I have lived my whole life in New Jersey. I am now in my early 50s and am getting to the point where i want to move out to Wyoming or Montana. I have traveled out there a few times and love the wide open space. My question is how do you survive financially ?? I have always worked and I just dont see how to make a living in the small towns out there. Any suggestion would be nice !
My wife wants to move to North Carolina its nice there but not wild enough for me.
Jack, I think we all dream of being able to live in those locations! But you are correct - unless you are self-employed with a business that is not location sensitive (or have enough $$ stashed away that you don't have to worry about it), it can be tough to stay afloat - or maintain the lifestyle you are accustomed to.
FWIW, we have found that moving from "packed in high and deep" Long Island to southern NH has been a very refreshing change. We're close to everything we need in a rural setting, and the "north country" is only an hour's drive away. NC may not be bad!
There is little work out this way that can earn you a halfway decent living.
The weather and isolation that so appeals to you can be brutal.
And finally, if Mrs. Jaeger is not happy, then nobody is happy. North Carolina may be a wiser choice.
Jack,
My husband and I are two engineers from Long Island who migrated to the Northern Adirondacks upon retirement.As we had vacationed in the area for many years, there weren't TOO many surprises, but some things to consider when transplanting to a rural area (besides the lack of employment opportunities) are: Where is the nearest town? Is there a hospital close enough to be of any use- a doctor? Is there a 4-season road connecting you to the rest of the world? Is there POTABLE water (if there was any mining activity in the area, even a drilled well way have objectionable levels of heavy metals)? Is there electrical and phone service? A fuel source? Some expenses you might not have anticipated can include: a tractor with a snow blower, a wood splitter, a back-up generator (power outages tend to be frequent, and rural customers are generally the last to be reconnected). Other considerations: internet service (you will be doing a lot of your purchasing and banking on-line), mobile phone service (you may be seeking to become LESS connected, but in case of accident, injury or other emergency it's nice to be able to contact someone.There's lots more - if possible, visit the area frequently to get a feel for the lifestyle, and talk to the locals -try to find out how they are doing it.
I hope you find a way to follow your dream. Despite (or maybe because of) the challenges, Bill and I love every minute of living here and have never been happier.
Lots of insightful comments here Jack, and especially Rita's for actually picking a location.
I'll add another insight: If you don't bring your money with you and have to rely on the local economy, then by extension you have to adjust your lifestyle and expectations to the local economy. If the cost of living is less, then sure as shooting incomes are a lot less, too. For example, in the region where we have our place in the Rockies, the STANDARD rate for cowhands is $15k/yr with included housing, typically older model mobile home on the ranch. Those young men (typically) still manage to raise families somehow, but they spend their time and money very differently than the typical city dweller. And days off per month are counted on one hand.
Years before retirement we used our high incomes to pay for cheap land in a rural area, anticipating moving there in retirement. We got distracted by a photo business and years later still haven't made the move, but upon sale of the business in the near future we may finally spend a big hunk of the year there even if we don't live there. But because the place was long since paid for we'll be "bringing our money" any time we're there, rather than living on the local economy.
BTW- part of that scheme was finding good, cheap land while we could afford it. Now, many years later we certainly couldn't afford the same land, due both to our anticipated reduced income in full retirement, but also due to the escalation of land prices in the area since we bought. We paid $800 and acre over 15 years ago. But now, even with the downturn in real estate, the land is selling for over $5k/acre.
The solution for you might be to find that great location with cheap land that suits you both and buy a land/home now while you can afford it better, with plans to retire there later or to move there once you find suitable employment. Looking for "just the right land" is a lot of fun, and an end in itself whether or not you actually find it. You'll certainly get to know a lot of regions and people well, which is a fine reward.
I love the rocky mtn region thats half the reason i like this site so i can look at the photos and dream it doesnt really matter how good the photos are its still better than looking at buildings , cars , and power lines.
my ideal spot would have alot of wide open space , good acess to fire wood since thats how i like to heat my house, good soil for a garden ,a fare amout of wildlife and, not to far from hospital. And most important low taxes my property taxes are over $750 per month on a small older home which really pisses me off, sorry for that.
You'd fare well in rural CO, but with some caveats.
By law lots outside towns can't be smaller than 35 acres, so you get your open space while having to lay out lots more buxx up front even if per-acre cost doesn't sound too bad.
If your land is used for agriculture purposes, you also get a huge tax break in most countries. Actual fees vary from county to county of course, but your current monthly outlay would pay something more than 10 years of property taxes on a 35 acre parcel of ag land in our county. We have substantially more than 35 acres, but our bill is still under $100/year.
"Ag" is clearly defined in each county, but varies. For instance, we have a grazing lease with a neighboring ranch and not only save huge on taxes, but also derive fair income. Best for us, selective grazing helps control invasive plants and keeps the fuel load down during fire season in dry years.
Not sure how you feel about working for the government, but www.usajobs.gov may have some options. Governments really need almost all types of people for all kinds of jobs--IT, teachers, healthcare, managers, maintenance, drivers, administrators, customer-service, and on and on. The website is for federal jobs, but local, county, and state governments need workers too, even in small rural communities, so it's worth doing some searching. In fact, depending on your skill set, you could be the best candidate in some of the more rural areas where finding professionals willing to relocate to an isolated area is very difficult. Where I live and work, we need about 5 medical doctors/physician assistants/nurse practitioners, 4 nurses, and one medical laboratory supervisor for a clinic that serves Native Americans. These are good-paying jobs smack in the middle of the Colorado Plateau. They've been open for nearly a year and if there is a decent applicant, they'll probably get the job. These are in a very rural location, and the "isolation" is what makes them hard to fill. But, if someone is willing to move here, there's not much competition.
Can you buy a local business? ... do you want those headaches? I remember doing rural land appraisals in the panhandle of Idaho and eastern WA. Sometimes I would chat with folks selling out...trying to move back to warmer winter climates that they came from. A couple slow, isolated, chilly winters...was enough for them. I don't know if businesses are now available...the economy has scrubbed a lot off the landscape. I've been away for 15 years....Govt jobs are ok...been there...still working for the Feds. Tony is right on.... I worked for BIA a few years w/NW Tribes doing forestry and appraisal work. Good work if you can land one...tough right now...every agency is being pinched. Sometimes...you gotta have a toehold in the local network...which is really tough as an outsider trying to scratch out a place in a long established rural town. Best wishes.
Posted by Kent Staubus on June 14, 2012 at 7:04 PM
I would suggest moving to the commercial centers, such as Fargo ND, Rapid City SD, Bismarck ND, Sioux Falls SD, Cheyenne WY, etc. Unemployment in my state is something like 4%. States like SD, ND, and WY have no personal income tax. I moved here from Kansas City and would not move back. If you can drive a combine or fix a diesel, you'll always be able to make some extra income if needed.
Discussion
10 repliesMy wife wants to move to North Carolina its nice there but not wild enough for me.
Seriously, good luck!
Sandy
FWIW, we have found that moving from "packed in high and deep" Long Island to southern NH has been a very refreshing change. We're close to everything we need in a rural setting, and the "north country" is only an hour's drive away. NC may not be bad!
The weather and isolation that so appeals to you can be brutal.
And finally, if Mrs. Jaeger is not happy, then nobody is happy.
My husband and I are two engineers from Long Island who migrated to the Northern Adirondacks upon retirement.As we had vacationed in the area for many years, there weren't TOO many surprises, but some things to consider when transplanting to a rural area (besides the lack of employment opportunities) are: Where is the nearest town? Is there a hospital close enough to be of any use- a doctor? Is there a 4-season road connecting you to the rest of the world? Is there POTABLE water (if there was any mining activity in the area, even a drilled well way have objectionable levels of heavy metals)? Is there electrical and phone service? A fuel source? Some expenses you might not have anticipated can include: a tractor with a snow blower, a wood splitter, a back-up generator (power outages tend to be frequent, and rural customers are generally the last to be reconnected). Other considerations: internet service (you will be doing a lot of your purchasing and banking on-line), mobile phone service (you may be seeking to become LESS connected, but in case of accident, injury or other emergency it's nice to be able to contact someone.There's lots more - if possible, visit the area frequently to get a feel for the lifestyle, and talk to the locals -try to find out how they are doing it.
I hope you find a way to follow your dream. Despite (or maybe because of) the challenges, Bill and I love every minute of living here and have never been happier.
Best of luck!
I'll add another insight: If you don't bring your money with you and have to rely on the local economy, then by extension you have to adjust your lifestyle and expectations to the local economy. If the cost of living is less, then sure as shooting incomes are a lot less, too. For example, in the region where we have our place in the Rockies, the STANDARD rate for cowhands is $15k/yr with included housing, typically older model mobile home on the ranch. Those young men (typically) still manage to raise families somehow, but they spend their time and money very differently than the typical city dweller. And days off per month are counted on one hand.
Years before retirement we used our high incomes to pay for cheap land in a rural area, anticipating moving there in retirement. We got distracted by a photo business and years later still haven't made the move, but upon sale of the business in the near future we may finally spend a big hunk of the year there even if we don't live there. But because the place was long since paid for we'll be "bringing our money" any time we're there, rather than living on the local economy.
BTW- part of that scheme was finding good, cheap land while we could afford it. Now, many years later we certainly couldn't afford the same land, due both to our anticipated reduced income in full retirement, but also due to the escalation of land prices in the area since we bought. We paid $800 and acre over 15 years ago. But now, even with the downturn in real estate, the land is selling for over $5k/acre.
The solution for you might be to find that great location with cheap land that suits you both and buy a land/home now while you can afford it better, with plans to retire there later or to move there once you find suitable employment. Looking for "just the right land" is a lot of fun, and an end in itself whether or not you actually find it. You'll certainly get to know a lot of regions and people well, which is a fine reward.
my ideal spot would have alot of wide open space , good acess to fire wood since thats how i like to heat my house, good soil for a garden ,a fare amout of wildlife and, not to far from hospital. And most important low taxes my property taxes are over $750 per month on a small older home which really pisses me off, sorry for that.
By law lots outside towns can't be smaller than 35 acres, so you get your open space while having to lay out lots more buxx up front even if per-acre cost doesn't sound too bad.
If your land is used for agriculture purposes, you also get a huge tax break in most countries. Actual fees vary from county to county of course, but your current monthly outlay would pay something more than 10 years of property taxes on a 35 acre parcel of ag land in our county. We have substantially more than 35 acres, but our bill is still under $100/year.
"Ag" is clearly defined in each county, but varies. For instance, we have a grazing lease with a neighboring ranch and not only save huge on taxes, but also derive fair income. Best for us, selective grazing helps control invasive plants and keeps the fuel load down during fire season in dry years.
More food for your thinking.
Kent in SD