance to risk at their ages.
M
Michelle S. says
Yes, this is why choosing a place with a good school is so important to me. I’ve been to dangerous schools before (when I grew up in Chicago), and I wouldn’t want to do that to my children.
cece@pink sunshine says
I love So Cal and my city way too much to ever leave. I don’t see it happening!! If we had to I’d be looking for the warmest, driest climate I could find with the least amount of bugs. I’ve heard Colorado is beautiful. I like it that it’s dry I just don’t know if I could handle the cold.
Michelle S. says
Yeah, the cold is something that we are still wondering about. We will have to visit in the winter time.
Grayson @ Debt Roundup says
Colorado is on our list of places to move to. Right now, we really enjoy being near our family, especially with our son. Later down the road, we will move to a mountain town somewhere. That is our scene!
Michelle S. says
Yes, a mountain town sounds awesome!
Kendal @HassleFreeSavings says
I live in Northern Colorado and though I want the experience of living somewhere else (I was born in NoCo), it’s hard for me to imagine a better place to live! The cost of living can be high but it depends on where you settle. We live in a small town 10 miles east of Fort Collins so the cost of living is lower than in FoCo, but we still have easy access to all the city’s activities and are still relatively close to the mountains. The schools are great, too! Everyone who visits comments on how awesome it is and how CLEAN it is — I hear that a lot. Plenty of places to walk, bike, hike, run, raft and camp. And of course, there’s craft beer. 🙂
Michelle S. says
Thank you for all of this! 🙂
Tonya@Budget and the Beach says
Ive spent a bit of time in both and Colorado would get my vote hands down. The only reason I don’t live there now is I’m so used to the beach and beach volleyball. But it’s such a great state, and there are so many great outdoor activities to do there.
Michelle S. says
Yes, I love that there are so many things to do there. It’s a big positive!
Melissa says
I’ve lived in Colorado, so I’m biased. The schools are great in most places (Cherry Creek I’ve heard good things about), Denver and the surrounding areas are beautiful, there are a ton of parks, the food scene is good, local transportation is really good… I only lived in Denver, so that’s my experience but, compared to what I know about Florida (and I had family who lived there)… just, maybe, don’t do Florida. Hurricanes, it’s humid, etc. Sure, Denver gets cold and it snows, but honestly the snow melts pretty quickly and it’s not as bad as people say.
My vote is CO! 🙂
Michelle S. says
Haha thanks Melissa! It seems like mostly everyone is voting Colorado.
DC @ Young Adult Money says
Besides the oceans and mountains, Minneapolis-St. Paul really has it all. I may be a bit biased because I haven’t lived anywhere else, but we seriously are spoiled here with our parks, culture, career opportunities, entertainment, etc. I don’t anticipate moving unless my wife gets into a phd program in a different state or if she becomes a professor at a college in a different state.
Michelle S. says
Sounds like St. Louis is pretty similar to where you live. I do like St. Louis, but I LOVED Colorado.
Drew says
I think I would vote for Colorado.
I like Florida, and used to have grandparents and friends who lived there. However, Florida is year-round traffic congestion, overweight sun-burnt tourists, and high humidity. 🙂 lol
Colorado is colder (which I personally don’t like much), lower population, beautiful scenery, and more centrally located to the rest of the country, if you care to travel around the country.
We are thinking about relocating as well. From the Atlanta area to South Dakota. We don’t have any family in the area, and we do up there. I will have to find a new job, as my employer doesn’t have any operations up there. However, my main drawback… COLD weather and tons of snow! O_o haha
Michelle S. says
Haha yeah the weather is something that we really need to think about. We plan on visiting Colorado in the winter time to see if we still like it.
Cami says
I live where I live for convenience, I’m close to my family and it is a beautiful place!
Michelle S. says
Sounds great! 🙂
Amanda says
With all the issue we have with our rental, we CANNOT wait to move. We have no intention on leaving the city – especially because my fiance is about to start a brand new, amazing job. This also means that our pipe-dream of buying a house is now actually within our reach (although we’re still a year or so away from that). So we’ve been thinking a lot about what we want in a house. Right now, the biggest thing for us is privacy from our neighbours. Living in a townhouse complex has ruined any desire to have neighbours.
There are lots of really cute places either at the edge of the city, or in an incorporated township surrounding us. There are pros and cons to staying in the city and leaving it that we’ll have to consider when the time comes. But I CANNOT wait for the process to start 🙂
Michelle S. says
Yeah, we definitely want room as well. Townhomes are cute, but I need my space!
Andrew@LivingRichCheaply says
Just curious…how did you end up in St. Louis to begin with? I think why most people live where they live is Career and family. One of the main reasons I live in NYC, even though I’ve often wondered how much better off we might be if we lived in a lower cost of living area is because my family and a lot of my wife’s family lives here. Plus our friends as well.
Michelle S. says
My dad was originally from the Chicago area, but he received a promotion and was moved down to St. Louis, I believe. That was all before I was born so I’m not positive.
Diana Corlett says
I currently live on an acreage in rural central Alberta. Although I have lived in this province for most of my life, I would prefer to live in southern BC nearer to the coast…in fact, just outside of Abbotsford. Partly this is due to climate which is warmer with less winter and more spring and summer, but the big draw is that my daughter and her family live there. The city would have everything I need, while now I am a 40 minute drive from a larger centre. Someday soon…hopefully 🙂
Michelle S. says
Thanks for sharing Diana! I’m so glad that so many people read this post and shared where they lived. It’s amazing!
Erin G says
I would LOVE to move to a new area….just not a new state. We actually moved to our current house because my husband didn’t want to pay to go across a toll bridge we have here. Then he got a job on the other side of the bridge haha, figures right! We currently live in our current area because it was close to where he was stationed in the military…no longer the case since he got out. A must have for me in any city is just being close to a grocery store, school and church that we love. I don’t want to live far away from civilization (or Target hehe)
Clarisse @ Make Money Your Way says
The very first thing that I should look in the place is if it’s near in the school area. I already have a daughter so I love to live near the school and accessible in the grocery market.
Christine Berry - Wealth Way Online says
How exciting! I would choose Florida, personally and I think the sailboat idea is only crazy if you think so…
I need the place to be warm, with good internet, preferably cheap… e.g. South East Asia. Thankfully my boyfriend loves it here so once we get our taxes issues ironed out we might be back for a longer stay 😀
Athena says
So many options, so many choices!
I currently live in Phoenix, AZ and although I grew up in a suburb of Phoenix, I’m not necessarily tied to it or anything. I originally moved here to get out of Vegas and to be with my ex, but I am staying put for the time being to finish a degree in criminology and because I am so in love with my job! However, I am currently in a long distance relationship and could very easily see myself living on the east coast, especially more and more every time I go to visit. I love how historical it is, how their always seems to be something to do and how green it is! I fear snow though. 🙁
For you, I am rooting Colorado to settle down in and raise a family but Florida for two years first to explore! I mean, why not? You technically could do the sailboat thing now while you guys don’t have a family and are not location dependent! It could work and there is never anytime like the present!
Susan Smith says
I would choose Florida over Colorado because I hate snow. We aren’t thinking of moving now but might be when we retire. We are looking for a state that is warm because my husband wants to be able to golf year round and has a low cost of living. We wouldn’t have to worry about the school system, but that would be a big factor is we moved while out kids were still in school.
Meghan says
Someone may have already covered this – sorry I didn’t read through all the comments!
Colorado is the best! I miss home every day. It is affordable as long as you steer clear of the City and County of Denver, touristy ski resort areas, and Boulder/parts of Boulder County. The southern suburbs of Denver are the most expensive. Places like Thornton (north) are cheaper. I also love Longmont and Fort Collins. I went to high school in a town between Denver and Longmont called Erie. It may have what you are looking for. Even Durango down in SW CO is awesome. Income tax in CO is cheap as are property taxes. I hope this helps!
Amy Heffernan says
I have never been to any of these places but Florida would be #1 on my list. Seems beautiful there and so much to do and see! I am sure u will choose the right place!
Ellen Ross says
my biggest thing is location i want a decent and safe area that is very close to my work and my boyfriends work!
ginette4 says
Wow..so much to think about..we have family that lives in Colorado..it’s beautiful, they would never move they love it there and I have family that just moved to Florida and they love it there..it’s a huge decision, glad it isn’t me..lol good luck with which ever you decide.
Jo-Ann Brightman says
We have a small family and we would move to be closer to one of those family members. I like Colorado more thatn Florida.
Suzie M says
I live in a city, wouldn`t want to move but thats because my grandchildren are here
A city would need good medical care, lots of theater & shopping for me to consider a move
Kohaku Pen says
I wouldn’t mind moving to a new place, I would look love to travel and see new things. Although, the idea of a new environment is a little weird. I live where I live right now because I dont think I’m ready just yet. Maybe in a year possibly.
To be honest if I were to move, the city must have at least one quiet place. Like woods, forests, etc.
Anita says
I would rather not to have to move again.I would buy the neighbourhood and let everyone else move
Jill Myrick says
Yes , if everything was in place and I could find what I needed I would move to a new city.
When I purchased my home I was a single mom and the area was low crime and safe with great schools.
A city would have to have a good school system and a low crime rate before I would consider moving there.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Shane Prather says
I just moved to Sydney, Australia and the cost of living is out the roof! Any tips on budgeting for a recent college grad not used to spending this kind of money?
Birdiebee says
I have moved several times to other states where I started all over again. I am now back where I grew up as I have medical issues and family is close by. One of my favorite places to live is Coeur d’Alene, Idaho as it is close to a bigger city yet has a small town feel with a beautiful lake and many activities going on all year round.