Affordable places you would actually want to live

Always thought Medford was nice and enjoyed visiting relatives there in the 80s and 90s. Had to fly in for a funeral recently, and the town itself was was looking seedier than I can recall it looking/seeming back in the day, but IMO still scores highly when it comes to weather and proximity to rivers/mountains/etc.
 
Having grown up and living in number 10, I would like to say that those five years were unlike anything experienced until now. I have to say field burning was nearly as bad.

We caught a break this year. I worry about the second burn of what has been killed previously. Here’s an example, look at the far shore!
IMG_5261.jpeg
This goes on for miles.
 
It's already been mentioned, but around Lake Superior is way off the radar for most people. The PNW is the place to be, but if I had to move somewhere else, Superior area would be my choice. Duluth is your larger (but still not big) city, and small towns up the Minnesota coast. You just gotta be cool with the winter.

You can fish the big lake, or lots of rivers and lakes. Coaster brook trout, pike, walleye, "steelhead", brook trout in interior rivers and lakes, brown trout, lake trout, "loopers" (kamloops strain rainbows that cruise lake superior), muskie, and most importantly, yes, there are PINK SALMON!!
 
DerekWhipple said:
It's already been mentioned, but around Lake Superior is way off the radar for most people. The PNW is the place to be, but if I had to move somewhere else, Superior area would be my choice. Duluth is your larger (but still not big) city, and small towns up the Minnesota coast. You just gotta be cool with the winter.

You can fish the big lake, or lots of rivers and lakes. Coaster brook trout, pike, walleye, "steelhead", brook trout in interior rivers and lakes, brown trout, lake trout, "loopers" (kamloops strain rainbows that cruise lake superior), muskie, and most importantly, yes, there are PINK SALMON!!
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I spent a few years in Ashland, Wisconsin, on the shore of Lake Superior. The fishing was fantastic (including lots of trout, splake, and king salmon). I have never, ever, seen as much snow! The lake effect snow was crazy.
 
Surprised nobody mentioned the cheapest place....

Your Mom's basement...
The Atlantic Salmon response to the question.
;)
 
wanderingrichard said:
milk a cow
Click to expand...
*AI Overview
Selecting Bulls for Automated Milking Systems | Cornell ...
Yes, milking cows can be automated by machines, with robotic milking systems (also called automated milking systems or AMS) available on the market since the 1990s. These systems allow cows to be milked on a voluntary, free-choice basis and use robotic arms to attach and detach the milking cups. The technology offers potential benefits like reduced labor costs, improved cow welfare, and increased milk production, but it requires a significant initial investment and a shift in management practices to work effectively.

spectrum.ieee.org

Are Dairy Robots the Secret to Happier Cows and More Efficient Farms?

In a dairy barn full of content cows, autonomous robots handle milking, feeding, and cleaning, allowing farmers more flexibility and improving cow welfare. With robots, cows produce more milk and more comfortable lives. Could this be the future of sustainable farming?
spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

*AI propaganda for the horde to take over?
 
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SSPey said:
A factor in livability:

www.opb.org

Oregon is home to 4 of the top 5 smokiest cities nationwide

A new analysis from Pacific Northwest scientists show which communities' air is the most cough-inducing during wildfire season.
www.opb.org www.opb.org
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yep, fires are an increasing fact of life and not just in these cities.
anywhere is susceptible, in 2020 the smoke in Spokane hit 450 ppm due to wildfires in Canada and lingered for weeks
In August 2023, smoke from multiple fires caused air quality in Bellingham and eastern Washington to be among the worst in the country, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) in the 400–500 range.
and not just here in the PNW:

"In the past decade, smoke from wildland fires has become a major contributor to poor air quality in the U.S. . Amongst the most populous regions in the country, some also experience high PM2.5 exposure in selected years. The New York, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington D.C. CBSAs had high PM2.5 smoke exposure in 2023, whereas the Los Angeles, Phoenix and Riverside CBSAs had their highest exposures in 2020"
 
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Everyday breathing in Bend would be a turn off for me. Slowly killing yourself while trying to enjoy the outdoors.
 
DerekWhipple said:
It's already been mentioned, but around Lake Superior is way off the radar for most people. The PNW is the place to be, but if I had to move somewhere else, Superior area would be my choice. Duluth is your larger (but still not big) city, and small towns up the Minnesota coast. You just gotta be cool with the winter.

You can fish the big lake, or lots of rivers and lakes. Coaster brook trout, pike, walleye, "steelhead", brook trout in interior rivers and lakes, brown trout, lake trout, "loopers" (kamloops strain rainbows that cruise lake superior), muskie, and most importantly, yes, there are PINK SALMON!!
Click to expand...

I spent some time up there. That is a nice area.
Another area I liked was Stillwater MN.
Right on the St Croix River and home of Hedron (Flashabou). I’d definitely learn how to ice fish if I lived back there.
SF
 
My cousin has a cabin on the St Croix, they float in a drift boar and flyfish for Bass, it's in Wisconsin.
Area is nice, but too much winter for me.
:)
 
SurfnFish said:
yep, fires are an increasing fact of life and not just in these cities.
anywhere is susceptible, in 2020 the smoke in Spokane hit 450 ppm due to wildfires in Canada and lingered for weeks
In August 2023, smoke from multiple fires caused air quality in Bellingham and eastern Washington to be among the worst in the country, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) in the 400–500 range.
and not just here in the PNW:

"In the past decade, smoke from wildland fires has become a major contributor to poor air quality in the U.S. We identify surface smoke influenced days using a combination of the NOAA Hazard Mapping System (HMS) Fire and Smoke Product and surface PM2.5 data. In total we use data for 2019-2023 from more than 800 PM2.5 monitors, in more than 350 different core based statistical areas (CBSA), covering approximately 90% of the US population.
Averaged over this 5 year period, the highest PM2.5 exposure due to smoke is found in CBSAs located in Oregon, Nevada, California, Washington, North Dakota and Minnesota. Amongst the most populous regions in the country, some also experience high PM2.5 exposure in selected years. The New York, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington D.C. CBSAs had high PM2.5 smoke exposure in 2023, whereas the Los Angeles, Phoenix and Riverside CBSAs had their highest exposures in 2020"
Click to expand...

Heck, even NYC is not immune from wildfire smoke:


insideclimatenews.org

Wildfire Haze Adds To New York’s Climate Change Planning Needs - Inside Climate News

Amidst an orange sky and air that smelled of campfire smoke, Amadou Sall offered Central Park carriage tours to those who passed by. While some people wore masks to protect against the unusual haze that clouded Manhattan, Sall did not. He’d left for work without it. Patting his chest, Sall said...
insideclimatenews.org insideclimatenews.org
 
So, today I was thinking more about this thread and several things to consider or keep in mind.

When your retired or planning on where you want to live (and maybe how), be 100% realistic and honest with yourself and partner. If you have always wanted to be a farmer or homesteader really do realistic don't fall for the social media everything is great BS. I have always been an outside and exposed to farming and I wanted to be away from the rush of cities.

* If you but land and want to"farm" or "homestead" this week take a lot of your time. I recently told my wife that maybe we should live in a condo because I could fish more. Like my spring trip (generally a month) when I get home I will be mowing and weed eating for a week! Then there will be tons of gardening prep/planting, etc.

* My brother is a bully haha, a few years ago he came up, and was pointing out what i was doing wrong in the garden. The things I needed to build or shore up. All the while just sitting in a camp chair watching me sweat expanding the garden "fortress". Then the final nail... he says "Remember you only have so many growing seasons, and every mistake shortens the number of seasons to be successful." This is VERY true! Also if your partner doesn't want to do gardening it will be all you!

* As someone who live and studies history, I came to understand and developed this quote "There is a reason you don't see pictures of FAT farm hands or cowboys!" The more property you have the more WORK you have! And as I am aging things get harder and get more! After pounding in 16 T-posts and wrapping the posts to keep the deer/elk from eating the new apple trees, my body HURT, and I had more to go!

Not complaining about any of this I love where I live and all I have to do, it's just not "sparkly and smiles" as online! Like the new chicken coop and run only cost me one trip to the ER (30 minutes away) after shooting a 3 inch 16 penny nail (that deflected off a knot) through 1 finger and part way into the next! That SH*T hurts! Especially having to slide the finger off the nail.
20250329_165015~2.jpg
20250330_103107.jpg
20251121_144843.jpg

The rewards are good at the end of the day!
20251020_140919.jpg

I really hope you and anybody else that are looking are successful and you have a blessed and joy filled retirement!
 
My wife isn't on board yet, but when I retire soon I'd like to sell all my boat anchors and mostly have just what fits in my truck and a bunch of check books. We would just rent furnished houses for 1 year leases near good fishing so we could really get into an area. Maybe after 5 or 10 years we get old enough to have to settle down and pick a place. I can't think of anything more difficult than picking a forever place. Most places are forced on due to medical issues and location of kids or grandkids we need to be near. This also simplifys the estate down to a bunch of stuff on paper. I have seen friends have to deal with parents homes and property and it's a stress I really don't want to leave on my kid. I have nearly a whole autoshop of racecars and equipment and1/2 a retail store of flyfishing gear. I f I kick the bucket today and my kid takes a hard look at the task in front of her, she is just going to mutter, "Geez Dad! WTF!" I think I can do better with some planning.
 
jaredoconnor said:
Imagine you were forced into early retirement, you have two young kids, and you don’t quite have enough money to retire (comfortably) in the Seattle area. Where would you move to?

Consider schools, safety, things to do with your time (fishing), etc.
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Elma, Washington. Better weather than the average grey of the harbor. Cheap digs. Ample average available up any of the creeks. Lower cost of living. Close to Capitol Forest and a host of migratory fishing destinations as well as the pristine clear lakes of Mason county. Hospital in town. More hospitals down the way in Oly. Easy drive to Seattle if you got a real deal hospital problem that needs the big guns. Plus you can visit there with ease. The Olympic peninsula is at your doorstep. I think this area will appreciate greatly in the coming years.

Come, be a newcomer I can blame my problems on. Crowded fishing.... Damn transplants! Skunked?........ Transplants! Traffic....... You get it.
 
DerekWhipple said:
It's already been mentioned, but around Lake Superior is way off the radar for most people. The PNW is the place to be, but if I had to move somewhere else, Superior area would be my choice. Duluth is your larger (but still not big) city, and small towns up the Minnesota coast. You just gotta be cool with the winter.

You can fish the big lake, or lots of rivers and lakes. Coaster brook trout, pike, walleye, "steelhead", brook trout in interior rivers and lakes, brown trout, lake trout, "loopers" (kamloops strain rainbows that cruise lake superior), muskie, and most importantly, yes, there are PINK SALMON!!
Click to expand...
My faint memory of Duluth in 1957, as a 8 or 9 year old, was going there with my Dad and some relatives to ice fish in a less than modern ice house for Walleye. It was well below zero outside and, as I remember, not much warmer in the ice house.
A very long day and my introduction to some snakey fish called an Eelpout.:ROFLMAO:
 
NukeLDO said:
My oldest daughter did the travel nurse thing for quite a while. Pay was fantastic....the travel nurse agency paid for housing and a per diem in addition to the hourly rate, which is quite good. She always tried to get into the backshift or weekend slots when they were available as those paid OT rates. She could work 2 shifts...24 hours...on a weekend backshift and be paid for a 40 hour week base pay (which was guaranteed), and have 4-5 days to explore the local area. She ended up in NYC at the height of covid when they were stacking bodies in trailers because the morgue was out of room. A real eye opener for her. She also crazily spent a winter in Fargo. At least she knows some places she doesn't want to end up in!
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She might know my niece, who was there at the same time, probably on the same contract.
 
Dustin Chromers said:
Elma, Washington. Better weather than the average grey of the harbor. Cheap digs. Ample average available up any of the creeks. Lower cost of living. Close to Capitol Forest and a host of migratory fishing destinations as well as the pristine clear lakes of Mason county. Hospital in town. More hospitals down the way in Oly. Easy drive to Seattle if you got a real deal hospital problem that needs the big guns. Plus you can visit there with ease. The Olympic peninsula is at your doorstep. I think this area will appreciate greatly in the coming years.

Come, be a newcomer I can blame my problems on. Crowded fishing.... Damn transplants! Skunked?........ Transplants! Traffic....... You get it.
Click to expand...
What will you say after they recondition, finish building and reopen the Satsop nuke plant ?
 
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