Native Alabama resident here. I grew up in Mobile which is down on the Gulf Coast. The city is one of the biggest ports in the country and home to a vibrant culture and food scene similar to New Orleans. In the north part of the state you have Huntsville which is home to a massive tech industry and also the place where the Saturn V Rocket was invented. NASA still has a big presence there. In my opinion those are the two best areas of the state to settle.
Yeah I'm from Northeast Alabama right next to Scottsboro Anne Huntsville I live in Guntersville Alabama but not to be many people know where Guntersville is LOL
I live in Guntersville Alabama we built our home on the lake for a little bit under $300,000 which gives you 3,200 sq ft cathedral ceilings four bedrooms two living rooms which are 30 by 30 two and a half car garage Circle Drive wraparound porch and we're right on the water and to live here you have to build a home over 150 to 200,000
On the Louisiana city of Shreveport he said it's in the northeast of the state and its actually in the northwest part of the state which is my hometown Shreveport/Bossier City separated by the Red River.
I’m from the Huntsville, Alabama metro area. It’s very focused on tech, space, and auto. At one time (I’m not sure whether it still is) we had the most engineers per capita in the US. We are approximately 2-3 hours from Birmingham, Nashville, Chattanooga and 3-4 hours from Atlanta. We are also approximately 5-6 hours from the beach or the mountains. The Huntsville metro area surrounds the Tennessee River for those who live boating and fishing. There are some who predict that Huntsville will be the next Atlanta.
There's some overlap for sure, but it's not a perfect match. For example, Ohio has a relatively strong and diverse economy, and while wages don't match the coastal regions, neither does the cost of living. Ohio's economy is not as strong relative to other states as it was 50 years ago, but it's still in better economic shape than the median state. And yet we still have some of the most affordable housing in the developed world.
A friend was mowing his teensy-tiny lawn on Long Island in New York when it hit him that, for what he was paying just in property taxes on Long Island, he could cover the payments on a nicer house back home in Arkansas. He moved. He didn't regret it.
Huntsville is probably the best place to settle in Alabama, imo. It's getting a bit crowded, so homes in Madison county are getting harder to come by. The biggest advantage is you have that 'Alabama County Life' charm + great economic opportunity, all in a fairly small geographical area. If that 'Alabama County Life' isn't a plus for you... it may be more of a compromise than a destination.
I live in the Northwest part of Alabama which my husband and I love. We bought a two bedroom house on nearly 3 acres in 2006 for $80,000.00. Huntsville, which is approximately a one hour drive from where I love has anything you would want there. That is where NASA is and is one on the largest growing cities in the U.S. I love where we live as we are close to bigger cities and have anything we want in our area, along with beautiful scenery such as the Tennessee River, lots of music history, mountains, etc. Wouldn't think on living anywhere else, although I have lived in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, and Oklahoma.
I just bought a really cheap piece of land in West Virginia for 75k on 15 acres. Right on a lake. My modular house was dropped off for 100k. I can't wait until it's finished. If you look carefully you can find cheap
Alabama has a ton to offer their residents, but the State has always gotten a bad rap from YT docs/channels that based their current opinions on outdated statitistics and historical events from the Civil rights movement. Alabama is largely safe, beautiful, diverse, and growing rapidly. You can find coatal beaches, progressive cities, charming small towns, and expansive mountain regions across the state. Like with any state in the continuous US, you'll find pockets of lower income housing scattered throughout the states.
I grew up in the Midwest so weather doesn’t bother me, unless it would be mostly rainy or cloudy all the time. That sounds horrible. I can handle a few months of “harsh“ winter as I’ve heard people describe it. To me, it’s mild. But I guess some folks just can’t handle cold or snow. Now Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada I’m sure have much harsher winter weather.
There's federal income tax, state income tax, personal property tax (cars & such), real estate tax, and state & local sales taxes. If a state does't have an income tax, they get you with a different tax. You have to be able to pay for running the state government and services.
Tennessee is one of the least taxed in the country. Our sales tax is 9.75%, but we've lived in states that had state income tax+sales tax that was nearly as high. Tennessee is also one of the most fiscally sound in the country. No personal property tax, low real estate tax.
Ohio may be where aviation was invented by the Wright Brothers, however, they first took flight in North Carolina and the area where they did that is memorialized.
Many many people that started working remote in the 2020 or so, did in fact MOVE. however, many of their jobs docked their pay because they were not living in the expensive area anymore. So basically your pay, is determined by where you live and many of these businesses that had remote workers figured out that people had done exactly that. Moved hours away to avoid living in the more expensive areas, closer to work. (especially in California) then what happened is the covid was over and their jobs called them back to the office even if it was 3 days a week.
The best part of Mississippi is the coast: Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, etc. Casinos all over, but the beaches are artificial (no surf). Biloxi is a mini-Las Vegas with lots of live entertainment. New Orleans is an hour or 2 away.
The property tax is applied to the assessed value of the house, which can differ a lot from the purchase price. States don't seem to use the same criteria to come up with the assessed value.
If you have a friend online from the US, you should do a vid chat with them & watch some of vids with them. That way, you can ask questions & get answers. Also, at this moment in time, it's weird to go trying to buy. So, that may work out best in the long run, giving you time to decide where you want to go & save up. BUT, there is a shift happening world wide & here in US, god willing, we'll get back to affordable lives very soon.
Both sides of my family are from Ft. Wayne Indiana. Even today, housing is reasonable. and it's a pretty big city now. So there's industry. The people are incredibly nice in the midwest and Ft. Wayne is no exception. Problem......weather. Long deep freezes in winter and blazing hot summers.
Taxes here occur on a few levels, there is the Federal Income Tax, and MOST states have a State income tax, and some cities such as New York City, has a City income tax, then there are sales taxes, usage taxes but some states like Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Montana, Wyoming, do not have any State income taxes and therefore can not have any City income taxes, and these local tax rates vary from state to state.
Closing costs vary from one jurisdiction to another but typically include things like realtor fees, mandatory inspections (e.g., for termites or asbestos), appraisal, certain kinds of insurance, state or local government fees (e.g., for recording the change of ownership as a matter of public record), credit reports, etc. Some of these expenses are only required if you are using a mortgage loan to pay for the home, and some of them are governed by other conditions. All states have state taxes in one form or another, but the details vary. Most states have some mix of income tax (and similar taxes, such as capital gains tax), sales tax, excise taxes, property tax, and various lesser taxes (e.g., licensing fees); but the details vary a LOT from state to state. Federal tax, is what it is regardless of which state you're in, and it's mostly income tax, some excise taxes (e.g., on gasoline), and a few minor bits and bobs. The Federal government does not charge sales tax and does not have the legal authority to charge property tax (except maybe in the District of Columbia, not sure about that). The Federal government *does* have the authority to charge tariffs on imports and exports, but in the modern era that power is not mainly used for revenue generation. (Using it for that purpose proved to be deeply problematic, because the other country almost always responds in kind, which has a suppressive effect on trade, which means you don't get as much income from the tariff as you thought you would, so then you have to raise the tariff even higher, and round and round it goes. Hence the sixteenth amendment. Tariffs are still useful for some other purposes, such as discouraging excessive foreign trade in certain commodities without outright banning them, or holding foreign governments accountable for certain kinds of economic abuses.)
We live in and love Dothan, Alabama It's a short trip to beaches in both Alabama and Florida. Some of these states mean you have to make a choice - do you want a high paying, career driven, work oriented structured life or, a less work driven, money oriented, more personalized quality of lifestyle?
One detail about working remotely. In the US you cannot operate on the blanket assumption that you will have high speed internet, or that it will be reliable and affordable. As always, research is key.
I'm in NC and love it bc we have mountains and beaches within a few hours. 🙂 Some find the summer heat to be a bit much but I prefer it to harsh winters.
As someone who's lived in Kansas for four years now, I wouldn't recommend moving here unless you choose the eastern half of the state (I live in the southwestern part of the state). They tax the s**t out of you -- personal, state and property taxes are ridiculous as are the taxes on food, they had to make a bill to cut food tax. Property taxes on vehicles is something I experienced for the first time when I moved here, and the newer your vehicle is the more expensive the property taxes are. In 2020 I owed $508 on a 2018 car. They go down annually as the car depreciates, but not as fast as the car value itself does. They basically punish you for buying a newer car
We moved around a bit with my husband being from NY and I came from TX. We left the high cost of living in northern VA to WV in 1994. My husband was earning around $75,000 here. We bought 12.54 acres of land for $12,000. The owner was the bank and let us choose the interest rate. We improved the land for under $10,000. We also got a modular home of 1890 sq ft.
NC housing prices have risen quite a bit in the last few years. I moved to Charlotte in 2020, and within 1 year the average home price in my area (11 miles north of Charlotte) had risen by $100,000. It went from $400,000 - 450,000, to $500,000 - 550,000. It's stayed pretty much the same since 2021. Apartment rent has also increased quite a lot in the last 4 years.
30 miles or so outside of any of these cities, you're past the suburbs, and you're in mostly rural areas, where you will get a bigger house, some land, and much cheaper taxes.20-30 min. Commute to work or downtown if you ever need to be dragged there. 😊
There’s definitely glamorous places to live in all of those states with giant homes and mansions and the quality of life is quite high compared to bigger cities!
Taxes and costs vary by state and locality. Yes, the US has Federal Income Tax, and most states have income tax as well. There can also be city income tax (like NYC) and even county income tax. When I moved from NY to PA, even though I paid less overall tax, I had to file multiple tax returns. In NYC, I just had to file 2 (federal and state/nyc as NY State and NY City tax returns were combined). However in PA, only did I have to file Federal and State. I had to file a separate County tax return and while the city I lived in did not have an income tax, it had a Non-Bank asset tax - a tax on any financial asset you held outside of a bank - and most localities also had personal property taxes (cars, boats, and any other high value asset you may hold). Due to the unpopularity of taxes, most personal property taxes have been renamed and are now called registration fees. But make no mistake, these are taxes as they are not flat fees but based upon the perceived value of your personal property. Most Europeans complain about the added sales tax we have in the US compared to the Value Added Tax that European pay (but don't see since they are folded into the retail price). Sales taxes vary not only by state, but also locality. While you will pay 8.875% Sales Tax in NYC, it is actually divided into 4% State, 4.5% City and .375% Commuter Tax. Home closing costs also vary widely. In my life I have bought properties in CT, NYC, PA, AZ and NV. NYC closing costs were the highest as they added several items that most other states or localities did not. There was a 2% mortgage tax on the mortgage amount (which you have to pay again on a refinance if the refinance company you used screwed up the paper work or was unfamiliar with how things were done in NYC). If the property you bought cost more than $1 myn, there is a Mansion Tax, not on the amount over $1 myn but on the entire amount, which is why you rarely see NYC properties sell in the $1 myn to $1.1 myn range). My closing costs on a 700k condo in 2002 was over 30k (about 4.5% of home value), not counting what I paid my lawyer. CT had the next highest closing costs by % of house cost (around 3%) and then PA (a little over 2%). However, closing costs in AZ and NV are extremely low, and since standardized contracts are used, you do not need to hire a lawyer. In these western states, closing costs are generally lower and were less than 1% of the home value.
I live in Montgomery Alabama and we always say that it's the best place to live in the state if you want to go somewhere else. We are a few hours away from Atlanta, Nashville, Pensacola, New Orleans, and gambling in Mississippi 😂😂😅
In Alabama, I would recommend Orange Beach or Fairhope, Alabama. Both are in Baldwin County, right next to Florida and within 200 miles of New Orleans. I would guess that nearby Pensacola, Florida, might have some great deals too as well as no state income tax.
If you can work remotely, the decision where to live becomes different. It pays to live in an area that has a low cost of living. This is because you get paid from the company you work for. Remote work helps the location you live because they receive the taxes from the residence you live. Pay is by where you live, and not by who you work for. Therefore, cost is a consideration, but making the right right decision where to live is much more complex.
Ohio, woohoo! I live by Lake Erie and love Ohio. Do we have alot to do? Well, we don't have anything major. No world famous place like Disney or super famous landmarks people see like if you went to Cali. But it's a much more affordable state. The freeways stretch in both directions so you can get most anywhere if you live near them. You got a giant lake to visit if you live near it. Though once you get maybe 5-6 cities outside of a major city (aka Cleveland for example) then you mostly becomes country again. Up by Cleveland is the best spot as most of the cities around here are suburbs and there is a ton to do locally.
I live in southeastern Indiana and we are 20 minutes from Kentucky and Ohio so most people live in one state and work in another. If you want to live in Alabama pick a small town like Clanton but you may have drive to get health care in bigger cities. Country living small town is better than the city crime and chaos
Im in Oklahoma. I didn't go through a realtor. I bought from someone I found out they wanted to sell before they listed it. Saved a lot by not paying a realtor. Also, my property tax on my house and ½ acre is $300/ year.
Bought a home in N.C. not in any of the towns mentioned. Relocated from VA. N.C. offered a conditional Loan $15 tho plus Conventional loans etc. CONDITIONS: you have to live in the house 5 yrs .can't rent it out nor sell before 5 yrs BUT if you do sell after 1 yr its a prorated amount paid back not the full 15 tho . In Va they only give you a percentage of cost of home so much less. NOTE: THIS is foe low Income persons who have good to excellent credit and low debt ratio. So moving to N.C sm towns are affordable. And the big city life is an hour away .
I live in the Indianapolis area. There is a bustling night life, we have several professional sports teams, pro football, pro-basketball, pro-soccer (football to you, although the Brits came up with the name soccer), also pro female sports. Indianapolis is the home odf The Indianapolis Motor Speedway where they hold the annual Indianapolis 500. The infield of the track is large enough to hold the following all at the same time, Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, Rose Bowl Stadium, Vatican City, The Taj Mahal, The White House, Liberty Island, and The Roman Colosseum.. I like it here,, but I'm moving to Vietnam where I can live comfortably for $1000 a month. Great beaches, warm weather, and great food. A beer cost anywhere from 25c to 50c.
Hi Kabir, property taxes are part of your monthly mortgage payment, along with principle and interest. Everybody has Federal income tax, and some states have a state income tax. However, this doesn't mean that you are going to pay less in your overall taxes if you live in a state with no state income tax. In states like Texas, where I live, there is no state income tax, but the money to run the state has to come from somewhere. It's a case of TANSTAAFL ( there ain't no such thing as a free lunch). They make up the difference with higher sales, property, school, miscellaneous and local taxes. A lot of times people moving here think that they are going to be on easy street because of the no state income tax are shocked by the reality of it.
The 50 states are the actual government on a daily basis, so we typically have state taxes for state and local needs. Federal taxes go towards federal needs. The Constitution describes the powers and functions of the federal government. Any powers or functions not described in the Constitution are covered by The 10th Amendment of the Bill of Rights. This reserves those unmonitored powers for the states and the people respectively. Understanding this is crucial for understand US government and politics.
This is a very old video. The median price in Oklahoma is 241,000. In Tenn it is over 300k. Also, most of the states have improved in every other factor such as education, jobs etc… They are considered more business, friendly, and have more employment opportunities. When it comes to education in any state, you just want to live in the better school districts. even the states themselves are split up like small little towns which in a sense sometimes it’s like their own little countries.
I can't answer any of your math questions, but what I can say is if you are looking at an area, check to see if they have at least 1 university and a military installation near by. Those are the places that have the most diversity of activities available and steady incomes.
living in Oklahoma TIP: look for the areas with the lowest price house insurance and it will show you where tornadoes usually occur. Also, just stay away from Moore and you should be fine😂 really I've lived here 38 years and seen 1 tornado in person and it was an EF0
I laughed at Arkansas. The narrator said the state has about 3 million people ..... for the whole state. The county of Los Angeles has 3 million people! That is not including surrounding counties in Southern CA.
Taxes in the US vary from state to state, so you really gotta go and look it up kinda think. I know in PA I paid Federal, state, county, township all seperate for taxes. In WV I pay federal, state, and county. In Alaska I paid federal only. (I think, it's been a long time) WV the county tax is a bit weird because it's always based on a car payment, But WV property taxes are way cheaper than PA.
Don't forget the hurricanes and tornadoes that frequently occur in southern and coastal states. Buy, then it gets destroyed, then rebuild? With what? Is there insurance for that?
I live in southern Alabama Baldwin county I live in Fairhope the beaches are very nice and that would be gulf Shores. There’s lots of land in the county reasonable prices I’m not a realtor.
If you do not put down 20%, you will need a extra insurance and that will cost much more in interest. It's better to put down 20% at least, but more is way better.
If you don't put down 20% you are required to pay the bank mortgage insurance which is vastly overpriced (many times more than what normal insurance costs and you don't get to pick an insurance carrier - its a total scam). In addition to avoiding mortage insurance, by putting down 20% or more, you can elect to pay the real estate taxes directly rather than your bank collecting it from you monthly in an escrow account and paying your local real estate taxes. And that is definitely something you want to do as the banks tend to delay paying the real estate taxes in order to maximize the interest they get on the money in escrow (which you don't get very much of as what they pay in escrow accounts is basically nothing). I remember in the first house I bought, I put down 25% but made the mistake of having the bank collect and pay the RE taxes (I did not know then that I could pay it directly - the bank never told me this). Every 6 months I would get threatening letters from my town saying that if I did not pay the RE taxes immediately, they would seize my property and put it up for auction. So I had to call the bank every 6 months (they never picked up) and send them threatening letters myself (none of which worked). As soon as I could afford it, I refinanced with a different bank and elected to pay the RE taxes directly.
It does depend on other factors as well, e.g., the relative cost of rent vs a mortgage payment varies significantly depending on where you're located, and that can have a substantial impact on whether it's worth jumping to a mortgage as soon as you possibly can, versus waiting until you can scrape together a better down payment.
Regarding the "no income tax" in Tennessee, we still pay federal income tax, and our other taxes (sales tax, wheel tax, property tax, etc.) are higher to make up for the "no income tax". I was born and raised here. Our wages never keep up with inflation and starter homes are snatched up off the market by corporations that turn them into rentals at rates that are more than they're worth. Buying a home is out of reach of most people here. I'd have to move to a lower cost of living state to ever have a chance at buying. The only people really buying homes in Tennessee are people from other states that come with cash in hand and those born here into enough privilege to escape the hurdle of having only higher priced homes available to the common consumer. Don't let this list food you Kabir. Those rates may be the medians in those states, but that doesn't mean that most people will ever see the listings at that price. Also, the minimum down payment is 3% for first time homebuyers. Everyone else must put down 20%. The interest rates are higher when you put down less and you are forced to pay for homeowner's insurance (although if I were ever buying a house, I would want that security regardless). I think closing costs are also around 10%, but I'm not 100% sure of that.
There are obviously some really crappy areas in all of these states and the costs can very widely. But honestly, I’ve lived in Charlotte, North Carolina now for 13 years (and my whole life in South Carolina before), and while the costs are a bit higher than implied, there are still plenty of places to get great jobs and beautiful homes at a relatively affordable price.
In Alabama, there are some great places for the middle class to raise families....Fairhope, Auburn, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Athens, Dadeville, Prattville... It is a long list. BTW, we are fine with all of the ridiculous misconceptions about Alabama, as we are just too busy living the dream. Great reaction.
@@highlandergunn9240 Well, in my defense, I did say it was a long list... and besides, you don't want too many people to know, right? I haven't been in twenty years but I love Tuscumbia and Florence as well. That whole area is special, imo. Roll Tide back to you as we have to stick together at times like this, lol. WDE and best wishes!
@@auburnkim1989 you too, 😂 I just saw your name was auburnkim 😂 My sister graduated from auburn in 1979 and lived there for years, my best teenage years were spent in Auburn, truly God's country. WDE ☺ 🦅
Remember, the lower the average purchase price, the lower the local income options. Rural areas can also be less expensive, but jobs are scarce and pay quite low. The idea of working remotely is great. One thing though - corporate America quickly responded by paying incomes based on zip code in many instances. So, for example, my friend left Chicago during Covid and moved to southwest Michigan. Things were going great until his employer adjusted his income downward accordingly. There's been a lot of kickback on that, so some employers are working to do a better job of averaging remote salaries. I've been talking with my employer to see if I can keep my income constant if I move.
You get what you pay for. You want good job opportunities, you are going to pay for it. It is really not so bad unless you are just starting out. The cheaper areas have more hopelessness and higher drug issues.
The beach in the Alabama video that was Gulf Shores., Al it is a very good vacation location. The Blue Angels, who are bae in Pensacola, FL practice over the beach at Gulf Shores. Montgomery the State Capital is a beautiful city. It has the Rosa Parks Useum. And other places that honor Martin Luther King.
I grew up in Kansas and yes there are a LOT of things to do there. It's also definitely pretty affordable as well. The only thing I didn't like about living there was the weather.
All states have property tax, but some states will not tax your income, mean tax free state but you would still pay Federal tax on your income. Another thing if you have children some of these states don't have the best education or healthcare.
My daughter bought a house in San Francisco in that price range, houses don't share walls but the are built right up against the next house but with a small garden , very similar to houses in the U.K but the garage is under the house. This house is 860 sq ft 2 bed 1 bath TINY FOR NEARLY A MILLION OMG! I live in Oregon out in the country 1,800 sq ft on 2 1/2 acres appraised for 280,000 , we bought it in 2011 for 90,000 after selling our house in California for 310,000.
Alabama Real Estate can be super cheap but no jobs and miles from anything except maybe a Dollar General. Or, pretty darn pricey in growing economic areas. A 1600-1800 sq ft house in good condition, on a small lot, in a good neighborhood, w "good paying jobs" (and remember in Alabama "good pay" is like some of the lowest in the US) is gonna easily cost you $300,000 and up. Housing costs overall has skyrocketed in the last 5-6 years. Alabama also has lots of cities and towns that are just hanging on or really struggling. Also theres huge rural areas that have like zero jobs, money, or internet.
Tulsa is NOT the largest city in Oklahoma - it is still Oklahoma City. Unless Tulsa somehow added 200,000 people VERY recently, this video is incorrect.
Kansas is where Dorothy came from. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto." There is federal income tax and state income tax some states like Florida don't have a state income tax. Yeah, super affordable. Then add homeowners insurance and your property taxes and that $700 a month can jump as high as $1600 a month, and that's not including possible Home Owners Association fees utilities and cable. Now how doe it look?
I'm not from Alabama, but I am a map geek in most respects. Just from my 2nd-hand info - I'd generally say Huntsville, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham. Plus on the eastern Gulf Coast of the state. Definitely avoid central Alabama (Auburn excepted), for that's the most impoverished area of the state.
Kabir, there is real poverty in every state, anyplace is great as long as you stay away from the big cities! I don't know why Michigan wasn't on this list, houses are not that expensive here either! There are plenty of beautiful houses in the $100,000 range! Who made this list?
It doesn't make a lot of sense to break this down by states. Most states have cheaper and more expensive regions. For example, people assume New York is extremely expensive, but in upstate cities like Syracuse you can get a large high quality home in a good area for $200K.
Before buying a house in the US find out about the climate. I live about 20 miles west of Charlotte, NC and we didn't get any snow this year. Sorta disappointiung. We like to get at least one snow; getting maybe 1-2 inches and it's gone in 2 days. But states like Ohio, Illinoise, Michigan, well, all the states north of North Caroline and Tennessee and north of those states, you'll be freezing all winter and shoveling snow. Not for me !! Runs your heating bill very high if you have natural gas. Most people do.
At present, seven states-Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming-levy NO STATE INCOME tax at all; individuals in these states pay NO STATE taxes on employment income, investments, dividends, capital gains, inheritances, etc.; we pay property tax and sales tax, other than that people pay federal income taxes if they have federal taxable income. States with no personal income taxes have slightly higher property taxes and property taxes vary by county in most states if you life in a "Blue" progressive run city you will likely have the highest property taxes along with the highest crime rates. So lots of people who have jobs in states with lower home costs live an hour to an hour and a half outside of a large blue city if they want a better quality of life and lower taxes though they will pay a bit more to commute to work which most people do happily. During the 2 years of Covid a lot of tech workers and podcasters moved to these more affordable states and in many areas drove the home costs up a bit.
When considering a supposedly "less expensive state", you have to take into account what the state's minimum wage is since every state is different. I live in Massachusetts and was looking for a cheaper option. I looked at Tennessee and found that I would be worse off financially. I would have to get a new job since the company that I work for isn't in the state. Tennessee's minimum wage is half that of Massachusetts. Tennessee is roughly 30% cheaper cost of living wise in comparison to Massachusetts, but you could be earning half of what you would earn in Massachusetts. This would actually make Tennessee more expensive for me.
As someone born and raised in TN, you made the right decision. Our wages never keep up with inflation, and starter homes are snatched up by corporations and rented for more than they're worth. People are always super impressed by the "no income tax", but our other taxes are all higher to make up for it. If I remain in my home state, I doubt I'll ever be able to buy a home. It's just not possible for the majority without coming from a higher cost of living state with the cash on hand.
Basically you have: Income tax. Both state and federal. Several states like Texas dont have Income tax but property tax is high. Property tax. Self explanatory. Sales tax. Varies depending on the county. Too much taxes. It's ridiculous.
Alabama has south Birmingham which is beautiful and a nice place to live and has one of the richest cities the south in it boundaries , Mountain Brook. Huntsville Alabama is consistantly ranked in the top 10 best places to live in America. NASA is located there as well as thousands of high tech companies, invluding Elon Musks Blue Origin.Most cities have dangerous areas. They are not tourist areas, there arenot places you would go. New Orleans is fun but has serious night life. Try the French Quarter in the day.
Housing costs are more than just the proce of a house. You must consider interest rates, insurance, property taxes, and some neighborhoods have an HOA that is almost like another house payment!!!
Native Alabama resident here. I grew up in Mobile which is down on the Gulf Coast. The city is one of the biggest ports in the country and home to a vibrant culture and food scene similar to New Orleans. In the north part of the state you have Huntsville which is home to a massive tech industry and also the place where the Saturn V Rocket was invented. NASA still has a big presence there. In my opinion those are the two best areas of the state to settle.
Yeah I'm from Northeast Alabama right next to Scottsboro Anne Huntsville I live in Guntersville Alabama but not to be many people know where Guntersville is LOL
I live in Guntersville Alabama we built our home on the lake for a little bit under $300,000 which gives you 3,200 sq ft cathedral ceilings four bedrooms two living rooms which are 30 by 30 two and a half car garage Circle Drive wraparound porch and we're right on the water and to live here you have to build a home over 150 to 200,000
On the Louisiana city of Shreveport he said it's in the northeast of the state and its actually in the northwest part of the state which is my hometown Shreveport/Bossier City separated by the Red River.
I’m from the Huntsville, Alabama metro area. It’s very focused on tech, space, and auto. At one time (I’m not sure whether it still is) we had the most engineers per capita in the US. We are approximately 2-3 hours from Birmingham, Nashville, Chattanooga and 3-4 hours from Atlanta. We are also approximately 5-6 hours from the beach or the mountains. The Huntsville metro area surrounds the Tennessee River for those who live boating and fishing. There are some who predict that Huntsville will be the next Atlanta.
i noticed that the corresponding highest poverty states relate very closely to this list
There's some overlap for sure, but it's not a perfect match. For example, Ohio has a relatively strong and diverse economy, and while wages don't match the coastal regions, neither does the cost of living. Ohio's economy is not as strong relative to other states as it was 50 years ago, but it's still in better economic shape than the median state. And yet we still have some of the most affordable housing in the developed world.
A friend was mowing his teensy-tiny lawn on Long Island in New York when it hit him that, for what he was paying just in property taxes on Long Island, he could cover the payments on a nicer house back home in Arkansas. He moved. He didn't regret it.
Huntsville is probably the best place to settle in Alabama, imo. It's getting a bit crowded, so homes in Madison county are getting harder to come by. The biggest advantage is you have that 'Alabama County Life' charm + great economic opportunity, all in a fairly small geographical area. If that 'Alabama County Life' isn't a plus for you... it may be more of a compromise than a destination.
I live in the Northwest part of Alabama which my husband and I love. We bought a two bedroom house on nearly 3 acres in 2006 for $80,000.00. Huntsville, which is approximately a one hour drive from where I love has anything you would want there. That is where NASA is and is one on the largest growing cities in the U.S. I love where we live as we are close to bigger cities and have anything we want in our area, along with beautiful scenery such as the Tennessee River, lots of music history, mountains, etc. Wouldn't think on living anywhere else, although I have lived in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, and Oklahoma.
Roll Tide from Cloverdale Alabama just north of Florence, 🐘 👋
War Eagle from Decstur Al.
Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Montgomery and Gulf Shores are places to check out in Alabama!
Huntsville Alabama. Bought a house for 240k I pay 1500 a month.
I just bought a really cheap piece of land in West Virginia for 75k on 15 acres. Right on a lake. My modular house was dropped off for 100k. I can't wait until it's finished. If you look carefully you can find cheap
Alabama has a ton to offer their residents, but the State has always gotten a bad rap from YT docs/channels that based their current opinions on outdated statitistics and historical events from the Civil rights movement. Alabama is largely safe, beautiful, diverse, and growing rapidly. You can find coatal beaches, progressive cities, charming small towns, and expansive mountain regions across the state. Like with any state in the continuous US, you'll find pockets of lower income housing scattered throughout the states.
The average down payment on a house is 20% but if you are a first tine buyer there are options to put down as low as 5%.
I grew up in the Midwest so weather doesn’t bother me, unless it would be mostly rainy or cloudy all the time. That sounds horrible.
I can handle a few months of “harsh“ winter as I’ve heard people describe it. To me, it’s mild. But I guess some folks just can’t handle cold or snow.
Now Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada I’m sure have much harsher winter weather.
There's federal income tax, state income tax, personal property tax (cars & such), real estate tax, and state & local sales taxes. If a state does't have an income tax, they get you with a different tax. You have to be able to pay for running the state government and services.
Texas has high property taxes even while it has no income tax. So it depends on which taxes you want to pay.
Tennessee is one of the least taxed in the country. Our sales tax is 9.75%, but we've lived in states that had state income tax+sales tax that was nearly as high. Tennessee is also one of the most fiscally sound in the country. No personal property tax, low real estate tax.
It's wild that I'm moving from Tennessee to Mississippi. Brand new houses are 150- 200k there.
Ohio may be where aviation was invented by the Wright Brothers, however, they first took flight in North Carolina and the area where they did that is memorialized.
Many many people that started working remote in the 2020 or so, did in fact MOVE. however, many of their jobs docked their pay because they were not living in the expensive area anymore. So basically your pay, is determined by where you live and many of these businesses that had remote workers figured out that people had done exactly that. Moved hours away to avoid living in the more expensive areas, closer to work. (especially in California) then what happened is the covid was over and their jobs called them back to the office even if it was 3 days a week.
The best part of Mississippi is the coast: Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, etc. Casinos all over, but the beaches are artificial (no surf). Biloxi is a mini-Las Vegas with lots of live entertainment. New Orleans is an hour or 2 away.
When I lived in Alexandria, Louisiana, we used to take vacations in Gulfport and Biloxi. Loved the place!
Gulf shores Alabama is beautiful. I am from Alabama. My brother lives there . My dad lives in Shorter, AL. Macon County
The property tax is applied to the assessed value of the house, which can differ a lot from the purchase price. States don't seem to use the same criteria to come up with the assessed value.
If you have a friend online from the US, you should do a vid chat with them & watch some of vids with them. That way, you can ask questions & get answers. Also, at this moment in time, it's weird to go trying to buy. So, that may work out best in the long run, giving you time to decide where you want to go & save up. BUT, there is a shift happening world wide & here in US, god willing, we'll get back to affordable lives very soon.
Both sides of my family are from Ft. Wayne Indiana. Even today, housing is reasonable. and it's a pretty big city now. So there's industry. The people are incredibly nice in the midwest and Ft. Wayne is no exception. Problem......weather. Long deep freezes in winter and blazing hot summers.
Taxes here occur on a few levels, there is the Federal Income Tax, and MOST states have a State income tax, and some cities such as New York City, has a City income tax, then there are sales taxes, usage taxes but some states like Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Montana, Wyoming, do not have any State income taxes and therefore can not have any City income taxes, and these local tax rates vary from state to state.
Love Kansas but too cold for me in the winter. My best friend lives there.
Closing costs vary from one jurisdiction to another but typically include things like realtor fees, mandatory inspections (e.g., for termites or asbestos), appraisal, certain kinds of insurance, state or local government fees (e.g., for recording the change of ownership as a matter of public record), credit reports, etc. Some of these expenses are only required if you are using a mortgage loan to pay for the home, and some of them are governed by other conditions.
All states have state taxes in one form or another, but the details vary. Most states have some mix of income tax (and similar taxes, such as capital gains tax), sales tax, excise taxes, property tax, and various lesser taxes (e.g., licensing fees); but the details vary a LOT from state to state. Federal tax, is what it is regardless of which state you're in, and it's mostly income tax, some excise taxes (e.g., on gasoline), and a few minor bits and bobs. The Federal government does not charge sales tax and does not have the legal authority to charge property tax (except maybe in the District of Columbia, not sure about that). The Federal government *does* have the authority to charge tariffs on imports and exports, but in the modern era that power is not mainly used for revenue generation. (Using it for that purpose proved to be deeply problematic, because the other country almost always responds in kind, which has a suppressive effect on trade, which means you don't get as much income from the tariff as you thought you would, so then you have to raise the tariff even higher, and round and round it goes. Hence the sixteenth amendment. Tariffs are still useful for some other purposes, such as discouraging excessive foreign trade in certain commodities without outright banning them, or holding foreign governments accountable for certain kinds of economic abuses.)
We live in and love Dothan, Alabama It's a short trip to beaches in both Alabama and Florida. Some of these states mean you have to make a choice - do you want a high paying, career driven, work oriented structured life or, a less work driven, money oriented, more personalized quality of lifestyle?
Closing costs are the legal fees involved in the transfer of Title from one property owner to another.
Normally the seller pays the bulk of closing costs.
Closing costs include Origination and Discount Fees, as well. These are generally paid by the buyer.
One detail about working remotely.
In the US you cannot operate on the blanket assumption that you will have high speed internet, or that it will be reliable and affordable.
As always, research is key.
I'm in NC and love it bc we have mountains and beaches within a few hours. 🙂 Some find the summer heat to be a bit much but I prefer it to harsh winters.
our home was 210,000 in 2021 (in Houston) and our realtor (not theirs) got $6000 at least.
Some states have no state tax. But the last time I was in Tennessee,they had high sales taxes. So it may even out.
As someone who's lived in Kansas for four years now, I wouldn't recommend moving here unless you choose the eastern half of the state (I live in the southwestern part of the state). They tax the s**t out of you -- personal, state and property taxes are ridiculous as are the taxes on food, they had to make a bill to cut food tax. Property taxes on vehicles is something I experienced for the first time when I moved here, and the newer your vehicle is the more expensive the property taxes are. In 2020 I owed $508 on a 2018 car. They go down annually as the car depreciates, but not as fast as the car value itself does. They basically punish you for buying a newer car
We moved around a bit with my husband being from NY and I came from TX. We left the high cost of living in northern VA to WV in 1994. My husband was earning around $75,000 here. We bought 12.54 acres of land for $12,000. The owner was the bank and let us choose the interest rate. We improved the land for under $10,000. We also got a modular home of 1890 sq ft.
I live in the Huntsville area, and highly recommend it.
NC housing prices have risen quite a bit in the last few years. I moved to Charlotte in 2020, and within 1 year the average home price in my area (11 miles north of Charlotte) had risen by $100,000. It went from $400,000 - 450,000, to $500,000 - 550,000. It's stayed pretty much the same since 2021. Apartment rent has also increased quite a lot in the last 4 years.
@ 13.40, the Gulf coast beach areas around Gulf Shores Alabama is known as the Redneck Riviera. I was down there for work earlier this year.
LMAO @ Kabir asking what are the "desirable" parts of Alabama...
Beware of climate and weather
Federal taxes are separate from state taxes, but if you live in a state without state income taxes, you'll pay high property taxes.
Education and diversity are important to consider as well as the political atmosphere.
30 miles or so outside of any of these cities, you're past the suburbs, and you're in mostly rural areas, where you will get a bigger house, some land, and much cheaper taxes.20-30 min. Commute to work or downtown if you ever need to be dragged there. 😊
There’s definitely glamorous places to live in all of those states with giant homes and mansions and the quality of life is quite high compared to bigger cities!
Taxes and costs vary by state and locality. Yes, the US has Federal Income Tax, and most states have income tax as well. There can also be city income tax (like NYC) and even county income tax. When I moved from NY to PA, even though I paid less overall tax, I had to file multiple tax returns. In NYC, I just had to file 2 (federal and state/nyc as NY State and NY City tax returns were combined). However in PA, only did I have to file Federal and State. I had to file a separate County tax return and while the city I lived in did not have an income tax, it had a Non-Bank asset tax - a tax on any financial asset you held outside of a bank - and most localities also had personal property taxes (cars, boats, and any other high value asset you may hold). Due to the unpopularity of taxes, most personal property taxes have been renamed and are now called registration fees. But make no mistake, these are taxes as they are not flat fees but based upon the perceived value of your personal property.
Most Europeans complain about the added sales tax we have in the US compared to the Value Added Tax that European pay (but don't see since they are folded into the retail price). Sales taxes vary not only by state, but also locality. While you will pay 8.875% Sales Tax in NYC, it is actually divided into 4% State, 4.5% City and .375% Commuter Tax.
Home closing costs also vary widely. In my life I have bought properties in CT, NYC, PA, AZ and NV. NYC closing costs were the highest as they added several items that most other states or localities did not. There was a 2% mortgage tax on the mortgage amount (which you have to pay again on a refinance if the refinance company you used screwed up the paper work or was unfamiliar with how things were done in NYC). If the property you bought cost more than $1 myn, there is a Mansion Tax, not on the amount over $1 myn but on the entire amount, which is why you rarely see NYC properties sell in the $1 myn to $1.1 myn range). My closing costs on a 700k condo in 2002 was over 30k (about 4.5% of home value), not counting what I paid my lawyer. CT had the next highest closing costs by % of house cost (around 3%) and then PA (a little over 2%). However, closing costs in AZ and NV are extremely low, and since standardized contracts are used, you do not need to hire a lawyer. In these western states, closing costs are generally lower and were less than 1% of the home value.
I live in Montgomery Alabama and we always say that it's the best place to live in the state if you want to go somewhere else. We are a few hours away from Atlanta, Nashville, Pensacola, New Orleans, and gambling in Mississippi 😂😂😅
In Alabama, I would recommend Orange Beach or Fairhope, Alabama. Both are in Baldwin County, right next to Florida and within 200 miles of New Orleans. I would guess that nearby Pensacola, Florida, might have some great deals too as well as no state income tax.
If you can work remotely, the decision where to live becomes different. It pays to live in an area that has a low cost of living. This is because you get paid from the company you work for. Remote work helps the location you live because they receive the taxes from the residence you live. Pay is by where you live, and not by who you work for. Therefore, cost is a consideration, but making the right right decision where to live is much more complex.
There are federal taxes. The states with no state income tax generally pay more in property tax and other things.
Much of Louisiana is in a flood plain, and gets regular hurricanes. You might be able to afford the house, but can you afford to insure it?
Ohio, woohoo! I live by Lake Erie and love Ohio. Do we have alot to do? Well, we don't have anything major. No world famous place like Disney or super famous landmarks people see like if you went to Cali. But it's a much more affordable state. The freeways stretch in both directions so you can get most anywhere if you live near them. You got a giant lake to visit if you live near it. Though once you get maybe 5-6 cities outside of a major city (aka Cleveland for example) then you mostly becomes country again. Up by Cleveland is the best spot as most of the cities around here are suburbs and there is a ton to do locally.
I live in southeastern Indiana and we are 20 minutes from Kentucky and Ohio so most people live in one state and work in another. If you want to live in Alabama pick a small town like Clanton but you may have drive to get health care in bigger cities. Country living small town is better than the city crime and chaos
Im in Oklahoma. I didn't go through a realtor. I bought from someone I found out they wanted to sell before they listed it. Saved a lot by not paying a realtor.
Also, my property tax on my house and ½ acre is $300/ year.
What I noticed that slowly remote jobs are disappearing, specifically big tech here in the US.
Bought a home in N.C. not in any of the towns mentioned. Relocated from VA.
N.C. offered a conditional Loan $15 tho plus Conventional loans etc. CONDITIONS: you have to live in the house 5 yrs .can't rent it out nor sell before 5 yrs BUT if you do sell after 1 yr its a prorated amount paid back not the full 15 tho . In Va they only give you a percentage of cost of home so much less. NOTE: THIS is foe low Income persons who have good to excellent credit and low debt ratio. So moving to N.C sm towns are affordable. And the big city life is an hour away .
Forget that was Aug 2023 .😊
I live in the Indianapolis area. There is a bustling night life, we have several professional sports teams, pro football, pro-basketball, pro-soccer (football to you, although the Brits came up with the name soccer), also pro female sports. Indianapolis is the home odf The Indianapolis Motor Speedway where they hold the annual Indianapolis 500. The infield of the track is large enough to hold the following all at the same time, Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, Rose Bowl Stadium, Vatican City, The Taj Mahal, The White House, Liberty Island, and The Roman Colosseum.. I like it here,, but I'm moving to Vietnam where I can live comfortably for $1000 a month. Great beaches, warm weather, and great food. A beer cost anywhere from 25c to 50c.
Hi Kabir, property taxes are part of your monthly mortgage payment, along with principle and interest.
Everybody has Federal income tax, and some states have a state income tax. However, this doesn't mean that you are going to pay less in your overall taxes if you live in a state with no state income tax. In states like Texas, where I live, there is no state income tax, but the money to run the state has to come from somewhere. It's a case of TANSTAAFL ( there ain't no such thing as a free lunch). They make up the difference with higher sales, property, school, miscellaneous and local taxes. A lot of times people moving here think that they are going to be on easy street because of the no state income tax are shocked by the reality of it.
The 50 states are the actual government on a daily basis, so we typically have state taxes for state and local needs. Federal taxes go towards federal needs. The Constitution describes the powers and functions of the federal government. Any powers or functions not described in the Constitution are covered by The 10th Amendment of the Bill of Rights. This reserves those unmonitored powers for the states and the people respectively.
Understanding this is crucial for understand US government and politics.
This is a very old video. The median price in Oklahoma is 241,000. In Tenn it is over 300k. Also, most of the states have improved in every other factor such as education, jobs etc… They are considered more business, friendly, and have more employment opportunities. When it comes to education in any state, you just want to live in the better school districts. even the states themselves are split up like small little towns which in a sense sometimes it’s like their own little countries.
I can't answer any of your math questions, but what I can say is if you are looking at an area, check to see if they have at least 1 university and a military installation near by. Those are the places that have the most diversity of activities available and steady incomes.
living in Oklahoma TIP: look for the areas with the lowest price house insurance and it will show you where tornadoes usually occur. Also, just stay away from Moore and you should be fine😂 really I've lived here 38 years and seen 1 tornado in person and it was an EF0
I laughed at Arkansas. The narrator said the state has about 3 million people ..... for the whole state. The county of Los Angeles has 3 million people! That is not including surrounding counties in Southern CA.
Taxes in the US vary from state to state, so you really gotta go and look it up kinda think. I know in PA I paid Federal, state, county, township all seperate for taxes. In WV I pay federal, state, and county. In Alaska I paid federal only. (I think, it's been a long time) WV the county tax is a bit weird because it's always based on a car payment, But WV property taxes are way cheaper than PA.
Don't forget the hurricanes and tornadoes that frequently occur in southern and coastal states. Buy, then it gets destroyed, then rebuild? With what? Is there insurance for that?
And be very careful buying in those states w natural disasters if no flood insurance. That and repl costs are what can ruin homeowners.
I live in southern Alabama Baldwin county I live in Fairhope the beaches are very nice and that would be gulf Shores. There’s lots of land in the county reasonable prices I’m not a realtor.
If you do not put down 20%, you will need a extra insurance and that will cost much more in interest. It's better to put down 20% at least, but more is way better.
If you don't put down 20% you are required to pay the bank mortgage insurance which is vastly overpriced (many times more than what normal insurance costs and you don't get to pick an insurance carrier - its a total scam). In addition to avoiding mortage insurance, by putting down 20% or more, you can elect to pay the real estate taxes directly rather than your bank collecting it from you monthly in an escrow account and paying your local real estate taxes. And that is definitely something you want to do as the banks tend to delay paying the real estate taxes in order to maximize the interest they get on the money in escrow (which you don't get very much of as what they pay in escrow accounts is basically nothing). I remember in the first house I bought, I put down 25% but made the mistake of having the bank collect and pay the RE taxes (I did not know then that I could pay it directly - the bank never told me this). Every 6 months I would get threatening letters from my town saying that if I did not pay the RE taxes immediately, they would seize my property and put it up for auction. So I had to call the bank every 6 months (they never picked up) and send them threatening letters myself (none of which worked). As soon as I could afford it, I refinanced with a different bank and elected to pay the RE taxes directly.
It does depend on other factors as well, e.g., the relative cost of rent vs a mortgage payment varies significantly depending on where you're located, and that can have a substantial impact on whether it's worth jumping to a mortgage as soon as you possibly can, versus waiting until you can scrape together a better down payment.
There really is not extra benefit for putting more than 20% down rate wise, unless you need to get your debt to income to a certain threshold.
@@Allaiya. It lowers your monthly payment.
Trouble with buying in most of these places is that then you have to live in those places. Yuck.
Look for university towns.
I’m in Missouri Kansas. Lenexa Kansas. The richest part of Kansas and Kansas City Missouri own homes in both cities.
West Virginia is one of the most beautiful states!!!
Regarding the "no income tax" in Tennessee, we still pay federal income tax, and our other taxes (sales tax, wheel tax, property tax, etc.) are higher to make up for the "no income tax". I was born and raised here. Our wages never keep up with inflation and starter homes are snatched up off the market by corporations that turn them into rentals at rates that are more than they're worth. Buying a home is out of reach of most people here. I'd have to move to a lower cost of living state to ever have a chance at buying. The only people really buying homes in Tennessee are people from other states that come with cash in hand and those born here into enough privilege to escape the hurdle of having only higher priced homes available to the common consumer. Don't let this list food you Kabir. Those rates may be the medians in those states, but that doesn't mean that most people will ever see the listings at that price. Also, the minimum down payment is 3% for first time homebuyers. Everyone else must put down 20%. The interest rates are higher when you put down less and you are forced to pay for homeowner's insurance (although if I were ever buying a house, I would want that security regardless). I think closing costs are also around 10%, but I'm not 100% sure of that.
Huntsville and maybe along the coast are the good parts of Alabama.
There are obviously some really crappy areas in all of these states and the costs can very widely. But honestly, I’ve lived in Charlotte, North Carolina now for 13 years (and my whole life in South Carolina before), and while the costs are a bit higher than implied, there are still plenty of places to get great jobs and beautiful homes at a relatively affordable price.
In Alabama, there are some great places for the middle class to raise families....Fairhope, Auburn, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Athens, Dadeville, Prattville... It is a long list. BTW, we are fine with all of the ridiculous misconceptions about Alabama, as we are just too busy living the dream. Great reaction.
You mentioned MUSCLE SHOALS and Sheffield but forgot Tuscumbia and Florence 😂 what's the deal
Roll Tide 🐘
@@highlandergunn9240 Well, in my defense, I did say it was a long list... and besides, you don't want too many people to know, right? I haven't been in twenty years but I love Tuscumbia and Florence as well. That whole area is special, imo. Roll Tide back to you as we have to stick together at times like this, lol. WDE and best wishes!
@@auburnkim1989 you too, 😂 I just saw your name was auburnkim 😂
My sister graduated from auburn in 1979 and lived there for years, my best teenage years were spent in Auburn, truly God's country. WDE ☺ 🦅
The area of Huntsville, Alabama is home of high technology industries due to the space and rocket industry there. But, the coast is beautiful!
LMAO @ "living the dream" in Alabama...There is a reason you people are at the bottom in education.
Huntsville is a great area in Alabama. It's in the north and has NASA and the University of Alabama there. 👍
Alabama- gulf shores, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa but some areas get bad weather. Tornadoes and hurricanes
Federal taxes are everywhere. Some states like California has about a 13% state income tax. Where Florida has no state income tax.
Remember, the lower the average purchase price, the lower the local income options. Rural areas can also be less expensive, but jobs are scarce and pay quite low. The idea of working remotely is great. One thing though - corporate America quickly responded by paying incomes based on zip code in many instances. So, for example, my friend left Chicago during Covid and moved to southwest Michigan. Things were going great until his employer adjusted his income downward accordingly. There's been a lot of kickback on that, so some employers are working to do a better job of averaging remote salaries. I've been talking with my employer to see if I can keep my income constant if I move.
You get what you pay for. You want good job opportunities, you are going to pay for it. It is really not so bad unless you are just starting out. The cheaper areas have more hopelessness and higher drug issues.
The beach in the Alabama video that was Gulf Shores., Al it is a very good vacation location. The Blue Angels, who are bae in Pensacola, FL practice over the beach at Gulf Shores. Montgomery the State Capital is a beautiful city. It has the Rosa Parks Useum. And other places that honor
Martin Luther King.
I live in Shreveport!
I grew up in Kansas and yes there are a LOT of things to do there. It's also definitely pretty affordable as well. The only thing I didn't like about living there was the weather.
All states have property tax, but some states will not tax your income, mean tax free state but you would still pay Federal tax on your income. Another thing if you have children some of these states don't have the best education or healthcare.
Most of the sates listed are also considered the worst states to live in. WV, AL, MISS are 48, 49, 50 ranked.
My daughter bought a house in San Francisco in that price range, houses don't share walls but the are built right up against the next house but with a small garden , very similar to houses in the U.K but the garage is under the house. This house is 860 sq ft 2 bed 1 bath TINY FOR NEARLY A MILLION OMG! I live in Oregon out in the country 1,800 sq ft on 2 1/2 acres appraised for 280,000 , we bought it in 2011 for 90,000 after selling our house in California for 310,000.
Alabama Real Estate can be super cheap but no jobs and miles from anything except maybe a Dollar General.
Or, pretty darn pricey in growing economic areas. A 1600-1800 sq ft house in good condition, on a small lot, in a good neighborhood, w "good paying jobs" (and remember in Alabama "good pay" is like some of the lowest in the US) is gonna easily cost you $300,000 and up. Housing costs overall has skyrocketed in the last 5-6 years.
Alabama also has lots of cities and towns that are just hanging on or really struggling.
Also theres huge rural areas that have like zero jobs, money, or internet.
Tulsa is NOT the largest city in Oklahoma - it is still Oklahoma City. Unless Tulsa somehow added 200,000 people VERY recently, this video is incorrect.
these prices have gone up. i live in kentucky and would say the average price would be 300000 but that i a nice house with low cost of living.
Kansas is where Dorothy came from. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto."
There is federal income tax and state income tax some states like Florida don't have a state income tax.
Yeah, super affordable. Then add homeowners insurance and your property taxes and that $700 a month can jump as high as $1600 a month, and that's not including possible Home Owners Association fees utilities and cable. Now how doe it look?
I'm not from Alabama, but I am a map geek in most respects. Just from my 2nd-hand info - I'd generally say Huntsville, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham. Plus on the eastern Gulf Coast of the state. Definitely avoid central Alabama (Auburn excepted), for that's the most impoverished area of the state.
Kabir, there is real poverty in every state, anyplace is great as long as you stay away from the big cities! I don't know why Michigan wasn't on this list, houses are not that expensive here either! There are plenty of beautiful houses in the $100,000 range! Who made this list?
Glamorous is always expensive, and it can get old real quick.
It doesn't make a lot of sense to break this down by states. Most states have cheaper and more expensive regions. For example, people assume New York is extremely expensive, but in upstate cities like Syracuse you can get a large high quality home in a good area for $200K.
Before buying a house in the US find out about the climate. I live about 20 miles west of Charlotte, NC
and we didn't get any snow this year. Sorta disappointiung. We like to get at least one snow; getting maybe 1-2 inches and it's gone in 2 days. But states like Ohio, Illinoise, Michigan, well, all the states north
of North Caroline and Tennessee and north of those states, you'll be freezing all winter and shoveling snow. Not for me !! Runs your heating bill very high if you have natural gas. Most people do.
And snow is a reason I like Michigan. I don't mind the bit of snow I have to shovel. The exhausting part is raking the roof! 😃
At present, seven states-Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming-levy NO STATE INCOME tax at all; individuals in these states pay NO STATE taxes on employment income, investments, dividends, capital gains, inheritances, etc.; we pay property tax and sales tax, other than that people pay federal income taxes if they have federal taxable income. States with no personal income taxes have slightly higher property taxes and property taxes vary by county in most states if you life in a "Blue" progressive run city you will likely have the highest property taxes along with the highest crime rates. So lots of people who have jobs in states with lower home costs live an hour to an hour and a half outside of a large blue city if they want a better quality of life and lower taxes though they will pay a bit more to commute to work which most people do happily. During the 2 years of Covid a lot of tech workers and podcasters moved to these more affordable states and in many areas drove the home costs up a bit.
KFC tastes better than Popeyes in my opinion too. We have another chain here - Jack in the Box - has even more delicious fried chicken.
When considering a supposedly "less expensive state", you have to take into account what the state's minimum wage is since every state is different. I live in Massachusetts and was looking for a cheaper option. I looked at Tennessee and found that I would be worse off financially. I would have to get a new job since the company that I work for isn't in the state. Tennessee's minimum wage is half that of Massachusetts. Tennessee is roughly 30% cheaper cost of living wise in comparison to Massachusetts, but you could be earning half of what you would earn in Massachusetts. This would actually make Tennessee more expensive for me.
As someone born and raised in TN, you made the right decision. Our wages never keep up with inflation, and starter homes are snatched up by corporations and rented for more than they're worth. People are always super impressed by the "no income tax", but our other taxes are all higher to make up for it. If I remain in my home state, I doubt I'll ever be able to buy a home. It's just not possible for the majority without coming from a higher cost of living state with the cash on hand.
Alabame on the gulf of Mexico.
Basically you have: Income tax. Both state and federal. Several states like Texas dont have Income tax but property tax is high.
Property tax. Self explanatory.
Sales tax. Varies depending on the county.
Too much taxes. It's ridiculous.
Alabama has south Birmingham which is beautiful and a nice place to live and has one of the richest cities the south in it boundaries , Mountain Brook. Huntsville Alabama is consistantly ranked in the top 10 best places to live in America. NASA is located there as well as thousands of high tech companies, invluding Elon Musks Blue Origin.Most cities have dangerous areas. They are not tourist areas, there arenot places you would go. New Orleans is fun but has serious night life. Try the French Quarter in the day.
Housing costs are more than just the proce of a house. You must consider interest rates, insurance, property taxes, and some neighborhoods have an HOA that is almost like another house payment!!!