Have you moved out of state?

It's ironic how for some COVID destroyed work lives and for others it was the boon of a lifetime. I was lucky to be in the latter category.
I did all my homework and typically found a temporary place to live in my new state, which I've lived in six, and then COVID hit. It wasn't fun. The most challenging thing I've ever been through.
 
I did all my homework and typically found a temporary place to live in my new state, which I've lived in six, and then COVID hit. It wasn't fun. The most challenging thing I've ever been through.

What industry are you in? Denver did pretty well through the shutdowns as long as you weren't in hospitality or retail. It's going to be a long time before downtown Denver ever comes back to what it was.

I work commercial construction and it was hot before covid but has exploded since.
 
Born in Co, lived here most of my life, went to college in Tx, Georgia for the army, few other states for army training, back to co springs with the army, currently pretty well rooted in my home state which is a shell of its former self. Co was amazing to grow up in the 90’s took a lot of it for granted. Not sure where the wife and I will end up. Maybe Northern AZ, she comes from a pioneer ranching family who settled near Prescott in 1870, still have a 700ish acres of original ranch. Or maybe move to Idaho/ Wyoming/ Montana. This wouldn’t be for a while since both our careers are pretty anchored here
 
VT>MO>TX>MO>MD>KS>WA>HI>TX.

After 20 years in my profession I'm tired of moving and if it wasn't for work I'd still be in HI. But, we're looking at another 3-4 moves and then settling down for good. The silver lining is that I've had the chance to hunt & fish all over and explore. The only con as I see it is I have to learn a new area and environment quickly, often against a steep learning curve. When I was a kid it was as easy as walking out the back door and hitting the woods and having deep familiarity. I would say that moving a lot has made me a better hunter for sure though.
 
Curious how covid ruined your life?
I'm in government, but I was relocated for work in September 2019. COVID hit within 6 months of my move, and I was temporarily renting a room with roommates. I checked the home/rent prices here in the Denver area and found a nice home for rent in the $1800/mo range BEFORE covid. Those same homes went to $3k/mo post-COVID due to the eviction moratoriums, and home prices also increased 50%, so what I thought I could afford I could no longer afford. That's how it ruined my life. It hasn't been fun, but I plan to move to WY or NE next year, where it's still affordable.
 
I lived in interior Alaska for 31 years. Loved it. Free over the counter tags for sheep, caribou, moose, black bear, grizzlies, sitka blacktailed deer. Great cross country and backcountry skiing. We lived out of town in the boreal forest with an awesome view from our ridgetop home. Great waterfowl hunting until freeze up in October.
When I retired we moved to Montana as my true passion is bird hunting with one of my labs and I can hunt from Sept 1 to mid January.
 
I think it'd be interesting to talk about/hear about why people left their home states and where they went.

Personally, I'm seriously considering leaving WI for a western state - primarily looking at Idaho, Montana, or Utah - probably in that order as well in regards to preference.

Several reasons:

1. Hunting / outdoor freedom is greater / more enjoyable
2. Mountains!
3. More conservative (lines up with my beliefs)
4. Slower pace of life
5. Something new, challenging

We will see what happens. I have a work obligation that prevents me from moving for 1-2 years yet.
I left Louisiana because of the crime, illiteracy, racism, stagnant economy, and general displeasure living there. My employer changed my schedule in a manner I did not like, so I 2-weeked out of there before it took effect.
 
Grew up in San Diego. Surfing was life. Went to college there. Then lived in South America, back to San Diego, lived in Australia, then moved up to the Eastern Sierra in CA. The Eastern Sierra was the first place I really settled as an adult. Met my wife there. We realized our community wasn't what we wanted. So, we decided to explore.

We went on a few long trips to see where we wanted to be. We scoped out Mexico for a while and it was great, but then decided to try San Diego again. I've got great friends back there. I got stuck in traffic in SD one day and lost my mind. Literally, I rage-screamed, "F*#$ it!! We are moving to CO!!!" We've been in CO for two years now and it feels like this could be home base for a long time. Really enjoy it here.

Been a lot of moving around for most of my adult life and my wife for her entire life. My wife grew up between Europe and Colorado, so we talk a lot about moving to Europe. But, we really like Colorado and are working on somehow affording a home one day.

So, to answer your question more directly OP; moved states and countries for school, adventure/surfing, jobs, community and lack of traffic!
 
am a Texan who lived in California for about 11 years, met my wife and decided to move back, learnt a lot from the life style over there but once i speak you can absolutely tell i am cowboy descendant.
 
Hoping to move to Idaho eventually. Love the Northwest in terms of weather, climate, and geography.
 
I moved around a lot growing up WA,GA,CA, HI (army brat) but ended up in the foothills of Colorado in middle school. Lived there until after high school and then moved to Northern California for school and stayed here ever since. Although I am not a fan on how CA is regulated, the geography of northern Ca is pretty great. I work as a commercial fisherman and love to hunt and this area lends well to that. Occasionally I still go back to Colorado for an elk or mule deer hunt.
 
*I thought I saw where someone asked for What was the reason you move, and this is my answer*

I wanted to move to FL simply for a change of scenery, to plot my own path. No specific reason FL other than it was warm with palm trees and beaches and wasn't that far of a drive. It almost didn't happen though.

After college I got a good job working in a large town in my home state; I wasn't happy about it but the opportunity was too good to pass up. Just 2 weeks in a chance encounter led to an opportunity to transfer to a new location in FL. The story is too long to write out, but I ended up finding my set of brass ***** and telling the boss I needed this transfer or he'd have to hire someone else anyway - so let me go. And he did!

Never intended for it to be permanent, and I'd never stepped foot in the place I moved until the evening the plane touched down. The first couple years had some very high highs, some low lows. Once I got into hunting, camping, and fishing it all settled down and I started enjoying my new home. (about 2 years).

5 years after my move I got a great job offer back at the original place, and darn near took it. I ended up passing on a 30% raise and a 20% COL decrease. It all worked out though in another 3 years hence things started going great and that was almost 20 years ago now. So glad I trusted my gut instinct on that one.

EDIT: I believe the precursor to success is to stay away from alcohol and especially drugs (I have no experience with any drug of any kind - just saying). It's easy to fall into the bar scene, in a new place where you don't know anyone. That's the message I'd give my younger self.
 
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Moved from Eastern Canada to the Prairies for work. I was only supposed to be here a couple years.

Well, a decade later I'm still here and intend on staying here forever. I'm not going back East. Not a fan of people in general and the Prairies have everything I need. Within an 8 hour drive, I can be hunting/hiking thr Boreal Forest, deserts, mountains, grasslands, etc.

Life is slower here. Things are cheaper and everything in general is more enjoyable. My kids go to a school with roughly 100 kids. Everybody knows us in our small town and both my wife and I are very involved in our community.
 
We moved from NC to Wyoming more than a decade ago. We made the trek for better job opportunities. We are content. I prefer low crime, decent wages, civil communities, and pleasant summers over the war zone of hatred and anarchy created by the socialist liberal cartels that have long been in control of the area I grew up in.
 
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