Best Places in America to Relocate

[Tsar]

Anyone have any ideas about the best places in America to relocate?

I'm interested in the following criteria:

1. Fiber Optic Internet, or a very good internet for MMOs
2. Affordable first-time homes or land purchase+shelter addition
3. Good opportunity for self-employment or finding a relatively good paying job
4. Low cost of living
5. Relatively close to an airport
6. Low in taxes
7. Preferable on the East Coast or the South

Based on rating scale I found a few places.

I rank Austin, Texas a 7/7

Chattanooga Tennessee would be about a 6/7. It appears like 3 is okay but not as good as some other cities based on my skills and the median salary is lower, with a 10% unemployment so there's more uncertainty.

Atlanta or Miami would be two other choices but I'm not sure about them. Atlanta had the flesh eating bacteria and Miami might have more random sink-holes that swallow people into the earth.

[jamesbond]

Anyone have any ideas about the best places in America to relocate?

I'm interested in the following criteria:

1. Fiber Optic Internet, or a very good internet for MMOs
2. Affordable first-time homes or land purchase+shelter addition
3. Good opportunity for self-employment or finding a relatively good paying job
4. Low cost of living
5. Relatively close to an airport
6. Low in taxes
7. Preferable on the East Coast or the South

Based on rating scale I found a few places.

I rank Austin, Texas a 7/7

Chattanooga Tennessee would be about a 6/7. It appears like 3 is okay but not as good as some other cities based on my skills and the median salary is lower, with a 10% unemployment so there's more uncertainty.

Atlanta or Miami would be two other choices but I'm not sure about them. Atlanta had the flesh eating bacteria and Miami might have more random sink-holes that swallow people into the earth.

I have heard lot's of good things about Austin, Texas as far as high tech jobs go. Also, there is no state income tax in Texas. There is no state income tax in Florida either, however the heat and humidity would be unbearable during the summer months. Tennessee would be a good state to relocate to, they have low taxes, low cost of living and they don't get the unbearable heat and humidity during the summer time like Florida does.

I am personally looking for a warmer climate to live in. This winter in the Midwest has been the worst since 1979! Our snowfall total so far in Chicago for the season is 68 inches and we still have at least one more month of winter! We have had 24 days so far of temperatures below zero!

If I do decide to stay living in the US, I am going to move to the south or southwest, these winters here in Illinois are just too much to handle.

[zboy1]

I really liked Texas, especially San Antonio and Austin. I was in basic-training in Lackland AFB in San Antonio, and me and my parents really enjoyed the city. I was also stationed in Sheppard AFB, near Wichita Falls, for technical school. Even though it was a small town, with not much to do, it was still a quaint, peaceful place to be in for a few months.

Austin is a pretty cool place as well. Really, Texas is probably one of the few remaining functional, pro-freedom, low-tax, non-bankrupt conservative States left in the United States. If I was ever forced to choose one State in the United States to move to, Texas would undoubtedly be my first choice.

[MemphisTX]

I live in San Antonio, went to college in San Marcos (between San Antonio & Austin) so I'm very familiar with the area you're talking about.

San Antonio/Austin is the fastest growing area in America.

I personally don't like Austin but many people do. I would recommend living south of Austin in Buda or Kyle and commuting to a job inside the city. Cheaper real estate and since the area is growing so much, your investment should be fairly safe...

If your job is on the North side of Austin then I would recommend living in Austin or in North Austin. Traffic sucks.

H-E-B is the grocery chain down here... I love H-E-B and you will too...

Texas isn't the political Utopia most think it is... Our cities are growing and people are coming in and voting for bigger government...

I know many people who say moving to Texas was the best decisions they ever made... You just have to know what you want... We have it all... San Antonio is a dirt cheap city IMO.. It has great culture, (depending on what you want)...

Yea, bro... I vote closer to San Antonio.

[momopi]

I used to work for Capital Group and we built a huge campus in San Antonio (over by Sea World & Rudy's BBQ side). Went there for work several times and was offered a relocation package, which I didn't take. Consequently, everyone in my department that opted to stay in California was laid off, and those who took the relocation package to Texas kept their jobs. :O

The terms for the relocation package was um, not great. You had to accept a 20% pay cut with no raises and bonuses for the first 2 years, due to the "salary gap" between CA and TX. Anyways, while I was there, I saw a lot of big companies in the area and thought the job market looked great. However the roads were 2 lane (by the company office) and I thought the traffic situation would be horrid during rush hour, with so many new homes being built there.

For those who want to move to Austin, you might want to consider SFR housing slightly out of the city, in rural areas eligible for USDA SFR loans. The loan terms were quite generous a few years back, but I do not know the situation today so you'll have to do your own homework.

My experience in Texas was mostly limited to the bigger cities, and I did not think the people were very friendly. I've been to other Southern States were the locals said "you should consider moving here, it's real nice", but those tend to be smaller cities/towns.

[Tsar]

Tampa, Florida also looks like a good place. Relatively low-cost area and a good possibility of a small business operation.