Help me find a small town.

reply to post by randyvs


I think Idaho is out. The other person vetoed it.Not enough mountains, I think. Thanks

I didn't think about nuclear power plants. Perhaps I should.

reply to post by St Udio


I lived and worked in a Mayberry type of town. It was a lovely place and time. It is now full of gangs and drugs. You can't walk the streets at night.

Originally posted by zonetripper2065
Milford, Pennsylvania. It's just far enough away from the noise but still close to NJ/NY.
Jeez now I'm homesick.

Much of central PA would work but it is difficult to find work there.

Originally posted by OptimusSubprime
Evergreen, Colorado... the only problem is that you need $$$$ to live there

Denver is too big of a "hub" city. Thanks

Originally posted by iwontrun
Check out Northern Maine. You'd be surprised at what you might find within 100 miles of Bangor.
2nd

I am allergic to some tree in northern Maine and Quebec. I don't know what it is but I can't breathe in that area. It is lovely. I tried camping there once. Love the moose!

reply to post by NotThat


True. it's why I moved in the first place.

I need help finding a small town. This is what I am looking for.
- About 10,000 to 15,000 people
-Perhaps a college town.
-Within a 90 minute drive to a city of 100,000 (for medical reasons).
-Mostly a white population (I don't want to be a minority).
-An attractive town where people maintain their homes.
-Plenty of above ground water.
-Perhaps an artsy kind of place.

My town (Plant City, FL) fits most of these, but because of a lot of agriculture, we do have a large Hispanic population (and I have some great friends in this group), but you would still be a majority (at about 70%). Not sure how "artsy" we'd be considered. We are closer to 30,000 people though, so maybe a bit too big for what you are looking at (but spread out), and we do have a good hospital and lots of small independent medical practices. Lots of area outside the city limits (where we are, we have 5 and 1/2 acres, just about 3 miles outside the city limits). Convenient to the Interstate system too.

SHTF-wise, most non-city homes have wells for water, we're far enough away from nuclear targets (including plants) to be out of the radiation patterns, yet close enough to be within driving distance to a major city (Tampa) and a more minor city (Lakeland). Even a black-thumb can grow just about anything here....we are the strawberry capitol of the world. Pretty small town, but we have most fast food franchises and a couple of nice franchise restaurants, a few private restaurants, a movie theater, a WalMart, a Lowes, a Tractor Supply store, and a few chain grocery stores, etc. You can likely pick up a lot of land here for a song, and taxes and cost of living aren't bad. The biggest concern is that for a decent job, you'll likely have a good commute into a nearby city. But, it's nice to come home to the country afterwards.

reply to post by Gazrok


I haven't really considered Florida. My impression is that people have to leave their homes every time there is a big storm. Thanks for the info.

reply to post by NotThat


Not at all. Only the coastal residents evacuate for storms. There's a large inland part of the state too. For friends and family that do ever have to evacuate, they'd usually come to us to do so.

reply to post by Gazrok


What about sinkholes?

reply to post by NotThat


Well, that can be an issue, but they can do mapping to assess an area for it (and it isn't as widespread as you'd think...really a small number for the amount of land). Really not many more than usual, they simply get more press these days it seems. There's also insurance for it. Usually, it is caused by a way more than normal level of pumping water out of the ground....(like by a large, major farm). Mostly small farms here.

Every place has their geological challenges, no place is devoid of some kind of possibility. Often, there are tell-tale signs of a sinkhole before a catastrophe happens...like tiny cracks, well running dry, etc. If caught, there are steps that can avert the crisis.

reply to post by NotThat


Glad you liked my suggestion. Howell is pretty much the next town over from me. You also have ann arbor to the east and lansing to the west. So two really good school with in 45 minutes.

I go there alot for festivals and what not. They have the melon fest and balloon fest , plus other fun events.And its close enough to rural ares to have plenty of fresh produce at the farmers markets. Anyway hope you find what you are looking for. Happy searching.

reply to post by NotThat


I want to thank all those that made suggestions of small towns for me to check out. Some states that I hadn't considered were mentioned. It was very helpful.

I also want to thank those who came to my defense when the first poster insulted me. It was very kind of you.

Try the UP. It's going to be hard to find a city with a hundred thousand people close by though. Lots of trees and lots of lakes here, it is also pretty high above sea level. You will need a steep pitch and strong roof if you build a camp here though, we get quite a bit of that evil white crap up here on our roofs in the winter.... if you hate snow, stay away.

I'd have to recommend against any place where there was snow, for a SHTF situation. Winters were feared by our ancestors (prior to electricity) for a REASON. Sure, there are plenty of ways to get heat, etc., but why add another major challenge (that will last for months) to the challenge of post SHTF living?

Originally posted by NotThat

I just came back from a trip where we checked out western North Carolina. I liked the area around Asheville. We thought Boone would be a nice place to live but it would be very annoying to go up and down that mountain every time you needed to go for a medical apt.

Thanks for your suggestion.

edit on 10-8-2013 by NotThat because: spelling

Had to laugh at that when I read it. I am from NC and, as a friend said It is one of the only places I've seen it snow sideways LOL. I love that area but also have family ties to TN. East TN could be a good area to check. No state income tax. I haven't looked for a specific town yet, but it is on my list of areas to move to when my partner and I can manage a big move. I will try to get some specifics for you later today.

Check the area of Lubbock Texas. Lubbock would be the "larger city" but there are many surrounding communities that fit your description to a T. Check Shallowater, Littlefield (Hometown of Waylon Jennings if you are into that), Brownfield, Plainview, Snyder, Slaton, etc... If all else fails, research Lubbock a bit, large town with a very small town feel.

You wont find friendlier people in many other places in the US, and Lubbock has some of the top medical research in Texas. The smaller towns listed are all 3000-15000 people, all within an hour of Lubbock, and all are mainly farming based economies.

reply to post by NotThat


Just read your requirements a bit more in depth, and you should definitely check around New Mexico. The population may not be completely to your specifications, but many areas do have groundwater, and many places are artsy. If you can do without artsy, check Buena Vista Colorado. Very pleasant town. Or also Gunnison, or Montrose Colorado. Many great little towns in that area of Colorado, but Gunnison and Montrose are closer to bigger cities.

That description is pretty much anywhere in Arkansas. Fort Smith is very nice, but Northwest arkansas is where the growth is. Beautiful place to live

No no no no! Stay away from Montana! You would hate it here!

Honest! It's terrible!

Grizzly bears! Bugs! Wolves! SNAKES!!!!

What's pavement? We still use horses and buggies.

Our doctors are medicine men! The hospital is a tent out back.

(To my fellow Montanans- Dang it there are too many people in the state already! Don't be inviting MORE!)