US techs: where would you move to if you could?

[bytebuster]

I'm going to try and earn just enough money to pay off my student loans and then leave California. I know lots of you have established businesses that you wouldn't give up, but if you could move to any place in the continental US, someplace that isn't necessarily a big city but that is booming in this horrible economy and where a tech could make plenty of money, where would it be? South Dakota? Texas? Those are the two places that come to my mind, both have energy booms, which could bust as the 1970s energy boom did. Would it be better for me to just buy an RV and move from place to place? (Which is one of my dreams, but I'm not sure it would work.) Is there anywhere in the US that is NOT feeling the collapse that isn't ranchland or government employment or energy? It seems to me like the US has exported all its jobs.

 

[hondablaster]

That is an interesting observation. I'm ALSO asking myself the same questions all the time. I will be keeping watch on this topic as responses flow in.

I love San Diego, but to me its like a different country, different mindset the other day I was hanging out with some friends and a Beatles song came on and nobody knew what it was.

I realized California's failures are a representative of its people highly Educated (but still naive and idealistic world view) or stupid and ghetto (people who blame racism for all their personal failures, not realizing everything in California is subsidized to make life easier, if you can't make it in California during the boom years, you WILL FAIL in a different state that doesn't give a sh*t) I have to ask these people why immigrate to the US if you hate it so much? Boggles my mind at times.

I grew up on a real cow, goat, Alfalfa farm in Indiana, lived in San Diego, lived in Indianapolis, and rode for a short time with a traveling construction crew (building barns literally) California has some of the most worthless people in it. They run around on welfare, sounding stupid, talking about shooting homies, fighting, they have subsidized housing and every program you can think of and still whine they are oppressed. Now we are bankrupt taxes are rising, and businesses are leaving. The very people (the college idiots that proliferate all this social program crap)that created this environment are going to move to YOUR states when this states fails and create the same mess in 50 years. Just wait! I actually was reading an article on the movement out of California and how there is a direct correlation with cities (Texas for example) that were once strong conservative states that are leaning towards liberal views because of an increase out of failed liberal states. (google it)

It never ends. Soon they will be in your States pulling the same ghetto crap. Or the Richie goodie goodie super liberals will be converting your people to the false belief that you actually can lead a horse through water and he will drink! I'm liberal myself on most topics feeding and clothing and sheltering lazy sh*ts that have 5 babies (who will be equally lazy) on 10 bucks an hour is not my philosophy. We need programs that help people help themselves, not breed structured poverty.

R.I.P. USA 1776-2025.

 

[Alan22]

where would you move to if you could?

I don't know, but I'm thinking it won't be San Diego

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Not much better in Michigan. Highest unemployment of the US, several years running. Although one or more of the Gulf Coast states might edge us out for the top spot if that mess isn't cleaned up fairly soon.

 

[Blues]

Northern Alaska in the dead of winter... but thats just my insanity talking but I don't know and haven't really got myself going here so hard to say.

 

[onetech4all]

Re:

Wow, great topic.
This past weekend my wife told me that her brother might be taking his family to Virginia, where he will attend some law school. I might just go with him, go to college there and if I like it stay there. I might go even if he doesn't go there.
My wife is a teacher (running a day care at the moment), 2 classes away from getting her masters in education and has a tough time finding a teaching job. I live in the Inland Empire and they are shutting down schools here, because a few hundred teachers got their pink slips a couple of months ago. Classes will become overcrowded, teachers exhausted, underpaid (especially for someone with a school loan) and angry. But the weather is great, isn't it?
Virginia here I come! Heck, I can do computers and networking anywhere in this world and she's be able to find a teaching job, hopefully.
Let the rich and the poor stay in this state. I also googled about the people leaving Cali; apparently the state is losing at least 100,000 people a year.
Another short story: my wife's uncle moved from a $2,500/month rent in Cali to a $700 mortgage in Arizona.
This week I am applying to go college in Virginia; my wife called me while I was typing this.
$1,000 in Cali goes a lot further in Virginia, from what I read online.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Virginia here I come! Heck, I can do computers and networking anywhere in this world and she's be able to find a teaching job, hopefully.
Let the rich and the poor stay in this state. I also googled about the people leaving Cali; apparently the state is losing at least 100,000 people a year.
Another short story: my wife's uncle moved from a $2,500/month rent in Cali to a $700 mortgage in Arizona.
This week I am applying to go college in Virginia; my wife called me while I was typing this.
$1,000 in Cali goes a lot further in Virginia, from what I read online.

Yeah, pretty much the running saying here in MI is last one out, turn off the lights. I'm pretty much set in my ways here. Even if the business folded it would be hard for me to pack up and move because I've been here most of my life and I'm an only son and my folks are getting older and I want to be around for them. I mean they probably have another 10-15 years before they may possibly need a strong back around to help them with things, but still why settle in somewhere else just to have to move back eventually. My wife's mother is also here even though the rest of her immediate family lives in Florida. But she doesn't have any thoughts of wanting to leave either.

Congrats on enrolling in school. Is this undergrad, grad school you are looking at? What major?

 

[hondablaster]

Let me say this before I let go of the topic. Being educated in a different state and uneducated in a different state are very different.

I have found California employers to be far more forgiving if you only have a H.S. diploma. I found Indiana not to be so tolerant. So if your in California and you think your just going to jump up and leave and be rich. You may find yourself worse off then you was before leaving. So if your have the 4yr your probably good to go. But if your an I.T. guy in Cali and you don't have any education it will be hard to be taken seriously somewhere else.

It is my recommendation to anyone who is considering the move, if you don't have a sought after trade or skill or the paper degree. Stick it out in California, go to a Community College for cheap (while we still can) and then consider your moving options. When I moved to Indiana @ around 25 I realized no education in that state was sort of looked at like I was some sort of "ignorant redneck" so to speak. It was understandable, because I met a lot of no so sociable people out there. It was a stigma that is very hard to shake off, especially because nobody knows you, and nobody is going to give a stranger from Californa a chance.

 

[onetech4all]

Re:

Right, I keep that in mind also. It's not so much to be rich; to become rich you need to stick with a system and you need time. I am not looking for a get rich quick strategy.
As far as school, I have Comptia (A+, Network+, Server+) and Microsoft certs (MCSE 2003). Plus I am going there to college and I will probably look for a part time, since I am planning on going full time for a Computer Science degree. My wife it's mostly happy about it, since she's trying to go back to teaching.
We are looking at the papers for college and everything else as far as work and life there; but keeping in mind this thread's topic: I have the option to move to Virginia. Where would everyone else move?

I've been here for about 8 years, I am originally from Eastern Europe, so my "roots" here are not so deep; my wife's on the other side, are. She has all of her family here in Cali, and I've got a lot of friends here. It would not be an easy move, since I run a business and already got a full time job in IT with a good stable company. I've managed to get a few trusted customers, businesses mostly, that keep my part time business pretty busy with an OK income. So, I've started fresh before and, you are right, it wasn't easy at all. It is a lot of work, but I sometimes tell myself, that I am probably limiting myself, that I got comfortable where I am, and that I could at least try it out for my college years.
We will see what we decide once we consider everything. I promise to update my profile if it happens!

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Let me say this before I let go of the topic. Being educated in a different state and uneducated in a different state are very different.

I have found California employers to be far more forgiving if you only have a H.S. diploma. I found Indiana not to be so tolerant. So if your in California and you think your just going to jump up and leave and be rich. You may find yourself worse off then you was before leaving. So if your have the 4yr your probably good to go. But if your an I.T. guy in Cali and you don't have any education it will be hard to be taken seriously somewhere else.

Very good point! But then you have to consider the states unemployment rate. Here in Michigan, we have the highest unemployment rate and also the nearest to lowest, if not the lowest number of 4yr degree holders. Our governor has been clambering for years that the reason there is no jobs is due to brain drain (grads leaving the state upon receiving their degree) and an uneducated population in the state and that for things to change we need to retain our graduates that are flying the coop and get everybody else educated. Yet our graduates are leaving because there are no jobs or else they can make a lot more money for the same job in another state. Even entry level IT helpdesk jobs here are asking for a 4yr degree, experience, as well as certs. Just for sh*&s & giggles I'll apply to these jobs even though I'm not looking and I more than qualify having a 4yr degree, certs, and experience and still never get called. Its a hell of a viscous circle when you are encouraged to get educated, yet there is no jobs available when you finish and have several thousand dollars in student loans looming in the near future.

 

[NYJimbo]

If I could move anywhere, I would stay right here on Long Island.

I am just rolling in laptops !

 

[bagellad]

Well I am Canadian.. but..

Warrenton, Va is the nicest town I have ever seen. I swear to god driving through once I saw the entire town hanging out at an ice cream parlour. Town seemed fairly high class and had some $$.

Florida gets a lot of thunder storms and old people and those are both good money makers.