Crime and cost of living in your area.

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MidnightSwinger

MidnightSwinger

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Woodland CA
The point of this thread is to help me decide where to move my family. I have no political intentions, and would like to keep politics out of this thread. I understand that is hard for some to do, especially when crime rate is discussed. I would love to hear everyone’s input on this one as I am pretty open.

I would also like to mention that I know that bad things can happen anywhere. I know that small town doesn’t automatically mean safe. I know things everywhere are more expensive now.

Here we go, I am 34 and I am raising a young family. I have 2 boys, and a little girl on the way. I recently moved from Las Vegas NV to Lacey WA in efforts to move my family somewhere safer and family friendly.

It’s beautiful here. I love the weather, and the scenery is awesome. Although Lacey was a great little town when I was younger, it has devolved in recent years.

The average cost of a house in the county I live in is $500,000. I am paying $1500 a month for a somewhat dingy 2 bed room apartment. I do have a secured garage, but it is shared with other tenants. Small yard, and we can hear our neighbors through our shared walls. Not the perfect situation, and very expensive for what it is.

The real issue is what I refer to as The Walking Dead. My neighborhood and the surrounding areas are full of homeless encampments. Drugged out losers wandering around, causing trouble, setting fires and worst of all wandering into my fenced yard where my children play. Right up the street are two giant half way houses. This wasn’t disclosed to me before signing the lease.

Is this just the way of the world now? My wife is a stay at home mom, and I work. I can barely make ends meet. I can’t save, and If I don’t sell parts, I can’t afford this hobby.

How the heck can I afford a half million dollar home if I can’t save for the down payment? I am a non-CDL truck driver. I make a decent hourly wage, but it’s not enough.

I want to move my family somewhere safe, where home ownership is a possibility. I also need to be able to find work, but I’ve noticed that’s pretty easy these days.

Where do you live? What is the average price of a house in your area? How is the crime?

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MidnightSwinger said:
The point of this thread is to help me decide where to move my family. I have no political intentions, and would like to keep politics out of this thread. I understand that is hard for some to do, especially when crime rate is discussed. I would love to hear everyone’s input on this one as I am pretty open.

I would also like to mention that I know that bad things can happen anywhere. I know that small town doesn’t automatically mean safe. I know things everywhere are more expensive now.

Here we go, I am 34 and I am raising a young family. I have 2 boys, and a little girl on the way. I recently moved from Las Vegas NV to Lacey WA in efforts to move my family somewhere safer and family friendly.

It’s beautiful here. I love the weather, and the scenery is awesome. Although Lacey was a great little town when I was younger, it has devolved in recent years.

The average cost of a house in the county I live in is $500,000. I am paying $1500 a month for a somewhat dingy 2 bed room apartment. I do have a secured garage, but it is shared with other tenants. Small yard, and we can hear our neighbors through our shared walls. Not the perfect situation, and very expensive for what it is.

The real issue is what I refer to as The Walking Dead. My neighborhood and the surrounding areas are full of homeless encampments. Drugged out losers wandering around, causing trouble, setting fires and worst of all wandering into my fenced yard where my children play. Right up the street are two giant half way houses. This wasn’t disclosed to me before signing the lease.

Is this just the way of the world now? My wife is a stay at home mom, and I work. I can barely make ends meet. I can’t save, and If I don’t sell parts, I can’t afford this hobby.

How the heck can I afford a half million dollar home if I can’t save for the down payment? I am a non-CDL truck driver. I make a decent hourly wage, but it’s not enough.

I want to move my family somewhere safe, where home ownership is a possibility. I also need to be able to find work, but I’ve noticed that’s pretty easy these days.

Where do you live? What is the average price of a house in your area? How is the crime?

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We live outside of warrenton mo. Nice, quiet peaceful town. Our house is paid for so I can't comment on that
 
We've been in our house for 15 years and haven't had any problems with anyone bothering our house, shed, etc. Our neighbors have been there over 40 years with no problems. We don't live in town or in a subdivision either. I'd say that we live 9 miles from town. School's are good, plenty of places to go eat and shopping, can't beat a small country setting in my opinion.
 
I live on 20 acres in east central Indiana. 3 bed room house, huge pole building for my cars and machinery. Very affordable for a middle class couple (im 44 years old). The only zombies i ever see are at my local Walmart - and they dont sound as bad as your zombies.
 
Vertex_Jeff said:
I live on 20 acres in east central Indiana. 3 bed room house, huge pole building for my cars and machinery. Very affordable for a middle class couple (im 44 years old). The only zombies i ever see are at my local Walmart - and they dont sound as bad as your zombies.
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I’ll take the weirdos at Walmart, this is on a different level down here. We have some nice rural areas near me, but they are just as expensive and then I would have a longer commute. I’ve never been to Indiana, I will check it out any towns specifically to look in to?
 
Dan the man said:
We've been in our house for 15 years and haven't had any problems with anyone bothering our house, shed, etc. Our neighbors have been there over 40 years with no problems. We don't live in town or in a subdivision either. I'd say that we live 9 miles from town. School's are good, plenty of places to go eat and shopping, can't beat a small country setting in my opinion.
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I agree, and I am not opposed to commuting for work. Right now I’m 10 miles one way to my work. It takes almost 30 mins because of traffic.
 
MidnightSwinger said:
I’ll take the weirdos at Walmart, this is on a different level down here. We have some nice rural areas near me, but they are just as expensive and then I would have a longer commute. I’ve never been to Indiana, I will check it out any towns specifically to look in to?
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I live in the township outside a small town called Richmond Indiana. We are about 7 miles from the highway exit in the middle of town. I like it here, because even if you were in town, it is quiet and relatively safe when compared to larger cities. The cost of living is probably half of where you are. There is engineering, manufacturing, healthcare and some tech work in this region as well. You could also look at the suburbs around Indianapolis, Cincinnati Ohio, Dayton Ohio etc. Heck, take some little trips around anywhere in the midwest and poke around.
 
MidnightSwinger said:
I love Florida, I’ve lived in Orlando and Tallahassee previously. Unfortunately it has become quite expensive in most of the places I have looked.
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Orlando has turned into a zoo....so has about half of Tampa. Small towns are still cool. And less expensive. Traffic Sucks here too
 
If you can, live outside the smallest, big city you can.

Buy as much land as you can afford. Ain‘t no more dirt being made.

Think and buy long term. Short term gain is usually long term pain.

Get as far away from main interstates as you can.

Politics matter. Simple as that.
 
Well if you left Vegas, you're probably aware of all the fun in the California Desert, so scratch that off your list. I'm thankful I was raised out there when I was and was able to get the flock outa there when the time came.
 
Unconventional said:
Well if you left Vegas, you're probably aware of all the fun in the California Desert, so scratch that off your list. I'm thankful I was raised out there when I was and was able to get the flock outa there when the time came.
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Always wanted to go there, and cruise a bike or Mooar down the PCH. And I'd love to hit the desert too. Probably never happen now
 
Last year i was looking into buying a cabin on some land

I found that new york state was the cheapest by far

Of course that says nothing about the crime and such, but something to consider
 
Rat Bastid said:
If you can, live outside the smallest, big city you can.

Buy as much land as you can afford. Ain‘t no more dirt being made.

Think and buy long term. Short term gain is usually long term pain.

Get as far away from main interstates as you can.

Politics matter. Simple as that.
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I understand that, I just didn’t want this thread to get **** canned.
 
Unconventional said:
Well if you left Vegas, you're probably aware of all the fun in the California Desert, so scratch that off your list. I'm thankful I was raised out there when I was and was able to get the flock outa there when the time came.
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Yeah, and I’m originally from San Diego. I wish I could go home, but we all know why that’s not gonna happen.
 
Colfax is a pretty nice town too
All within driving distance to Spokane for work.
 
what do you do for a living? mechanic, labore,. truck driver? post office is hiring also almost everywhere. i live in probably the worst state in america, illinois. but i am retired, house paid for, grand daughters live next door. what you do for a living might figure in to where you want to move to.
 
I can't help with your question, but good luck with your quest. You've got a great looking young family. Please keep us posted on what you decide. My fiance and I (both 40 yrs old) are hoping to relocate as well, but it just doesn't make sense for us right now. I'm interested in hearing where you end up and how you end up liking it.
 
mopowers said:
I can't help with your question, but good luck with your quest. You've got a great looking young family. Please keep us posted on what you decide. My fiance and I (both 40 yrs old) are hoping to relocate as well, but it just doesn't make sense for us right now. I'm interested in hearing where you end up and how you end up liking it.
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Thank you! My mom and brother live in Woodland/Davis, I love the country in Nor Cal. I’ve done a lot of off roading and hiking in the Lake Berryessa area.

I really love western Washington,but I feel like I will never be able to afford a house or land. I would ideally be able to build a simple house on 5-10 acres, and work towards self sufficiency. I want to teach my children how to take care of themselves and have something to pass on to them.
 
MidnightSwinger said:
Yeah, and I’m originally from San Diego. I wish I could go home, but we all know why that’s not gonna happen.
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My mother lives in Oceanside. Granted, it's nice being close to the beach, but north county has gotten so crowded. My family lived in Leucadia when I was a kid mid to late 60s. Our house was in the middle of the Avocado groves. I used to get paid by the neighboring avocado farmers for shootin avocado rats with my BB gun on their farms :lol: . 30 minute walk or 15 minute bike ride to the beach.
 
MidnightSwinger said:
Thank you! My mom and brother live in Woodland/Davis, I love the country in Nor Cal. I’ve done a lot of off roading and hiking in the Lake Berryessa area.

I really love western Washington,but I feel like I will never be able to afford a house or land. I would ideally be able to build a simple house on 5-10 acres, and work towards self sufficiency. I want to teach my children how to take care of themselves and have something to pass on to them.
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That would be awesome. I'm thinking about outside Ocala and an acre, start a large garden and raise chickens
 
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