What is the appeal of residing in the American south?

[dabuddha]

The people are much friendlier than up here in the north east. I have a 2.5 hour commute each way right now and throughout my commute, I might be able to say hi to one person at most. Everyone's too busy trying their hardest to avoid eye contact with each other. Down in Texas, I walk into a store and the person will say hi to me and ask me how I'm doing and what can they do to help me. I can walk down the street and people will say hi while walking past me. Up here, I can't even get a god damned smile from these people.

Cost of living is significantly lower than it is up here. Housing is cheaper, food is cheaper, gas is cheaper, etc

The weather is a subjective thing. I personally like cold weather and snow which surprisingly, it seems that Texas is getting more of it than DC is lately.

 

[K1052]

In its defense, it is a far smaller city and punches above its weight compared to other top 10 cities in the U.S. While the bigger cities may have an individual restaurant or two better than anything in SF (i.e. Buddkhan or Morimoto's in Philly, Rasika in Washingon DC, etc) it's also true that SF has a larger selection of excellent but not elite choices.

I don't debate that point and I've had plenty of good food in SF and wine country, after all I still go back.

 

[K1052]

You mean besides gambling / shows and events / food / hookers?

Almost all the restaurants in Vegas are a knock off of something that exists elsewhere or a chain, just like the tacky hotel designs which cater to people who have never been anywhere. The only places I find tolerable are the hotels/restaurants in the CityCenter development and the Wynn because they aren't trying to be something they're not.

 

[JM Aggie08]

I've always wondered the same. Way too damn hot for one thing, too fast paced/busy, high cost of living... It's like Toronto, great place to visit but would not want to live there.

Huh?

 

[Chaotic42]

I've always wondered the same. Way too damn hot for one thing, too fast paced/busy, high cost of living... It's like Toronto, great place to visit but would not want to live there.

The South is fast paced, busy, and has a high cost of living? Outside of being in the heart of large cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, etc, that's pretty much the opposite of reality down here. I live in a fairly nice neighborhood, with low crime and a good sense of community. You can get a 2BR 2BA house for $59,900 two streets over. The South is also notorious for its slow pace of living.

It is ridiculously hot and humid though. On Sunday I pulled 100 pints (47.3L) of water out of the air with my dehumidifier.... :'(

 

[Puddle Jumper]

I've always wondered the same. Way too damn hot for one thing, too fast paced/busy, high cost of living... It's like Toronto, great place to visit but would not want to live there.

Aside from the heat the south is basically the exact opposite of everything you said.

 

[thraashman]

It all depends on where you live in the south the same as in the north. I live in Atlanta and I love it. I get to live in a major metropolitan area with a ton of good job opportunities at a fraction of the cost of living. I don't have to worry about snow but about once a leap year. You attacked education, but UGA is the oldest publicly funded university in the US, so publicly funded higher education began in the south in the US. I'm not personally an SEC fan, but if you like college football it sorta is the best place to be. Also, southern hospitality is a real thing and not something you get an equivalent of in the north.

The biggest downside to the south is how Republican and racist it can be, but I guess that was a redundant statement.

 

[JM Aggie08]

The South is fast paced, busy, and has a high cost of living? Outside of being in the heart of large cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, etc, that's pretty much the opposite of reality down here. I live in a fairly nice neighborhood, with low crime and a good sense of community. You can get a 2BR 2BA house for $59,900 two streets over. The South is also notorious for its slow pace of living.

It is ridiculously hot and humid though. On Sunday I pulled 100 pints (47.3L) of water out of the air with my dehumidifier.... :'(

My buddy just build his first house. 3BR + office, 2.5 BA, 2 car Garage, AND all appliances included/upgraded carpet/tile for ~$210,000.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Not for the most of the year and a freak storm in a small part of the north compared to yearly events for most of the state is a big issue.

On the flip side, in Florida we don't have to deal with the possbility of an egg freezing on the sidewalk for a good portion of the year. And the only thing Florida has gotten from hurricanes recently is some great surf.

 

[Newbian]

On the flip side, in Florida we don't have to deal with the possbility of an egg freezing on the sidewalk for a good portion of the year. And the only thing Florida has gotten from hurricanes recently is some great surf.

You are crazy if you don't like eggcicle.

 

[Zstream]

Am I the only one who finds all the states pretty much the same except for weather conditions? The only difference I noticed was in Arizona and the Mexican culture displayed everywhere. I found the same shops, same brands, same food and the only thing that was really different was the weather and climate.

 

[Glitchny]

Yep. Sucks here in FL big time.

Don't forget to layer your clothing before you go out in the morning.

Heat is really not an issue for me. I like winter activities. I'd much rather enjoy the low humidity 90 degree summers we have instead of the hot humid disgusting Florida weather.

What pros does Nevada have besides no income tax?

Well where I am there are ~13 fantastic Ski Resorts within an hour drive. Lake Tahoe less than an hour away which has beach/jetski/windsailing/swimming etc activities during the summer.
(These are technically in Cali but it's less than 10 miles from my apt)
No income tax is great.
No last call.
Weather is great, average 300 days of sunshine a year, almost no humidity during the summers. Mountains get snow but the valley doesn't become undriveable.

I cant really give any objective measurements. It's more on just how the place feels to me and Nevada seems pretty good. I like having seasons, I like having snow but not a ton, winter isn't too long, it's not humid, you can bet on sports games if you want, tons of outdoor activities. Not far from a Major City (SF only a 3 hour drive).

Nevada to me has been very much like Western NY was, just with better weather, more stuff to do and way less taxes.

Florida was just a hot mess. I was in Orlando and it was just wall to wall people 85% of which didn't know where they were going because they were just there for Disney world. The entire place is built like a strip mall, flat featureless buildings then another shopping plaza. And the weather is like living inside someones mouth.

 

[Slew Foot]

1. Best weather ... check
2. Best Public Universities.... check
3. Best women... check
4. High paying jobs for smart people.. check
5. Best baseball, football, hockey, and basketball teams... check
6. Best scenery.... check
7. Least amount of bible thumping racist hicks... check


CA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everywhere else

 

[Ackmed]

Most about of gays = no thanks.

And most of your opinions, are wrong.

 

[StinkyPinky]

What pros does Nevada have besides no income tax?

Nevada is a hick state outside of Vegas. I do like the wide open spaces though. It's nice just to drive around.

I always liked San Diego myself.

 

[JM Aggie08]

1. Best weather ... check
2. Best Public Universities.... check
3. Best women... check
4. High paying jobs for smart people.. check
5. Best baseball, football, hockey, and basketball teams... check
6. Best scenery.... check
7. Least amount of bible thumping racist hicks... check


CA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everywhere else

You left out housing market and overall economy...but i'll assume that was intentional

 

[MetalMat]

1. Best weather ... check
2. Best Public Universities.... check
3. Best women... check
4. High paying jobs for smart people.. check
5. Best baseball, football, hockey, and basketball teams... check
6. Best scenery.... check
7. Least amount of bible thumping racist hicks... check


CA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everywhere else

Depends on which part of California you live in

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Well where I am there are ~13 fantastic Ski Resorts within an hour drive. Lake Tahoe less than an hour away which has beach/jetski/windsailing/swimming etc activities during the summer.
(These are technically in Cali but it's less than 10 miles from my apt)
No income tax is great.
No last call.
Weather is great, average 300 days of sunshine a year, almost no humidity during the summers. Mountains get snow but the valley doesn't become undriveable.

I cant really give any objective measurements. It's more on just how the place feels to me and Nevada seems pretty good. I like having seasons, I like having snow but not a ton, winter isn't too long, it's not humid, you can bet on sports games if you want, tons of outdoor activities. Not far from a Major City (SF only a 3 hour drive).

Nevada to me has been very much like Western NY was, just with better weather, more stuff to do and way less taxes.

Florida was just a hot mess. I was in Orlando and it was just wall to wall people 85% of which didn't know where they were going because they were just there for Disney world. The entire place is built like a strip mall, flat featureless buildings then another shopping plaza. And the weather is like living inside someones mouth.

Fair enough; I lived in Vegas for a decade so maybe that's the reason I'm not a fan. Lake Tahoe area is definitely nice and Reno and Carson City have decent scenery (although I don't there's much of anything in the latter outside of some historical stuff of minor note). A big strike against the state for me is how few jobs they have outside of the basics, gaming, and mining. I think they're ranked even below Mississippi now in terms of public education. I'm not defending Florida (have never been there), but generic suburbia and mall-culture are found aplenty in southern Nevada too.

 

[Deeko]

1. Best weather ... check
2. Best Public Universities.... check
3. Best women... check
4. High paying jobs for smart people.. check
5. Best baseball, football, hockey, and basketball teams... check
6. Best scenery.... check
7. Least amount of bible thumping racist hicks... check


CA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everywhere else

Most annoying hippies? Check
Extremely high taxes? Check
Disproportionately high housing? Check
Hideous brown scenery? Check
Frequent earthquakes? Check

Sounds dreamy.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Most annoying hippies? Check
Extremely high taxes? Check
Disproportionately high housing? Check
Hideous brown scenery? Check
Frequent earthquakes? Check

Sounds dreamy.

Thing is, it's a self-selecting pool, so a lot of the people here who love California are very successful/have plenty of money, so the taxes/housing situation is much more palatable.

I don't really understand what you mean by "hideous brown scenery" though... when/where are you visiting California?

 

[Deeko]

Thing is, it's a self-selecting pool, so a lot of the people here who love California are very successful/have plenty of money, so the taxes/housing situation is much more palatable.

I don't really understand what you mean by "hideous brown scenery" though... when/where are you visiting California?

It's a relative thing. The same skill set might get you more money in CA, but the increase is not proportional to the rise in cost of living.

I've been to both the SF area (including the city and the east bay area) and the Burbank / LA area. Both very very brown - particularly the mountains. I mean, have you ever done the drive from LA to Vegas? I have, and that might be the most hideous stretch of country in the world.

 

[Ns1]

It's a relative thing. The same skill set might get you more money in CA, but the increase is not proportional to the rise in cost of living.

I've been to both the SF area (including the city and the east bay area) and the Burbank / LA area. Both very very brown - particularly the mountains. I mean, have you ever done the drive from LA to Vegas? I have, and that might be the most hideous stretch of country in the world.

I'm in Burbank right now and I can tell you the hillsides are lush and green. During the summer we're pretty much in "drought" mode and all of those same hillsides turn brown and die.

 

[Deeko]

I'm in Burbank right now and I can tell you the hillsides are lush and green. During the summer we're pretty much in "drought" mode and all of those same hillsides turn brown and die.

I believe it was April when I made the above observation. Anyway, the point was simply refuting the "Best Scenery" comment made by Slew Foot. I'm sure there are nice places, but I would hardly call it "best scenery".

 

[Ns1]

I believe it was April when I made the above observation. Anyway, the point was simply refuting the "Best Scenery" comment made by Slew Foot. I'm sure there are nice places, but I would hardly call it "best scenery".

CA is a bigass state, with every single combination of scenery you can imagine.

Beach/desert/snow/ocean/forest/urban we got it all.

 

[IAteYourMother]

It's a relative thing. The same skill set might get you more money in CA, but the increase is not proportional to the rise in cost of living.

I've been to both the SF area (including the city and the east bay area) and the Burbank / LA area. Both very very brown - particularly the mountains. I mean, have you ever done the drive from LA to Vegas? I have, and that might be the most hideous stretch of country in the world.

Yes, but it's what you value most that matters. You might make less money by comparison, but if you already have plenty of money, then you'll value other things like the weather, culture, and other amenities even more. $$ is not everything, and it's even less so for the wealthy.

The SF Area/mountains are incredibly green and lush in the winter and spring, and then turn brown in the summer, so it depends on what time of year and the rainfall conditions. Obviously, if you drive from LA to Vegas, it's going to be brown. It's a fucking desert.

Drive down Highway 1 along the coast, or drive through wine country, it's absolutely gorgeous.