Where to live in the US (if you have a choice)

[filly]

Since there is a thread jack on the Weather thread as a devastating hurricane is about to make landfall, and since discussion about where to live seems to be of interest, here's a thread. As I said, there is no perfect place to live, but YMMV.

[fierceredpanda]

I mean, I want to live in Summit County, CO now. I would say that Mrs. FRP and I would like to retire there, but 25-ish years from now when we're about the right age, I strongly suspect that beetle-killed forests + drought will have made that part of the west more or less uninhabitable.

[bill_g]

I liked northern Michigan the best, but it does have a Winter. A real Winter. With deep snow, power outages, and total isolation at times after a blizzard. OTOH, that promoted a lot of neighborliness, Eucre games, Uno with all the kids, homemade donuts, Cribbage, and massive crews of men shoveling the whole block. We found none of that in Oregon. We have never built the friendships in Oregon we had in Michigan and Wisconsin, and we miss it a lot.

[filly]

I liked northern Michigan the best, but it does have a Winter. A real Winter. With deep snow, power outages, and total isolation at times after a blizzard. OTOH, that promoted a lot of neighborliness, Eucre games, Uno with all the kids, homemade donuts, Cribbage, and massive crews of men shoveling the whole block. We found none of that in Oregon. We have never built the friendships in Oregon we had in Michigan and Wisconsin, and we miss it a lot.

Northern Michigan is, I think, one of America's best kept secrets. Stunning beauty. The summers are gorgeous. There a lots of gun nuts, spread necks and other assorted idiots, but there are many good people who are just the best. Some are lucky to live there part of the year.

[MsDaisy]

We have it all in Virginia

[MN-Skeptic]

It seems like there are a lot of nice states which, unfortunately, are run by right wing politicians.

[Slim Cognito]

True. Florida was my dream retirement but Scott and DeSantis ruined it fir me.

[filly]

It seems like there are a lot of nice states which, unfortunately, are run by right wing politicians.

Very true which tells you a bit about the population. Of course there are pockets of exceptions but still...

[sugar magnolia]

For all the things you're looking for, good food, entertainment, etc, I would highly recommend New Orleans, LA.

[Patagoniagirl]

I have to vote for the Upper MI. I'm seriously considering-after my dog's dental surgery- packing up my truck going there through the beautiful fall season. I'm a huge fan of Jim Harrison's books, and pioneering. I like solitude. I like the cold and snow. But the issue is - can I afford to love there?

[filly]

I have to vote for the Upper MI. I'm seriously considering-after my dog's dental surgery- packing up my truck going there through the beautiful fall season. I'm a huge fan of Jim Harrison's books, and pioneering. I like solitude. I like the cold and snow. But the issue is - can I afford to love there?

It depends. Where you might want to live (shops, stores, services, good food) there is an affordable housing crisis like everywhere else. If you don't mind living in the wild, there are some options.

[Reddog]

Non Michigander question. Is Upper Michigan the same as Upper Peninsula?

[Patagoniagirl]

Non Michigander question. Is Upper Michigan the same as Upper Peninsula?

No. I may have buggered that up. Not the same.

[Foggy]

So then what does Upper Michigan refer to? If'n you look at the map (I maps) it seems that only a tiny bit of the UP lies south of the northernmost point of the Lower Peninsula.

This stuff really does interest me and others. Somebody please give us a geography lesson.

[Phoenix520]

Michigan is also on our consideration list. Detroit, even, maybe. Or the UP. Which neighborhoods in Detroit are worth looking into?

We had an EMT friend years ago who moved to Detroit for med school ( emergency medicine). He liked it so much he stayed.

[Patagoniagirl]

So then what does Upper Michigan refer to? If'n you look at the map (I maps) it seems that only a tiny bit of the UP lies south of the northernmost point of the Lower Peninsula.

This stuff really does interest me and others. Somebody please give us a geography lesson.

Northern Michigan generally is the mainland Mitt of MI. The UP is the Yooper...the the east finger pointing out and not connected with the Mitt. The UP is remote for it's accessibility from Northern Michigan. Its damned stunning. Not cheap, bitter, beautiful winters, and mind-bending seasons. Oh. And the Northern Lights.

[filly]

So then what does Upper Michigan refer to? If'n you look at the map (I maps) it seems that only a tiny bit of the UP lies south of the northernmost point of the Lower Peninsula.

This stuff really does interest me and others. Somebody please give us a geography lesson.

You would love the local news weather people: the talk every day is of the Eastern Upper, the Northern Lower, the Central Lower, the Western Lower, etc.

[Reddog]

Thanks,
The Upper confused me. I’ve been to Wisconsin and as far north as Lake Orion in Michigan. The reason I asked was it seemed that what I heard was that Yoopers had a strong proud regional identity. Other areas around them acted like UP was almost a foreign country.

[scirreeve]

Maui. We already own a place there. Would have already done it except we live very close to Mrs. Reeve's elderly Mom and Mrs. Reeve will not move while her Mom is still alive (I get that and all is cool).

[keith]

Thanks,
The Upper confused me. I’ve been to Wisconsin and as far north as Lake Orion in Michigan. The reason I asked was it seemed that what I heard was that Yoopers had a strong proud regional identity. Other areas around them acted like UP was almost a foreign country.

The UP is definitely confusing any which way you look at it.

In truth it makes no sense that its part of Michigan, it should be Wisconsin.

It was hived off of Wisconsin as compensation for losing the "Toledo Strip" in the Michigan - Ohio War (also called the Toledo War).

At first, Michigan hated the idea (what will we do with that God-forsaken wilderness?), Wisconsin couldn't care less (there was what? maybe five fur trappers living up there in the middle of nowhere? And they were barely a Territory, long way to begin a State), and Ohio was happy they won the "war". But in the end, obviously, Michigan needed the Federal money they would get if they accepted the UP and were allowed to become a State (and the mineral wealth certainly made them comfortable with their decision).

Youpers are more Wisconsinites than Michiganders though, the Lions have little support, while the Packers rule. When Wisconsin beats Michigan or Michigan State, Youpers celebrate. etc.

Those with more recent history with the UP than I can feel free to correct me.

[keith]

There are very few places I feel I could thrive.

Tucson (southern Arizona, in general actually) - is that cheating? Its where I grew up. I loved it, and still do.
San Fransisco. Not sure but I think I would gravitate to Marin County though - maybe even wine country.
Chicago. I am surprised by this, actually. Each time I get to Chicago, it seems more interesting, I never thought I would like it, but I do.
New Orleans. I know. Hurricanes. But also music and food.

Actually, the central point of each of those cities seems to be food and music for me.

A couple of places that I would probably give a chance: St. Louis and Santa Fe.

[bill_g]

Roughly, in the lower part of Michigan, from Ohio north to about Saginaw is called lower Michigan, from Saginaw to Traverse City is central, and from TC to Mackinaw City is upper.

The lower part has the population, industry, and agricultural areas. North of Saginaw it becomes more and more rural the further north you go. There are massive hardwood forests in upper MI, undulating hills, a plenty of lakes.

[northland10]

I am loving how many people here are speaking well of Northern Michigan or da UP. I used to say I lived in Northern Michigan (more specifically around the pinky) but when I moved to Illinois, I took to calling it Northern Lower (or Northwest Lower, or near Traverse City, or if in person or on Zoom, up goes the hand). I grew up in Southwest Michigan but lived for only 8 years in Northern Michigan, but it is still home (though I am now a fudgie I guess though if I only made it to the southern tourist areas, I'd be a FIP). I try to go back once a year.

I was just up in my old area a couple of weeks ago.

PS. I can handle living there year-round because I don't mind snow or cold. I do mind heat. I rather liked up there in the off-season. Who needs sun.

[AndyinPA]

Michigan has the UP and the shape it does because when they were apportioning several of those Mid-west states at the time, the idea was to make them roughly the same land area. Michigan was too small without the extra land in the UP.

[Patagoniagirl]

I am loving how many people here are speaking well of Northern Michigan or da UP. I used to say I lived in Northern Michigan (more specifically around the pinky) but when I moved to Illinois, I took to calling it Northern Lower (or Northwest Lower, or near Traverse City, or if in person or on Zoom, up goes the hand). I grew up in Southwest Michigan but lived for only 8 years in Northern Michigan, but it is still home (though I am now a fudgie I guess though if I only made it to the southern tourist areas, I'd be a FIP). I try to go back once a year.

I was just up in my old area a couple of weeks ago.

PS. I can handle living there year-round because I don't mind snow or cold. I do mind heat. I rather liked up there in the off-season. Who needs sun.

❤❤❤

This is me. I cant tolerate the heat. I can bundle up in wool socks and luxuriate under flannel, Stormy Cromer hats and quilts. I enjoy the crisp, silent new snows and the long winter's. The spring popping and the short summer before the glorious fall. I become a flaming bitch in the heat. Patagonia did this to me.

Cost of real estate and living restricts me. Its ridiculously cheap for a lovely old home where I live and property taxes are under $700 a year. But if you want culture and food and music, you make your own. I expect the same is true in the Yoop, as well.

I miss the solitude and isolation of Patagonia. I really do, but I dont have the income to qualify for a resident Visa there and it is ridiculously expensive -fuel is $8/gallon. It's tough there. And the language is difficult because it isnt typical Spanish. That said, that is where I would like to continue, and live, and to die. The Andes to my west, the old-growth forests all around, the massive Salmon, clean water and salth-of-the-earrh neighbors, and the fjords and Pacific.

Northern MI and the Yoop are reachable if I sold this salt box in NW OH. We'll see.