When I finish my military contract, I’ll have a lot of cash collecting dust in my savings account, since I’m a frugal bastard who puts away 2/3s of his paycheck… I figure that I should find a place to ‘settle down,’ perhaps permanently. My ultimate financial goal is to be retired by the time I’m in my late 30s (I’m in my mid 20s now). I’d like a place with highly affordable housing and low general cost of living.
Detroit, MI was my first option, until I found about the insanely high car insurancecosts. I got a quote from e-surance, I kept all my information the same, except that I put in a Detroit ZIP code. They wanted $1500- for 6 months, which is more than twice as much as I currently pay for an entire year. Detroit does have some of the most affordable housing in the nation, but I don’t know if it’s worth me paying through the nose every month for car insurance.
Once I ‘settle down,’ I plan to use my GI bill to get an A&P (airframe and powerplant) licence and pick up another trade such as carpentry, HVAC, or metal-working.
Here are some other places I’m considering. If you’ve been to/lived in any of these places could you give me some info?
Kansas City, MO
Rockford, IL
Pittsburgh, PA
Dayton, OH
Tulsa, OK
Utica, NY
Wichita, KS
Omaha, NE
Cincinatti, OH
Indiannapolis, IN
I live in the Cincinnati area and love it. For a small-ish city it’s got a lot of things to do, great places to eat and drink, really affordable housing, a bustling downtown scene, two pro sports teams, rural areas nearby for relaxing, hunting, fishing, etc…and cheap car insurance rates.
By the way, I simply cannot believe that e-surance quoted you that much. I realize it’s Detroit and maybe car theft is kinda high there but…THREE GRAND a year? Jesus wept! I’m a former servicemember, you’re a current one…why not go with USAA? They’re the best as far as I’m concerned. I have a car that was almost 40k new and my car insurance, awesome full coverage, $500 deductibles…is $62 a month.
Now, I am older than you, and I know that matters but holy moly, not THAT much. What do you drive, a Bugatti?
Tulsa is fine. It is a little boring but it is cheap and has a great zoo. I hope you like violent thunderstorms and tornadoes though. Cincinnati is fine too.
Out of curiosity, how did you compile your list? Most of your choices are cold weather places and many of them are depressed. Maybe that is what you are going for but I wouldn’t. The U.S. is huge. There are literally thousands of more places that you could pick that might be a better fir.
Yeah, I saw the quote on the screen and ran away screaming.
Apparently, crime isn’t even the main reason why the car insurance is so expensive. The main culprit seems to be the state of Michigan’s fundamentally messed up car insurance laws. I drive a car that I paid $3500 for. So I’d essentially be paying more than my car is worth every year just to insure is… and that’s ridiculous beyond words.
Just stay completely away from Alabama! Dood! Listen, stuff is pretty cheap here, and there’s a whole lot of us with guns and such, and we don’t really care for outsiders all that much.
Try Washington state, or Oregon, or something. I’m sure it will all be well there. Right?
Have you considered Duluth Minnesota? The city is relatively cheap, has lots of recreation, and is up-and-coming.
I don’t know exactly what schooling you’re looking for, but Lake Superior Community College has an Aircraft Maintenance program. Northwest Airlines used to do major repairs in Duluth, and it’s the home of Cirrus aircraft.
I hope you really meant it when you said you don’t mind cold weather…
Dayton itself is not all that great, I’ll admit that. But the surrounding areas are nice. Housing is very affordable, and there are plenty of jobs. The only major downside is the long and dreary winter…
A big old newp to Rockford, IL. My sister and BIL have lived there (or just outside) for 50 years. Economically it’s depressed and there is nothing to do there.
I’m not surprised it’s depressed. Last I checked there were homes selling there for the price of a new Chevy. It’s probably in my top 3 right now though.
And most of the crime in KC is concentrated in a few areas. There are vast swaths inside the city limits that don’t have a crime problem, not to mention sprawling suburbia which is extremely safe.
Also OP if the KC area is on the table you might consider Lawrence, KS.
