Posted on 08/19/2002 11:52:05 AM PDT by crystalk
STATES RATED [Assumes you will grow up, raise a family, or retire--in an AVG spot in the BEST 25% of the State]
[If no regional preference is shown, it means entire State about equally good overall, pick your own best.]
1. Florida [Best areas are in NE, NW, or SW. So friendly and so many jobs, climate an extra.]
2. Georgia [Avoid areas within 35 mi of Atlanta center; better not too close to AL line.]
3. Virginia [Avoid areas >5 mi NW of I-81; if TIED to DC area, live in Va.]
4. South Carolina [better NW and around lgr cities. or in gated comm]
5. North Carolina [Better in West; less good >15 mi E of CLT-GSO line]
6. Tennessee [Much better to E of Nvl-Chatt line]
7. Texas [Best areas SCen or beaches; avoid Mx border zone.]
8. Kentucky [Avoid E 30% of state, or Wmost 10%.]
9. Mississippi [Better in S 40% of state, or near universities.]
10. Arkansas [Best in NW; avoid SE 44% of state.]
11. Oklahoma [Better in E/SE 60% of state]
12. Louisiana [Better near NO or lg cities, but if you love Cajuns go Anywhere in S half.]
13. Alabama [Better in Mobile/coast area; or in/near sizable cities, or N/NE area.]
14. Arizona [Best in Cen or SE areas. Pretty desert, pretty hot.]
15. Nevada [Bracing weather in N 90% of state; Vegas and Ariz-type climate in S; low taxes.]
16. New Mexico [Interesting, not as hot as AZ; N half is cold in winter.]
17. Idaho [Climate less cold than you think; beautiful. Boise booms.]
18. Utah [Climate and Mormons not as cold as feared. Scenery forever.]
19. Indiana [Better in Cen, SCen, SE. E areas; avoid the Gary/Chicago area in NW.]
20. South Dakota [Unique place, Indians, Colleges. Scenery better and climate less bad in W qtr]
21. Colorado [better out of City limit of Denver; plains E/SE and deserts W & NW less good.]
22. Oregon [deserts E sunny chilly and lonely; W 40% mild, drizzly, England-style, take your pick]
23. Kansas [better in E 30% or S 30%, of state; avoid in-city Wichita, KC, Topeka.]
24. Wyoming. [Just what youd think, in all four corners and the center.]
25. West Virginia [best in E half of state, or Chas/Hntgtn area, or near Ohio R; avoid SW and SCen]
26. Pennsylvania [even in Phil & Pitts, some livable areas]
27. Delaware [Only state in NE with net inflow of population, but room runs out soon.]
28. Ohio [Avoid the city limits of largest 6 or 8 cities]
29. New Hampshire [Unique, snowy but low taxes, builds character.]
30. Washington [S half and E quarter really better than popular Seattle area in NW]
31. Maryland [Avoid area within 25 miles of downtown DC or Baltimore.]
32. Montana [Remote chic, or just remote? Neighboring states offer better for less.]
33. Missouri [Better in S half; avoid StL or KC city limits absolutely; their areas if possible.]
34. Rhode Island [New England, but not so stuffy. Good sailing. Italian, family oriented.]
35. Maine [Remote like Montana, but lives on lobster & welfare instead of cattle.]
36. Connecticut [A used-ta-be FTMP. Avoid Hartford; E third of state not as bad.]
37. New Jersey [No-go areas getting smaller, but stay out of Camden, Elizabeth, and Newark.]
38. California [Get real Mexico at $15/day; avoid this $750/day 3d world. Polluted, Baja is Better.]
39. Nebraska [American Gothic; prairie still wholesome. Nice folks, Go Big Red!]
40. Hawaii [Corrupt, expensive, a social catastrophe in the making? Trouble in paradise.]
41. Iowa [Hogs, corn, freezing cold, some of looniest leftist universities anywhere.]
42. Michigan [Avoid SE and rust belts. Snowy. Rural areas lovely in summer.]
43. Illinois [Big city, decent areas far to S, but still 24 pts below IN and 6 below NJ!]
44. Minnesota [Beginning to wake up from Marxist dreams, but still cold as ever]
45. Wisconsin [9 months frozen; 3 of mosquitoes, leftist state U attracts kooks. Cheesy.]
46. Alaska [Not all of state is as cold as feared; envo-wackos, moose, affirm-action natives, grizzlies.]
47. North Dakota [Nice people, but who deserves THIS climate?]
48. Massachusetts [Loony-left Tax Hell , with once-great universities. Avoid Boston, Brockton.]
49. New York State [ Tax Hell. NYC OK for richest; see lower Hudson valley & Long Is; forget rest.]
50. Vermont [Taxes and enviro- wackos. Hell freezes over, with maple syrup and socialism.]
51. Dis. of Col. [Dangerous, dirty city has tourist sites, universities. Power in the air, though.]
I wont name all of the increases but put it this way, it is the largest(Arguably,... sort of.) tax increase in Mass history!!! For this state that is nothing short of amazing and scary to.
Austingirl, yeah... it drives me crazy to. The ballot votes last election were more conservative then me! Yet, they elect people who overturn the ballot questions that THEY voted for!?!?!?
Its like merry old england here and we peasants pay for the Elites fancies. Disgusting.
What in the world are you talking about? Were soon moving 40 miles west of I81. Highland County, Va., beautiful county, hunting, fishing, Maple sugar.
You must be city folk. lol
Highland County
Welcome to Highland County, often referred to as "Virginia's Switzerland". This land of high mountain valleys, sheep and cattle grazing farms and vast woodlands is known for its pristine scenic beauty and rural charm. It is one of the least populated counties in the east and boasts one of the highest mean elevations of any county east of the Mississippi River. Originally settled by Scotch/Irish highlanders and German immigrants, Highland is now an eclectic mix of native farm families and new residents drawn to the high quality of life.
Points of Interest McDowell Battlefield - Civil War site, Monterey - County Seat, Blue Grass Valley - Spectacular scenery in a farming environment, Virginia Trout Company, Maple Sugar Orchards, Highland Wildlife Management Area, George Washington National Forest.
Tourism Visitors come to Highland County to enjoy outdoor recreational activities. Special attractions include the Highland Maple Festival held each March, the McDowell Battlefield and peak foliage colors in autumn. The Highland Maple Festival takes visitors back to earlier days when trees where opened and sugar water was boiled down to make syrup. Maple Sugar camps throughout the county welcome visitors to view the process of syrup making.
Climate Highland County's climate consists of moderately cold winters and comfortable cool summers. The normal average temperature is 47.6 degrees fahrenheit with summer temperatures averaging 70-80 degrees. The average annual precipitation is 42 inches.
History Highland County was formed in 1847 from Bath and Pendleton counties. The county encompasses 416 square miles of spectacular mountain terrain and received its name from its prevailing high altitude. Highland County is rich in historic tradition. The Battle of McDowell was waged in Highland County during the Civil War. This was a significant battle in Stonewall Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign. Monterey, the county seat, was established in 1848. Highland County is also rich in its natural resources. Agriculture plays a major role in Highland's economy.
Perhaps in your case, you could stick to just #'s one through 4, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and South Carolina.
LOL! There are few places in the country more depressing than eastern Washington, and southern Washington is not much better. PuhLEEZE! Puget Sound, in spite of the lefties, is one of the nicest and most beautiful places to live on the entire west coast.
Beautiful, remote, unspoiled, and delightfully cool in summer, but a long way away from any really adequate town offering full services. Covington isn't much, you will find yourself going down to Staunton or even Charlottesville, Roanoke, or Lynchburg quite often.
And in WINTER! Winters are quite long at the Homestead. Cabin fever, no town near? So steep, so mountainous, so few towns to offer wrecker services, or a chance to ride the bus in snowy weather.
For instance, one could be almost as cool in summer, and live at Wytheville on both I-81 and I-77, and have large community hospital, fine community college, and instant transportation by car to anywhere in the East.
You are obviously someone whose remoteness and isolation preference exceeds mine, just as another poster has said mine exceeds hers.
To long to do in a short time, so I will give you a good answer by tomoorow. MOO!
It says July (midsummer) temperatures average 70 to 80 degrees. That is the MIDDAY AVERAGE HIGH, not the daily average, and it will go down and hoot at 55-60 deg every night in July up there, so the overall average July temp up there is a cool 68.9 degrees.
You are preferring cooler and more remote, nothing wrong with that. You could get that same climate at the Wintergreen townhouses high atop the Blue Ridge in Nelson County (Walton's Mtn) and have just one quick skidoo straight downhill to major towns and services on all sides, though.
Or much the same anywhere between Christiansburg and Blacksburg, and Abingdon, along I-81 in the southwest part of Va.
But there, you wouldn't get those AYCE buffets at the Homestead. Nowhere ELSE to eat in Highland Co, though, would it get old? Or fat?
Be sure to stop for country buffet meals for about $5 or 6 incl sweet tea at the Gowensville crossroad, which also has two golf courses even though it is supposedly in the middle of nowhere.
Hang gliders and UFOs are both seen frequently around Glassy Bald if you know where I am talking about.
Highlands 40 miles from I-81 & Staunton. Staunton's pop is over 25,000. Nice little town. Lots to do there. The Homestead is in W.VA. Not really very close to Highland county. Highland has a medical center now, but I think if you have something serious they fly ya to the hospital in Waynesboro. We're looking for a place to retire. I couldn't think about retiring near a big city. Costs tooo much. In Highland you can get 50 acres and a nice 3 br house for under $200k.
wrecker service? What the hells that? lol
What you are thinking of is the more massive Greenbrier, the one with the underground bomb shelter for Congress, at White Sulphur Springs in West Va., which isn't more than some one hour's drive away from the Homestead.
Be glad it IS there, otherwise no good place to eat till Staunton at least. Golf, skiing. Bars, lovely. High tea served at 4pm, harps and pianos in grand lounge, 1900-era ambiance.
Then the narrow, winding, mountain 2 lane road in the snow is not much better, with Virginians who know little about snow loose on it. Just go skiing at the Homestead.
Police would finish their report on one accident, and the same car would budge, skid again, and hit something else, and another report would have to be filed.
Always took the city bus if snow threatened, my 64 Cad's delicately chiseled features were too precious to risk in the Hill City in the Snow.
You and I must think alike, though, for we are both here in NE Fla now.
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