Posted on 05/02/2011 7:25:30 PM PDT by blam
What Is The Best Place To Live In The United States To Prepare For The Coming Economic Collapse?
May 2, 2011
What is the best place to live in the United States? I get asked that question all the time. My answer can be summed up in two words: it depends. The truth is that the answer is going to be different for each person. All of us have different goals and different needs.
If you have a very strong network of family and friends where you live right now, you might want to think twice before moving hundreds or thousands of miles away. If you have a great job where you live right now, you might want to hold on to it. You should not just assume that you are going to be able to pick up and move to another part of the country and be able to get a similar job right away.
The United States is in the midst of a very serious economic decline right now, and wherever you live you are going to have to provide for your family. Just because you move somewhere new does not mean that you are going to leave your problems behind. In fact, you might find that they moved right along with you. With all that being said, the reality is that there are some places in the U.S. that are going to be much more desirable than others when the economy totally falls apart.
For example, during a total economic collapse it will not be good to be living in a large city or in a densely populated area. Just think about what happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If the entire nation is going through something like that, you don't want to have hundreds of thousands of close neighbors at that point. So when thinking about where you want to be when everything falls apart, population density should be a major factor. But there are other factors as well and no area of the United States is perfect.
If you live in or near a major city right now, that is okay. Most Americans do. Even if you have limited financial resources at the moment, you can start developing a plan that will get you where you eventually want to go. If you want to move to another part of the country you can start applying for jobs out there. You can also be working hard to develop a business that would enable you to move. Perhaps you have friends or family in more isolated areas that would allow you to stay with them during an economic collapse.
Those that possess more financial resources could start thinking about getting a second home in a location that is more rural.
The key is to come up with a plan and to be working towards accomplishing that plan.
If you don't have a plan yet, hopefully the following information will give you something to think about. Not all areas of the United States are equal, and all of them do have problems.
The following are some thoughts about the best place to live in the United States....
The Northeast
A major problem with the Northeast is that it is just so darn crowded. Yes, there are some rural areas, but the overall population density of the region is so high that it would be really hard to go unnoticed for long in the event of a major economic collapse.
Another thing that is not great about the Northeast is that so much of the population lives near the coast. As we saw in Japan recently, living near a coastline is not necessarily a good thing. While it is likely safer to live along the east coast then the west coast, the truth is that there is an inherent level of insecurity when it comes to living in coastal areas. You never know when the next hurricane, oil spill or tsunami is going to strike.
Also, the Northeast is really quite cold. So staying warm and growing your own food would be more difficult than in some other areas of the country.
The Mid-Atlantic
The Mid-Atlantic is one of the most beautiful areas of the nation. Unfortunately, it suffers from many of the same problems that the Northeast does.
The Mid-Atlantic has a very high population density. For example, the area around Washington D.C. is pretty much all suburbs for 50 miles in all directions.
The weather is nicer than in the Northeast and there are some less dense areas once you get south of Washington D.C.
If you think that the Mid-Atlantic might be for you, you might want to check out North Carolina or South Carolina. The people tend to get friendlier the further south you go and there are definitely some areas that could potentially work.
Florida
Florida is generally not going to be a place that you want to be during an economic collapse. The housing market has absolutely collapsed down there and the crime rate is already very high. It is also very densely populated.
The weather is very nice down in Florida, but one big thing that you need to consider when it comes to Florida is the fact that it is very flat and most of Florida is just barely above sea level. In fact, quite a bit of Florida is actually below sea level.
In addition, hurricanes are always a major threat in Florida. It is a beautiful state, but there is a lot of risk to living down there.
The Southeast
The Southeast has really taken a pounding over the last few years. First it was Hurricane Katrina, and then it was the BP oil spill and then it was the tornadoes of 2011.
There is a lot of poverty in that area of the country. There is also a lot of crime.
There are a lot of great people who live down in the Southeast, but if you do not know your way around it can be a very difficult place to move to.
The Mid-South
One of my favorite places east of the Mississippi River are the mountains along the Tennessee/North Carolina border. If you must be in the eastern half of the United States, that is not a bad choice.
Where you do not want to be is anywhere near the New Madrid fault zone. The New Madrid fault zone covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. The biggest earthquakes in the history of the United States were caused by the New Madrid fault. Many are convinced that we are going to see an absolutely catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid fault at some point.
So if you want to live in the Mid-South, it is highly recommended that you stay far away from the New Madrid fault zone.
The Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest was once one of the great manufacturing regions of the world, but now much of it is known as the "rust belt".
Formerly great manufacturing cities such as Detroit are now absolute hellholes. Tens of thousands of our factories and millions of our jobs have been shipped overseas.
There are some really great people (including some good friends of this column) that live up there, but the truth is that the region is really cold and unemployment is rampant.
The Upper Midwest is an area that people want to get out of. It is probably not a great place to move to.
However, if you do need a job, one place to look is a little bit west of there. Thanks to an abundance of natural resources, unemployment in North Dakota and South Dakota is very low. If you really need a job you might want to look into those two states.
The Southwest
In the Southwest there are a whole lot of freedom-loving Americans, the weather is very warm and there is a lot of space to get lost.
However, the Southwest is also very dry and in many areas there is not a lot of water. Drought and wildfires are quite common.
In addition, illegal immigration is rampant and is a constant security threat.
If you are familiar with that area of the country it is not a bad choice, but if you do not know what you are doing it could end up being disastrous for you.
The Great Plains
As long as you are far enough away from the New Madrid fault, the Great Plains is not a bad choice.
It is very, very flat out there, and it can be quite windy, but the good news is that you should be able to grow your own food.
In addition, the population density is generally very low in most areas.
One big negative, as we have seen recently, is tornadoes. The United States experiences more tornadoes that anywhere else in the world, and "tornado alley" generally gets the worst of it.
The West Coast
During an economic collapse, the West Coast is not a place that you will really want to be. Just take a look at the state of California already. It is an economic nightmare.
Millions of people have left California over the past couple of decades. The millions of people that have left have been replaced mostly with illegal aliens.
Oregon is better, although they have very high taxes and they are experiencing huge economic problems right now as well.
The best area along the West Coast is the Seattle area, but you won't want to be anywhere near a major population center when things totally fall apart.
Also, the West Coast lies along the "Ring of Fire". Considering what just happened in Japan and what has been happening in other areas along the Ring of Fire lately, the West Coast is not an area that a lot of people are recommending.
The Northwest
Large numbers of freedom-loving Americans have been moving to the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. You can also throw eastern Washington and eastern Oregon into this category as well.
It gets cold up in the Northwest, but not as cold as the Upper Midwest. There are lots of rivers, streams and lakes and in certain areas there is plenty of rain.
The population density is very low in most areas and there is an abundance of wildlife. Housing prices are reasonable and in many areas you can grow your own food.
The Northwest is one of the favorite areas of the United States for preppers. It is far from perfect, but it does have a lot of advantages.
Alaska And Hawaii
Neither Alaska or Hawaii is recommended. Alaska lies along the "Ring of Fire" and it is very, very cold. Also, almost everything has to be either shipped or flown into Alaska. In the event of a real economic collapse, supplies to Alaska could be cut off and shortages could develop very quickly.
Hawaii has a huge population and it does not have a lot of room. Like Alaska, most supplies have to be either shipped in or flown in. And one really bad tsunami could pretty much wipe Hawaii out.
But once again, there is no "right answer". There are areas of just about every U.S. state that could potentially work well during a major economic collapse.
When assessing where "the best place to live in the United States" is, it is important to examine your own personal factors. What will work for me and for my family will not necessarily work for you and your family.
So what do all of you think about this list? Which area of the country do you think is best for those Americans who are seeking to prepare themselves for the coming economic collapse?
Like most idiots, he thinks Hawaii is one island. It is true 80% of the population live on one island, but we keep the other islands and sparse population a secret. And that 80% is not going to swim to the neighbor islands in a breakdown, they will be like NYC, riot, loot, and eat each other.
I noticed that, too. North and South Dakota (and Eastern Montana) are typically referred to as the "Northern Plains", not the 'Upper Midwest'. We're a long way from the 'rust belt'. They even left Minnesota somewhere in limbo.
Hands down it is Alaska. We will develop our natural resources and can grow our own food. There is also a lot of hunting and fishing to be had. The author is clueless.
Hey Bungholious, It would be a cold day in hell when I’d leave California for Texas! I once turned down a “promotion” to go run a plant in Graham, Texas. You know, the “Gateway to the Possum Kingdom Reservoir.” So humid your eyeglasses fogged up like a beer bottle when you went outdoors. Golfball sized hail to screw up your car ( and your air conditioner if it was on the roof of your house). The women were good looking and the men were all fat. I was told that it was because the women were hoping to kill their men with their cooking so they could marry a younger one! And to cap it off, it was a “dry county,” which meant that each year a couple of high school students were killed driving drunk on their way back from Jacksboro ( in a “wet” county). And that’s how the bulk of Texas is. It isn’t Houston or DFW, it’s dumbass country. So lighten up on California. Yeah we have illegals, but so do you. But we have Carmel-by-the-sea, Lake Tahoe, Big Sur, beaches and mountains. You have poke salad and cow shit! Give me a break!!!
About the only major drawback is the relatively large black bear population in the area. The husband of one of my sister's coworkers was attacked by one last June and was fortunate that other bikers were able to beat it off of him.
I think it would be better to live in smaller towns or at least with good neighbors within walking distance...
.I can't imagine how it would feel to be way out in the "safe" sticks and have a maurading gang attack your home....you can't be on guard 24/7 and people need FRIENDS......
In a severe economic collapse, in the even of any natural disaster, there will be few funds to bring in supplies, help, policing, support of any kind. So, for that reason alone, it would be a good idea to not live right on a major fault line if one could help it.
Spoken like a true Geographer! I moved to Michigan from Florida to be closer to family. Housing is very affordable due to all the foreclosures and lack of jobs. That all said, if you are employable, and like four seasons, southwest Michigan is pretty darn nice...and then you can go on weekend outings up north where it is even prettier.
Biggest thing is my costs are way down. NO TAXES at all, not even property taxes here, unorganized borough, no real govt or cops or regulations, permits, zoning, or comp planning, or cell towers, or places to spend all the money you won't have at. Cheapest place I have ever found and also gold in most our creeks. ounce a day with small dredge is average.
It's not how much you make, its how much you spend that matters.
I luv rural Alaska for it's freedom, space, and miles upon miles of open country without any people or congestion. I couldn't ever live back east in west Pa where I came from ever again. Heck I was spring duck hunting tonight, ducks by the hundreds. People live with the seasons up here and minus 60 is a small price to pay for peace of mind & happiness. Ring of fire? THis guy doesn't have a clue, more worried about big burns 30X40 miles across.
Most likely you would never know the difference when it happens.
Here's another out-of-the-box suggestion: Washington, D.C. I know there's a large inner city presence, but if TSHTF you'd be living with a lot of scared liberals who - unlike many liberals - will have to live with the consequences of a bankrupt government. Right on their doorstep.
You think liberals can't be bellicose? Have a good hard look at World Wars 1 and 2. Poke around for who were pegged as the 'domestic terrorists' back then.
Frightened liberals, en masse, can become pretty authoritarian pretty quickly - especially if the frights they normally pander to hit them in their own homes. I'm pretty sure that D.C. would be very well protected during an economic collapse. The prospect of a government stripped of all of its power would frighten liberals into demanding authoritarian measures as a "practical" or "temporary" measure. They're that dependent upon government.
The downside to living in D.C., should TSHTF, would be having to live under martial law for a time. Also, the gun grabbers would be out in force and demanding total confiscation for "public safety" reasons. Given that downside, I have to admit that the above is largely rhetorical for FReepers.
While I'm advocatus diaboliing, the plush part any large city with a politically powerful upper class - the kind who consider widespread rioting in their neck of the woods to be an intolerable outrage, and have the political clout to get action - would be liveable. New York, although basically unaffordable, might make out fine except for known trouble spots. The feral yutes will effectively be sequestered in those areas. So, obviously, the cheap areas should be avoided like the plague.
The biggest downside in those big cities otherwise protected would be having to endure liberal authoritarianism. The other answers on this thread, I'm sure, work better as freedom choices. There won't be any "your liberty or your life" squeezes in those parts.
These generalities might apply to the big cities...but a lot of the state is rural,agricultural and eminently survivable when the crunch comes.
I live in rural North Central Florida and we will weather any coming economic crises quite well thank you.
You can drive for miles here and see more cattle than people.
Been there, done that. First, MA will tax you, since you’re earning money there. The out-of-state tax is unnecessarily complex. Also, the commute is difficult. Most of the jobs in MA are down in and around the Boston area, and there are really only two major highways going from NH to Boston. One is Rt 3, which was widened a few years ago, but in good weather, it’s still a good hour drive to get to the NH border in rush hour traffic; in a snowstorm, that can go as high as 4 hours (as me how I know). And then, the only real city up RT 3 is Nashua, which is nice enough, but not really “in the country”. I-93 is the other route, and will take you to Manchester in about the same amount of time, but again, not a great place to live come the collapse. To really get away from the disaster, you need to live someplace like New Boston, Mont Vernon, Goffstown, and others. And living there adds another 20-30 minutes to the commute, not including delays for weather. The roads outside the cities are also very old, and often not cleared well.
There are plenty of places further north that have that small-town charm, but you pay the price in commute distance and lack of amenities like hospitals, grocery stores, schools etc.
I know Texans well enough to know that they don't miss your classless ass in Texas.
You don't have the IQ to have a decent conversation with strangers on the internet much less 'run a plant.'
Inviting you was definately a mistake. Run along now.
If you are looking for a place with no earthquake problems, no tornadoes, no floods, no hurricanes, etc. you might as well resign yourself to waiting for heaven. There will always be strife, natural disasters, and trouble in this world. It doesn’t matter where you go. Trust in the Lord and find a place that gives you a sense of contentment. For me, that is where my kids and grandchildren are. I will deal with future disasters when and if they happens. Everyone seems to want to go around scared all the time of what might be. It’s not in our hands. As the Bible says, there is enough trouble today, worrying about the future is pointless.
Ha! I know where you are, so kill me! lol I’d be there in a heartbeat if I could.
Love your tagline. It appears that your brethren have done just that.
Good job, and press on!
Bump dat!
How are politics in Hawaii? It is almost all Democrats. Are they fascist anti-freedom Democrats? Easy-going stoner Democrats? Retro Democrats who think they are still voting for JFK? Greenie brainwashed Democrats? Or what?
Easy-going stoner Democrats? Retro Democrats who think they are still voting for JFK?
Combination of.....
The real core group , Americans of Japanese ancestry , with strong multi Union ties , formed up the Dem Party in the wake of their great and famous achievements during WW2 . They came home , they made big families and ALL still remain staunch Dem , no matter what else happens . They are still reacting to the evil white R power holders that controlled their lives prior to WW2 . Now that they basically own the entire State Gov , they ain’t letting go
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.