That depends on what you consider nice, I suppose, but comparable places are generally cheaper outside of the big city. I've lived in both. You've been told this repeatedly, but you insist on living in a place you're destined to hate because you're certain to be unhappy in the big city, but that's what you want. That's okay with me, although I don't understand it, since you won't find many ranches in the city. I guess, if all you've ever known are cities, trees can be scary.
Ken, I've tried and tried and tried to explain the "why we have to live where we end up", to you and others on this forum, but it just seems like nobody either understands or wants to understand. We are, basically, unhappy living inside a city, but just what do people do about that when finances aren't there to live anywhere else? We absolutely can't buy property/house, so apartment living is all we can afford. We have never seen/found an apartment complex anywhere around farm or ranch land. They aren't built there! Where we live now, is the most unfriendly area/city we've ever lived in. Even our Maintenance Supervisor/Lady has told us just how unfriendly not only the city is, but the apartment complex as well. I'm a very friendly person, but people here look at me as "weird" when I speak to them. And, when I wear my hat, or even when my wife wears hers, we can get the oddest looks. That especially happens towards her. However, there are those Senior ladies that have made a nice comment about her wearing a hat and have said, "sure wish the area was like that again". Unfortunately that definitely isn't going to happen. A lot of times, especially in the summer, nobody would even believe we are into rodeo, because we don't dress that way. That is, unless we go to a rodeo or, if we decide to, out to dinner at a steakhouse. I've hoped that members here would understand us more, but that just doesn't seem to happen. The only thing I can think of to say is "oh well".
That's because it's nonsense. Oh, I know that you believe it to be true but it's not. Whether you rent or buy, small towns are way cheaper than big cities. Not all of them, of course. If you insist on living in a tourist destination, you're going to pay more. Then again, I am living in a tourist destination and I only paid $14,500 for my house, which is probably less than you pay to rent an apartment for a year. I have a hospital a few blocks away and if I needed it, I could get free transportation to the second-largest hospital in Maine. When I lived in Texas, I paid $300 a month to rent a two-bedroom house, and then was able to buy a three-bedroom house by taking over payments of less than $400 a month. For that matter, most towns have subsidized housing, and, unlike the big cities, these don't tend to be ghettos. Maine has subsidized housing for seniors, at rates based on income, and I'm sure something similar is available in other states.
@Cody Fousnaugh - we moved from a very large town to a itty bitty town. Each have their drawbacks. I will take my 2 brm 1908 built, house 2 car garage and a building for $750 a month vs the $1600 a month 2 brm 2 bath apt 938 sq ft , with nothing but noise, businesses , traffic all the other city crap. The going rate in this town is $650 and up for renting a house. There are no apts. Point being maybe you need to look around more. This size town may be to small for you- there is no fast food places, Walmart,or dancing places. All that is 55 miles away. Have you tried getting a realtor to help you find more of what you need and want. There are more affordable places in smaller towns, but you have to search them out. My only real regret in this move, is not having had the opportunity to do 20 years ago.
The idea that no affordable apartments, duplexes, townhouses, etc., are available near ranch and farm areas is false. It is only true with towns from Portland up into Washington near the Columbia river because of Google and Amazon super complexes. Affordable apartments are all over Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington, Utah, and Idaho. Some are within minutes of Walmart super stores, pancake houses, quality medical care, etc. Just about from any place in the above mentioned areas, a VA is 2 hours or less away, with rodeos, fairs, riding groups, cowboy churches, livestock auctions, herd dog competitions, shooting ranges, cattle drives, motorcycle rallies, dancing, meals on wheels, senior centers, festivals of all kinds, card games, Indian casinos, boating, rafting, etc., anywhere from a stones throw away to a 2 hour drive. In all these places you will see someone dressed in a cowboy costume every day without looking to hard. They may be a real deal rancher, small acreage horse person, a wheat farmer, a rodeo star, a Vaquero, plumber, electrician, or maybe a doctor on their day off that lives in town and likes to dress western. Whether you would get along with any of the people, would be up to you. There are lots of options, but will everything be to your liking in one place? I doubt it. We can always find something to complain about anywhere below heaven. I thought you were moving south of Las Vegas in the next month. What happened?
Businesses are going to go where customers want to spend money. The issue with unrestrained growth and corruption lies with our local elected representatives. They are supposed to represent us. I, too, am on NextDoor, but I never post there. I'd probably get kicked off. If I see one more "I found a lost dog and it's in my fenced yard for its own safety. PM me to make arrangements" comment, I'm gonna go ballistic. Dogs don't get lost, unless they're on the roadside reading a map with a puzzled look. This place [my county] has gone downhill in the short 12 years I've lived here. It needs more rules, there's so much unrequited incontinence.
REALLY wish you wouldn't call them "cowboy costumes"! We have met PRCA World Champions, like Trevor Brazile, Cody Ohl, Mike Beers and numerous others that would totally disagree with your description of western wear. Then again, I have to remember WHO is saying that.........you!
First of all, and actually foremost, this thread isn't about us or our move! I was asking any member if they live in a town/city where people complain about different things. Everybody has a choice where they can afford to move, not necessarily where they want to move. We like having a Walmart and grocery stores close by. We like having different restaurants close by. That is our choice! We are making plans, for our boat and our belongings, to move to the southern part of Nevada/Southern Las Vegas/Henderson. We know it won't be perfect for us, but then again, we simply can't afford "perfect for us". Just how will we "fit in"? Well, every December the National Finals Rodeo is in Vegas. Lake Havasu has a rodeo, as well as does Reno. We won't be that far from them. I've stated this numerous times, we DON'T dress in western attire all of the time! But, when we do, we both love it. And, we know the type of weather that will suit us and it darn sure isn't -5 to -15 at 7AM with a foot of snow. We've had enough of that! We will take the heat and enjoy the A/C! Actually, I really shouldn't expect any of you to understand how we feel, because this forum isn't a "cowboy" or "farmer" type forum at all. Most on this forum have no idea about professional rodeo and even care less. Wife and I have been following PRCA rodeo for a very, very long time. So, back to my original thread question. Just read it and don't include us!
EVERYONE who walks out of their house with clothes on is wearing a costume. Personally, I’ve had enough of the PC crowd telling me how offensive truth speak is. If you lived in the very middle of Tombstone or Patagonia where all the locals wear cowboy hats and boots, it’s still a costume and much closer to the way I think, much of it is nothing more than a facade; a covering that people wear because that’s the way they wish to be perceived and not really who they are. A coat a tie are part of a costume, a ball gown is a costume, sports people wear costumes to play etc. Presently, you live in a state that is trying to hold onto Space Force yet you’re wearing a cowboy costume and are offended when people look at you weird. Better to move to a small house in the country where the only thing that will look at you weird is Bambi because face it, in the city everyone wears strange costumes and everyone is weird.
Just trying to be nice and helpful. Any work uniform is a costume and no indication about the skills or experience of the person wearing it. As you know I have been around ranching, rodeo, and the rural way of living my entire life and every rancher, tradesman, etc., I know refers to any way of dressing that denotes a trade or a way of life as a costume or uniform. One of my ranching cousins was also a RN and would say before work, "Well time to get my nurse costume on and go play nurse." I am going to overlook your insult and remind you I knew Mike Beers as he grew up and used to live near here where his dad had a small ranch and raised steers. He would laugh and enjoy someone saying he had his rodeo costume on. The thing is, if you want to get along and make friends in a rural community, then you have to have a sense of humor and a lot of humility. If someone calls the way you dress a costume or uniform, then that is a good thing and might be the start of a great friendship, depending how you react. Poking good natured fun at each other, is the cowboy way. One of the best ranchers and cowboys I have even known, dressed like a logger when working around the ranch and arrived at rodeo dressed as a logger and always changed before performing in rodeo to his western clothes he called his cowboy costume. With that I am off this thread. I was seriously trying to be nice and helpful.
Sorry! Anyway, "poking good natured fun at each other may be the cowboy way" for you, but, to me, that's the "ranch" cowboy way, not current or former rodeo cowboy way. As far as a "rural community", we aren't planning on, and will never plan on, living in that kind of area. It might be nice, but we like "city" type stuff way too much.
If I'm not a fireman and I'm wearing a fireman's rig, it's a costume. If I'm wearing a nurse's uniform and I'm not a nurse, it's a costume. If I'm wearing a habit and I'm not a nun, it's a costume. If I live in the city and don't own a horse or a ranch (a plastic one on the kitchen counter doesn't count) and dress up like a cowboy, it's a costume. If it's not Halloween, then I won't be surprised if people give me the side-eye if I'm in costume. But, you do you and I'll do me.......
People like to complain here. I eliminated Next Door a couple weeks after I got it. Just couldn't handle the nastiness and gossip. Wife is on several local groups on Facebook, so she keeps up with things here with those. People here like to complain about the cold, the heat, the length of winter, the mud, the rain, the snow, etc. I honestly don't know why they live here!