Do you live in the state that you most want to or do you live in a less desired state due to practical / financial / social reasons?

41 comments

  1. I grew up here, and all my stuff is here. I’m not anchored here by anything but my job, though. If I got a better job offer somewhere else I’d at least consider it.

  2. I was born in Florida and God willing I will die in Florida.

    The swamp created me and one day the swamp shall reclaim me.

  4. Atlanta. I live in the city that I love & most want to live in, in a state I tolerate as I am such a city girl.

  5. If financial reasons weren’t an issue I’d still live in Washington. COL was too damn high.

  6. I live in Massachusetts and love it. Would I like it to be cheaper? Hell ya.

    But people all over spend more money to live in a town/neighborhood with great schools and safer streets – I just spend more money to live in a state with both of those things. And I LOVE traveling around Mass and New England. There is so much to see and do.

  7. I was born in Arkansas, went to school here, got married here, my family is here, and I established my career here. It is a beautiful place and I love it, but it could obviously use some improvement. My line of thinking is that it won’t get better if good people leave, so here I’ll stay unless I’m run out

  8. I’d probably prefer to live in Massachusetts where I grew up. I loved Boston. But it’s too expensive. Couldn’t afford to live there now.

    I came to Maine cause I have family here and I like it well enough. But I do miss being closer to the big city and living in a town where all businesses don’t just close at 8pm every night.

  9. Jersey is great. I envision myself staying here for awhile despite the high CoL. It has everything my partner and I desire

  10. I’ve never lived outside of Mississippi. When I was younger I definitely imagined I’d live in New Orleans, Austin, or Nashville but I’m a mom now and we’ve settled down here. I’m a daughter of the state of Mississippi for better or for worse. I do think where we are is a good place to raise a family and have the life we want. I’d only want to move for some amazing career opportunity either me or my husband simply could not pass up.

  11. I don’t really care about the state as much as the city. I live in Manhattan. I love it. If I had to leave New York City I would leave the state.

  12. I been to a few other states and by comparison Las Vegas still outperforms them imo. May be a desert but the city itself offers a lot. Also like that the traffic here is tolerable. It takes max 40 minutes to get to one side of the city to the other.

  13. Currently living in a state I am less than excited about, mostly because of the weather. Once I retire, I plan to move to somewhere a) warm (no snow!), b) 2A friendly, and c) as close as possible to the ocean/gulf. Haven’t narrowed down where just yet.

    ETA: living in WI because husband and I have great jobs, which makes the irritation with snow bearable.

  14. Yes. It’s not my ideal climate, or my ideal kind of infrastructure, but it’s my home and my extended family is here or in neighboring states.

    Interestingly, no one says they *love* connecticut in my experience. They’re all like “yeah, it’s fine.” But those who hate it really, really hate it. And they can’t wait to leave.

  16. I like Washington a lot, but could also potentially see myself moving back up to Alaska someday.

  17. Lived in Tennessee all my life and I love it. Friendly, affordable, beautiful (I can see the mountains from my back porch), and great weather(except in August). I don’t think I would want to choose another state. Unfortunately, people from other states are discovering this too and too many are moving here.

  18. I love where I live but that’s due to me building a nice life here than anything really related to New York State.

    It’s friends and family that keeps me here. I talk about my town, high school, and graduating class on this sub a lot. I’ve built a great circle of lifelong friends that would be hard to really duplicate elsewhere. I have great memories and have built great traditions.

    IMO, life is what you make of it.

  19. I was born here and I intend to stay here till I die. Hopefully someone will spread my ashes in Valles Caldera

  20. For me, it’s the city that matters more. I’d live in Royal Oak or Ann Arbor if I could. I’d live in Madison if I could, or Chicago if a really nice area was affordable, etc, but I don’t think in state fashion, more focused on the city.

    However, with that being said, if finances weren’t a factor, I’d definitely be in California, but that’s kind of the same thing, I want the weather and the city, not just the weather.

  21. Out here for husband’s job, but as soon as we can afford it we’re either moving over the ocean to the UK or over the continent out West. New England and I are just never gonna get along. I’ll miss the zero sales tax but that’s about it (unless we land in Oregon then I won’t have to miss it).

  22. West Virginia is wonderful, but it’s a state that is built for a certain type of person. If you enjoy the outdoors, hiking, fishing, hunting, living close to the land, being self sufficient as possible in this world, this is the place for you. If you want a Starbucks on every corner, a lot of culture, the arts, your only going to get that in a few places. Personally I enjoy waking up, hearing no traffic, no hustle and bustle, and no neighbors for miles. I love taking my cup of coffee to the porch and watching the sun rise every morning.

  23. If I had my way, I’d live in California. But I can’t afford that, my son’s dad wouldn’t go for it (and I wouldn’t split custody that way), my husband likes Colorado…so I stay and look forward to summer.

  25. I live in a less desired state due to all three. It sucks. I often worry I’ll be stuck here forever and look back on my life in regret

  26. I’m from Georgia and have lived in a couple of other states. I’m now in North Carolina. I moved here for various reasons (weather, schools, geography, jobs), but the politics are moving backwards. It’s likely I’ll move somewhere else in a few years because I can’t give more to try to move the state forward than I already am. When we moved to Raleigh, the 3 other “finalists” were Boston, Seattle, & Atlanta (regretting not pushing harder).

  27. Honestly, I live where I do because its not home.

    My parents and ancestors going way back are all from Nebraska. My parents moved to Colorado, and then I was born and raised there until high school when we moved back to Nebraska due to ailing grandparents. Grandparents all died, my entire immediate family left and moved back to Colorado when I was in my early 20s. And then I met someone who likes Nebraska for various (some are good, some are misguided) reasons. So I stay because I didn’t want to deal with Colorado nor being smothered by my family constantly if I lived there.

    We will have to leave here though. We can’t retire here as it is too expensive. And since we are in our 40s we should probably come up with a plan – we just haven’t yet.

  28. Live in Mississippi, but I’m originally from the northeast. I love it here. The people are so much friendlier, the food is worlds better and I own land. We have a big plot of land, with a house on it, and we can pretty much do anything we want. Our boys are always out roaming around the woods and fields, sometimes playing in the creek. Of course, when they’re not doing something constructive, like t-ball or football. My wife is able to stay home, because of how affordable it is, she’s so happy she can stay home and raise the boys, which it was important to both of us that one of us can stay home. I enjoy being outdoors, hunting, fishing, long hikes, anything outdoors is perfect. Is Mississippi perfect? Of course not, but is it great for us? Yep.

  29. I moved to Arizona from the East Coast almost 2 decades ago and I have hated every single moment of it but, I can’t leave. Originally, it was financial reasons that kept me from leaving. I just packed a suitcase and bought a plane ticket to Tucson with the last of my money. 17 years later, everyone else in my household is established and thriving so, it would be selfish of me to ask them to leave now. I’ve lost contact with everyone back East anyway and there’s nothing to go back to anymore. So, I’m just existing here. I feel like an abandoned avatar in a video game.

  30. I have made sacrifices to live in the state I want to live in, which is Oregon. I’ve lived in many other states and I ended up giving up a career I was excited about (tho not yet very successful at) because I really just wanted to live here.

  31. I’m a lifelong Michigan resident. I was raised in the Upper Peninsula but have lived most of my adult life in the Lower. So, I grew up with harsher winters than what I live with these days. Actually, I somewhat miss the colder, snowier winters. Combined with the rural, woodland setting, the winters up there offered a different array of outdoor activities. But the city/suburb life down here offers conveniences.

    I believe that, just about anywhere you live, there will be ups and downs.

  32. My husband and I were both born in California and we don’t plan on ever moving out of California. I love this state with all my heart.

  33. I live in one of the best cities in America and I love it, but I’m at the point where I’d like to try something different and live in New York City.

    Unfortunately not a lot of practical opportunities to move there for me.

  34. I wanted to move away when I was younger growing up near Raleigh Durham.

    But now it’s become one of the most desirable metro locations in the country.

    Lower COL, lots of jobs, prestigious universities, great healthcare, close to mountains and beaches. Four seasons and mostly temperate weather.

    I love it here.

  37. Nope. Hate it here. Geographically, AZ is one of the most beautiful states I’ve seen and lived in. But I live in a heavily red county and everyone has seemed to gone insane. The politics sucks, but I don’t want to to live in Phoenix. My job, hopefully, will allow me to relocate back east next year, and then I’m outta here.

  39. Love my city, hate my state’s government, and the problem is intractable because the absolute worst people get elected over and over again every single election. I don’t want to leave my home, but my state may very well force me to within the next year or two.

    I really can’t imagine living anywhere outside my home either… if I end up having to move, then whatever life I have left after that is going to be miserable and unhappy.

  40. Sure. I live in the non-State of the District of Columbia. I do what I love for a living and Washington is an excellent city.

    I am very fortunate to get to live and work here. I did not get to choose it, so much as I got the opportunity.

  41. People can shit on Alabama all they want. The cost of living is low, the people are nice, beautiful lakes and beaches, great food, I live comfortably and happily on a modest salary. And then summer comes around mid March, the humidity sets in, and I begin to question why in the blue fuck I subject myself to the torture of this goddamn hot wet blanket surrounding my body for six months of the year.

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