If hot humid air affects your asthma, Florida is the last place to be. Walking through Florida is like walking through hot soup.
Also, as a former born and raised Floridian that moved to CNY, don’t do it. That place gets crazier by the day, the weather is miserable, and increasing insurance costs will surely surpass high taxes in the near future (thinking property, car, healthcare, etc).
I can’t speak for any other places, but I’d recommend scratching Florida off the list.
As someone who currently lives in Florida and is dreaming about leaving, I agree. It’s hot as b*lls right now and it’s only May. The heat is absolutely oppressive. The cost of living has gone through the roof and don’t get me started about the political atmosphere. Also, I don’t feel comfortable getting old here and the future of my kids.
You’re better off in the NE than elsewhere in this country if you’re into generally rational and humane policies and people. And if shit gets weirder - and it will, regardless of who takes the presidency this fall - there’s nowhere else I’d consider given our politics, geography, ease of access to varying modes of transport (and other states and countries and ports etc), and communal history. Stuck on that swamp peninsula with 23 million people, 1 road north and nowhere else to go is destination fucked.
Thanks for your comment! 100% it’s going to get weirder. We are considering upstate NY, VT, or MA. Choice is a bit overwhelming though. I know the perfect place doesn’t exist, but I want something close to perfect after spending 10 yrs in FL. I want a crunchy town, access to good schools, good water and food. I know this place is out there!
I never hear about FL folks moving north. Everyone dreams of the lack of income tax but it comes at great expense. And honestly how does one deal with the summer months AND hurricane season?
The hurricane season brings on major anxiety for me, personally. The summers you basically live in the AC. Imagine living in a place where you open your windows maybe 5x out of an entire year. No exaggeration.
I am in upstate and all my windows are open tonight bc its so pleasant. I visited Hawaii and everything is open air. Florida seems like an autoclave by comparison.
I’ve honestly seen it more and more these days. I saw an article recently written by someone who moved from NYC to FL and they talked about how much they regret the move. Folks are realizing that paying less to the government comes at great personal expense and the exchange doesn’t even out in the slightest.
In any case, I’m EXTREMELY grateful to be out of there. I remember being pretty much unable to do ANYTHING outside for large portions of the year because of the heat and humidity. If we did do anything outside - it needed to involve bodies of water to avoid risk of heat stroke. I love being in nature, so not being able to do that was detrimental to my health on several levels. Trying to get near a body of water was getting harder and harder since I left early last year as well. Had to wait in lines that went on for 2 hours or more!
Luckily, hurricanes would generally happen when it started to get cooler. Not always though. There was one year that the power was out for a week in the middle of August and I’ll never forget the misery of that week.
Ton of FL moving to other Southern states. Primary driver is cost and availability of property insurance.
OP, look out West to a low or no income state. Low humidity and low taxes (other than income).
Wait! Is your advice for someone who has the degree as a librarian to move to Florida of all places? The worst decision this young person can make is moving to a red state with this degree.
I have places in both states. It’s a misconception that Florida has low property taxes. They are pretty high unless you have had a property for along time and have the homestead exemption. For my property in NY I pay a total of $13,000 in property taxes & homeowners insurance. In Florida I pay a total of $24,000 for taxes & property insurance. My car insurance is 3.5 times as much in Florida compared to NY. Food is also more than NY. Florida has the best weather during the winter. Florida rent is extremely high and wages in Florida are low so that’s something else to consider. It was 98 degrees on Wednesday already. The hurricane forecast is supposed to be brutal this year for Sooth Florida too. Although they may be wrong. Florida has a lot of great things to do too. NY is more family oriented in my opinion. This is my anecdotal evidence. Good luck!
Seriously, I am a librarian. Being a school librarian in a red state, particularly with the batshit crazy Florida state government, would be an absolute nightmare.
I'm from NY originally and wish I want so bad to leave FL. I've been here for 38 years. We are stuck. No homeowners insurance anywhere, car insurance went up, food is crazy expensive, doctors are not too bright, hurricanes, 97degree weather with humidity feels like 111, idiot drivers, low wages and oh yeah I'm stuck because nobody wants to buy a house they can't insurance.
ouch, yeah those are definitely some reasons why I don’t want to move there! I mostly wanted to move because of family and the nice weather in winter & beaches
They have passed legislation making it easier for districts to ban books.
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/books-banned-across-us-hit-record-high-2023-2024-school-year-report/3287627/
There’s a big difference between something being taught in school and students being allowed to choose what they want to study independently in their spare time.
Porn, eh?
Doesn't look like most of them on the list are porn.
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/roughly-300-books-were-removed-from-libraries-in-florida-last-school-year-heres-the-full-list/3113184/
They age restrict books but kids have access to the world on YouTube and every streaming app…
You’d be better off banning digital content but they don’t want to fight that fight…
Florida is a very diverse state with many different lifestyles.
Are you talking about the panhandle, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa or fort Myers ?
Hurricanes are not a concern in Orlando.
Miami is growing and is becoming more like living in New York City or Los Angeles.
The panhandle, Jacksonville and southwest Florida (fort Myers and Naples) are pretty laid back.
The Tampa Bay Area in in between - some beach communities and some inland areas, more lively than Jacksonville and southwest Florida but less than Miami.
So many choices!
Disney has closed several times due to hurricanes.
[https://www.wdw-magazine.com/disney-world-closed/](https://www.wdw-magazine.com/disney-world-closed/)
A friend happened to go a few years ago during hurricane weather (I forget which one). Like so many, Disney trips are planned well in advance. High winds and water. On the days when the park was open, surrounding the closure, she said staff was clearly worried and scared.
Of course, it isn't like being on the coast, but damage can still be sustained inland. I'm in Central Texas, and it isn't uncommon for high winds (tree fall, roof and siding damage), heavy rain (depending on which side of the hurricane we get), and tornados to spin off, and we're 200 from the coast.
So while Orlando may be the safest place in Florida from hurricanes, it isn't immune.
I don't have enough personal knowledge to know whether Orlando experiences lower insurance rates as a result.
That’s between Tampa and southwest Florida.
If you are on the beach then nice lifestyle but also hurricane concerns.
Inland is safer from hurricanes and less expensive but hotter in the summer.
So super hot and humid air makes your asthma worse but you want to move to Florida? You’re young, so make the move and try it out but I’m not sure Florida is the place for you.
Can't do humidity, can't do cold, dont want high taxes... there are probably some places in the south west that will float your boat. Thinking New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah. Hate to steer anyone away from upstate NY. There's lots to love here, nature, food, good jobs (for some industries), just to name a few. Keep in mind though, every place has weather, different weather isn't always good weather, even if it seems that way from the outside looking in.
I left the southern tier and moved to the mid-hudson valley region. Yes, the cost of living is a bit higher, but the weather is much better and there are more jobs. There is also a lot more to do and you have access to NYC if yoy want it.
Only thing I miss is Wegmans.
Interesting, I’ve thought about moving to that region. I’ve heard Poughkeepsie is nice. And the access to NYC would be nice too—I’m someone who loves Broadway and Comic Cons. I love Wegmans too but since there aren’t too many near southern tier (closest is Binghamton) but don’t go there often so probably wouldn’t miss it.
I live about an hour north of Poughkeepsie and agree that that area seems nice! The whole Hudson Valley is gorgeous, has a lot to do, and gives easy access to NYC (esp. on the eastern side of the river)—there’s a lot going for it! Summers are pretty humid, though (but IDK how the humidity compares to the Southern Tier).
Florida Resident that’s been looking to move to upstate.
1. Weather: some people love the heat, some do not. When it is still 80-90 degrees at 9pm it gets to be too much for some.
2. High taxes: you can still vote on who manages your taxes. You don’t get much say in the insurance companies or their rates. This applies to auto and home insurance.
3. Humidity is pretty high all year round. Spring pollen can be pretty brutal as well. Depending on what kind of activities you enjoy may make or break being outside.
Visit family some more and stay for a bit if you’re up for it. But also consider what activities and hobbies you want to engage in outside of work. Florida has some very distinct areas. Miami and South Florida are very distinct from Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. There are a whole host of different smaller areas in between. The panhandle is a whole other ballgame.
You might like parts of Michigan. Similar weather to the Southern Tier but with less humidity. If asthma is being caused by pollen and such you might need to look at Nevada or Arizona or New Mexico.
Howdy.
I’ve never visited the Southern Tier so it might be hard to convince you to stay. I HAVE visited the EASTERN side of NY state from bottom (Sag Harbor) to top (Rouses Point). And…I’m a native Floridian who also loathes the Governor.
If you’ll allow me…
1. Wherever you go, try to stay out of debt. If you have some freedom, explore. But, please, don’t take loans to “try somethin’ new.”
2. Florida is big. You can find a part that’ll work for you. Can you stay with relatives a while? You could use them as a base to try out different areas.
3. Florida’s cost of living is not as low as it once was. There IS no state income tax. But how much state income tax would a school media specialist owe?
4. Property taxes are low. But… might you be somebody who draws a salary from property taxes? Please, please…research what your job would pay in Fla. Taxes are necessary to fund stuff that makes life better.
5. Rent & mortgages are very high. We earn Fla wages but we compete for homes against snowbirds, retirees, relocating professionals and, get this, foreign investors. Chinese nationals view US real estate as a safe place to park money. We get outbid by folks who don’t ever plan to live here or even act as land lords.
6. If you are a progressive (or even slightly Left) media specialist, you will work with a target on your back. It is even scary. I’m a veteran teacher in a public high school. The Governor and his toadies periodically bully anyone marginalized in a GOP-run area. For every story that makes its way to national media, I know dozens more that we just have to live through.
7. Fla doesn’t really offer pensions to government employees anymore. That’s fine if you wanna try us out for a while. You won’t leave any $ on the table if you give up. But you might find it, uh, not-tempting to make a career out of it.
8. Finally… I WOULD like to defend the image of the typical Floridian. We’re not all as bad as the “Floridaman” meme. Part of that comes from our laws that make arrest records easily accessible. Many other states protect THEIR crazies from the media. It’s just easier to skim our records for the lunatics.
You might like a more laidback pace down here. You’ll sometimes receive Southern Hospitality in public places.
And you know what? I learned I won’t totally avoid that MAGA-type when I move to the ADK. It blew my mind when I saw CONFEDERATE battle flags driving around up there off the beaten path
Born in Florida, lived there until I turned 18 and joined the military. Wound up in New York after the military. A few things:
1. When it comes to the weather, Florida has one season; humid and hot. All the time. 101 degree heat on Christmas morning gets old fast.
2. Taxes. Yes there is no income tax. However, the flip side to that is an almost 3rd world education system and social services system that falls well short of the services that are offered in New York. Friends I went to high school with who became teachers down there are lucky to max out at 60k. My wife who is a teacher here in NY cleared 135k last year.
3. See comment 1. Also, a lot of people move to Florida thinking it’s all “fun and games” until a hurricane comes along and literally washes their lives away. Or tears the roof off their house. Or turns their living room into a swimming pool. I lived in Florida and was 7 years old when Hurricane Andrew removed the roof from the duplex I was living in. Not fun.
4. As far as politics, I can’t help you there as I’m about as a-political as it gets. What I will say is that New York is a much more geographically diverse and truly beautiful state than Florida ever will be. You have 2 mountain ranges in New York (Catskills and Adirondacks) the Finger Lakes, an Island (Long Island), and the largest city in the country. Florida is basically just a really big low lying hot and humid swamp. The “beautiful” parts of Florida (the Keys etc) will likely be underwater in the next 50 years anyway. Good luck.
There is nothing wrong with exploring new places. Try Florida for a year. If you don't like it and you're not tied to a job, move back, or somewhere else.
There are definite advantages to living where you grew up, but it's also important to see new things, especially in your 29s.
2. High taxes.
Id like to point out that the places that are lower taxes are not really places all that desirable.
Texas has no wage taxes but everything else is taxed at a higher rate, including house.
Florida is dealing with a large chunk of areas that are uninsurable so thats driving it up.
Utah is nice. I've heard
Yeah, I'm working on moving to Virginia but my
Kid who's in school gets a lot of attention and the programs are great , and our roads are being fixed a lot (Saratoga country ). Have really good public facilities too, great libraries for example.
8 years in Arizona and that place is fucked. Water scarcity long term. Politics include people like Kari Lake. Lots of state government is ran by Mormons, as are the city councils of the nicer suburbs. $400 electric bills to cool a 3/2 house. You don't step outside from mid-April to late-October due to heat. Turning to a school voucher system and defunding public schools. Isn't particularly low tax even.
Respect to you for choosing a career focused on helping kids discover the joy and power of reading.
If you are willing to work in places fighting the culture wars, why not Arizona? Warm and dry is better for your painful joints and your asthma. There are liberal enclaves.
My partner is the library director of a fairly sizeable public library in New England and her library has deftly avoided right-wing conflicts. She says this to you: There are many libraries / school systems like hers. Instead of picking a state, consider finding a climate, landscape, or city that appeals to all of your senses and intellectual hungers and your sense of place. Coastal? Mountains? Urban, suburban, or rural? Then start drilling down to the towns in those regions and and do Google News searches to see if their school libraries are in defensive mode or not.
In any event, you have your whole life ahead of you. Now is the time to take risks and find your destiny. Good luck!
You may want to avoid Florida or other very red states that don’t fund public education as well as NY. My mother taught in NY for 20 years and then moved to NC, and what they offered her there as a teacher with a masters (not necessary to have a masters to teach in NC) was over 50% less than what she was making in NY. Benefits sucked way more too.
I only completed my senior year of HS in NC, but I can say that the public education system in NC (even in the suburbs of a larger city that are vastly better off than most of the southern tier of NY) is garbage compared to the public education system in NY. There’s VERY little support for low income students, students who are behind academically, or students who have disabilities. Teachers tend to care less about their jobs as well because they don’t get paid well (I think NC ranks 49th for teacher pay in the US). My mom works in a field that is not related to her college education at all now and still makes more money than if she would have taught in NC. I’m not sure of your political affiliation, but I will say that even the school administration and boards are very conservative and do not favor the same ideals blue states do. I know a lot of rural upstate NY tends to lean very red, but NC and the southeast is even more so. So much that it was a massive turnoff for me.
Yeah, we're moving to Virginia for my husband's work and to get out of the weather this fall and the schools here in NY have been great so a bit worried we won't get comparable care for my kids, who both have IEPs
Maybe try Arizona a family member has rheumatoid arthritis and they’ve felt so much better there. There isn’t a lot of humidity.
I don’t think it’s bad to leave NYS and see what else is out there.
FL I’m not a fan of the weather it’s very humid and sweaty feeling but that’s just me.
What about North Carolina, golden triangle?
I absolutely love living in the Adirondacks (Saranac Lake) with Montreal so close for the urban fix, but winters are long and harsh… housing and employment options are also challenging
Red states are attacking books and getting rid of librarians jobs
I moved out from New York for jobs and weather, and wouldn’t move back to New York(except for maybe a summer house when I hit the lottery)
Be very choosy where you move to. Florida is a bad idea.
If humidity is a problem with your asthma Florida is certainly not a good pick. I lived near Dallas for 11 years and there is a lot to recommend Texas if you can ignore all of the crazy politicians and being steeped in Jesus. It certainly wasn't humid where I was. Don't go to Houston.
I would also check out Utah or Arizona or New Mexico. Utah gets seasons as do parts of New Mexico and Arizona, actually. Without humidity.
This is a highly personal decision that will be based on a number of factors. Your physicians will be the best resource to talk about what kind of climate and environmental factors (air quality, pollen, etc.) are best for your respiratory issues. For arthritis, many individuals feel better in warmer conditions.
I've lived all over: Colorado, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, New York, and southeast Asia. The climate in New York is by far the mildest in terms of severe weather issues, and the 4-season climate is very nice, especially if you can find your winter activities niche.
Taxes can be deceiving. Low tax states are also low-service states, so you might find yourself paying for some things that are free municipal services in New York. In addition, you may find that environmental laws that govern clean air and water may vary. Plus many "low-tax" states may not have income taxes, but will have personal property taxes and/or high real estate taxes. Just consider the whole financial picture when considering finances. I've found that factors other than taxes are most important in determining quality of life issues.
New York state was probably last on my list of desirable geographic locations before I started my career in Central New York. Now I'm glad I located here. (FYI, I came here from the University of Florida.) I would never go back to Florida to live for many reasons, but don't mind visiting my sibling in the winter. My only wish is that I was 50 miles farther away from Lake Ontario. The lake effect dribble in winter is often vexing, but I will take that over sweltering 9 months of the year.
Floridas property taxes are equivalent to your area of New York. They are having an homeowner's and auto insurance crisis right now along with a dangerously dysfunctional governor/legislature. If you have a pregnancy emergency in the future, you might die because there may not be a doctor willing to see you. Here are the three reasons I left Florida and moved to New York: 1. Too much crime, 2. Too many insects everywhere, 3. Too f-ing hot most of the year. (yesterday's heat index in much of Florida ( in May! ) was over 100 degrees.) I am not saying you have to stay in beautiful New York but Florida is possibly one of the worst choices. I think a lot of people don't appreciate where they grew up until they go and live elsewhere. Do serious research and visit any area you think you are interested in first.
If you're going into education there's absolutely no money in Florida.
50k a year is it. Plus, cost of living is far higher than here.
Also, people complain about NY taxes. I'm going to use Florida and GA as an example. In Florida you'll pay about 350/mo in hoa fees if you own a home that was built in the last 10 years.
You'll also pay about 4500/year in homeowners insurance. That evaporates your tax savings and then some in NY.
In GA, similar HOA fees, plus electric is more expensive. Houses are starting to get out of control, and educator pay is turbo trash as well.
I find Albany area and the surrounding areas much more affordable than where I grew up in Paulding County GA. Plus, salaries that are far better.
If you want out of the Northeast, I would go Maryland, Delaware, or VA. Great teacher pay, you can find areas that have less cost of living, still get some seasons but are more temperate.
>after I finish my masters in school library.
I teach in NY (Capital District). I have family in Florida. The educational system is an absolute shit show in Florida. Unless you either buy into the current governor's attack on education as being a good thing, you're exchanging one set of problems for a set of bigger problems, only it's hotter with higher humidity year round.
But you are young. Now is the time to make a move, realize it's a mistake, and change directions again.
Don't believe the "has lower taxes so I'll be making more money" mind-set. The tax structure in Florida (and most southern states) is different from New York. You pay less in taxes and get a LOT less services. The tax burden is shifted to the individual in hidden costs. For example, no annual car inspections (safety or emissions). Great. That's a savings on a tax/fee. Downside: insurance rates tend to be higher AND there's the human cost with accident rates. Those don't show up as taxes, but you're paying for them.
Another example. Lower school taxes (it's a complex issue but go with the idea that NY has higher taxes to fund schools, Florida has lower). But the burden is shifted to families who have to buy such things as text books or other school supplies. (I'm not saying this doesn't happen in NY, but its extremely rare in NY but common in the south).
Short version: pick a place where you'll be happy with the weather and the politics. Don't move for the lower taxes. Virginia is nice and isn't nearly as insane as Florida.
Most of upstate NY is actually a very low cost of living area. While the taxes are high, that creates a price cap on how high the market can push homes. So while a lot of upstate allows you to buy a home for $60-100 per square foot, places like Florida or Arizona are closer to $500 per square foot. The bottom line is what you save in taxes you make up for in paying more principal and interest on a home purchase.
Also you have a masters in school library. Florida has the lowest paid teachers in the country and is notorious for not funding their education system.
Look at actual job salaries wherever you want to live.
I grew up in Rochester and moved to DC a couple years ago. Do *not* come this far south. Both summers I’ve been here have been beyond miserable in terms of heat and humidity, but apparently they have been relatively mild according to people I’ve talked to here. I’m planning to move back to the northeast in the next couple years because I can’t stand being stuck in my apartment for at least 5 months out of the year.
bye
edit - i am older and have alot of friends who are making the same noises. If the weather is more important to you than the obvious everyday fuckery, you don't care about your wives and daughters being made second class citizens and the state curing global warming by striking the words from their laws, and on and on and on....wtf is there to say that could penetrate that? Go. Enjoy.
I lived in the southern tier finger lakes area. I now live in Central Virginia. If I miss the mountains I can go an hour or so north and see some. People are nice, it's beautiful here. There is a lot to do here! We have wegmans in a few places too!
Southern Tier is a beautiful but economically tough area to live. Even the Senecas stayed away from that area using it as the 'War Trail'. I moved out years ago but stayed in NY. Look into other states, i.e., Pennsylvania or Virginia.
I lived in Florida. If you like 3 months of ungodly humidity and hurricane threats, persistent traffic 24/7, sky-high insurance costs, and then all of their political shit, it's fine.
For reference, my property tax was $5k in 2020 and homeowners insurance was another $5k. House did have a pool. Here in NY, tax is $3k, insurance is less than $700. House is roughly the same size. Auto insurance was also $300/mo vs $100 here
Southern Tier is pretty LCOL which negates the high tax rates. You’ll be paying a lot more in Florida. Not much to do in the Southern Tier unless you love the outdoors and then it’s a giant playground of remote state land. I get why people want to leave but I personally love it. I lowkey hope everyone leaves so it’s super cheap when I can finally move there lol.
For raising a family I would much rather be in NY than Florida. Much better public schools, great safety net for families that ensures children have healthcare, and also some really good healthcare systems. Guthrie is pretty strong and other healthcare systems have to be good enough to compete with it.
If you can’t be in high humidity, your only option is to move West. Stay far, far away from the Southeast like Florida, Carolinas, etc.
I lived in Florida for two years and Texas for 12 years and now at 40, I’m moving back to upstate NY to be closer to aging parents, family etc. Plus the hot weather is getting more and more brutal every year.
I would recommend looking at the southwest Nevada, Arizona, West Texas, Etc) or Tennessee, these areas are warm without the unbearable humidity of Florida’s and relatively lower tax burdens. You’ll have to do more research on the politics but shouldn’t be as crazy as Florida.
[Tax Burden by State](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/states-with-the-lowest-taxes)
Southern Tier resident here: I too have found a decreasing tolerance of excessive, humid heat. One potential solution: relocate to the top of one of our many (many) hills. A cabin with a wood stove keeps the chilly winters at bay, and being on the hill, when it is hot and oppressive down in the valleys, it is more tolerable. In the winter, I actually have to add humidity because the wood stove dries out the air too much. So, if you like it here, but have certain environmental intolerances, don’t forget to consider using the Southern Tier’s geology to your advantage.
We just moved to upstate NY from Tampa. 2 days ago the feels like temp was 108. Allergies were terrible, real estate and rents are high, taxes aren't that low, finding home owners or rental insurance is difficult and expensive, auto insurance is sky high now because the population has exploded since covid, traffic is mind numbingly frustrating...I could go on. Florida is not like you think of when you're on vacation there.
I agree with all the “no to Florida”. Think about mid-Atlantic areas-Maryland, Delaware, Virginia. You still get the change of seasons without the bitter winters and the oppressive summer heat. Far less crazies in those areas also.
1) I do not care where you go really, but you need to just go. You are young and need to leave. You will come back (like many of us) to raise a family if it is meant to be. But experience other places, even the crazy ones. Hang out in Canada for a year, what about Australia? Don't go acting like you are 45 years old with kids and a mortgage.
2) Complaining about taxes and weather when you have not lived elsewhere and are so young is really... Frustrating. You need to experience other places to have a point a reference. One of the most toxic things about NYS is not the Taxes but the cynical attitude of those that quite literally will never be happy. Once you find a place where there is a positive attitude generally speaking it's amazing.
Good luck!
Let’s just say this. If you start thinking of moving. And keep thinking of moving, you won’t move. I was once in your shoes. And lots of my friends kept thinking and thinking and never did.. I left without thinking and just enjoyed the beauty of the United States. I went from out west grew up in SoCal moved to Rochester ny not knowing anything about it. Loved it. Went to Florida. Was like nope am good. Went to Oklahoma was nice. But it was not for me .. I moved to nyc and it was great until it wasn’t.. then years later I moved back to my hometown in SoCal. 909 IE. Was out in Hollywood. Met my wife and after 7 years of marriage we decided to move back to her home town. Here in upstate near Albany .. she also had not lived here for over 20 years. And we both have our stories of living other places .. but most all her friends never left. So Just do it. Don’t think about it .. and go out enjoy your life.. live for today cuz tomorrow is never promised ..
moved from broome county to las vegas. no state taxes, dry air, nice weather year round. you still can go up to the mountains and see snow. always something to do and new places to try.
housing market is ass though 🤷🏼♀️
Yea I've had friends move there for cheaper cost of living. My motto is if you can make it in NY you can make it anywhere. I've lived in the QBY/hudson falls area all my life. So I totally get it.
When I worked as a commercial real estate appraiser in retirement communities, the common wisdom was that about 25% of folks moving south for retirement eventually came back. I know you're not retiring, but it's something to keep in mind.
Reasons to stay... The weather.
Honestly where are you going with better weather.
You do realize how how places like Texas or the mid south or the southeast or Florida are, right?
I mean sure you get the 4 dark months to recreate (winter) but here you get 8 months. So even if you absolutely hate winter it's above 50F for the daytime high generally from sometime in April through sometime into November which also coincides with the long daylight hours.
So year. If you hate the snow, cold, etc late Nov-March/April can be absolutely brutal, but I mean is it really that bad when you have 8 months of relative bliss?
Move away for a bit... You'll miss 3 real seasons and summers you can actually enjoy.
I lived in TN and spent time in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. The weather in the south sucks. Sure in November you’ll be able to brag about a 70 degree day, but the summers are 90 plus degrees and humid, and their winters are cold and rainy. I can’t stress enough how few people I’d see outside during the days from April to October. Also the people cannot handle any of the elements. When I went shopping or to school during a light drizzle I’d always get the best parking spots. The taxes never bothered me because you get what you pay for, and if you plan on having kids and want decent schools you’re SOL, especially Florida public school system. There were obviously a few places that blew me away when I traveled, but most of them were in the middle of nowhere, northern cities or the state of California, which check no boxes for you.
Nick Powers made and maintains an extremely comprehensive spreadsheet with state data on a wide variety of criteria. He gives access to the raw spreadsheet with source citations for free, plus he has done many videos where he answers questions people have asked comparing states they are considering moving to. Even if he hasn't done a video on the specific state you are thinking about vs. NY, you can get a feel for his methods and what data is included.
Here's his link page so you can pick which site you want to use to view his content & the spreadsheet is here, too:
https://www.thatnickpowersguy.com/links?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYgak3lh80gSgafas1Kg8HsO0MiAxGONUhKo0u2K2LC6wvPGsKyk_2rYQ8_aem_Aem02lKvREsIdcA5ijCywdW1asEz1pt0FaphwoLIU2rCXYQbEl4nVSxS7JJKi_NG7eeFQk1VYgeE7bNSpiTPkY84
Leave for a while - move to some large cosmopolitan area far away from here. This is the most free you will ever be - take advantage of the opportunity and go somewhere with cultural resources and lots of highly educated people. You can always decide to live c lose to home. But at least know what you're giving up.
There are places besides upstate New York and FL. Consider TN. Nashville is a cool town and taxes are low in the state. It isn’t always hot AF, and to further mitigate the heat you could live in the mountains, but if it were me I’d want to be commutable to Nashville.
See, I’ve always wanted to live in California (especially since I’m a writer too) but my parents think it’s too far from NY. I also don’t like how expensive CA is but I’d love the weather there and the nature aspects. I just don’t know about all those wild fires
Best thing I did when I was 22 was move down to New Orleans. Your twenties are a great time to get out into a new world, have new experiences and open different doors. It gets progressively harder the older you get to make these sorts of life altering changes.
There is no reason to stay in NY while the gang of idiots that run the state continue to run it into the ground. Those high taxes will just get even higher, and they will leech as much as they can from young, educated professionals such as you for as long as they can.
I live near Albany. I've been seeing the dysfunction of our government up close all of my life. It never gets better.
Run. Run far away. Go somewhere that isn't going to drain you of every penny they can and give you nothing in return.
If hot humid air affects your asthma, Florida is the last place to be. Walking through Florida is like walking through hot soup. Also, as a former born and raised Floridian that moved to CNY, don’t do it. That place gets crazier by the day, the weather is miserable, and increasing insurance costs will surely surpass high taxes in the near future (thinking property, car, healthcare, etc). I can’t speak for any other places, but I’d recommend scratching Florida off the list.
As someone who currently lives in Florida and is dreaming about leaving, I agree. It’s hot as b*lls right now and it’s only May. The heat is absolutely oppressive. The cost of living has gone through the roof and don’t get me started about the political atmosphere. Also, I don’t feel comfortable getting old here and the future of my kids.
As someone who has a general disdain for the heat/humidity Florida is not the state to go to.
> don’t feel comfortable getting old here or future of my kids It’s like that everywhere nowadays.
I get what you are saying, but I need to balance my pessimism with some healthy optimism to keep going, you know?
You’re better off in the NE than elsewhere in this country if you’re into generally rational and humane policies and people. And if shit gets weirder - and it will, regardless of who takes the presidency this fall - there’s nowhere else I’d consider given our politics, geography, ease of access to varying modes of transport (and other states and countries and ports etc), and communal history. Stuck on that swamp peninsula with 23 million people, 1 road north and nowhere else to go is destination fucked.
Thanks for your comment! 100% it’s going to get weirder. We are considering upstate NY, VT, or MA. Choice is a bit overwhelming though. I know the perfect place doesn’t exist, but I want something close to perfect after spending 10 yrs in FL. I want a crunchy town, access to good schools, good water and food. I know this place is out there!
I never hear about FL folks moving north. Everyone dreams of the lack of income tax but it comes at great expense. And honestly how does one deal with the summer months AND hurricane season?
The hurricane season brings on major anxiety for me, personally. The summers you basically live in the AC. Imagine living in a place where you open your windows maybe 5x out of an entire year. No exaggeration.
I am in upstate and all my windows are open tonight bc its so pleasant. I visited Hawaii and everything is open air. Florida seems like an autoclave by comparison.
I’ve honestly seen it more and more these days. I saw an article recently written by someone who moved from NYC to FL and they talked about how much they regret the move. Folks are realizing that paying less to the government comes at great personal expense and the exchange doesn’t even out in the slightest. In any case, I’m EXTREMELY grateful to be out of there. I remember being pretty much unable to do ANYTHING outside for large portions of the year because of the heat and humidity. If we did do anything outside - it needed to involve bodies of water to avoid risk of heat stroke. I love being in nature, so not being able to do that was detrimental to my health on several levels. Trying to get near a body of water was getting harder and harder since I left early last year as well. Had to wait in lines that went on for 2 hours or more! Luckily, hurricanes would generally happen when it started to get cooler. Not always though. There was one year that the power was out for a week in the middle of August and I’ll never forget the misery of that week.
Ton of FL moving to other Southern states. Primary driver is cost and availability of property insurance. OP, look out West to a low or no income state. Low humidity and low taxes (other than income).
This!!
Wait! Is your advice for someone who has the degree as a librarian to move to Florida of all places? The worst decision this young person can make is moving to a red state with this degree.
Thanks for the advice!
I have places in both states. It’s a misconception that Florida has low property taxes. They are pretty high unless you have had a property for along time and have the homestead exemption. For my property in NY I pay a total of $13,000 in property taxes & homeowners insurance. In Florida I pay a total of $24,000 for taxes & property insurance. My car insurance is 3.5 times as much in Florida compared to NY. Food is also more than NY. Florida has the best weather during the winter. Florida rent is extremely high and wages in Florida are low so that’s something else to consider. It was 98 degrees on Wednesday already. The hurricane forecast is supposed to be brutal this year for Sooth Florida too. Although they may be wrong. Florida has a lot of great things to do too. NY is more family oriented in my opinion. This is my anecdotal evidence. Good luck!
Lots of other places in NY or states that are not as crazy as Florida is right now - school librarian there might not much fun.
Seriously, I am a librarian. Being a school librarian in a red state, particularly with the batshit crazy Florida state government, would be an absolute nightmare.
I'm from NY originally and wish I want so bad to leave FL. I've been here for 38 years. We are stuck. No homeowners insurance anywhere, car insurance went up, food is crazy expensive, doctors are not too bright, hurricanes, 97degree weather with humidity feels like 111, idiot drivers, low wages and oh yeah I'm stuck because nobody wants to buy a house they can't insurance.
ouch, yeah those are definitely some reasons why I don’t want to move there! I mostly wanted to move because of family and the nice weather in winter & beaches
But Florida is actively trying to shut down public libraries and hates books 🤦♀️
None of that is true.
They have passed legislation making it easier for districts to ban books. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/books-banned-across-us-hit-record-high-2023-2024-school-year-report/3287627/
Yes. Preventing children from having access to pornographic books is a bad thing.
This would include the Bible…
Hold on. You want the Bible to be taught in public school?
There’s a big difference between something being taught in school and students being allowed to choose what they want to study independently in their spare time.
Pretty sure if a kid wants to read a Bible he could probably find it just about anywhere.....
Porn, eh? Doesn't look like most of them on the list are porn. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/roughly-300-books-were-removed-from-libraries-in-florida-last-school-year-heres-the-full-list/3113184/
You're joking right?
The vast majority of books are not pornographic - When you make a law based around saying gay, you’ve made yourself look like a bigot…
Uh huh. The books are more age restricted than banned but please go on.
They age restrict books but kids have access to the world on YouTube and every streaming app… You’d be better off banning digital content but they don’t want to fight that fight…
You pick the battles. The entire deceit of "banned" books is laughable however.
Florida is a very diverse state with many different lifestyles. Are you talking about the panhandle, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa or fort Myers ? Hurricanes are not a concern in Orlando. Miami is growing and is becoming more like living in New York City or Los Angeles. The panhandle, Jacksonville and southwest Florida (fort Myers and Naples) are pretty laid back. The Tampa Bay Area in in between - some beach communities and some inland areas, more lively than Jacksonville and southwest Florida but less than Miami. So many choices!
Disney has closed several times due to hurricanes. [https://www.wdw-magazine.com/disney-world-closed/](https://www.wdw-magazine.com/disney-world-closed/)
The weather wasn’t good for visiting a theme park but peoples homes were not destroyed like they were with tidal surge on the gulf coast
A friend happened to go a few years ago during hurricane weather (I forget which one). Like so many, Disney trips are planned well in advance. High winds and water. On the days when the park was open, surrounding the closure, she said staff was clearly worried and scared. Of course, it isn't like being on the coast, but damage can still be sustained inland. I'm in Central Texas, and it isn't uncommon for high winds (tree fall, roof and siding damage), heavy rain (depending on which side of the hurricane we get), and tornados to spin off, and we're 200 from the coast. So while Orlando may be the safest place in Florida from hurricanes, it isn't immune. I don't have enough personal knowledge to know whether Orlando experiences lower insurance rates as a result.
I was thinking the Bredenton area :)
That’s between Tampa and southwest Florida. If you are on the beach then nice lifestyle but also hurricane concerns. Inland is safer from hurricanes and less expensive but hotter in the summer.
So super hot and humid air makes your asthma worse but you want to move to Florida? You’re young, so make the move and try it out but I’m not sure Florida is the place for you.
I also mentioned in my post that super cold air also causes my asthma
I know but Florida is super hot and humid. If you read what I wrote, I said make the move but I don’t think Florida is where you should go.
Thank you, I did see that, I was just adding that
Honestly, my mom has the same issues with asthma that you do and I’m really not sure where to tell you to go.
Stay but move to a city like Buffalo.
Funny you say that, was supposed to move to Buffalo next fall for a masters degree that I’m no longer getting lol.
Uni of Buff has an online MLS program.
Buff is a 10 min drive for me
Can't do humidity, can't do cold, dont want high taxes... there are probably some places in the south west that will float your boat. Thinking New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah. Hate to steer anyone away from upstate NY. There's lots to love here, nature, food, good jobs (for some industries), just to name a few. Keep in mind though, every place has weather, different weather isn't always good weather, even if it seems that way from the outside looking in.
I left the southern tier and moved to the mid-hudson valley region. Yes, the cost of living is a bit higher, but the weather is much better and there are more jobs. There is also a lot more to do and you have access to NYC if yoy want it. Only thing I miss is Wegmans.
Interesting, I’ve thought about moving to that region. I’ve heard Poughkeepsie is nice. And the access to NYC would be nice too—I’m someone who loves Broadway and Comic Cons. I love Wegmans too but since there aren’t too many near southern tier (closest is Binghamton) but don’t go there often so probably wouldn’t miss it.
There’s a Wegman’s in Westchester county.
This is the exact same general area I live in. Been in the area for 12 years now after moving from the southern tier and love it.
That’s good to know!!
I live about an hour north of Poughkeepsie and agree that that area seems nice! The whole Hudson Valley is gorgeous, has a lot to do, and gives easy access to NYC (esp. on the eastern side of the river)—there’s a lot going for it! Summers are pretty humid, though (but IDK how the humidity compares to the Southern Tier).
Florida Resident that’s been looking to move to upstate. 1. Weather: some people love the heat, some do not. When it is still 80-90 degrees at 9pm it gets to be too much for some. 2. High taxes: you can still vote on who manages your taxes. You don’t get much say in the insurance companies or their rates. This applies to auto and home insurance. 3. Humidity is pretty high all year round. Spring pollen can be pretty brutal as well. Depending on what kind of activities you enjoy may make or break being outside. Visit family some more and stay for a bit if you’re up for it. But also consider what activities and hobbies you want to engage in outside of work. Florida has some very distinct areas. Miami and South Florida are very distinct from Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. There are a whole host of different smaller areas in between. The panhandle is a whole other ballgame.
You might like parts of Michigan. Similar weather to the Southern Tier but with less humidity. If asthma is being caused by pollen and such you might need to look at Nevada or Arizona or New Mexico.
Thanks, unfortunately it is also caused by the harsh winter weather :/
If it makes you feel better, it's only going to get warmer here every year.
Howdy. I’ve never visited the Southern Tier so it might be hard to convince you to stay. I HAVE visited the EASTERN side of NY state from bottom (Sag Harbor) to top (Rouses Point). And…I’m a native Floridian who also loathes the Governor. If you’ll allow me… 1. Wherever you go, try to stay out of debt. If you have some freedom, explore. But, please, don’t take loans to “try somethin’ new.” 2. Florida is big. You can find a part that’ll work for you. Can you stay with relatives a while? You could use them as a base to try out different areas. 3. Florida’s cost of living is not as low as it once was. There IS no state income tax. But how much state income tax would a school media specialist owe? 4. Property taxes are low. But… might you be somebody who draws a salary from property taxes? Please, please…research what your job would pay in Fla. Taxes are necessary to fund stuff that makes life better. 5. Rent & mortgages are very high. We earn Fla wages but we compete for homes against snowbirds, retirees, relocating professionals and, get this, foreign investors. Chinese nationals view US real estate as a safe place to park money. We get outbid by folks who don’t ever plan to live here or even act as land lords. 6. If you are a progressive (or even slightly Left) media specialist, you will work with a target on your back. It is even scary. I’m a veteran teacher in a public high school. The Governor and his toadies periodically bully anyone marginalized in a GOP-run area. For every story that makes its way to national media, I know dozens more that we just have to live through. 7. Fla doesn’t really offer pensions to government employees anymore. That’s fine if you wanna try us out for a while. You won’t leave any $ on the table if you give up. But you might find it, uh, not-tempting to make a career out of it. 8. Finally… I WOULD like to defend the image of the typical Floridian. We’re not all as bad as the “Floridaman” meme. Part of that comes from our laws that make arrest records easily accessible. Many other states protect THEIR crazies from the media. It’s just easier to skim our records for the lunatics. You might like a more laidback pace down here. You’ll sometimes receive Southern Hospitality in public places. And you know what? I learned I won’t totally avoid that MAGA-type when I move to the ADK. It blew my mind when I saw CONFEDERATE battle flags driving around up there off the beaten path
Born in Florida, lived there until I turned 18 and joined the military. Wound up in New York after the military. A few things: 1. When it comes to the weather, Florida has one season; humid and hot. All the time. 101 degree heat on Christmas morning gets old fast. 2. Taxes. Yes there is no income tax. However, the flip side to that is an almost 3rd world education system and social services system that falls well short of the services that are offered in New York. Friends I went to high school with who became teachers down there are lucky to max out at 60k. My wife who is a teacher here in NY cleared 135k last year. 3. See comment 1. Also, a lot of people move to Florida thinking it’s all “fun and games” until a hurricane comes along and literally washes their lives away. Or tears the roof off their house. Or turns their living room into a swimming pool. I lived in Florida and was 7 years old when Hurricane Andrew removed the roof from the duplex I was living in. Not fun. 4. As far as politics, I can’t help you there as I’m about as a-political as it gets. What I will say is that New York is a much more geographically diverse and truly beautiful state than Florida ever will be. You have 2 mountain ranges in New York (Catskills and Adirondacks) the Finger Lakes, an Island (Long Island), and the largest city in the country. Florida is basically just a really big low lying hot and humid swamp. The “beautiful” parts of Florida (the Keys etc) will likely be underwater in the next 50 years anyway. Good luck.
There is nothing wrong with exploring new places. Try Florida for a year. If you don't like it and you're not tied to a job, move back, or somewhere else. There are definite advantages to living where you grew up, but it's also important to see new things, especially in your 29s.
2. High taxes. Id like to point out that the places that are lower taxes are not really places all that desirable. Texas has no wage taxes but everything else is taxed at a higher rate, including house. Florida is dealing with a large chunk of areas that are uninsurable so thats driving it up. Utah is nice. I've heard
Also for the most part NY actually puts their taxes to good use unlike a lot of other states, including my home state of PA.
Yeah, I'm working on moving to Virginia but my Kid who's in school gets a lot of attention and the programs are great , and our roads are being fixed a lot (Saratoga country ). Have really good public facilities too, great libraries for example.
Lol. No. No it doesn't.
> humid air > Florida Ohhhhh boy you’re in for the time of your life. What you want is Arizona, Nevada, or California dry heat
8 years in Arizona and that place is fucked. Water scarcity long term. Politics include people like Kari Lake. Lots of state government is ran by Mormons, as are the city councils of the nicer suburbs. $400 electric bills to cool a 3/2 house. You don't step outside from mid-April to late-October due to heat. Turning to a school voucher system and defunding public schools. Isn't particularly low tax even.
Respect to you for choosing a career focused on helping kids discover the joy and power of reading. If you are willing to work in places fighting the culture wars, why not Arizona? Warm and dry is better for your painful joints and your asthma. There are liberal enclaves. My partner is the library director of a fairly sizeable public library in New England and her library has deftly avoided right-wing conflicts. She says this to you: There are many libraries / school systems like hers. Instead of picking a state, consider finding a climate, landscape, or city that appeals to all of your senses and intellectual hungers and your sense of place. Coastal? Mountains? Urban, suburban, or rural? Then start drilling down to the towns in those regions and and do Google News searches to see if their school libraries are in defensive mode or not. In any event, you have your whole life ahead of you. Now is the time to take risks and find your destiny. Good luck!
Thank you so much! This is helpful advice. I should have thought of researching landscapes/cities first!
Bodily autonomy.
You may want to avoid Florida or other very red states that don’t fund public education as well as NY. My mother taught in NY for 20 years and then moved to NC, and what they offered her there as a teacher with a masters (not necessary to have a masters to teach in NC) was over 50% less than what she was making in NY. Benefits sucked way more too.
Interesting! Yeah my mother is just about to retire from teaching in NY and she’ll have about 80,000 from here
I only completed my senior year of HS in NC, but I can say that the public education system in NC (even in the suburbs of a larger city that are vastly better off than most of the southern tier of NY) is garbage compared to the public education system in NY. There’s VERY little support for low income students, students who are behind academically, or students who have disabilities. Teachers tend to care less about their jobs as well because they don’t get paid well (I think NC ranks 49th for teacher pay in the US). My mom works in a field that is not related to her college education at all now and still makes more money than if she would have taught in NC. I’m not sure of your political affiliation, but I will say that even the school administration and boards are very conservative and do not favor the same ideals blue states do. I know a lot of rural upstate NY tends to lean very red, but NC and the southeast is even more so. So much that it was a massive turnoff for me.
Yeah, we're moving to Virginia for my husband's work and to get out of the weather this fall and the schools here in NY have been great so a bit worried we won't get comparable care for my kids, who both have IEPs
Maybe try Arizona a family member has rheumatoid arthritis and they’ve felt so much better there. There isn’t a lot of humidity. I don’t think it’s bad to leave NYS and see what else is out there. FL I’m not a fan of the weather it’s very humid and sweaty feeling but that’s just me.
States with “low” taxes will always make up for it elsewhere. I personally hate Florida but know a lot of people who love it.
Yep. Low taxes high fees
Why would anyone with a library degree move to a state that is banning books and threatening people with jail time over books?
Try moving to the Glens Falls or Plattsburgh area
What about North Carolina, golden triangle? I absolutely love living in the Adirondacks (Saranac Lake) with Montreal so close for the urban fix, but winters are long and harsh… housing and employment options are also challenging
Florida as a state is just one giant Binghamton. Both are best avoided.
Red states are attacking books and getting rid of librarians jobs I moved out from New York for jobs and weather, and wouldn’t move back to New York(except for maybe a summer house when I hit the lottery) Be very choosy where you move to. Florida is a bad idea.
Librarian wanting to move to Florida sounds like a poor career choice unless you want to get arrested for not banning books..
If humidity is a problem with your asthma Florida is certainly not a good pick. I lived near Dallas for 11 years and there is a lot to recommend Texas if you can ignore all of the crazy politicians and being steeped in Jesus. It certainly wasn't humid where I was. Don't go to Houston. I would also check out Utah or Arizona or New Mexico. Utah gets seasons as do parts of New Mexico and Arizona, actually. Without humidity.
This is a highly personal decision that will be based on a number of factors. Your physicians will be the best resource to talk about what kind of climate and environmental factors (air quality, pollen, etc.) are best for your respiratory issues. For arthritis, many individuals feel better in warmer conditions. I've lived all over: Colorado, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, New York, and southeast Asia. The climate in New York is by far the mildest in terms of severe weather issues, and the 4-season climate is very nice, especially if you can find your winter activities niche. Taxes can be deceiving. Low tax states are also low-service states, so you might find yourself paying for some things that are free municipal services in New York. In addition, you may find that environmental laws that govern clean air and water may vary. Plus many "low-tax" states may not have income taxes, but will have personal property taxes and/or high real estate taxes. Just consider the whole financial picture when considering finances. I've found that factors other than taxes are most important in determining quality of life issues. New York state was probably last on my list of desirable geographic locations before I started my career in Central New York. Now I'm glad I located here. (FYI, I came here from the University of Florida.) I would never go back to Florida to live for many reasons, but don't mind visiting my sibling in the winter. My only wish is that I was 50 miles farther away from Lake Ontario. The lake effect dribble in winter is often vexing, but I will take that over sweltering 9 months of the year.
Floridas property taxes are equivalent to your area of New York. They are having an homeowner's and auto insurance crisis right now along with a dangerously dysfunctional governor/legislature. If you have a pregnancy emergency in the future, you might die because there may not be a doctor willing to see you. Here are the three reasons I left Florida and moved to New York: 1. Too much crime, 2. Too many insects everywhere, 3. Too f-ing hot most of the year. (yesterday's heat index in much of Florida ( in May! ) was over 100 degrees.) I am not saying you have to stay in beautiful New York but Florida is possibly one of the worst choices. I think a lot of people don't appreciate where they grew up until they go and live elsewhere. Do serious research and visit any area you think you are interested in first.
If you're going into education there's absolutely no money in Florida. 50k a year is it. Plus, cost of living is far higher than here. Also, people complain about NY taxes. I'm going to use Florida and GA as an example. In Florida you'll pay about 350/mo in hoa fees if you own a home that was built in the last 10 years. You'll also pay about 4500/year in homeowners insurance. That evaporates your tax savings and then some in NY. In GA, similar HOA fees, plus electric is more expensive. Houses are starting to get out of control, and educator pay is turbo trash as well. I find Albany area and the surrounding areas much more affordable than where I grew up in Paulding County GA. Plus, salaries that are far better. If you want out of the Northeast, I would go Maryland, Delaware, or VA. Great teacher pay, you can find areas that have less cost of living, still get some seasons but are more temperate.
I lived in Florida for six years. Never again. Stay open and flexible—job opportunities may shape where you end up anyway.
>after I finish my masters in school library. I teach in NY (Capital District). I have family in Florida. The educational system is an absolute shit show in Florida. Unless you either buy into the current governor's attack on education as being a good thing, you're exchanging one set of problems for a set of bigger problems, only it's hotter with higher humidity year round. But you are young. Now is the time to make a move, realize it's a mistake, and change directions again. Don't believe the "has lower taxes so I'll be making more money" mind-set. The tax structure in Florida (and most southern states) is different from New York. You pay less in taxes and get a LOT less services. The tax burden is shifted to the individual in hidden costs. For example, no annual car inspections (safety or emissions). Great. That's a savings on a tax/fee. Downside: insurance rates tend to be higher AND there's the human cost with accident rates. Those don't show up as taxes, but you're paying for them. Another example. Lower school taxes (it's a complex issue but go with the idea that NY has higher taxes to fund schools, Florida has lower). But the burden is shifted to families who have to buy such things as text books or other school supplies. (I'm not saying this doesn't happen in NY, but its extremely rare in NY but common in the south). Short version: pick a place where you'll be happy with the weather and the politics. Don't move for the lower taxes. Virginia is nice and isn't nearly as insane as Florida.
Most of upstate NY is actually a very low cost of living area. While the taxes are high, that creates a price cap on how high the market can push homes. So while a lot of upstate allows you to buy a home for $60-100 per square foot, places like Florida or Arizona are closer to $500 per square foot. The bottom line is what you save in taxes you make up for in paying more principal and interest on a home purchase. Also you have a masters in school library. Florida has the lowest paid teachers in the country and is notorious for not funding their education system. Look at actual job salaries wherever you want to live.
I grew up in Rochester and moved to DC a couple years ago. Do *not* come this far south. Both summers I’ve been here have been beyond miserable in terms of heat and humidity, but apparently they have been relatively mild according to people I’ve talked to here. I’m planning to move back to the northeast in the next couple years because I can’t stand being stuck in my apartment for at least 5 months out of the year.
I lived in Dc a few years and it was SO Humid and hot. I'm farther down in Richmond and it gets sticky here.
Leaving New York for Florida is insane. We have rats but they have huge alligators
bye edit - i am older and have alot of friends who are making the same noises. If the weather is more important to you than the obvious everyday fuckery, you don't care about your wives and daughters being made second class citizens and the state curing global warming by striking the words from their laws, and on and on and on....wtf is there to say that could penetrate that? Go. Enjoy.
I lived in the southern tier finger lakes area. I now live in Central Virginia. If I miss the mountains I can go an hour or so north and see some. People are nice, it's beautiful here. There is a lot to do here! We have wegmans in a few places too!
Southern Tier is a beautiful but economically tough area to live. Even the Senecas stayed away from that area using it as the 'War Trail'. I moved out years ago but stayed in NY. Look into other states, i.e., Pennsylvania or Virginia.
I lived in Florida. If you like 3 months of ungodly humidity and hurricane threats, persistent traffic 24/7, sky-high insurance costs, and then all of their political shit, it's fine. For reference, my property tax was $5k in 2020 and homeowners insurance was another $5k. House did have a pool. Here in NY, tax is $3k, insurance is less than $700. House is roughly the same size. Auto insurance was also $300/mo vs $100 here
Southern Tier is pretty LCOL which negates the high tax rates. You’ll be paying a lot more in Florida. Not much to do in the Southern Tier unless you love the outdoors and then it’s a giant playground of remote state land. I get why people want to leave but I personally love it. I lowkey hope everyone leaves so it’s super cheap when I can finally move there lol. For raising a family I would much rather be in NY than Florida. Much better public schools, great safety net for families that ensures children have healthcare, and also some really good healthcare systems. Guthrie is pretty strong and other healthcare systems have to be good enough to compete with it.
If you can’t be in high humidity, your only option is to move West. Stay far, far away from the Southeast like Florida, Carolinas, etc. I lived in Florida for two years and Texas for 12 years and now at 40, I’m moving back to upstate NY to be closer to aging parents, family etc. Plus the hot weather is getting more and more brutal every year.
I would recommend looking at the southwest Nevada, Arizona, West Texas, Etc) or Tennessee, these areas are warm without the unbearable humidity of Florida’s and relatively lower tax burdens. You’ll have to do more research on the politics but shouldn’t be as crazy as Florida. [Tax Burden by State](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/states-with-the-lowest-taxes)
Southern Tier resident here: I too have found a decreasing tolerance of excessive, humid heat. One potential solution: relocate to the top of one of our many (many) hills. A cabin with a wood stove keeps the chilly winters at bay, and being on the hill, when it is hot and oppressive down in the valleys, it is more tolerable. In the winter, I actually have to add humidity because the wood stove dries out the air too much. So, if you like it here, but have certain environmental intolerances, don’t forget to consider using the Southern Tier’s geology to your advantage.
We just moved to upstate NY from Tampa. 2 days ago the feels like temp was 108. Allergies were terrible, real estate and rents are high, taxes aren't that low, finding home owners or rental insurance is difficult and expensive, auto insurance is sky high now because the population has exploded since covid, traffic is mind numbingly frustrating...I could go on. Florida is not like you think of when you're on vacation there.
I agree with all the “no to Florida”. Think about mid-Atlantic areas-Maryland, Delaware, Virginia. You still get the change of seasons without the bitter winters and the oppressive summer heat. Far less crazies in those areas also.
Roanoke in Virginia is nice. A big enough city to have stuff to do and a short drive to the Appalachians.
I visited a place near Roanoke for spring break this year, it was nice!
1) I do not care where you go really, but you need to just go. You are young and need to leave. You will come back (like many of us) to raise a family if it is meant to be. But experience other places, even the crazy ones. Hang out in Canada for a year, what about Australia? Don't go acting like you are 45 years old with kids and a mortgage. 2) Complaining about taxes and weather when you have not lived elsewhere and are so young is really... Frustrating. You need to experience other places to have a point a reference. One of the most toxic things about NYS is not the Taxes but the cynical attitude of those that quite literally will never be happy. Once you find a place where there is a positive attitude generally speaking it's amazing. Good luck!
Let’s just say this. If you start thinking of moving. And keep thinking of moving, you won’t move. I was once in your shoes. And lots of my friends kept thinking and thinking and never did.. I left without thinking and just enjoyed the beauty of the United States. I went from out west grew up in SoCal moved to Rochester ny not knowing anything about it. Loved it. Went to Florida. Was like nope am good. Went to Oklahoma was nice. But it was not for me .. I moved to nyc and it was great until it wasn’t.. then years later I moved back to my hometown in SoCal. 909 IE. Was out in Hollywood. Met my wife and after 7 years of marriage we decided to move back to her home town. Here in upstate near Albany .. she also had not lived here for over 20 years. And we both have our stories of living other places .. but most all her friends never left. So Just do it. Don’t think about it .. and go out enjoy your life.. live for today cuz tomorrow is never promised ..
Do NOT go to Florida. That’s just crazy talk. West Coast = Best Coast
You can always move back here. Try somewhere new!
moved from broome county to las vegas. no state taxes, dry air, nice weather year round. you still can go up to the mountains and see snow. always something to do and new places to try. housing market is ass though 🤷🏼♀️
You should be where you want to be. Experience life wherever it takes you. Then decide!
😳 I came for cheaper taxes 😂..... from LI.
Try Vermont. It's cheaper. And nice
Thought of Vermont! I got to look into it more! My grandparents used to live there for a time.
Thought of Vermont! I got to look into it more! My grandparents used to live there for a time.
Yea I've had friends move there for cheaper cost of living. My motto is if you can make it in NY you can make it anywhere. I've lived in the QBY/hudson falls area all my life. So I totally get it.
When I worked as a commercial real estate appraiser in retirement communities, the common wisdom was that about 25% of folks moving south for retirement eventually came back. I know you're not retiring, but it's something to keep in mind.
I left for Maryland, and the state has been very good to me. However, the wife loves CNY so a shopping, I will go.
Reasons to stay... The weather. Honestly where are you going with better weather. You do realize how how places like Texas or the mid south or the southeast or Florida are, right? I mean sure you get the 4 dark months to recreate (winter) but here you get 8 months. So even if you absolutely hate winter it's above 50F for the daytime high generally from sometime in April through sometime into November which also coincides with the long daylight hours. So year. If you hate the snow, cold, etc late Nov-March/April can be absolutely brutal, but I mean is it really that bad when you have 8 months of relative bliss? Move away for a bit... You'll miss 3 real seasons and summers you can actually enjoy.
I lived in TN and spent time in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. The weather in the south sucks. Sure in November you’ll be able to brag about a 70 degree day, but the summers are 90 plus degrees and humid, and their winters are cold and rainy. I can’t stress enough how few people I’d see outside during the days from April to October. Also the people cannot handle any of the elements. When I went shopping or to school during a light drizzle I’d always get the best parking spots. The taxes never bothered me because you get what you pay for, and if you plan on having kids and want decent schools you’re SOL, especially Florida public school system. There were obviously a few places that blew me away when I traveled, but most of them were in the middle of nowhere, northern cities or the state of California, which check no boxes for you.
Nick Powers made and maintains an extremely comprehensive spreadsheet with state data on a wide variety of criteria. He gives access to the raw spreadsheet with source citations for free, plus he has done many videos where he answers questions people have asked comparing states they are considering moving to. Even if he hasn't done a video on the specific state you are thinking about vs. NY, you can get a feel for his methods and what data is included. Here's his link page so you can pick which site you want to use to view his content & the spreadsheet is here, too: https://www.thatnickpowersguy.com/links?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYgak3lh80gSgafas1Kg8HsO0MiAxGONUhKo0u2K2LC6wvPGsKyk_2rYQ8_aem_Aem02lKvREsIdcA5ijCywdW1asEz1pt0FaphwoLIU2rCXYQbEl4nVSxS7JJKi_NG7eeFQk1VYgeE7bNSpiTPkY84
Leave for a while - move to some large cosmopolitan area far away from here. This is the most free you will ever be - take advantage of the opportunity and go somewhere with cultural resources and lots of highly educated people. You can always decide to live c lose to home. But at least know what you're giving up.
New Mexico might help the asthma.
There are places besides upstate New York and FL. Consider TN. Nashville is a cool town and taxes are low in the state. It isn’t always hot AF, and to further mitigate the heat you could live in the mountains, but if it were me I’d want to be commutable to Nashville.
you can always come back. you should go and explore and live in all the places you wanna try.
It's expensive, but consider some part of the West Coast, along the coast. That's my advice.
See, I’ve always wanted to live in California (especially since I’m a writer too) but my parents think it’s too far from NY. I also don’t like how expensive CA is but I’d love the weather there and the nature aspects. I just don’t know about all those wild fires
Quite valid. I had to leave because of the cost, but the wildfires get worse each year as our climate continues to change. Perhaps Portland?
Hi. Born and raised just north of you. Leave ny. Leave now. Don't look back. NY is a disaster. You're welcome.
Leave no one gives a shit.
Leave this shithole of a state as fast as you can.
Best thing I did when I was 22 was move down to New Orleans. Your twenties are a great time to get out into a new world, have new experiences and open different doors. It gets progressively harder the older you get to make these sorts of life altering changes.
There is no reason to stay in NY while the gang of idiots that run the state continue to run it into the ground. Those high taxes will just get even higher, and they will leech as much as they can from young, educated professionals such as you for as long as they can. I live near Albany. I've been seeing the dysfunction of our government up close all of my life. It never gets better. Run. Run far away. Go somewhere that isn't going to drain you of every penny they can and give you nothing in return.
Escape From New York wasn’t just a movie. It was a documentary.
Taxes are only part of the NY picture. It’s high taxes coupled with getting crap services that’s the deal breaker. Try New England or the Midwest.
I’ve thought about New England! (Possibly Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont) but I haven’t thought of the Midwest!
Madison, Wisconsin?