Relocating: South Dakota?

[Ronald Blue]

I actually was looking for land on the big island a few years back. Just couldn't find one in my budget that fit the criteria wouldn't compromise on.....

One thing I did notice in Maine, and I suspect it's in all the east coast states, is the number of roads and villages. They are everywhere. Maine is considered rural, with a low population density, but it sure didn't feel that way to me. Probably due to spending the build of my life in the North West.

I'm not only focusing on taxes. I realize that taxes are only a data point that needs to go into the formula. But, if I'm paying 20 mills on property taxes, another 6% sales tax on everything, and a 5% state income tax, the three combined cannot be ignored, even if the cost of living in lower.

But the cost of housing factors in related expenses. I don't know if they specifically list sales tax and income tax but I have to believe that is part of the equation as well. The CPI does count sales tax but not income tax. Most state income tax uses the federal net income that is filed on your federal taxes. I'm far from an expert on income tax but that's how it works here at least. While there are expensive states and inexpensive states remember that if they don't have income tax or sales tax they are getting revenue from other areas. They all need some form of revenue source to operate.

[John K Jordan]

[QUOTE=Jim Koepke;3207662]There are only seven states that do not have a personal income tax: Wyoming, Washington, Texas, South Dakota, Nevada, Florida and Alaska.
[QUOTE]

Tennessee has no state personal income tax and no wheel tax. Widely listed as one of the states with a low cost of living.

Even fuel at the pump is lower than the prices I see listed for many states and the national average. On a recent trip moving a friend out of state I was horrified by the cost of diesel compared to back home. I was told the cheaper fuel here was due in part to Knoxville being a central hub with huge fuel depots, minimizing the local delivery costs. Don’t know of this is the reason but for some reason the fuel has always been cheaper since we moved here in the 70s.

I know several people who moved to TN due to the cost of living, the lower land and housing costs (I paid far less for this farm with house and barn than the average house cost), proximity to major interstates (I-75 and I-40 cross here), the terrain and the Smokey Mtns, abundance of lakes and rivers/fishing/watersports, shopping/culture/educarion, the Oak Ridge National Lab, and the location central to the eastern US (easy access to two coasts, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Asheville, Lexington, DC, Raleigh, Charleston, Orlando, etc.)

And, of course, the abundance of cheap and free hardwoods! Small sawmills everywhere (even I have one) I had 4 people come recently to haul off turning wood from a big dying ash tree we cut). Once a woman drove from the parched west and filled to station wagon with thick slabs and turning wood.

JKJ

[Jim Koepke]

Tennessee has no state personal income tax and no wheel tax. Widely listed as one of the states with a low cost of living.

That will teach me to trust Google results. Tennessee does have an income tax on corporations. You can bet your bottom dollar that gets passed through to consumers. Though last time I was in Tennessee things seemed okay. That was about 50 years ago.

I had to look up "wheel tax." It looks like some counties may charge them.

Cost of living is important. To SWMBO quality of living was also important. She wants to be close to the ocean. Medical facilities was also an important factor for her. I wanted a shop, garden and some acreage.

They all need some form of revenue source to operate.

Roads, schools and other functions of government have to be paid for somehow. I have been in some states where it seemed some of the normal functions (at least what I was used to) of government were not important.

jtk

[Michael Drew]

I've been using this site for comparing state taxes. http://www.tax-rates.org/taxtables/income-tax-by-state

[Roger Feeley]

I gave this a lot of thought some years ago and then our only daughter married and got pregnant. Now we live in northern Virginia which would not have even been considered. Too hot and humid. Summer here is my winter.

there are two things that should not be overlooked
1. Stable water supply. Anyplace that depends on snow melt for water is out. Climate change. If water is from an aquifer, see how deep they have to go. Is there any pollution endangering the water supply. Fracking?
2. Stable local economy and health care. A while back, a friend virtually saved the town of Garnet, Kansas. The local hospital was losing its Medicare certification. The elderly would have had to move away and the town would have folded. She got the hospital back on track. Funny story, she has a lead foot and got pulled over for doing 70 in a 40. The cop saw her name on the license, thanked her for saving the hospital and told her to have a nice day.