Good neighborhoods?

United States
August 7, 2009 3:24pm CST
I am thinking of moving out of state in a year or two. I am considering Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and Missouri, but I am open to suggestions for other states. I want to move to the country. If you live in the country, I would like to know what your neighborhood is like. Are you neighbors friendly and helpful, without being too nosy? Are the laws really strict, especially for stuff like having a "burning barrel?" as well as having animals, and stuff like that. What are the things you like and dislike about the area you live in? How is homesteading regarded? Thanks you very much.
1 response
@zoey7879 (3092)
• Quincy, Illinois
7 Aug 09
Missouri is truly one of the most boring states on the planet, save except maybe Saint Louis and Joplin. I highly recommend the Northport/Tuscaloosa, Alabama area. The racist comments that come about sometimes can be truly annoying, but all in all it's honestly the best place I have ever lived. My car broke down several times... including along the highway late at night when I had my child. Many people stopped on many different ocassions to help. Most people were relatively well educated and very hard working... There was the work 9-5 type and the sundown to sunrise type. The weather... I remember it being 75 on Halloween. I dont know about currently, but I NEVER had a problem getting a job or even a second job while I lived there. I paid $600/mo to rent a rather well sized apartment in the countryside... That included all utilities and a good sized AC unit. Most people have central AC and heat, but many people opted to just use kerosene heaters in the winter because it was only really cold that I remember from around Thanksgiving to mid February. The area is relatively clean and prides itself on its good law enforcement and lack of (or at least ability to hide) many social problems that most cities are constantly complaining about. ALOT of the housing in the area are development homes, built in the last 10 or so years, but further away from town are homes 30+ years. Some parts of Virginia are very rough, but it's a beautiful place, and I found Kentucky to be rather bland and boring, especially in winter. Where are you moving from?
• United States
12 Aug 09
I'm living in upstate NY right now. It sounds like that area of Alabama is very nice. I'm sure even in winter I wouldn't find it too cold, because the winters up here are brutal. I will look online and check out the jobs and real estate and such. Thank you for the recommendation. I don't mind boring states, as long as they're better than where I live now. This area is being overrun by refugees, and there are absolutely no jobs. Our immediate neighborhood is still pretty nice, out in the country with nice neighbors, but the rest of the state is bad. I've never really seen much of Kentucky, we drove through the northern part once during the summer. I love Virginia; it is so beautiful and it is my favorite state. I've been there plenty of times on vacation.
@zoey7879 (3092)
• Quincy, Illinois
12 Aug 09
Yes... It was a nice and beautiful place. :) Many places are being overrun with refugees and such. Where I live the population says like 6,200 I think but it's really closer to 900. It's nearly impossible to get a state job that will have you working in this town if you can't speak English, French or both. It's getting to be very similar with the school district. The overall Alabama unemployment rate is high, but you can always check out the newspapers classifieds for jobs online to get some idea of what's available... if you would like that URL feel free to message me and Ill send it to you. Good luck!
• United States
13 Aug 09
I added you as a friend. Can you please send me the URL link? Thank you very much.