Originally Posted by Malo83
Looking at retiring next year around Aug 2019, want to move out of California, state is going to [censored]. Looking at possibly Nev, Arizona or New Mexico. Will sell my house and cut all ties with Cali, looking for any sound advice from anyone that's gone down this road, and Thanks.
I was born in NYC, grew up in NY, then CT, college in FL (ERAU in the 80's) and remained in FL, except for a brief bit up North again (CT/NY/VA) with Mobil Oil's flight department.
Here is my take on the various costs from my point of view:
NY taxed my mom n dad into abject poverty and starvation. 1960's-70's, my father, worked in NYC, yet between taxes and utility/heating costs and the high cost of housing, we starved, literally. Food stamps were not enough and my entire family was seriously underweight.
CT had no state income tax, cheaper heat (firewood) and so on. Parents made a good life there. None of the current CT expenses existed then. Rural homes were cheap, plentiful and nice. Of course that all changed and CT became one of the most expensive places to live. By the time I was a young adult, CT had become too expensive for me to make it there.
I went to FL and discovered that I could live comfortably as a student putting himself through college, with only a part time job. Near the beach, no AC, but good living.
Moved back to CT due to an attractive salary with Mobil Oil. Discovered again, that I could not afford to live there, even though it seemed possible at first. A one bedroom condo was out of my reach.
Back to Florida, where, working as an aircraft mechanic, I made a good life for myself. Purchased and sold homes, built my current, beautiful 2500' 3 car garage, ultra efficient house for $157k, on 2 acres adjacent to the everglades.
Recently relocated to PA (part time) . Discovered that people are taxed, expense'd and charged into abject poverty there too. Property taxes reach insane levels even on crummy homes. Gas costs 40-50c more, elec power is double my FL rate, and so on.
My point: Be very careful about expenses unless you are wealthy. Many locations have unusual hidden costs that are not self evident. PA's school "fees" are not taxes and are not paid with property taxes. Yet they exactly mirror the property tax numbers (in some counties) . So their property tax rates seem the same as elsewhere at first glance.
FL and TN are places where those with modest incomes can have an excellent quality of life.