If you could pick one state to retire in

[Brian662]

I’ll tell you. I would pick Alabama.

Our property taxes are next to nothing. Property tax this year on my 300 acre farm, 1200 dollars.

You’ll get 3 times the house and property you would get in most any other states.

Don’t deal with snow or harsh winters.

Great hunting, fishing, wildlife. You won’t get as many monster bucks as Midwest, but you can deer hunt for 4 months, and not freeze doing it. I have seen 25 different bucks while hunting (not on camera) when I stopped counting a few weeks ago. Florida and hybrid bass ponds and lakes are abundant with routine catching of 6-7lb bass, breem, crappie, catfish. Can fish 12 months a year.

Can golf 10 months a year, many do year round.

We have beaches that are easily accessible. The gulf coast of Mexico is the prettiest sand and water beaches I have found in the continental US. They have pure white powder sand.

It’s a conservative state. Zero chance of having liberal state gov for foreseeable future.

Huntsville is fastest growing city with most educated population in the country. Low unemployment throughout the state.

Birmingham has all the activity you would want, without the traffic and crime of major cities (has about a mile area of Crime. If you stay out of that one area of Birmingham your chance of being affected by major crime is basically zero).

Birmingham airport easiest airport of the 50 or so I’ve ever been too. I routinely get there 45 minutes before flight and I’m at the terminal with 35 minutes till flight. Have to connect to Atlanta but 15 minute flight and then can direct to anywhere in the world.

We are 2 hours to Atlanta (biggest airport in the world), 2 hours to Nashville, 4 hours to New Orleans.

Constitutional carry state.

Has hills and rolling topography. Areas of our Forrest are most divider outside rainforests.

Is that enough?

Roll tide?

 

[omicron1792]

Roll tide?

Oh yeah! I have 3 degrees from there. Best college sports scene in the world! No pro sports, but see distances to Atlanta, Nashville, and New Orleans. My guess that’s closer than many many people that live in a state with pro sports

 

[Mortenson]

These low property tax stories are amazing. Makes me wonder how long you'll be able to hang onto that. I've mentioned this story once or twice on here. My dad and I split buying 12 acres of 100% timbered creek bottom a few years ago. It adjoins our deer hunting farm. It's off the road by several hundred yards, essentially landlocked if not for our other ground. Since buying it, we are taxed on those 12 acres over $200/ac/yr. That's per acre! It's called development land since there's no ag on it. It's development by default. I could potentially put in a gov't forestry program, but I'm done with programs. All of our tax bills are high, but that's the most extreme.

 

[omicron1792]

These low property tax stories are amazing. Makes me wonder how long you'll be able to hang onto that. I've mentioned this story once or twice on here. My dad and I split buying 12 acres of 100% timbered creek bottom a few years ago. It adjoins our deer hunting farm. It's off the road by several hundred yards, essentially landlocked if not for our other ground. Since buying it, we are taxed on those 12 acres over $200/ac/yr. That's per acre! It's called development land since there's no ag on it. It's development by default. I could potentially put in a gov't forestry program, but I'm done with programs. All of our tax bills are high, but that's the most extreme.

Alabama will remain that way. I’m taxed about 90 dollars on every 20 acres. The largest land owner is university of Alabama. They put a lot of their endowment in property since taxes are so low. That ain’t changing.

Our state has to have a balanced budget yearly, it’s in our state constitution. Being so conservative you just about can’t get a tax increase passed (remember state legislature is super majority republican).

Now nice areas have higher property taxes. But in return you get nice schools on par with the best private schools in the country. So you don’t have to pay for that. And, my city has highest property tax rate in the state. But it’s so much less than any nice area in any other area is the country, and my city is like a Mayberry. No crime. Fantastic schools. Great services.

 

[Mortenson]

Nothing is forever. Hope for your sake it is.

 

[omicron1792]

Nothing is forever. Hope for your sake it is.

So that’s true. But it will be for my lifetime. I would bet you a million dollars you could move here and it will be like that till you croak. And, remember your high rates will just go higher too, they ain’t staying stagnant.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

You had me until you said bham was a safe city! No offense but anytime I’ve been there, I can’t wait to get out. Maybe I’m in the bad areas but it’s not a place to raise a family from what I’ve seen.

 

[Buckly]

I’ve looked into North East AL . It looks like there are some retirement communities up there along or by the Tennessee River. From what I’m reading there are no property tax on your home if you’re over 65. Anyone know if that is correct? The area does look not far from major areas like Atlanta. I was looking into Georgia but looks like Alabama is even more friendly

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’ve looked into North East AL . It looks like there are some retirement communities up there along or by the Tennessee River. From what I’m reading there are no property tax on your home if you’re over 65. Anyone know if that is correct? The area does look not far from major areas like Atlanta. I was looking into Georgia but looks like Alabama is even more friendly

Alabama over Georgia 100 out of 100 times. The die is cast on Georgia. It will never go back to what it once was.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I think SE MN is pretty tough to beat. The winters aren't too bad, the hunting is solid, fishing is world class and being close to Mayo Clinic is always good when health issues eventually arrive. My wife and I are still close 20 years from retirement, but we recently bought some land we think was a decent deal. We are hoping to sell our current place in about 10 years and build a new house there. Things can always change, but that's our tentative plan.

 

[omicron1792]

You had me until you said bham was a safe city! No offense but anytime I’ve been there, I can’t wait to get out. Maybe I’m in the bad areas but it’s not a place to raise a family from what I’ve seen.

My man. No one lives in bham. Thats just where we say we are from. Homewood. Mountain Brook. Vestavia. Hoover. Safest cities in the world and well off. Just say Birmingham.

 

[omicron1792]

Alabama over Georgia 100 out of 100 times. The die is cast on Georgia. It will never go back to what it once was.

Yep. Atlanta has ruined your state. Sucks.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Yep. Atlanta has ruined your state. Sucks.

Destroyed it. I left 3 years ago. Don’t even like going back. Lived there for 33 years

 

[omicron1792]

Destroyed it. I left 3 years ago. Don’t even like going back. Lived there for 33 years

So Birmingham got offered that international airport in 50’s. Similar size cities at the time. Bham turned it down. For a while I thought that was bad as Atlanta turned into a massive city and Birmingham didn’t. Now I wouldn’t trade places with Atlanta for anything in the world.

 

[Robert86]

After reading some of the posts, im kinda glad I live where I live. I mean I would move to Iowa in a heartbeat but I'm ok with staying where I live. So I'd have to say, move to Wisconsin.

 

[bwoods11]

So much of it is time of year . In the summer we can sit with 1000 boats/pontoons in a bay and drink in Minnesota. In the winter that same spot cruising around with ATVs on a poker run !

I think we all like our area for one reason or another. In my case I’d have a hard time being gone more than a month from my friends and family. We always find stuff to do !

 

[Troubles Trees]

Awesome input everyone!! I’ve been digging through a bunch of stuff all week. Hearing all your opinions really helps put things into better perspective so thank you! There are so many things to consider like fishing and other various game to hunt. My major focus is on big whitetails in a state that isn’t run by corrupt idiots that hate people like me. Sounds easy enough right? lol

Iowa sounds like the most logical but pricey land wise, Missouri is definitely in the mix and is ranked 7th for B&C states, Kentucky seems like it’s under rated and the price of land is reasonable. So many options but getting closer. Really appreciate the input everyone!

 

[Bill Loser]

Awesome input everyone!! I’ve been digging through a bunch of stuff all week. Hearing all your opinions really helps put things into better perspective so thank you! There are so many things to consider like fishing and other various game to hunt. My major focus is on big whitetails in a state that isn’t run by corrupt idiots that hate people like me. Sounds easy enough right? lol

Iowa sounds like the most logical but pricey land wise, Missouri is definitely in the mix and is ranked 7th for B&C states, Kentucky seems like it’s under rated and the price of land is reasonable. So many options but getting closer. Really appreciate the input everyone!

Wisconsin lost out when you slipped the "not run by corrupt idiots" requirement in there.
Maybe we will meet your requirements after the next gubernatorial race.,

 

[omicron1792]

Awesome input everyone!! I’ve been digging through a bunch of stuff all week. Hearing all your opinions really helps put things into better perspective so thank you! There are so many things to consider like fishing and other various game to hunt. My major focus is on big whitetails in a state that isn’t run by corrupt idiots that hate people like me. Sounds easy enough right? lol

Iowa sounds like the most logical but pricey land wise, Missouri is definitely in the mix and is ranked 7th for B&C states, Kentucky seems like it’s under rated and the price of land is reasonable. So many options but getting closer. Really appreciate the input everyone!

Come to south. Come to south!

 

[omicron1792]

Wisconsin lost out when you slipped the "not run by corrupt idiots" requirement in there.
Maybe we will meet your requirements after the next gubernatorial race.,

And Bill. That’s called politicians. We have had 4 or 5 governors end up in prison here in Alabama. At least they were conservative. Ha