Not sure why there is so much desire for people wanting to move to southern states to large metro areas. I guess my priorities are extremely different then a lot off people. Weather and seasons are important to me and the most important is LESS people. I'm not sure how people can live in areas and deal with high populations on a daily basis. I guess I will never understand there way and glad not all think the way I do about where to live.

You are blessed to be able to live in Montana...

As an easterner, i have hunted in wyoming many times and have inquired about moving to montana and or idaho and or wyoming... But the small acreages that we can buy back here in ten to forty acres are priced out of our price.Range or not available in the western states.

I have found from working with realtors out there that if you wanna live cheaply, you have to live outside of aid, major metro in the west... but you cannot drive out ten miles and find a ten acre piece.

I have no idea why people wanna live near a large metro in the south

Retirement means medical will be needed soon. Urban has medical while rural does not. They all say it's for the amenities of shopping, and entertainment during retirement leisure time but the simple truth is end of life care is on their minds. There's also the tax code as well as most southern states tax codes favor estate planning, are low to non existant income tax, low property tax.

Medical I agree is a priority for most wanting to live in high populated areas. We got some of the best with in a couple hundred miles. I think most of these reasons people want to live in large population area is just that. So, much of the reason are out of their control in life. They spend to much of their time worrying about things they can not change and out of there control.

Having a heart attack you could live across the street from a major hospital and die anyway.

I want to stay where I am, problem is the metro center is coming to me, I don't even want to think about what it's going to look like here when I'm ready to retire

I bet that is a big part of it.

I have a friend who is currently going through looking for an area to retire. #1 thing on his list , is accessible health care for him and his wife.

My tagline says it all for me no more cities for me ever!

Exactly!!! Never could understand the mentality as you get older having to live 5 minutes from a major hospital. That would kill me first and foremost.

I was country where I was raised and also where I live now. I had to live for a short time frame in a small nearby town before I built our home and facilities.

My wife had a place there, so as soon as we had our place up, roof on and power on, we moved in the middle of winter. Finished the work while under roof.

I couldnt wait to get out of there. No place to park, roudy neighbors, noise every weekend, trains all night. Don't know how folks can live that way.

I would die in a city after a week, at least my will to live would.

I know I'd miss the mountains outside the window, but I think I could move to the Ft. Walton/Mexico beach area of Florida.

I "think"........... It was nice this fall but that was during the offseason.

My thought exactly my description of city life is , “too many rats in those ponds!” LOL

part of it is , you spend a LOT of time at the Dr when you get older.
and Rural medicine is being done away with , all the hospitals are getting bought out they move any specialty to the city , so everything means driving to the city.

then there will come a time when you can not drive , my inlaws are there. they need rides places , they live in Madison, well always have not because they need access to rides but they do need them now so they have access to medical rides they are 82 and 87.

they have basically worn out their welcome with all of their family , remember to be nice to your kids , younger siblings , and grand kids if you plan to need rides later in life. My in-laws weren't and wore out their welcome with everyone , don't talk to any one unless it is to be mean , complain or demand a ride someplace. so no one returns their calls any more.
when my wife passed she hadn't talked to them in 7 years , I handled the once or twice a year call they felt obligated to make around holidays , they were really just fishing for some info on the grandkids they hadn't talked to in years 2-3 minutes of an update on them and they were satisfied and needed to get off the phone.

interestingly enough I went to a funeral for one of my wife's uncles last month , my in-laws attended talked to no one and sat by themselves away from everyone else. I was part of the family with my wife's aunts and cousins.

unfortunately they will die alone and if they both died at the same time it would be weeks before anyone realized when the mail box was over flowing.
they done it to themselves , they have a sister and a niece on the same street 1 house and 2 houses away.

not my problem I am not really anything to them any more.
they don't speak to me , I am not their power of attorney or medical anything I know who is , not really sure they talk to those relatives any more either.

Im only 45 but with with physical issues that will only get worse as MS progresses. So my ability and dreams of being able to some day go on deep horseback weeks long trips just are not going to happen.

I may end up disabled unable to work greatly reducing income. Its been on my mind and the driving factor in why I went from 64 hr work weeks to 84 to 96 the last few years.


So good medical access, cost of living and taxes have been on my mind as well as climate. ( im temp sensitive) cold and heat exasperate symptoms.

I dont want to ever live in town but my dream of being over 100 miles from a Walmart won't happen. Extremely cold or heat is best avoided so no spend I ng days out in 15° or below weather or hot days outside without paying the price later. So Montana cold and southern heat both are not great for me.

The city is moving to my farm. Its becoming subdivisions and small acre homes not farms. I hate it. Taxes keep going up.

If I end up disabled my income will drop to bringing in in a month what I do in a week. We can get by on that now but with future inflation? Saving and investing will be cut and needed time relying on it will reduce retirement financial stability. If that happens I have though about the idea of other countries with lower cost of living to stretch things. But good health care and speaking English limits those locations.

I could almost see moving to the communist cost for the mild climate almost...

I never dreamed I would be thinking these thought. Instead dreamed of a small spread backed up to government land I could ride/hunt for weeks to months on. Now im not sure I will ever owned horses again. Don't want things I may not be able to ride or take care of without help in the future.


Life changes, We adapt.

The disabled group of people is the most inclusive group of people in the world. Anyone can join at any time.

It is amazing how much rural America has to offer for medical services in small rural towns. Specialists come in and Cancer centers all close with top notch facilities. A lot of programs here for transportation accommodations etc. A huge range of programs that help comes to the home for aid. In most cases people don't search out for what is out there. I understand dementia issues would be a time for special care etc.. I'm with Law I was born in a very small town and will die in a rural setting. One way or another.

Pretty sure I’d be dead or in Prison, if I ever had to live in a city.

Wouldn’t even want to be buried in a city location I’d be haunting some people if that ever happened! Spread my ashes in the river breaks I’d be fine with that.

that is not the case in a lot of the US

we had an excellent local hospital in Green county , people came from all over driving 4+ counties to come for treatment.
that changed when a big while technically not for profit company that owns hospitals all over the Midwest bought it up
been a down hill slide ever since , I have friends who work there and they agree it is a shadow of what it once was.

It's a good thing you still have a good facility with good doctors and specialists.
just not the case here

it is a great ER they can get you in fast , even if they are going to stabilize you and transport you to Madison for a lot of things.
saves you the wait to get in and get stabilized if you go to Madison first.

and if it is something not needing a specialist they can get you in and out fairly fast like if you just need stitches or broke a leg.

I lived on the Outer Banks of NC for 15 years after retiring in 2002. In 2017, I relocated to Asheville, NC, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have since been diagnosed with kidney and colon cancer. I had no prior symptoms. Had major surgery for each. Both were found early. No chemo or radiation. If I had remained on the Outer Banks, I might be dead by now.

The major difference in moving to Asheville is the local government. I was in an isolated, unincorporated village. The community was very conservative. Now I live in a liberal community. Traffic is different as well. Property taxes are about the same. Life is a little easier in the city. Everything is here. Before, I was 60 miles from a hospital, a big box store, or most other essentials. Gasoline is cheaper. I am only a few miles from an airport, instead of 2.5 hours.

You will make friends wherever you live. You do not have to live inside the city, just near one. Our county government is very conservative. I am now approaching age 80 and think I made the right decision.

Good luck with your decision.

A good friend of mine just moved to Green Bay.

A couple weeks ago he was hospitalized and diagnosed with leukemia. rather than move him west to Mayo in Rochester they sent him south to Milwaukee !! I guess they think he needs some cheap beer.

Anyway, in Milwaukee they did a bone marrow biopsy and sent it to Minneapolis for pathology. It has been nearly two weeks and they still don't have the pathology report back yet. So much for big cities !

I live about as 'rural' as it gets but I can get a medevac flight in here and be in Anchorage in 45 minutes if need be.
That is far better IMO than actually having to live in any urban setting.

We're all going to die somewhere. I prefer to do it where I can see the horizon and the stars.

Often time as people get older they gravitate back to there house of religion and migrate to places that have better access to health care. For many that means moving to metro areas.