Best city for raising family
Apr 13, 2015, 9:03 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,233
So the deal is that my kids are in NYC public schools and if we relocated to a lower tax state we could put them in private schools with the savings and likely have a better quality of life. I'm thinking <5% state tax rate. Thanks for your insights and patience. I'm sure folks love where they live and want to offer their insights but that's the math underpinning this...
Have you looked at state tax rates?
Apr 14, 2015, 4:48 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2
That's nice that I have found a thread like this. Since I'm looking forward to relocate to Whashington( 'cause my friends live there ), but i read loads of infromation about other places to live. Thanks for relevant information, and above-mentioned items are important for me too. Especially the climate. For the moment I live in Ukraine and we have here so cold "Brutally" cold winters. And more then often very cold and rainy falls and spings.
Apr 14, 2015, 5:10 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Chattanooga, TN. Rated the #1 city for outdoor activities by Outdoor magazine (hiking, biking, hang gliding, boating, canoeing, mountains, fresh air). ZERO percent income taxes on state and city, The fastest internet in the country (1 Gigabit to every house).
Excellent schools.
Property is inexpensive and the people are friendly. They are also very pro business and pro growth.
The negative is that sales tax is 9.75% for the whole state, but the no income tax balances this out.
I like it for flights because I can get to Diamond on DL by doing 4 connections a week with 2 each week being very short 30 minute hops (CHA to ATL). The airport is small but modern with easy access. My friends in Atlanta that do short connections like myself (all east coast) are lucky to get Platinum if they fly 50 weeks! If you fly long haul this advantage is moot of course, you can get to DM via miles.
Excellent schools.
Property is inexpensive and the people are friendly. They are also very pro business and pro growth.
The negative is that sales tax is 9.75% for the whole state, but the no income tax balances this out.
I like it for flights because I can get to Diamond on DL by doing 4 connections a week with 2 each week being very short 30 minute hops (CHA to ATL). The airport is small but modern with easy access. My friends in Atlanta that do short connections like myself (all east coast) are lucky to get Platinum if they fly 50 weeks! If you fly long haul this advantage is moot of course, you can get to DM via miles.
Last edited by jeffjohnvol; Apr 14, 2015 at 6:50 am Reason: spelling erros
Apr 14, 2015, 6:33 am
#20
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Chattanooga, TN. Rated the #1 city for outdoor activities by Outdoor magazine (hiking, biking, hang gliding, boating, canoeing, mountains, fresh air). ZERO percent income taxes on state and city, The fastest internet in the country (1 Gigabit to every house).
Excellent schools.
Property is inexpensive and the people are friendly. They are also very pro business and pro growth.
The negative is that sales tax is 9.75% for the whole state, but the no income tax balances this out.
I like it for flights because I can get to Diamond on DL by doing 4 connections a week with 2 each week being very short 30 minute hops (CHA to ATL). The airport is small but modern with easy access. My friends in Atlanta that do short connections like myself (all east coast) are lucky to get Platinum if they fly 50 weeks! If you fly long haul this advantage is moot of course, you can get to DM via miles.
Excellent schools.
Property is inexpensive and the people are friendly. They are also very pro business and pro growth.
The negative is that sales tax is 9.75% for the whole state, but the no income tax balances this out.
I like it for flights because I can get to Diamond on DL by doing 4 connections a week with 2 each week being very short 30 minute hops (CHA to ATL). The airport is small but modern with easy access. My friends in Atlanta that do short connections like myself (all east coast) are lucky to get Platinum if they fly 50 weeks! If you fly long haul this advantage is moot of course, you can get to DM via miles.
It sounds like a small town but there are some pretty exclusive areas there as well (look at Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain, etc.). And of course the lake properties go from anywhere between 500K to 14 million. Peyton Manning has a farm in Ooltewah (right next to Chattanooga).
Winters are mild, but you still have a change of season.
If you make a visit, stay at the Chanticleer Inn. It's a B&B on Lookout Mountain and is right next to Rock City, a tourist attraction the kids would love. A weekend there at the Inn will run you about 500.
Last edited by jeffjohnvol; Apr 14, 2015 at 6:51 am
Apr 21, 2015, 4:32 pm
#21
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Posts: 10,004
Call me a homer, but don't rule out Salt Lake City.
http://livability.com/ut/salt-lake-c...st-places-live
Outdoor activities -- Do I really have to argue this point?
Reasonably progressive -- http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/salt-...nt?oid=2142836
Relatively low taxes -- Report: Utah's tax burden at 20-year low Overall, the tax burden is about middle-of-the-road among states, according to the local experts.
Good international airport -- SLC is a Delta hub, with nonstops to Paris and Amsterdam. There used to be a Tokyo nonstop, and this could return if the Japanese economy ever gets out of recession.
Not brutally cold in winter -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Salt_Lake_City
Great schools -- class sizes are larger than they should be. But there are public charter schools with smaller sizes, such as my daughter's middle school that focuses on children with potential gifts in the performing arts. http://www.slarts.org and a performing arts public high school. http://www.saltlakespa.org/
There are also noted private schools:
http://www.challengerschool.com/
http://www.rowlandhall.org/
http://mcgillisschool.org/
http://waterfordschool.org/
http://livability.com/ut/salt-lake-c...st-places-live
Outdoor activities -- Do I really have to argue this point?
Reasonably progressive -- http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/salt-...nt?oid=2142836
Salt Lake City is a blue oasis of progressive local politics mostly surrounded by a red desert of entrenched conservative thinking (for example, there seems to be an unusually large number of homophobic, tea-partying, climate-change deniers beyond our borders).
In addition to our enlightened politics, we also have one of the largest urban hiking/biking trail systems in the nation (the Bonneville Shoreline); designated wilderness a mere 2.3 miles from our city’s southeast boundary (the Mount Olympus Wilderness); great parks; wonderful public libraries; an array of unique local businesses; a multitude of arts and cultural organizations; and fantastic skiing.
In addition to our enlightened politics, we also have one of the largest urban hiking/biking trail systems in the nation (the Bonneville Shoreline); designated wilderness a mere 2.3 miles from our city’s southeast boundary (the Mount Olympus Wilderness); great parks; wonderful public libraries; an array of unique local businesses; a multitude of arts and cultural organizations; and fantastic skiing.
Good international airport -- SLC is a Delta hub, with nonstops to Paris and Amsterdam. There used to be a Tokyo nonstop, and this could return if the Japanese economy ever gets out of recession.
Not brutally cold in winter -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Salt_Lake_City
Winter temperatures are not as extreme as might be expected, given the elevation 4,300 feet (1,310 m) and latitude (40°45'N) of the city. The Rocky Mountains to the east and northeast of the state block most cold waves from polar highs positioned in the Great Plains from reaching the city. The frigidly cold air that does affect the city must come directly from the north or north-northwest from western Canada through fewer and lower intervening mountains. Temperatures seldom fall below 0 °F (−17.8 °C); Salt Lake City has experienced sub-zero temperatures during only 4 storm cycles in the last 10 years.
There are also noted private schools:
http://www.challengerschool.com/
http://www.rowlandhall.org/
http://mcgillisschool.org/
http://waterfordschool.org/
Apr 24, 2015, 10:34 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Sammamish (Seattle area), WA (I know you said too little sun but it isn't as bad as you think...and for 3 months it is the best weather on the planet). It is constantly voted as one of the best places to live in the US.
Austin, TX...Summer sucks but taxes, weather and cost of living seem to fit what you are looking for.
Austin, TX...Summer sucks but taxes, weather and cost of living seem to fit what you are looking for.
Apr 24, 2015, 10:37 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Call me a homer, but don't rule out Salt Lake City.
http://livability.com/ut/salt-lake-c...st-places-live
Outdoor activities -- Do I really have to argue this point?
Reasonably progressive -- http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/salt-...nt?oid=2142836
Relatively low taxes -- Report: Utah's tax burden at 20-year low Overall, the tax burden is about middle-of-the-road among states, according to the local experts.
Good international airport -- SLC is a Delta hub, with nonstops to Paris and Amsterdam. There used to be a Tokyo nonstop, and this could return if the Japanese economy ever gets out of recession.
Not brutally cold in winter -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Salt_Lake_City
Great schools -- class sizes are larger than they should be. But there are public charter schools with smaller sizes, such as my daughter's middle school that focuses on children with potential gifts in the performing arts. http://www.slarts.org and a performing arts public high school. http://www.saltlakespa.org/
There are also noted private schools:
http://www.challengerschool.com/
http://www.rowlandhall.org/
http://mcgillisschool.org/
http://waterfordschool.org/
http://livability.com/ut/salt-lake-c...st-places-live
Outdoor activities -- Do I really have to argue this point?
Reasonably progressive -- http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/salt-...nt?oid=2142836
Relatively low taxes -- Report: Utah's tax burden at 20-year low Overall, the tax burden is about middle-of-the-road among states, according to the local experts.
Good international airport -- SLC is a Delta hub, with nonstops to Paris and Amsterdam. There used to be a Tokyo nonstop, and this could return if the Japanese economy ever gets out of recession.
Not brutally cold in winter -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Salt_Lake_City
Great schools -- class sizes are larger than they should be. But there are public charter schools with smaller sizes, such as my daughter's middle school that focuses on children with potential gifts in the performing arts. http://www.slarts.org and a performing arts public high school. http://www.saltlakespa.org/
There are also noted private schools:
http://www.challengerschool.com/
http://www.rowlandhall.org/
http://mcgillisschool.org/
http://waterfordschool.org/
Last edited by andyh64000; Apr 24, 2015 at 10:42 pm
Apr 25, 2015, 8:29 am
#24
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 54
I don't understand why you are so concerned about state tax rates when cost of living will have a drastically higher impact on your economic status long term. If you have to choose between a city has a 10% tax rate, but is 25% cheaper than 'Metropolis' with a 5% tax rate, the math is simple as to where to locate.
Heck, if you're at 8% in NYC, move to a different city (pick any) with a lower rate by any amount. That, coupled with the lower cost of living will free enough money to send your kids to a private school. See math for Miami below, my recommendation.
Regardless, Florida is the obvious answer. Am I missing something- why has it not been mentioned? No income tax. 6% sales. No better weather in the US, plenty of outdoor/unique outdoor activities, Miami is progressive and has a massive Oneworld hub. Incredibly close to amazing vacation destinations. Private schools just as good as most major cities in the US.
To enforce my first point, Numbeo says Miami is something like (just averaged each line item together) 30% cheaper than NYC. So... if you're making 200k, we are talking tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention a 8% tax savings. As a guy that went to a great private school in the Midwest, thats enough to send all your kids anywhere. Not to mention profit from real estate.
Heck, if you're at 8% in NYC, move to a different city (pick any) with a lower rate by any amount. That, coupled with the lower cost of living will free enough money to send your kids to a private school. See math for Miami below, my recommendation.
Regardless, Florida is the obvious answer. Am I missing something- why has it not been mentioned? No income tax. 6% sales. No better weather in the US, plenty of outdoor/unique outdoor activities, Miami is progressive and has a massive Oneworld hub. Incredibly close to amazing vacation destinations. Private schools just as good as most major cities in the US.
To enforce my first point, Numbeo says Miami is something like (just averaged each line item together) 30% cheaper than NYC. So... if you're making 200k, we are talking tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention a 8% tax savings. As a guy that went to a great private school in the Midwest, thats enough to send all your kids anywhere. Not to mention profit from real estate.
Last edited by FlyerTalker55; Apr 25, 2015 at 9:34 pm
Apr 25, 2015, 9:27 am
#25
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Salt Lake City is a surprising oasis of increasing progressivism
See, e.g., http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/up...abt=0002&abg=0
See, e.g., http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/up...abt=0002&abg=0
Apr 25, 2015, 5:17 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Salt Lake City is a surprising oasis of increasing progressivism
See, e.g., http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/up...abt=0002&abg=0
See, e.g., http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/up...abt=0002&abg=0
http://freedominthe50states.org/
Apr 25, 2015, 6:19 pm
#27
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Posts: 54
Though the more progressive a state becomes (e.g. California, NY, Mass) the less freedoms you have. Utah is #10 on the most free states, which is pretty good. My beloved Tennesse is #3 behind the Dakotas.
http://freedominthe50states.org/
http://freedominthe50states.org/
Apr 25, 2015, 6:34 pm
#28
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It goes to the point of a state being progressive with regard to being a good place to raise a family from an early post, not a hijack. I wouldn't expect a DTW resident to understand. And regarding the post I was originally speaking, I consider Utah a great place to raise a family.
Apr 25, 2015, 8:42 pm
#29
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It goes to the point of a state being progressive with regard to being a good place to raise a family from an early post, not a hijack. I wouldn't expect a DTW resident to understand. And regarding the post I was originally speaking, I consider Utah a great place to raise a family.
Agree with you on Utah being a great place for a family ^
Apr 26, 2015, 7:56 am
#30
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Let's keep this thread non-politicized. Otherwise it will have to disappear into the Omni P/R board ghetto.