Moving To The Southern States: Which Is The Right Place For You?
The American south, or more specifically the southeast, is an iconic place full of rich cultures and historic landmarks. Traditionally, people have tended to flock towards places such as New York City and Los Angeles for business and the chase of the American dream. However, today there are many people that are now turning their gaze towards the deep south and surrounding states for new opportunities in these exciting and alternative places. With the changes to the way many businesses are run, forced in part by the pandemic, people now have more freedom with where they can live and no longer need to look at buying expensive properties near the most populous cities. While this list isn’t absolute, these cities are high on our list of places you should consider moving to.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
This coastal city boasts a wonderful feeling of the permanent vacation, while not being overwhelmingly hot all year round. Living right on the coast has so many benefits, and Myrtle Beach delivers on all of these. Tourism continues to bolster the South Carolina economy, and there are a wide range of activities to enjoy from watersports to amazing night life. The city itself is drawing more and more people into its growing population, and it’s said that between 2014 and 2018 that population grew by over 14%. The cost of housing is also quite reasonable with the average house prices being well below that of the entire country.
Huntsville, Alabama
Continuing the trend of affordability, Huntsville boasts some of the most reasonably priced houses in the entire country, and has been ranked as the top most affordable place to live. Their industry is heavily focused on science and technology, with space exploration as well as smart phones and cars being high on their list of industries. Huntsville helps Alabama ward off the unfair preconceptions of deep south, and the state itself has a great reputation for education and business.
Jackson, Mississippi
The capital of the Magnolia State, Jackson is a very prestigious city, with a surprisingly small population. This city is well known for its deep-rooted history of soul music, and you’ll find the mark of this powerful genre all throughout the city. Situated in the heart of the deep south, Jackson gets some pleasant weather, if not sometimes a bit wild. This city is a brilliant place to live, especially for those looking for a career in manufacturing, healthcare, banking, and agriculture, and boasts a very stable economy with low unemployment rates.
New Orleans, Louisiana
If you’re looking for a city that is just bursting with culture, you might not be able to find a better one than New Orleans. Nicknamed The Big Easy due to the generally relaxed lifestyle, this city is incredibly easy to fall in love with and many people choose to move here after a single visit. There are so many uniquely styled homes that you can choose to live in, from classic creole cottages which ooze southern charm, to the gorgeous townhouses of the French Quarter, complete with iconic balconies. The arts and culture scene is probably the biggest attraction to new residents, so if you’re the type that thrives on art and music, then this place should be high on your list.
Raleigh, North Carolina
This city is one of the most popular cities for relocation in the entire US. If you’re looking for the big city life but with a low cost of living, then Raleigh is the place to see. If you’re a young professional, you’ll be even more interested in the City of Oaks. Raleigh has a growing population of graduates from local, prestigious universities such as Duke, and many of them are starting businesses and generally boosting the local medical and tech industry. This in turn has give the city a booming economy and is a great place to live for someone looking to further or change their career. If you’re not looking to live in the middle of the city, there are so many amazing towns that are just a short commute away too. When looking at houses for sale in North Carolina, it’s important to take your time as there are so many great places to choose from. Sites like EZ Home Search have some great options and also plenty of blogs featuring advice on choosing the best place to live in both North and South Carolina.
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Situated in Warren County, this intriguing city is known as a home rule-class city, which means that they pass their own laws and govern themselves within the bounds of the state’s constitution, of course. This, combined with the natural hospitality of the people of the south, makes for a great small-town community vibe for the city. As well as this, the homes here are very reasonably priced, as well as beautiful and spacious. If you’re looking for an affordable home with a huge garden, there’s a strong chance you’ll find exactly that.
Nashville, Tennessee
Dubbed as Music City, this fantastic place is full of great live music venues as well as some brilliant bars and nightclubs. If you’re the type that loves the downtown vibe and a good night out, then consider Nashville. As well as this, if you do have a certain love for country music, moving to the city that is synonymous with this genre is going to be a very good choice. During the daytime, you will also benefit from the amazing array of local coffee shops and restaurants that are spread across the city. There’s always a new and exciting place to visit in Nashville, and while housing prices and the cost of living are slightly higher than smaller towns, it’s a pretty great trade-off if you consider what you gain from living somewhere like this.
Savannah, Georgia
As the oldest city in the Peach State, Savannah is understandably filled with history and beautiful architecture. This is a southern city if we ever saw one, complete with quaint cobblestone streets and town squares. It also has the added benefit of being coastal and having some great beaches for you to enjoy. Similar to the other cities we’ve spoken about that aren’t the state capital, Savannah boasts a nearly 30% reduced cost of living than Atlanta itself, and most importantly, that accounts for the housing market too. While the place is becoming increasingly popular among young professionals looking for a more relaxed place to work, you’ll find that it’s the ideal place for older generations to retire, and already has a large retiree population.
Austin, Texas
We’re rounding this list off with a big one now. It’s important to note that for years, Austin has continued to grow quickly both in population and structurally. While still only being subtropical, Texas still gets hit with the drier, arid climate in the west of the state, while experiencing a more humid and wet climate in the east. It’s important to remember that you’ll need to get used to the heat here too, with temperatures sometimes even reaching above 100°F on the hottest days of the year. One of the biggest draws to Austin, apart from it’s amazing culture and entertainment, is the career prospects. Austin is home to some powerhouses in the tech industry, like Facebook, IBM, Samsung and Google. If you’re looking to further your career in these industries, there isn’t a much better place than Austin.