Retirement/relocation destination?

[I Should Coco]

You sound just like my brother who moved to Costa Rica when he retired. He could not wait to leave California, for many of the same reasons you mentioned. And I sometimes feel the same. But I'm not as well off as my brother, so whatever moves I make will need to be economically sound. And I'll need to be sure it's what I want to do, given that I've got a paid-off place to live already, in a coveted area of California. In other words, I've got to be really sure I want to give it up, or else, have some good, special reason for doing so. I really can't just go moving around on a lark, much as I might want to, and wish I could, sometimes.

I've given some thought to Idaho because, like you, I have some family there -- a niece and her family live on 10 acres in Spirit Lake, and some cousins who I've been close to through the years who went to the Boise/Star area -- but frankly, prices there have gone way up in the past few years, in concert with the exodus of Californians to there. And even though it is my kind of place, naturalistically and scenic-wise, the state has become so red and seemingly exteme-leaning to me as to have become a bit frightening in my eyes. I don't know how comfortable I'd feel with all the guns, and openness regarding them, etc. My closest cousin, who moved his family there a couple years ago, even said that, while they've generally liked living there since they moved, things got significantly more comfortable for them once they finally got Idaho plates for their cars. I'm not totally sure what he meant by that, but it didn't sit right with me.

So, yeah, you can tell I've thought about this kind of stuff a lot.

Regarding the Idaho plates, there is open hostility toward Californians moving into Idaho — and other western states. So getting the California plates off your car helps.

The funny thing about that is most of the Idahoans who hate Californians recently moved from there themselves.

 

[I Should Coco]

Bellingham?

That's a little bit more affordable and a lot less crowded than the Seattle/Tacoma area. College town and a mild climate being on the water. Nice area.

 

[WriteThinking]

Regarding the Idaho plates, there is open hostility toward Californians moving into Idaho — and other western states. So getting the California plates off your car helps.

The funny thing about that is most of the Idahoans who hate Californians recently moved from there themselves.

What's the hostility about? The raising of housing costs? Or, Idaho residents are afraid Californians will spread liberalism? What?

 

[tapintoamerica]

What's the hostility about? The raising of housing costs? Or, Idaho residents are afraid Californians will spread liberalism? What?

Yes. And yes. See also: fear of traffic increase.
"This was our little secret. And then you people had to come here and bring your libruhl values and your traffic jams."
They soon discover, I suppose, that most of the Californians moving there are the racist LAPD retiree type, not the damed libruhls.

 

[dixiehack]

You're getting a lot of that in Tennessee too. The Californians (that's the pejorative no matter where they come from) are deeply resented by the locals for driving up home prices and also because California is the avatar for all the different types of people the natives hate - gays, non-white, non-Christian, mouthy womenfolk, etc.

Never mind that most of the transplants are more-MAGA-than-thou try hards who picked Tennessee specifically so they could fly their Christofascist freak flags.

West Tennessee doesn't suffer as much from this because it is dull, flat farmland and you run a higher chance of seeing a black person, even before you get close to Memphis. But from Dickson County east to the Smokies, my God it's an invasion.

 

[micropolitan guy]

I'm starting to realize how fortunate I am, and how lucky I was to fall into this place; in two weeks it's my 40-year anniversary in Microville. Never thought I'd be here for more than four or five before finally heading back to the 716 or the 804. This place is like toe fungus, but in a good way. Once you have it, you can't get rid of it.

 

[tapintoamerica]

From 2021 to 2022, the most recent year-over-year period available, 26,887 Californians moved to Idaho. That represents 30.6% of Idaho's newcomers from other states. And that's not a quick trip. It's a 17-hour drive to Coeur d'Alene and 12 hours to Boise.
That's a long way to go to fly your MAGA flag.
In re: Tennessee, the Volunteer State had a lot more balance. California still produced the second-highest share of Tennessee's newcomers from other states: 10%. Only Florida, which delivered 11.2%, had more.

 

[WriteThinking]

I'm not sure it was so much the MAGA-ness that drove so many Californians to places like Idaho and Tennessee. Not really.

More likely it was an opportunity to cash in on California homes selling for $1.5 million and more, and then buy cheaper in states that, at the time a few years ago, had housing that cost way less, and yet, were growing and becoming attractive options for people looking to make such moves.

I'd bet the transplanted Californians are being much more influenced by Idaho's red, MAGA influences now, since they've been there.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Largest state-to-state migrations, 2021 to 2022
1. CA to TX: 102,442
2. NY to FL: 91,201
3. NY to NJ: 75,103
4. CA to AZ: 74,157
5. FL to GA: 51,380
6. NY to CT: 50,670
7. CA to WA: 49,968
8. CA to NV: 48,836
9. TX to CA: 42,279
10. FL to TX: 41,747

 

[I Should Coco]

I'm not sure it was so much the MAGA-ness that drove so many Californians to places like Idaho and Tennessee. Not really.

More likely it was an opportunity to cash in on California homes selling for $1.5 million and more, and then buy cheaper in states that, at the time a few years ago, had housing that cost way less, and yet, were growing and becoming attractive options for people looking to make such moves.

I'd bet the transplanted Californians are being much more influenced by Idaho's red, MAGA influences now, since they've been there.

You're right, there used to be a big gap in home prices and Californians took advantage of that, selling their relatively small home in, say, Torrance and paying cash for a much larger place in Coeur d'Alene, with the Great Outdoors all around.

Of course, that's changed now thanks to all the California money pouring into Idaho -- one of the reasons Californians are resented. When we moved out in summer of 2021, when interest rates were super low, natives of Cd'A who tried to buy their first home kept being outbid by Californians or other buyers from the Left Coast who didn't have to wait or worry about financing.

No complaints from me -- some guy from the Seattle area bought our place for more than double what we paid for it in the recession era (2009).

 

[TrooperBari]

Contemplating retirement feels odd after spending so many years under the assumption I'll either work until I die or just wither away once journalism is no longer a viable career. I'm still not 100 percent sure retirement will happen, especially after losing all my savings in 2016, but better to have a plan and not need it than vice-versa.

Hong Kong isn't a long-term option, especially with my AI-pilled employer starting a new round of layoffs. I'd like to end up somewhere it gets cold. Maybe that's nostalgia talking after so many years living in places where seasons are more of a suggestion than reality, but a trip earlier this year reminded me how much I miss a proper winter. The aforementioned Bellingham sounds nice, or maybe other parts of the affordable Pacific Northwest. Maybe even Minnesota or Alaska, though I'd want to see the latter in person before making a decision. I'd also look at New Zealand, Ireland, or Canada if money was no object, but it is (and I'm unlikely to marry into citizenship) so I'd probably end up somewhere like Malaysia, Thailand, Uruguay, or Chile if I wanted to remain a long-term expat.

 

[Driftwood]

I'm not sure it was so much the MAGA-ness that drove so many Californians to places like Idaho and Tennessee. Not really.

More likely it was an opportunity to cash in on California homes selling for $1.5 million and more, and then buy cheaper in states that, at the time a few years ago, had housing that cost way less, and yet, were growing and becoming attractive options for people looking to make such moves.

I'd bet the transplanted Californians are being much more influenced by Idaho's red, MAGA influences now, since they've been there.

There is a mix here. There are the older retired types who cashed out in a more expensive states and "upgraded" to a cheaper place to live (although they are almost universally old, cranky, white men). There are just as many families of five living in campers "escaping the evil government." Those people aren't looking for better opportunities for their children.

*I will apologize for my portion of this thread jack. @micropolitan guy started a thread about our personal retirement plans, not about what types of people are retiring where.