If you live in the USA, what region are you located? Poll

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What region do you live? Poll question
Poll ended at 13 Apr 2022, 6:47 pm
West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington) 22%  22%  [ 6 ]
Southwest (Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico) 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Mountain West (Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana) 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Midwest 26%  26%  [ 7 ]
Deep South (Texas through Florida) 15%  15%  [ 4 ]
New England (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island) 4%  4%  [ 1 ]
East Coast (New York down through North/South Carolina) 33%  33%  [ 9 ]
Total votes : 27

Tim_Tex
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08 Apr 2022, 8:00 pm

I live in a suburb of Houston. I do not recommend it. Services for people with disabilities in Texas are either barely existent or are just basic, bare-bones stuff.

Austin, DFW, and to a lesser extent Houston have skyrocketed in price. San Antonio is a bit more affordable. El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley are very affordable.


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Tim_Tex
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08 Apr 2022, 8:15 pm

H_Taterz wrote:
We're actually from WA. :heart: 8) We moved here (MN) two years ago because the Washington schools were bad for kids with autism (outside of Seattle) and the cost of housing was spiraling out of control. I think we got out at a good time.
The skyrocketing cost of living is now everywhere, even here. It's, in part, due to realty investment firms buying up investment properties (30%), and in WA, the tech industry is attracting people from all over. I've talked to several people that moved from MN to WA. I think most Californians are actually migrating to TX, where it's cheaper and regulations are loose.

My son also has ASD, but his diagnosis comes with cognitive delays. His elementary school in Olympia was fantastic, but as he got older, the schools got so much worse. His high school in MN has been amazing, but we definitely stick out in the community. We're not mid-westerners and it shows.

Long story made short, we actually loved living in some parts of WA (mostly Clallam County), but WA isn't the place you want to be if you have a verbal disability and/or can't afford $3K rent or a $700K home in the Seattle area.

I definitely miss the nerdiness and cosplayers of the PNW. Now that my son's graduating high school, we keep circling back to WA, but we're also looking closely at CA. It's expensive, but I feel like CA has better supports for adults. I don't mind paying higher taxes if it means better social supports. I just worry about what will happen to my son if anything happens to me. We don't have family so we need community.

Thanks for the input! Too bad we didn't get to talk when we still lived there.


auntblabby wrote:
OP wondered about "the good things about" various areas, i can tell you that in south puget sound, southwestern washington and northwestern washington on the west side of the sound, the cost of living is tolerable at least, the weather is generally temperate [a good snow on average once every blue moon or so], no state income tax [but watch out for those property taxes if you have a view property]. best come here soon as the californians are bidding everything up/snapping everything up they can and property values are skyrocketing as a result.


I've been trying to relocate to Seattle, but unless you have a 6-figure salary, forget it.

I think as far as the West Coast goes, Hawaii is probably more affordable than the mainland. Not sure about Alaska.

I've heard Minnesota's disability services are some of the best.


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auntblabby
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08 Apr 2022, 11:26 pm

Tim_Tex wrote:
I've been trying to relocate to Seattle, but unless you have a 6-figure salary, forget it. I think as far as the West Coast goes, Hawaii is probably more affordable than the mainland. Not sure about Alaska. I've heard Minnesota's disability services are some of the best.

there is more than just seattle. there is also federal way, tacoma, lakewood, olympia, dupont in terms of finding work in your field. and hawaii/alaska are more or less equally expensive, more so than the mainland due to cost of shipping everything in.



H_Taterz
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16 Apr 2022, 3:19 pm

I worked in Ventura and lived there part-time for about six years (military). I gotta say I miss it. California is a pay-to-play state. High cost of living, but excellent food, entertainment, sunshine, and nature.

If you see this, DM me. I'd like to know more about why you say you don't know how good it is for people with autism. Sounds like you question it a bit.

warrier120 wrote:
I’m from Orange County, California. There are a decent number of autistic people here, though I don’t really know how good it is for us here.

Orange County is located in the southern part of my state. It’s expensive to live here, particularly in my area, where houses never cost under $1 million. Other than that, I generally like being here. The weather is temperate but usually on the warmer side and there’s lots of places to eat and things to do.



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16 Apr 2022, 3:39 pm

Why do mid-westerners make us feel different? Well, I don't enjoy small talk or gossip, so co-workers get upset and think I'm being rude when I don't join in.
Honestly, if I were a man, my personality would be tolerated, but they expect women to be very traditional and have typical gender roles here. Provincial attitudes.

I'm also a gamer and classic geek. Walking down the streets of Seattle, it's pretty common to see people in cosplay or doing something bizarre. Here, it rattles people. I don't think they even host gaming or fan-based conventions in Minnesota - at least nothing big. You can't be weird here and be accepted. People will make a scene and shout rude comments.
I called myself a nerd at work (which I proudly am!) and my co-worker freaked out and said not to be mean and call myself that.
:roll: This isn't the 1980s. Nerd isn't a derogatory term anymore.

Anyway, we moved here because we heard the term "Minnesota nice" and I thought Minnesota nice meant nice people. Apparently, it's an ironic term for passive aggressiveness. :lol:

auntblabby wrote:
yeh it's downright diabolical how the fates keep us aspies far apart. :o can you tell me how the mid-westerners make you feel different?



naturalplastic
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16 Apr 2022, 7:39 pm

HEY!! !!

Gadget Guru (I think that you're in Nevada? Or is it Utah?)...

and Sweetleaf (Colorado)...

and other Rocky Mountainites....

We know you're out there.

Check "the Mountain West" box to represent yourselves!



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16 Apr 2022, 10:08 pm

H_Taterz wrote:
Why do mid-westerners make us feel different? Well, I don't enjoy small talk or gossip, so co-workers get upset and think I'm being rude when I don't join in.
Honestly, if I were a man, my personality would be tolerated, but they expect women to be very traditional and have typical gender roles here. Provincial attitudes.

I'm also a gamer and classic geek. Walking down the streets of Seattle, it's pretty common to see people in cosplay or doing something bizarre. Here, it rattles people. I don't think they even host gaming or fan-based conventions in Minnesota - at least nothing big. You can't be weird here and be accepted. People will make a scene and shout rude comments.
I called myself a nerd at work (which I proudly am!) and my co-worker freaked out and said not to be mean and call myself that.
:roll: This isn't the 1980s. Nerd isn't a derogatory term anymore.

Anyway, we moved here because we heard the term "Minnesota nice" and I thought Minnesota nice meant nice people. Apparently, it's an ironic term for passive aggressiveness. :lol:

auntblabby wrote:
yeh it's downright diabolical how the fates keep us aspies far apart. :o can you tell me how the mid-westerners make you feel different?

i wonder if minnesota nice is more like seattle freeze?



H_Taterz
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17 Apr 2022, 9:07 am

Yes! Minnesota Nice is nearly identical to the Seattle Freeze, except it's more passive-aggressive! :lol:
Pretty much everyone I've met here is either home grown (and has never lived out of state) or is a refugee from Somalia.

There are some things about WA I miss but the Seattle Freeze isn't one of them, and I'm trying to keep that in mind so I don't get suckered into going back and then say, "Why did we move back here again?"
We left WA for a reason, but if the rest of the country is equally unfriendly, then maybe WA isn't such a bad choice. If I can't "find my tribe" any place else in the USA and I'm going to just sit at home, at least in WA I can look out the window and see deer, owls, and the occasional bear.

auntblabby wrote:
i wonder if minnesota nice is more like seattle freeze?



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18 Apr 2022, 8:51 pm

Arkansas, land of tornadoes, massive hailstones, searing summer heat, bitter winters, dangerous insects, snakes, Covid deniers, racists, homophobes, atheist haters and Trump supporters. But apart from that it's very nice.



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18 Apr 2022, 11:03 pm

H_Taterz wrote:
Honestly, if I were a man, my personality would be tolerated, but they expect women to be very traditional and have typical gender roles here. Provincial attitudes.

Do you live in a city, suburb, or rural area? I would expect rural areas to be very conformist, but what about the cities?

I've never been to the Twin Cities, but I've heard that they are at least somewhat welcoming of oddballs. Indeed the Twin Cities are sometimes referred to as "Paganistan" because of the large number of Wiccans and other neo-Pagans.


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19 Apr 2022, 3:07 am

ToughDiamond wrote:
Arkansas, land of tornadoes, massive hailstones, searing summer heat, bitter winters, dangerous insects, snakes, Covid deniers, racists, homophobes, atheist haters and Trump supporters. But apart from that it's very nice.

wonderful.



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19 Apr 2022, 10:23 am

The Twin Cities is a relatively "liberal" area. Minneapolis more "liberal" than St. Paul.

The winters there are quite cold-----but when you get to April, the weather is great----until maybe November.

There's lots of great scenery which can be enjoyed from about April to November. Between November and April, it's really not all that great there.



H_Taterz
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21 Apr 2022, 9:18 am

We live about 45 miles outside of Minneapolis, but I really don't see the draw to the Twin Cities. We considered moving there, and we frequently go to Minneapolis to do shopping, but it's not a very attractive city. The cost of renting is high, and the roads are a complete mess (their design, not necessarily potholes.) The crime rate is horrible there.
When I visited many years ago, I thought Minnesota was pretty cool; however, when I started experiencing what it's like to actually live here, it's been a very different experience. Even the local news anchor said he's never had such a hard time making friends as he's had while living in MN.

You can find lot of articles about transplants in MN.
https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-n ... 266823811/

But we had problems in Washington, too. I had a lot of acquaintances, but only one close friend - and even she was standoffish. Our conversations were filled with long, silent pauses. I felt pressured to always come up with new topics.
I think it's hard in WA because of the rainy weather (most people don't want to go out) and because it's a very introverted area. I don't enjoy the bar scene (too loud) and everyone just wanted to go to the bar all the time. WA has a plethora of wine bars and breweries.
HOWEVER, there were tons of conventions and meet-ups out there. Even if you can't have close friends, you can have a fairly stable meet-up group to stay busy. And the scenery is the best in the country.
Oh man --- and I REALLY miss the food. I ate pretty healthy on the West Coast. In the Midwest, by the time fruits and veggies hit the stores, they're already wrinkled and sometimes moldy. I haven't felt this unhealthy since I was a teenager.


Mona Pereth wrote:
I've never been to the Twin Cities, but I've heard that they are at least somewhat welcoming of oddballs. Indeed the Twin Cities are sometimes referred to as "Paganistan" because of the large number of Wiccans and other neo-Pagans.


kraftiekortie wrote:
The Twin Cities is a relatively "liberal" area. Minneapolis more "liberal" than St. Paul.
The winters there are quite cold-----but when you get to April, the weather is great----until maybe November.
There's lots of great scenery which can be enjoyed from about April to November. Between November and April, it's really not all that great there.



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21 Apr 2022, 3:32 pm

I am native to Portland, Oregon.

Even though there are plenty of good places to visit, do not move to Portland as the homeless population is growing at an uncontrollable rate, gun violence has become more common, and city leaders are incompetent.


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23 Apr 2022, 12:44 am

One of the great things about Texas are all the people who know how to shoot high-powered rifles.



Last edited by Texasmoneyman300 on 23 Apr 2022, 5:02 am, edited 6 times in total.

auntblabby
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23 Apr 2022, 2:36 am

neat thing about mason county is that there is a shop n'hop store that sell remaindered items sometimes for pennies on the dollar. also there is dan dial's tesla lab. 8)