What do you like/love about where you live?

[skyking1]

^ I was in Mexico City in 1980. I cannot imagine how it is now.

Every big city in the U.S. has the worst traffic according to everyone in one of the other big cities.

I am an equal opportunity traffic hater. They all suck. I visit my family in Seattle because I have to.

 

[AudiDudi]

Every big city in the U.S. has the worst traffic according to everyone in one of the other big cities.

Be glad you are not in Mexico City or Jakarta.

I used to drive 29 miles to one school I was the sysadmin for - I usually saw more deer than cars.

 

[Koolau]

San Diego has the best weather in the U.S., and ATL isn’t far behind in my opinion.

I'd agree that San Diego has the best weather in America but some other places within the USA have better weather IMHO. Admittedly prejudiced but I think Hawaii has better weather than SD - especially near the coast. My offer of proof? We have neither heat nor AC and don't need either. Also I could never swim in the Pacific off SD though YMMV.

 

[FD1000]

That's like saying FL isn't that hot because I live in Miami Beach.
Hawaii's most common natural disasters are volcanic activity, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and flash floods. The state is also vulnerable to wildfires, with the 2023 Maui wildfires being a recent and catastrophic event. Recent large-scale disaster declarations include the 2023 wildfires and storms/flooding in June 2024.
Add the cost of living and job opportunities and it's more challenging than other places.
Our neighbors sold their 3000+ sq ft house + a pool and moved to Kona to 800 sq ft condo and had to add 50% more. The guy is 75 years old with health issues.
Both love to play tennis and pickleball.
I asked them what about health care, and the above.
The answer, the weather is great.

 

[Music Lover]

We can't afford to live where the weather is great all year round but luckily we don't have to because it's cheaper to snowbird for 3 months.

That gives us the benefit of being near family and lifelong friends and also a break from the worst of winter.

 

[aja8888]

I used to drive 29 miles to one school I was the sysadmin for - I usually saw more deer than cars.

It's those orange ski goggles that make the deer earlier to see, I guess.

 

[Cognito]

Although I am wearing long underwear this morning watching the morning news here in Milwaukee the summers here are the great. For music lovers. The socialist who ruled Milwaukee in the last century designated much greenspace as huge parks for it's citizens. Now those parks have music all summer long. Summerfest in June/July have some 800 bands. Maybe half are Milwaukee area bands. Milwaukee "City of Festivals".

 

[427Vette]

You have to be with the Chamber of Commence? I've done Gainesville, Windner, Braselton and Blue Ridge. Must say Blue Ridge was my favorite.
"The one thing that bothers me is this: why do people who moved here from New York or California want to change our city into something that feels just like the places they left? There was a reason they came here in the first place." That really resonates with me. In Central FL, tens of thousands people from Puerto Rico have made this their home. Amazing how many are creating a third-world atmosphere in some areas . I won't go there but Hollywood and Sanford and Son depicts the vibe of quite a few homes.

Apparently this is very common. People from the Minneapolis/St Paul area known to us as the “cities” move here and try to change it to be like the place they left. The worst is their attitudes. They act like we are all hicks and we were just waiting for them to arrive to show us how backwards we really are. The truth is we were fine before you got here. If you like it there stay there. Please don’t make here there!

 

[Gumby]

Apparently this is very common. People from the Minneapolis/St Paul area known to us as the “cities” move here and try to change it to be like the place they left. The worst is their attitudes. They act like we are all hicks and we were just waiting for them to arrive to show us how backwards we really are. The truth is we were fine before you got here. If you like it there stay there. Please don’t make here there!

Sorry, we're not taking those losers back.

 

[Calico]

<snip> In Central FL, tens of thousands people from Puerto Rico have made this their home. Amazing how many are creating a third-world atmosphere in some areas . I won't go there but Hollywood and Sanford and Son depicts the vibe of quite a few homes.

Point of fact: Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since 1898. It's residents are U.S. citizens. This  is their home just as it is yours.

 

[aja8888]

Point of fact: Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since 1898. It's residents are U.S. citizens. This  is their home just as it is yours.

The Puerto Rico community in Connecticut where I lived and worked in manufacturing is very big. They have been there for decades and were some of the best employees I had in my plant when I was running it in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

 

[Gumby]

The Puerto Rico community in Connecticut where I lived and worked in manufacturing is very big. They have been there for decades and were some of the best employees I had in my plant when I was running it in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

8% of the population of Connecticut has Puerto Rican heritage, the highest percentage of any state.

 

[aja8888]

8% of the population of Connecticut has Puerto Rican heritage, the highest percentage of any state.

I did not know it was that big a number. Thanks.

 

[Koolau]

That's like saying FL isn't that hot because I live in Miami Beach.
Hawaii's most common natural disasters are volcanic activity, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and flash floods. The state is also vulnerable to wildfires, with the 2023 Maui wildfires being a recent and catastrophic event. Recent large-scale disaster declarations include the 2023 wildfires and storms/flooding in June 2024.
Add the cost of living and job opportunities and it's more challenging than other places.
Our neighbors sold their 3000+ sq ft house + a pool and moved to Kona to 800 sq ft condo and had to add 50% more. The guy is 75 years old with health issues.
Both love to play tennis and pickleball.
I asked them what about health care, and the above.
The answer, the weather is great.

You forgot to mention that we are a one-party state!

 

[FD1000]

Today we took Uber to the international airport at 7 AM, 35 miles took just 33 minutes going thru downtown ATL.

 

[aja8888]

Today we took Uber to the international airport at 7 AM, 35 miles took just 33 minutes going thru downtown ATL.

Not bad for an early Saturday morning. Try that during the week.

 

[street]

Wife had surgery on Thursday and the Doc that done the surgery called her Friday. A small town hospital and something that you wouldn't see in a large hospital in a metro area. He spent a lot of time with her on the phone.

Another reason for living where I do.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Wife had surgery on Thursday and the Doc that done the surgery called her Friday. A small town hospital and something that you wouldn't see in a large hospital in a metro area. He spent a lot of time with her on the phone.

Another reason for living where I do.

Street, hope DW is well. That says a lot about your doctor. And, his employer.

 

[flyoverstate]

Wife had surgery on Thursday and the Doc that done the surgery called her Friday. A small town hospital and something that you wouldn't see in a large hospital in a metro area. He spent a lot of time with her on the phone.

Another reason for living where I do.

We live in a very rural area, the only hospital in the county of 30,000 is 20 miles from us. But we have a clinic nearby that is connected to the hospital. Appointments are easy to get, they even have drop in hours four days per week. Drop ins are not for ER or urgent care, but regular stuff like colds or physicals. Easy and awesome.

There is a staff of local specialists at the local hospital for many things, but for cancer or really major things it is 1:15 to the regional. With that said, a neighbor had a double knee replacement done at the local hospital 20 miles away and is 100% satisfied. I didn't even know that was a thing.

We are really healthy (knock on wood), so we are completely satisfied with the care we get. It is way less hassle than when we lived in the massive metro. Dental and vision are similarly easy.

 

[Koolau]

Wife had surgery on Thursday and the Doc that done the surgery called her Friday. A small town hospital and something that you wouldn't see in a large hospital in a metro area. He spent a lot of time with her on the phone.

Another reason for living where I do.

What a great story!

I still remember house calls by my family doctor. Can you even imagine that these days??

 

[6miths]

Tolerant, generally polite people. Excellent, universal healthcare. Four seasons. The Great Lakes.

 

[street]

The town population is ~5K. Has ear/throat, surgeon, cancer center which has state of art tech, specialists come in for other areas of health also.

The small hospital has it's own air ambulance which our Community Foundation bought for over a million bucks.

Most rural areas have more then some might think.

 

[427Vette]

I just had something similar happen about 3 weeks ago. I found myself in the ER in our local hospital. I had to get transferred to a larger hospital 2 hours away. Three days later on a Sunday I am still in the hospital and I got a call from the local doc on his personal cell phone. He used his first name to identify himself, I couldn’t figure out who he was at first. He was just calling to check on me. He said he was worried about me! I thought that was very upstanding and totally a small town thing.

 

[FD1000]

Not bad for an early Saturday morning. Try that during the week.

I have done that too, about 40-60 minutes.
In San Jose Costa Rica today it was like driving to LAX.
From the airport SJO to downtown San Jose, 12 miles took 45 minutes.

 

[flyoverstate]

I have done that too, about 40-60 minutes.
In San Jose Costa Rica today it was like driving to LAX.
From the airport SJO to downtown San Jose, 12 miles took 45 minutes.

Traffic is what drove us out of the Denver area, and it was one the major factors on our list of where to retire. We now live 17 miles from the nearest stoplight, and even in the "Big Town" we go to once a month or so, traffic is nothing. Whenever we go to an urban/suburban area, I instantly recognize what a complete waste of time it is to live in those places. 20 miles to the hospital here. Following the speed limits - 21 minutes, any time, any day. Grocery store, clinic, dentist, hardware, restaurants, gas, all are six miles - OH NO, how do I tolerate that?!?!! Well, I am there in under 10 minutes, any time, any day, with no stress.

I know a LOT of people who have to plan their lives around traffic patterns. That is the definition of madness in retirement, IMHO. While you are working, you tolerate what you have to, but why spend your retirement dealing with that?