Hubby and I were chatting in our backyard yesterday in the beautiful warm California sunshine. He talked about his Regional V.P. coming into town this week and their combined work schedule. There has been some chatter of promoting my hubby to a Regional V.P position..if my husband(and I ) want it then it is very possible we could be moving in the next year.
The company is wonderful. They have moved us before. They sell our home,pack and move us and pay to get us in a new home. Really...it is an amazing global corporation that has blessed us financially. They really take care of their hardworking employees.
Soooo, here are the locations to pick from. Missouri, Kentucky or Florida. What would you choose?? He would be covering the Central States region. I am leaning toward Florida. This Callifornia girl(and family) loves sunshine...and swimming.
Soooo, give me pros and cons of these states. We all love the adventure of moving and meeting new people.
Thanks for your thoughtful replies.
We will most definitely do on-line research to narrow down our search. Then the company will send us out on some weekend trips to check out areas and homes.
This post was just testing the water..so to speak. I can't talk to anyone yet about this so it was nice to get it off my chest and get some input. As of now, I honestly don't know the geography of any of the 3 states. This news was just such a huge surprise that I had to ask my mamapedia ladies.
I do love the thought of leaving our heavily taxed state. It is outrageously expensive to live here...but it is all we have ever known!! We already live quite comfortable here. I can't even imagine what it will be like to live elsewhere. I do know we will be able to pay cash for a home in the 3 states we are considering living in. That sounds so nice!
I will ask again later if we move forward with this decision and seriously start looking into relocating.
Thanks again ladies for taking some time to help this Cali girl!
If it were panhandle/redneck riviera or southern coastal FL, I'd head thataway.
Central or inland FL? Pass.
In all cases, though, FLs school system is atrocious. Which means private school.
Just say no to snow and ice! You don't give locations in the three states but I live in Florida! I hate cold weather, don't really like snow and really, really don't like ice!
Good luck! C.
I'd go with Missouri. St. Louis is a city with modern culture and amenities, lots of great colleges, etc. No offense to anyone from KY I'm sure that there are lovely places and people there but the handful of people I know from there or who live there don't make your state look very good. I don't have any nice things to say about Florida either. The schools are terrible. Most people I know who have moved to Florida with kids moved somewhere else shortly after or sent their kids to private schools. Great place to retire to or visit, crappy place to raise a family.
I'd pick Florida, then Kentucky.
Florida: No personal income taxes in Florida! (instant pay raise!) I'd shy away from southern Florida, though, as it's one big crowded traffic jam of a city. I lived there a long, long time. Northern Florida is soooo much nicer. Anything North of Orlando. DH and I want to retire to Tarpon Springs in 15 years. Also, in Norther Florida you'll be a good 5-6 hours closer to his region. Only 2-3 hours away from Disney and Busch Gardens, and 5-6 hours away from a really nice get away in the Keys. I really, really miss the Keys.
Kentucky: The topography is very interesting. If you are the hiking/camping/caving kind of family, that's the place to go. Climate is nice - not too cold in the winter but you get a little to get you in that holiday spirit. Of all the states I've ever visited, the nicest people I've ever met were in Kentucky. Geniuine nice - not just lip service.
Well........you could beg for a transfer to Minnesota. Who doesn't love frigid temps and windchills 45 degrees below zero? Last week, during our bitter cold snap, I was fueling up my car and the button on my jeans froze to my skin. I now have a red little circle on my tummy where the button stuck to my skin. So, enjoy that sunshine for me! :)
I would pick Florida. Florida, Missouri and Kentucky all have poisonous snakes (a big deal to me. Lame, I know), but Florida is a coastal state which totally cancels out the snake problem, in my mind. LOL! :)
Florida's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.
Without some sort of a freezing winter, the bugs just get to be a bit much - and huge.
Kentucky has some beautiful countryside and horses but I'd have to know some specifics about the area I'd be moving to.
Same thing about Missouri.
Kentucky and Missouri are in Tornado Alley, but Florida gets hurricanes.
The summers in the mid west get hot and the winters can get very cold with air masses sweeping down from Canada.
I guess a flat out comparison should include climate, taxes, schools, cost of living, cost of housing, and what you like to do.
Do you like major sports events or opera or wide open spaces or cities?
Take all of that into account.
Check out some of the Best Places to Live sites for info.
I'd go to Kentucky because I love the seasons...
Of the choices, I would stay in California.
I don't know much about Missouri - maybe that would be ok, but I would never willingly choose to live in the south!!
I'd go Missouri.
Kentucky- well, just check out the rank nationally on a lot things (health,education, poverty). You being from CA might find if a bit of a shock from what you are used to. Beautiful state, and is slowly making progress, but it's no CA.
Florida is fine- but prepare yourself for the hurricanes and tropical systems that come with it. It's a very diverse state overall. And you do get nice temps all year!
Missouri is a good balance, and the people are nice!
FL - no state income taxes!! Housing prices are still depressed in most areas, so you should get a big bang for your buck.
Con is that you might have to deal with hurricanes, humidity unlike what you have in CA.
MO & KY both experience true winter--MO can really get slammed. I think KY might be marginally better, but if you are a sunaholic, I'd say go to FL.
I am originally from South Fl but currently living in Al. If I had to choose, hands down, FL. I miss it so much. I actually live close enough to Pensacola, that I can go often. I LOVE the beach. I love the weather and I just love the beachy life. I have never been to the other two states you have a choice to move to so I can't honestly say how it is. But you living in Cali, Fl is a lot closer(in terms of weather & beach) than the other two for sure.
Kentucky would be my vote but everyone is different. Good luck!
The heat and oppressive sun don't agree with me!
I guess it depends on where in each state. MO & FL have some dos & don'ts. Don't know much about KY.
I would pick Kentucky. I went there and it was beautiful. I don't really care for Florida (sorry Florida people!) and I've never been to Missouri.
Any chance you could visit these places for a weekend before you move?
I don't have any specific info on any of those places. But here is what I would consider if I was moving:
1. I love to travel, so being close to a major airport is important to me. I would guess that St. Louis and several FL cities are better for this than Kentucky.
2. Check out the schools, if you have young kids.
3. What do people say about the communities themselves? Is it a good, diverse population? Parts of FL are mostly older/retired people, so I wouldn't like that. I also wouldn't want to be in a place where I was by far a minority in terms of race, economic status or religion. Nor do I want to be somewhere with zero diversity in those areas.
4. Are there nice parks to walk to? Plenty of easy shopping (Target, supermarkets, toy stores, book stores, etc)? If your kids are really little, what about options like music classes, gymnastics, swim lessons, etc
5. If you're into cultural events, make sure there are museums, theaters, etc in the area
6. I'd look carefully at the weather in all of them. Yes, FL has the most sun, but it's also unpleasantly hot and buggy in the summers. I have no idea how MO and Kentucky are year-round
7. How is the cost of living? What size and type of home can you afford in each location?
Good luck to you!
I like seasons so I am happy in Missouri. I have family down in Florida and it is warmer but you still get winter if you are upper Florida. It is a very long state! When I was a kid we would go down to visit my grandparents in Miami at Christmas. We would still have our coats on though most of Florida till we were about an hour out, soooo perhaps where in Florida is important?
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I can't remember what our tax rate is at the moment but it is a heck of a lot lower than California.
Sunshine, Florida and snakes. Have you heard about the python explosion. LOL. I am like you. When I travel, I check out the snakes!
I think my choice, off the top of my head, would be Missouri, but I would be doing a lot of research. Kentucky, never especially coming from California!
I would honestly have to know what city you would be moving to in those states to really have an idea. I'm from MO, and got married here in CA. I hated it here while we were in the bay area -- literally it almost ruined our marriage b/c of the stress. (I was not used to the prices of houses, big interstates to get everywhere, traffic, and just liberal attitude). I was raised in Springfield, MO and lived in Kansas City for about 5 years. I love KC -- there are some great areas of that city and a lot to do, without feeling overwhelmed. It is humid, and hot but not much hotter than LIvermore. But colder in the winter, for sure. I also have a lot of friends in St. Louis that love it there as well. Kentucky I don't know much about, and FL is major humid to me... I used to go there a lot for vacations but couldn't live there for the humidity unless it was for a big $$ raise!! Good luck and I hope you move somewhere great!
ooohhhh choices!!!
Kentucky - land locked. If you are a California girl - you will miss the California sunshine...in Livermore - your summers are not as humid as they will be ANYWHERE else...it's a beautiful state though!!
Missouri - LOTS to do. Summers are VERY HOT and VERY HUMID...tornadoes happen...snow....there are mom's on here who live in Missouri. My (adult) daughter lives there as well as her dad and his wife...I've visited there several times and like it.
Florida - one state I have never been to. East Coast beaches will NEVER compare to west coast beaches....however...the bay area beaches are SSSSOO not like Southern California beaches...colder, more rocky...
So for me? I would LEAN towards Florida. I would most likely choose the Destin area (in the panhandle) as it puts you in a spot to travel to Louisiana, etc. Jacksonville, FL is good. My cousin lives there and LOVES it.
Good luck making this decision!! I would travel to each state where you are considering and check 'em out!!!
I was born and raised in Ohio, so my automatic response would he** no to Missouri and Kentucky!! LOL Too much cold and snow, and both are land-locked. Sunshine in the summer, but cold and ice and snow in the winter.
I lived in Jacksonville, FL for 3 years and absolutely LOVED it! It's a LOT different than CA. Summer heat from April til November, but it's like 65 in January (and not the same chilly 65 as here in the Bay Area). You can be outside a lot more often, and you can actually SWIM! If you can deal with the flying roaches (palmetto bugs actually; still hated them), Florida has a lot to offer.
Good luck with the process, and congrats to your hubby if it all works out!
i love the west palm beach area (florida) but like some here said school's are awful but i am guessing you would be able to afford private school which is the way to go. we have lived in that area before and still own a house there. we go there every year and plan on retiring at that same location. i would not consider MO or kentucky.
My heart belongs to KY but I would pick Fla. Schools would sway me.
If you want beauty, there is no place like my old Kentucky Home.
