Best to move to GA or FL ???

[PaHunter]

Wife and I are seriously considering a change in location. Just curious would you move to GA or FL ?? Pro's and Con's to each ? Weather ?? Cost of living ??

All thoughts and comments welcome.

 

[snowmedic]

I would go with GA. We lived in St. Mary's, exit 3 and loved it there. The humidity wasn't as bad as what you would have in Fl. and only a couple hrs. from the Fort. We would go out every weekend to the river and go crabbing. If you are retired military, the Naval base is right there. The biggest con we can think of is all the goats heads, or stickers to us northerners. You couldn't go outside without wearing shoes. Just our thoughts.

 

[peg110]

I'd love to move a bit more south too. The DW sort of does but doesn't. She is an only child and doesn't want to leave her parents (which I totally get).

I like winter (to a point) but I am tired of the crazy heating bills (although this year, crazy has a different meaning). Maybe NC would be okay.

 

[Barney Fife]

Doesn't Florida still do no state income tax?

 

[snowmedic]

Doesn't Florida still do no state income tax?

This is true.

 

[4077]

Moved to Venice, FL IN 1989 with my parents between sophomore and junior year in high school. Loved it! Lived in Orlando after college. First date with wife at Downtown Disney. Got married and built home there in Celebration. Only moved to CT after father in law passed away (to be near mother in law). Neither of us like being back up north. However, my job and now kids in school keep us here. Was layed off for few months a couple years back...was just about to take job flying for JetBlue when the place that layed me off called me back as another person had left. Financially and all it made sense to go back, but I was THAT close to being back in Orlando (they have a pilot base there). Only the logic of sliding right back in easily to a pretty good job kept us here. And in some ways, I wish I had gone JetBlue and made my way back, but I think I made best choice at the time. Long and short of it all...I would be back down there in an instant if I could! Orlando area is easy drive to beaches etc. on either coast....attraction of central FL and all its entertainment is obvious, and FL also has great state and county parks and wilderness areas to get away too. Man I should've kid have taken that job to get me there!

 

[bjschil]

We sold an inheritance in Engelwood, Florida. Always a nice place to visit on the Gulf, however, seemed the crowd there was more senior than us, plus, we were not ready for full-time retirement.

 

[bama_ed]

I've lived in both although Florida was a long time ago.

First, when you say "Florida", there are really 3 distinct areas to Florida in my mind: North Florida (Pensacola to Jacksonville), Central Florida (Lake City to Orlando and all east-west), and South Florida (below Orlando). To me each is REALLY different.

North Florida is like part of Alabama and Georgia culturally. It still has seasons and has a Southern feel. South Florida is your tropics zone where the average daily low temp doesn't get below freezing. It has a more international feel and more rushed on the east coast and newer more senior feel on the west coast. Central is a mix of the two.

Georgia is mostly the Atlanta area with its suburbs (I call it Gotham City). Traffic is TERRIBLE. North GA in the mountains is nice. Coastal areas like Savannah feel almost like Florida. Central and South GA is agricultural mostly.

Given the choice of the two, I would move to North Florida.

Bama Ed

PS - of the two Florida coasts I prefer the Gulf side 100X more than the Atlantic side. Nicer beaches and warmer water on the Gulf Side to me, anyway.

 

[PaHunter]

I've lived in both although Florida was a long time ago.

First, when you say "Florida", there are really 3 distinct areas to Florida in my mind: North Florida (Pensacola to Jacksonville), Central Florida (Lake City to Orlando and all east-west), and South Florida (below Orlando). To me each is REALLY different.

North Florida is like part of Alabama and Georgia culturally. It still has seasons and has a Southern feel. South Florida is your tropics zone where the average daily low temp doesn't get below freezing. It has a more international feel and more rushed on the east coast and newer more senior feel on the west coast. Central is a mix of the two.

Georgia is mostly the Atlanta area with its suburbs (I call it Gotham City). Traffic is TERRIBLE. North GA in the mountains is nice. Coastal areas like Savannah feel almost like Florida. Central and South GA is agricultural mostly.

Given the choice of the two, I would move to North Florida.

Bama Ed

PS - of the two Florida coasts I prefer the Gulf side 100X more than the Atlantic side. Nicer beaches and warmer water on the Gulf Side to me, anyway.

As always Bama Ed is the man. Great reply. Only time I spent south of the Mason Dixon line was a summer in Huntsville, Alabama. Entertaining some ideas at this time.

 

[tltay2005]

I am a little bias to Central Fl....maybe because I have lived here all my life. Polk County is less than two hours to either coast and about 40 minutes to WDW. Cost of living is a lot less here than the more metro counties like Orange, Hillsborough or Pinellas. Many live here and commute to the other higher paying counties. We do have a lot of snow birds, I mean with city names like Winter Haven and Frostproof, do you blame them?

Now DH would rather be in SW GA. He would love to live on a farm and hunt & fish all the time.

Good luck on your move, where ever you decide.

 

[peg110]

Only time I spent south of the Mason Dixon line was a summer in Huntsville, Alabama. Entertaining some ideas at this time.

Outside of Disney trips (and traveling time spent in some of the southern states), I have spent 2 summers in the Anniston Alabama Area. Yes... In the military at Fort McClellan.

Now.... we find out..... Years Later, that Apparently Monsato (as well as other) have contaminated the area with PCBs and other chemicals and there can be long lasting effects. Oh Joy. While I have some fond memories of my time there, I also have some nightmare memories too. (After all it was Basic and Advanced Training for the Army), not to mention this North eastern PA boy, spending Summers, in the HOT, HUMID south with people YELLING at us everywhere we went. Ah.... Memories!

 

[mich1073]

Yes Florida varies ALOT on where you live. My area has grown so much that traffic is just insane.. And state employees here are treated pretty terribly as we have 100s of millions over budget and the butthead Governor just wants to give it back to all the big companies here and not the employees and other state infrastructures. Also Gov Scott is just a ******* but we have no state taxes.... So there is always that huge plus for alot of people.

Lived in Atlanta as well. traffic is AWFUL. And alot of very scary areas that you can happen upon. I lived in Fairburn so it was not as insane. Got too cold for me.... Always rather have heat than cold. Have alot of family in the mountains below Helen GA n Cleveland and its really nice up there. If I moved anywhere it would be SC or NC. Very pretty and the weather is better than GA alot of the times.