Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
I_Am_Not_A_Doctor
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:00 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by I_Am_Not_A_Doctor »

Random Poster wrote:
I_Am_Not_A_Doctor wrote:Just out of curiosity, what in your arithmetic led you to rule-out the Indianapolis, IN, metro area?


I don't think that we have ever considered the place. But doesn't it get a lot of tornadoes?
Actually, tornadoes didn't even cross my mind. Sure, tornadoes are possible. But, depending on the image you choose via Google search, Amarillo, TX, is right in tornado alley. As is much of the mid-section of the country. And weather or other natural hazards abound coast to coast (earthquakes or volcanoes along the west coast, hurricanes in the south or east coast, brutal blizzards in the upper plains, etc.).
koryg75
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:48 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by koryg75 »

Take Minneapolis off your list. Our winters are very, very cold and taxes are high. The housing is also surprisingly expensive unless you live several hours from Minneapolis. I can't wait to retire elsewhere.
KyleAAA
Posts: 9498
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by KyleAAA »

Random Poster wrote: Atlanta, Georgia -- The Midtown area seems walkable and there are some minor family considerations to the area. It might serve well as a "home base" to use as a place to keep one's things and return to in between stints of traveling the world, but such a plan is probably more theoretical than realistic.
You'll struggle living a decent lifestyle in midtown Atlanta on $60k. I would think housing would be pretty much completely unaffordable at that income outside of some crappier condos. Intown Atlanta real estate is generally not reasonable.
livesoft
Posts: 86076
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by livesoft »

I_Am_Not_A_Doctor wrote:But, depending on the image you choose via Google search, Amarillo, TX, is right in tornado alley.
I'm not sure why Amarillo was ever mentioned because the OP already lives in a similar place and doesn't like it at all.
Random Poster wrote:I currently live in a west Texas town known for oil and gas production and the former home of two presidents.

Other than the relative lack of traffic and the ease of getting around town (such as it is), there is absolutely nothing that I like about where I live now. Nothing.

The wind blows too hard, for too long. The temperatures are too hot and there is no real winter or cold spell. There is no vegetation beyond half-dead shrubs, weeds, and dust. There are no mountains anywhere within a 2 hour drive. The tap water is foul, and there are no rivers or lakes nearby. It is at least 2 hours' drive to anywhere half-way decent. Flights out of town are expensive. Housing is expensive. The economy is based on one thing only: oil.

So anywhere that doesn't have these "features" would probably be ideal....at least for a little while.
At least Corpus Christi would have a beach or two and lots of fishing and nearby birding.
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
MrNewEngland
Posts: 807
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:38 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by MrNewEngland »

I live in Charlotte, NC and it comes pretty close to checking off all your boxes. It's a highly underrated city.
rustymutt
Posts: 4001
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:03 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by rustymutt »

JupiterJones wrote:What about a more affordable suburb of some of those places on your list?

Take Longmont, CO, for example (which I only know of thanks to Mr. Money Mustache... who claims to live off a lot less than $60K, incidentally). You get the same weather and nearby mountains as Boulder or Denver, plus a similar "Colorado vibe" (ride your bike to get a Snarf's and a craft beer!), but there are still plenty of houses on ZIllow for $300K or so.
I'd add to that, the city of Longmont, Co host their own fiber to premise utility, so fast internet isn't an issue.
Even educators need education. And some can be hard headed to the point of needing time out.
CFM300
Posts: 2541
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:13 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by CFM300 »

Random Poster wrote:Bozeman, Montana -- We are in absolute love with this place
Sounds to me like you do know where you want to live. If I were you, I'd find a way to make Bozeman work.
User avatar
22twain
Posts: 4030
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 5:42 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by 22twain »

frugalprof wrote:Greenville, SC has nice biking trails, a good regional airport with multiple flights a day to Charlotte.
Or just drive to Charlotte. The Charlotte airport is on the west side of that city. From an east suburban Greenville location it's about 1.5 hours on I-85.
Meet my pet, Peeve, who loves to convert non-acronyms into acronyms: FED, ROTH, CASH, IVY, ...
captaindorky
Posts: 75
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:04 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by captaindorky »

Love this thread. I find myself asking many of the same questions. I concur with many others on here that spending time in a few of these places would probably be best.

I currently live in Scottsdale and there have been numerous mentions, so I'll give my $.02 as a Midwesterner who came out this way over 20 years ago. Summers are hot. And long. Seems like each year they get longer, but the beautiful thing is you do have mountainous areas close by from which to escape the heat. Summertime, head to Flagstaff or the Eastern part of the state above 7000 feet and you have a 30 degree difference. Hiking and outdoors opportunities are everywhere.

PHX metro has much of what you appear to be looking for. Tucson could as well. Personally, I am looking in the Flagstaff area despite it being a tad pricey because I've grown tired of the heat, enjoy the outdoor opportunities that way and overall it is a great location for me. Prescott is also nice. Has a cool history. Whiskey Row!

So many options! We live in a great country. Good luck with your decision!

CD
rustymutt
Posts: 4001
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:03 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by rustymutt »

captaindorky wrote:Love this thread. I find myself asking many of the same questions. I concur with many others on here that spending time in a few of these places would probably be best.

I currently live in Scottsdale and there have been numerous mentions, so I'll give my $.02 as a Midwesterner who came out this way over 20 years ago. Summers are hot. And long. Seems like each year they get longer, but the beautiful thing is you do have mountainous areas close by from which to escape the heat. Summertime, head to Flagstaff or the Eastern part of the state above 7000 feet and you have a 30 degree difference. Hiking and outdoors opportunities are everywhere.

PHX metro has much of what you appear to be looking for. Tucson could as well. Personally, I am looking in the Flagstaff area despite it being a tad pricey because I've grown tired of the heat, enjoy the outdoor opportunities that way and overall it is a great location for me. Prescott is also nice. Has a cool history. Whiskey Row!

So many options! We live in a great country. Good luck with your decision!

CD
Some good eating in Flagstaff. Love the mexican cafe, & drive through.
Even educators need education. And some can be hard headed to the point of needing time out.
rbslos36
Posts: 99
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:56 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by rbslos36 »

I would add Louisville, KY to the mix. It is a beautiful intermediate size community. It has excellent cultural options and a scenic park system designed by Fredrick Olmsted of Central Park fame. I have met couples who retired and traveled the country looking for the perfect place to retire and ended up in Louisville.

The weather is fairly moderate and the cost of living maneageable on $60,000. I rarely travel more than 20 minutes to get anywhere. When I graduated college and looked at options for a place to live, I fell in love with Louisville and ended my job search. Perhaps the nicest aspect is the tolerance and sense of welcoming. The mayor has dubbed the city, The City of Compassion. People of various religions and no religion work in harmony and cooperatively. It has a rich and varied Food Scene.

I don't think there is a better place for retirees or those approaching retirement. At this time, I can't say the same for those with school age children. The weakest spot at this time is the public school system which is just average, at best.

Lastly, for those who enjoy bourbon and horse racing, it is HEAVEN!

RB
SurferLife
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:57 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by SurferLife »

We are approaching retirement and our asking ourselves nearly the same question with many of the same requirements and financial details as you. We'd like to be on the west coast, and specifically in CA for the sun, but we are realizing that the cost to do that is simply out of this world and the sacrifice too great. Most of the places that have been mentioned are where we are also looking at. For us, the top contenders at the moment are Asheville and Sequim, WA. We haven't been to either location, so we'll have to do that. We've also been looking at eastern TN and maybe south-western VA. All these places are within a hundred miles or so of Asheville, and all are nestled up near the mountains and are simply stunning.

We are very curious to visit Sequim since it is a unique location for the PNW being in the rain shadow but yet west of the mountains. There are a few other towns in the Sequim area that also touch the rain shadow (i.e. Port Townsend), but Sequim gets the most sun (or so they say).
User avatar
TheTimeLord
Posts: 12130
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 2:05 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by TheTimeLord »

SurferLife wrote:We are approaching retirement and our asking ourselves nearly the same question with many of the same requirements and financial details as you. We'd like to be on the west coast, and specifically in CA for the sun, but we are realizing that the cost to do that is simply out of this world and the sacrifice too great. Most of the places that have been mentioned are where we are also looking at. For us, the top contenders at the moment are Asheville and Sequim, WA. We haven't been to either location, so we'll have to do that. We've also been looking at eastern TN and maybe south-western VA. All these places are within a hundred miles or so of Asheville, and all are nestled up near the mountains and are simply stunning.

We are very curious to visit Sequim since it is a unique location for the PNW being in the rain shadow but yet west of the mountains. There are a few other towns in the Sequim area that also touch the rain shadow (i.e. Port Townsend), but Sequim gets the most sun (or so they say).
I am surprised to see Asheville on this list, everything I have heard about this area is it is exploding and the cost of living is rising rapidly, I was equally surprised to see someone mention Austin which also is suppose to have out of control housing costs unless you are part of the Tiny House movement. I would suggest people look at the growth rates in the cities they are targeting because a high growth rate means high demand and that will translate in higher costs over time.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8525
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by lthenderson »

Random Poster wrote:
mak1277 wrote:
Random Poster wrote:
mak1277 wrote:
Random Poster wrote:Pittsburg, Pennsylvania -- Haven't been there in decades, but the town seems to get good press.
Pittsburgh has awful weather. Fewer sunny days per year than Seattle. Otherwise, it really is a great place and would tick a lot of your boxes. Fun fact, it's the only "burg" in the US with an "h" on the end.
Well, if I can't spell the town properly, then we certainly have no business living there!
Don't feel bad. Pittsburg, Iowa was named after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Even the early settlers had trouble spelling it.
musselpoint
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 2:45 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by musselpoint »

For those who mention Asheville, NC but are (correctly) wary of exploding property prices, Hendersonville, NC is 30 minutes down the road and offers much of the same advantages (weather, woods, proximity to biking & breweries) and the real estate hasn't yet become overpriced. You can park <2 blocks from Main St restaurants for free (unlike Asheville). Downtown Greenville, SC is fab but it is 10degs warmer and lacks the mountainous feel.

(Disclosure: I live in Hendersonville & work in Asheville and Greenville).
Wellfleet
Posts: 636
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by Wellfleet »

fishmonger wrote: Mass not being a low tax state is an understatement. Also realize that Western Mass gets almost nothing from the state legislature in terms of roads, economic development, etc.

Property tax rate in Amherst is $21/$1000. Could find a comparable place 20 miles north in NH with no income tax or sales tax
Not sure why state legislature impact would matter to OP? Would agree on 20 miles north in NH, but it gets snowy. One town outside Amherst is why I didn't recommend Amherst proper- Hadley's tax rate is $11/$1000 and right next to Amherst and is beautiful.
fishmonger
Posts: 817
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:20 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by fishmonger »

Wellfleet wrote:
fishmonger wrote: Mass not being a low tax state is an understatement. Also realize that Western Mass gets almost nothing from the state legislature in terms of roads, economic development, etc.

Property tax rate in Amherst is $21/$1000. Could find a comparable place 20 miles north in NH with no income tax or sales tax
Not sure why state legislature impact would matter to OP? Would agree on 20 miles north in NH, but it gets snowy. One town outside Amherst is why I didn't recommend Amherst proper- Hadley's tax rate is $11/$1000 and right next to Amherst and is beautiful.
OP stated in an earlier post that he is happy paying more in taxes for quality roads, infrastructure, etc. Only point I was making is that Western Mass gets very little of that "bang for your buck." To be fair, NH gets almost nothing, so YMMV!
donaldfair71
Posts: 1241
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:15 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by donaldfair71 »

Pittsburgh Pa

NOT WASHINGTON DC.

I have lived in both places. They both have their positives, but cost is INSANE in the DC area. With that being a consideration, I would propose somewhere west of Dulles Airport, like South Riding or even all the way out to Winchester (which I still believe to be the best hidden gem in America AFAIK).

I know the linked article below is somewhat dated, but it isn't the only one out there touting Winchester for affordable retirement. The area is pretty perfect, and for a Yankee "moving away" for the first time, the place has a small town cozy feel while still offering most of the amenities.

https://www.aol.com/article/2011/07/27/ ... /20000697/
Last edited by donaldfair71 on Thu May 04, 2017 9:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
SurferLife
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:57 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by SurferLife »

TheTimeLord wrote:I am surprised to see Asheville on this list, everything I have heard about this area is it is exploding and the cost of living is rising rapidly, I was equally surprised to see someone mention Austin which also is suppose to have out of control housing costs unless you are part of the Tiny House movement. I would suggest people look at the growth rates in the cities they are targeting because a high growth rate means high demand and that will translate in higher costs over time.
I should have said the Asheville area. We are looking at places within 30 min of the city. But yes, costs there are rising.

Austin is expensive, but the surrounding areas are affordable with 300k. Property taxes in central Texas are another thing entirely. Texas lacks a state income tax, but they make up for that with property taxes.
rob65
Posts: 379
Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 1:30 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by rob65 »

KyleAAA wrote:
Random Poster wrote: Atlanta, Georgia -- The Midtown area seems walkable and there are some minor family considerations to the area. It might serve well as a "home base" to use as a place to keep one's things and return to in between stints of traveling the world, but such a plan is probably more theoretical than realistic.
You'll struggle living a decent lifestyle in midtown Atlanta on $60k. I would think housing would be pretty much completely unaffordable at that income outside of some crappier condos. Intown Atlanta real estate is generally not reasonable.
Agree about the midtown Atlanta prices. Some of the suburbs are much more affordable, but are usually not walkable. Athens might be a better option in Georgia.
windrose
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 12:15 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by windrose »

I think your biggest disconnect is the wish for the area with a 50K average per capita income, and your own, better, financial situation, which will allow you to live in a more expensive area...and would probably be more closely aligned with some of the lifestyle wants on your list.

Keep in mind that someone making 50K a year is also probably paying for housing with that money, so they are working with a household income of more like 35K. In those areas, the housing is going to cost a lot less than your planned 300K--they can't afford that.

They are also not shopping at Costco, especially if they are trying to support children on that income. I spent much of my adult life in such a neighborhood, and I was very happy there. It did not have a Trader Joe, Costco, or Starbucks. I could get in my car and drive to any of those places, but they were not in my neighborhood. An Aldi, yes, within walking distance :happy

With the amount you have to work with (a paid for 300K house, plus the 60K per year) you are more closely fitting in with families in the 90K-100K range. Within these areas, you can usually find some real estate deals...."sleepers" as my family likes to call them, but they sometimes take a bit of time to find, since some of the 50K families, who want to live in a better area, will have beat you to them.

Also, I think you need to take the pressure off of yourself over the need to get it right in one shot. Put the things you really want to keep in a nice, climate controlled storage, and spend some time staying in various places until you find something that feels right. Then rent there for a year. Once you are sure, you can buy a house.
wrongfunds
Posts: 3187
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:55 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by wrongfunds »

But the train that goes through town drives me crazy
I did not get that at all :-(

Anyway, how does one make such a move after being in one place for more than 30 years? How do you establish roots in a different place during the sunset years of your life? I understand if bunch of your friends all decided to purchase something a planned retirement community but otherwise how does one build an entirely new network from scratch? You will not be working and you will not be having kids in the school; so your avenues of coming across couples with similar interests would be minimal.
User avatar
TheTimeLord
Posts: 12130
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 2:05 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by TheTimeLord »

SurferLife wrote:
TheTimeLord wrote:I am surprised to see Asheville on this list, everything I have heard about this area is it is exploding and the cost of living is rising rapidly, I was equally surprised to see someone mention Austin which also is suppose to have out of control housing costs unless you are part of the Tiny House movement. I would suggest people look at the growth rates in the cities they are targeting because a high growth rate means high demand and that will translate in higher costs over time.
I should have said the Asheville area. We are looking at places within 30 min of the city. But yes, costs there are rising.

Austin is expensive, but the surrounding areas are affordable with 300k. Property taxes in central Texas are another thing entirely. Texas lacks a state income tax, but they make up for that with property taxes.
Sales taxes are also high in Texas. From everything I know about the Austin area you have to get pretty far away to escape the explosion which is spreading through the hill country. Has anyone suggested Fort Worth?
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
User avatar
Toons
Posts: 14467
Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Hills of Tennessee

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by Toons »

North East Tn.
:happy
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
ychuck46
Posts: 166
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:54 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by ychuck46 »

We live in the Crossville, TN area, specifically on the lake Tansi side. I believe you will find we tick off just about every box on your list. The crime rate might seem high but that is largely due to stealing to support drug habits, nothing major like you will find in all the large cities you list. The wife and I looked at all the same things you did before moving here 7 years ago. BTW, it is a big retirement community area.
DSInvestor
Posts: 11647
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:42 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by DSInvestor »

Lots of beautiful scenery in Western Washington north of Seattle, perhaps near Bellingham. Mild weather, close to water and mountains. Seattle is close to the south. Vancouver BC close to the north. San Juan Islands, Mount Baker, Mount Rainier, North Cascades. Lots of great options for hiking, biking, skiing, backpacking. No state income tax.

WTA.ORG page on some essential hikes in WA:
http://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal- ... gton-hikes
Last edited by DSInvestor on Thu May 04, 2017 11:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wiki
Topic Author
Random Poster
Posts: 3314
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:17 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by Random Poster »

Thanks again to all who have responded.

I wrote down all of the suggested locations, and my wife and I made a quick run through them last night.

Based on the comments given, and our first-impression thoughts of a location (for example, regardless of how wonderful somewhere in Washington State or upstate New York might be, it is simply too far away from my wife's family for her to consider living there), I think that our revised list is as follows:

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Asheville (Area), North Carolina
Athens, Georgia
Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas
Boise, Idaho
Bozeman, Montana
Charlotte, North Carolina
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Greenville, South Carolina
Knoxville, Tennessee
Longmont/Fort Collins (Area), Colorado
Rapid City, South Dakota
Reno/Carson City, Nevada
Salt Lake City/Sandy, Utah
San Marcos (Area), Texas

Personally, I'm not a fan of humidity, so the eastern-located places already have a strike against them (although their proximity to my family would be a slight benefit), but I feel like we are making progress. Thanks again.
User avatar
alpenglow
Posts: 1805
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 12:02 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by alpenglow »

rustymutt wrote:
JupiterJones wrote:What about a more affordable suburb of some of those places on your list?

Take Longmont, CO, for example (which I only know of thanks to Mr. Money Mustache... who claims to live off a lot less than $60K, incidentally). You get the same weather and nearby mountains as Boulder or Denver, plus a similar "Colorado vibe" (ride your bike to get a Snarf's and a craft beer!), but there are still plenty of houses on ZIllow for $300K or so.
I'd add to that, the city of Longmont, Co host their own fiber to premise utility, so fast internet isn't an issue.
Plus you can hang out with MMM
randomguy
Posts: 11295
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:00 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by randomguy »

RoadHouseFan wrote:High quality of life at reasonable costs exists in the following:

Texas
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Indiana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Wyoming
With the exception of a couple of towns, I would say pretty much all of those places have piss poor quality of life.:) But my definition of quality of life isn't yours. Like going to theatre shows? NYC has a lot to offer and Wyoming doesn't. Want to go fishing and hunting? NYC isn't that great but Montana sure is. Want to smoke dope? CA, WA,OR, CO and AK might improve your quality of life. And so on. Everyone needs to figure out what is important to them and then find the place that maximizes those things and whose downsides they can live with.
btenny
Posts: 5702
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:47 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by btenny »

Wrong, I moved to South Lake Tahoe for the winter skiing when I retired. Heavenly ski resort is right in town. I did not know a single person. Now I have more friends there than in my home town of Phoenix. I meet tons of people through skiing. We constantly talk about skiing. We also talk about boating and golf and music. Many of my friends are golf slaves (in the summer) and work as marshals and starters and gofers at the golf course for free golf. I just pay for golf a few times per year. But I own a boat and talk boating with everyone. And we all go to free summer music concerts and events around town. No one cares about work and no one talks about what career anyone had or what work they are doing now. Some still work. They like the routine and the $$$. The other key to Tahoe is it is small town so everyone gets to know almost everyone else.

The key to me is what are your passions? Go find your passions.

Good Luck.
User avatar
HomerJ
Posts: 21281
Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:50 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by HomerJ »

Random Poster wrote:
I_Am_Not_A_Doctor wrote:Just out of curiosity, what in your arithmetic led you to rule-out the Indianapolis, IN, metro area?


I don't think that we have ever considered the place. But doesn't it get a lot of tornadoes?
I don't think tornadoes are ever really a consideration when determining a place to live. Well, except maybe if you want to retire to Moore, Oklahoma. That poor town has been hit by monster twisters twice in 14 years.

I have lived in Kansas for 20 years (hello, wizard of Oz), and we get a tornado warning maybe once every year or two, we go down to the basement to watch the news, and an hour later, the all-clear sounds.

On other hand, we always seem to see news stories about Hurricanes on the East and Gulf Coasts, storm surges, flooding in the southeast, drought and wild fires in the southwest, blizzards and 6 feet of snow in the north-east. Kansas seems pretty calm to us. :)
Last edited by HomerJ on Thu May 04, 2017 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RoadHouseFan
Posts: 279
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2016 6:55 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by RoadHouseFan »

randomguy wrote:
RoadHouseFan wrote:High quality of life at reasonable costs exists in the following:

Texas
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Indiana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Wyoming
With the exception of a couple of towns, I would say pretty much all of those places have piss poor quality of life.:) But my definition of quality of life isn't yours. Like going to theatre shows? NYC has a lot to offer and Wyoming doesn't. Want to go fishing and hunting? NYC isn't that great but Montana sure is. Want to smoke dope? CA, WA,OR, CO and AK might improve your quality of life. And so on. Everyone needs to figure out what is important to them and then find the place that maximizes those things and whose downsides they can live with.
Incorrect.
randomguy
Posts: 11295
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:00 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by randomguy »

ychuck46 wrote:We live in the Crossville, TN area, specifically on the lake Tansi side. I believe you will find we tick off just about every box on your list. The crime rate might seem high but that is largely due to stealing to support drug habits, nothing major like you will find in all the large cities you list. The wife and I looked at all the same things you did before moving here 7 years ago. BTW, it is a big retirement community area.

Most major crime in cities is drug related also. Reality is you are unlikely to be hit by crime in most areas. But it is a real pain when it happens. Getting robbed by a methhead (assuming crossville is like the rest of TN and my weeks of jury duty were representative of the crime in the state:)) still means you were robbed.:)
Big Mig
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:43 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by Big Mig »

rob65 wrote:
KyleAAA wrote:
Random Poster wrote: Atlanta, Georgia -- The Midtown area seems walkable and there are some minor family considerations to the area. It might serve well as a "home base" to use as a place to keep one's things and return to in between stints of traveling the world, but such a plan is probably more theoretical than realistic.
You'll struggle living a decent lifestyle in midtown Atlanta on $60k. I would think housing would be pretty much completely unaffordable at that income outside of some crappier condos. Intown Atlanta real estate is generally not reasonable.
Agree about the midtown Atlanta prices. Some of the suburbs are much more affordable, but are usually not walkable. Athens might be a better option in Georgia.
I like Athens too, but midtown and the unnamed outside-the-perimeter 'burbs aren't the only options in metro Atlanta. If I wanted to make the OP's "theoretical" plan my reality, I'd look for a condo in easy walking distance of the Chamblee marta station. Something in the 200s there would be nicer than a similarly priced condo in midtown. This area isn't perfectly walkable now but it will be pretty good when the new Whole Foods opens this summer; there are already decent restaurants, and the WF complex and other ongoing development will add more (though some of the new ones are chains). Marta is not great for commuting, but it's a very nice way for retirees to get around, and a direct trip to midtown (and on to the airport); much of Atlanta is pretty easily accessed. And Chamblee is easier (note, I didn't say easy) to get out of than midtown, when you want to go to Chattanooga, the mountains, or Greenville. Spend the 8 or so comfortable months in and around Atlanta, and take advantage of the airport once it's getting hot.

But I like trains, and both Amtrak and freight travel the same corridor as marta; sounds like this wouldn't work for the OP.
User avatar
HomerJ
Posts: 21281
Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:50 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by HomerJ »

Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri meets most of your criteria.

If you live on the east side, you'll be 45 minutes from Jefferson City that has the big airport.

You can live right on the lake very cheaply. Plenty to do in the area in the summer and fall. Good hiking and biking too. Winter is a slow time though.
mall0c
Posts: 1145
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by mall0c »

<deleted>
Last edited by mall0c on Sat Oct 07, 2023 4:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
FIRE'd. Mid-40s.
User avatar
HomerJ
Posts: 21281
Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:50 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by HomerJ »

randomguy wrote:
RoadHouseFan wrote:High quality of life at reasonable costs exists in the following:

Texas
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Indiana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Wyoming
With the exception of a couple of towns, I would say pretty much all of those places have piss poor quality of life.:) But my definition of quality of life isn't yours. Like going to theatre shows? NYC has a lot to offer and Wyoming doesn't. Want to go fishing and hunting? NYC isn't that great but Montana sure is. Want to smoke dope? CA, WA,OR, CO and AK might improve your quality of life. And so on. Everyone needs to figure out what is important to them and then find the place that maximizes those things and whose downsides they can live with.
LOL. There's really nothing even to say. Your perspective is extremely limited. Yeah, the only thing to do in all the states in the middle of the country is fish, hunt, and smoke dope. :)
Last edited by HomerJ on Thu May 04, 2017 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RoadHouseFan
Posts: 279
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2016 6:55 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by RoadHouseFan »

HomerJ wrote:
randomguy wrote:
RoadHouseFan wrote:High quality of life at reasonable costs exists in the following:

Texas
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Indiana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Wyoming
With the exception of a couple of towns, I would say pretty much all of those places have piss poor quality of life.:) But my definition of quality of life isn't yours. Like going to theatre shows? NYC has a lot to offer and Wyoming doesn't. Want to go fishing and hunting? NYC isn't that great but Montana sure is. Want to smoke dope? CA, WA,OR, CO and AK might improve your quality of life. And so on. Everyone needs to figure out what is important to them and then find the place that maximizes those things and whose downsides they can live with.
LOL. There's really nothing even to say. Your perspective is extremely limited. Yeah, the only thing to do in the all the states in the middle of the country is fish, hunt, and smoke dope. :)
Correct.
ychuck46
Posts: 166
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:54 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by ychuck46 »

randomguy wrote:
ychuck46 wrote:We live in the Crossville, TN area, specifically on the lake Tansi side. I believe you will find we tick off just about every box on your list. The crime rate might seem high but that is largely due to stealing to support drug habits, nothing major like you will find in all the large cities you list. The wife and I looked at all the same things you did before moving here 7 years ago. BTW, it is a big retirement community area.

Most major crime in cities is drug related also. Reality is you are unlikely to be hit by crime in most areas. But it is a real pain when it happens. Getting robbed by a methhead (assuming crossville is like the rest of TN and my weeks of jury duty were representative of the crime in the state:)) still means you were robbed.:)
I agree on your point about being robbed is being robbed. What I meant is that we don't have the capital crimes like murder and the like to deal with, like in all the big cities.
CFM300
Posts: 2541
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:13 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by CFM300 »

Keep narrowing the list, and then go visit. Preferably for an extended period.

Just considering the first two places on your new revised list:
Random Poster wrote: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Asheville (Area), North Carolina
...
objective criteria aside, those places *feel* completely different.

Culturally, Latino and Native American roots vs. Appalachian. Scenically, open desert with a huge mountain range in the background vs. lush, nestled-in-the-mountains feel (that some might find claustrophobic). Even the hiking is completely different. Go climb the La Luz trail to the top of the Sandia Crest or walk around Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, and then go climb Mount Mitchell (the highest point in the eastern U.S.) just outside of Asheville. Then think: which would you like to be able to do anytime you want for the rest of your life?

The differences, once you're in those places, will be night and day.
Last edited by CFM300 on Thu May 04, 2017 12:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bigred77
Posts: 2049
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:53 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by bigred77 »

I would be on the first flight to Denver and start trying to see if I could find acceptable housing that I could afford.

Can you live with a 2 bedroom Condo close to town? How about a house in the exurbs as long as you don't have a commute?
Big Mig
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:43 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by Big Mig »

ychuck46 wrote:
randomguy wrote:
ychuck46 wrote:We live in the Crossville, TN area, specifically on the lake Tansi side. I believe you will find we tick off just about every box on your list. The crime rate might seem high but that is largely due to stealing to support drug habits, nothing major like you will find in all the large cities you list. The wife and I looked at all the same things you did before moving here 7 years ago. BTW, it is a big retirement community area.

Most major crime in cities is drug related also. Reality is you are unlikely to be hit by crime in most areas. But it is a real pain when it happens. Getting robbed by a methhead (assuming crossville is like the rest of TN and my weeks of jury duty were representative of the crime in the state:)) still means you were robbed.:)
I agree on your point about being robbed is being robbed. What I meant is that we don't have the capital crimes like murder and the like to deal with, like in all the big cities.
I don't know anything about Crossville (though I had colleagues who worked in Cookeville, which I believe is nearby and seemed a very nice place). This turned up on the first page of a search for "Crossville TN crime rate". Looks like Crossville has a higher rate of violent crime (along with property crime) than Chattanooga, Knoxville, or Nashville, but lower than Memphis: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tn/crossville/crime
randomguy
Posts: 11295
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:00 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by randomguy »

ychuck46 wrote:
randomguy wrote:
ychuck46 wrote:We live in the Crossville, TN area, specifically on the lake Tansi side. I believe you will find we tick off just about every box on your list. The crime rate might seem high but that is largely due to stealing to support drug habits, nothing major like you will find in all the large cities you list. The wife and I looked at all the same things you did before moving here 7 years ago. BTW, it is a big retirement community area.

Most major crime in cities is drug related also. Reality is you are unlikely to be hit by crime in most areas. But it is a real pain when it happens. Getting robbed by a methhead (assuming crossville is like the rest of TN and my weeks of jury duty were representative of the crime in the state:)) still means you were robbed.:)
I agree on your point about being robbed is being robbed. What I meant is that we don't have the capital crimes like murder and the like to deal with, like in all the big cities.
Sure looks like you have murder to me.:)
http://www.newschannel5.com/news/local- ... crossville :)
http://wate.com/2016/03/02/crossville-w ... ds-murder/

A quick google on crime rates

Rape
national: 0.39
crossville: 0.79
NYC: .19

Assault:
national: 2.38
crossville: 8.06
NYC: 3.74

Your odds of suffering a violent crime are a lot higher in crossville. The difference is population size. In NYC you will see a murder on the news every day. It makes the crime seem very common. In crossville you will get a couple/year which makes it seem very rare. But the difference is because the NYC area has 100x the population, not because one area is safer or not.

I am not saying that the crime there makes the town unlivable. I also bet that most of the crime happens in a small portion of the town. I know when I looked in houses in TN, the towns I looked at had high crime. But it was all in 1/3rd of the city. The other 2/3rds were as safe as anywhere.
Topic Author
Random Poster
Posts: 3314
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:17 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by Random Poster »

bigred77 wrote:Can you live with a 2 bedroom Condo close to town? How about a house in the exurbs as long as you don't have a commute?
Yes, as to both.

I'd be fine with a 1 bedroom condo, if it was in a walkable downtown-type area near public transportation to an airport and offered reasonable access to parks and mountains (accessible by car, presumably).

Compounding the question of "where to live" is "what kind of residence to live in". I'd love to be able to garden and have a fire pit and BBQ and the like---which tends to lend itself to having a single family house---but at the same time maybe the "lock and leave" lifestyle---which tends to mean condo---would be more conducive to our restless and peripatetic ways.
hulburt1
Posts: 510
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:17 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by hulburt1 »

The grass is not all ways greener on the other side of the mountain.
I_Am_Not_A_Doctor
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:00 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by I_Am_Not_A_Doctor »

HomerJ wrote:
Random Poster wrote:
I_Am_Not_A_Doctor wrote:Just out of curiosity, what in your arithmetic led you to rule-out the Indianapolis, IN, metro area?


I don't think that we have ever considered the place. But doesn't it get a lot of tornadoes?
I don't think tornadoes are ever really a consideration when determining a place to live. Well, except maybe if you want to retire to Moore, Oklahoma. That poor town has been hit by monster twisters twice in 14 years.

I have lived in Kansas for 20 years (hello, wizard of Oz), and we get a tornado warning maybe once every year or two, we go down to the basement to watch the news, and an hour later, the all-clear sounds.

On other hand, we always seem to see news stories about Hurricanes on the East and Gulf Coasts, storm surges, flooding in the southeast, drought and wild fires in the southwest, blizzards and 6 feet of snow in the north-east. Kansas seems pretty calm to us. :)
I'm not sure I can think of a place in the US that doesn't have a weather phenomenon or lurking natural disaster waiting to happen. Some under-the-radar types are volcanoes in the northwest (Maybe the residents know this because of the Mt. St. Helens eruption? But much of the Sea-Tac area may be in a old volcano flow area... and volcanic activity is not dead on the west coast), all of the west coast is under tsunami risk because of earthquakes all the way out in east Asia, a purported super-volcano under Yellowstone (the extinction-event type), and the New Madrid earthquake/fault zone along the Mississippi River in southeastern Missouri (which can be a threat all the way out to Indiana and Chicago and points south too).

So I'm of the idea of avoiding the "frequent" or "predictable" disasters (hurricanes in the south and east, earthquakes in the west, droughts in the southwest) and getting myself comfortable with the less frequent or less predictable ones.
livesoft
Posts: 86076
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by livesoft »

^One can see hurricanes coming if they have access to typical media outlets. I don't think that's the case with earthquakes although folks knew something was up with Mt St Helens ahead of time.
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
User avatar
TxAg
Posts: 1835
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:09 am

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by TxAg »

Random Poster wrote:Thanks again to all who have responded.

I wrote down all of the suggested locations, and my wife and I made a quick run through them last night.

Based on the comments given, and our first-impression thoughts of a location (for example, regardless of how wonderful somewhere in Washington State or upstate New York might be, it is simply too far away from my wife's family for her to consider living there), I think that our revised list is as follows:

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Asheville (Area), North Carolina
Athens, Georgia
Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas
Boise, Idaho
Bozeman, Montana
Charlotte, North Carolina
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Greenville, South Carolina
Knoxville, Tennessee
Longmont/Fort Collins (Area), Colorado
Rapid City, South Dakota
Reno/Carson City, Nevada
Salt Lake City/Sandy, Utah
San Marcos (Area), Texas

Personally, I'm not a fan of humidity, so the eastern-located places already have a strike against them (although their proximity to my family would be a slight benefit), but I feel like we are making progress. Thanks again.

I like that list!
User avatar
TimeRunner
Posts: 1939
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:23 pm
Location: Beach-side, CA

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by TimeRunner »

Random Poster wrote:Based on the comments given, and our first-impression thoughts of a location (for example, regardless of how wonderful somewhere in Washington State or upstate New York might be, it is simply too far away from my wife's family for her to consider living there)....
Realize that you've added another criteria to your original list. (Well, your wife did.) :oops:
One cannot enlighten the unconscious. | "All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine." -Jeff Spicoli
I_Am_Not_A_Doctor
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:00 pm

Re: Where to Live on $60K or Less a Year?

Post by I_Am_Not_A_Doctor »

livesoft wrote:^One can see hurricanes coming if they have access to typical media outlets. I don't think that's the case with earthquakes although folks knew something was up with Mt St Helens ahead of time.
When thinking of hurricanes, I wasn't necessarily thinking of personal safety. If living in such areas, I assumed I'd be listening to news outlets about reports, etc. and evacuating out to avoid personal injury. But, such evacuations, if necessary at all, are likely at least "inconvenient"... and "regularly" coming back to devastated property would be damaging, both financially and emotionally.
Post Reply