Missouri or Texas and Why?

Dusky Beauty · #1 07/08/13, 03:32 PM

Here is a little role play scenario-- You are planning a cross country move and looking to buy a new homestead site with self sufficient water, woods, and non extreme weather (No winters below zero for months on end as a regular thing, no summers with temps in the 110s for months on end.

With your purchase you are hoping to buy as much quality land with natural food sources, and privacy from neighbors as you can manage keeping your total budget under 150k for a reasonably turn key setup for goats, chickens, garden and maybe a cow with a move in ready, livable home for a family with children.

"Town" requirements include the bare minimum of a hospital and some choice grocery stores within a 1 hour radius. To live in the fantasy lets say finding work is not an issue.

Considering quality of community, politics, grow season, potential household crops, and other qualities conducive to a 4 season self sufficiency lifestyle would you choose to live in Missouri, or Texas, which region of those states and why?

Thinly veiled research thread? Oh yes. But we always need new and interesting ways to talk about the same old stuff, Am I right?

jwal10 · #2 07/08/13, 03:36 PM

Cross country? Oregon or Bust. There was a reason they left St. Louis. LOL....James

MJsLady · #3 07/08/13, 03:45 PM

Well I grew up in Missouri and now live in Texas.
I left Missouri for California.
The only thing I miss about Missouri is the water and the trees, things like lilacs and dog wood and cherry trees.

I would choose Texas because, at least in the mid-west- south part of the state there is a by your own boot straps feeling. Folks will work together to help each other as needed but over all we enjoy our privacy.

I have a 1 acre homestead about 20 miles from either hospital, and 15 miles from large box stores.
My area is county and not incorporated. This means i do not have city regs with what i can do on my land. I can do what ever I want to with it, as long as I do not harm my neighbors.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 07/08/13, 04:14 PM

My neighbor in Missouri is auctioning their home and 20 acres on Aug 10. House, barn, fences, small garden. Appraisal is below your budget. Come see!

It is ten miles east of Alton, Missouri. Oregon County.

Google Jeff Lawrence auctioneer. Check out the auction for Aug 10. Property description there.

Awnry Abe · #5 07/08/13, 09:47 PM

Missouri. We will be giving Texas back to Mexico in about 20 years. :biggrin:

Seriously, they are both awesome choices. You can find what you described in so many places in both MO and TX.

Freya · #6 07/09/13, 01:18 AM

West Plains, MO

SageLady · #7 07/09/13, 03:07 AM

Missouri, for sure!

I love it here. Beautiful land, weather is never boring, people are nice and helpful, and low cost of living.

Ernie · #8 07/09/13, 04:55 AM

We had to make the same decision, and we ultimately picked Texas. Primarily because it's where I grew up and I wanted to return "home".

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Our region of Texas is sparsely populated, which was a big plus. Also, the costs of living are very low. Other parts, not so much.

I would suspect that you could find what you're looking for in either location. Both have urban areas, both have rural areas.

In summer, if you asked, I would rather have been in the Ozarks. In winter, I'm glad to be in Texas. Depends which time of year you catch me at.

Delrio · #9 07/09/13, 05:39 AM

I don't know a thing about TX so I'm gonna have to say MO. I was born in MN and lived in AZ for way too many yrs. I consider this place a nice inbetween. Good weather, low taxes, low property prices, trees, water, good people. I'm talking about south central MO!

o&itw · #10 07/09/13, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

My neighbor in Missouri is auctioning their home and 20 acres on Aug 10. House, barn, fences, small garden. Appraisal is below your budget. Come see!

It is ten miles east of Alton, Missouri. Oregon County.

Google Jeff Lawrence auctioneer. Check out the auction for Aug 10. Property description there.

Alice, the latest auction that I can find he has listed so far was July 6th.

paradox · #11 07/09/13, 10:51 AM

Don't know much about Missouri but I LOVE Texas! (I will warn you to stay the hell away from tiny California-like liberal monstrosities like Houston, Austin, or Dallas. The difference between the city Texans and the rural Texans is night and day.

There are many towns with a population of 30-50 thousand that have hospitals, groceries, and good shopping and you can park yourself 30 miles from one of those fairly easily. We are roughly 30 miles from 4 such towns. And about 10 miles from a tiny town. My kids go to a school that is k-12 and avg GRADE (not class, grade) size is about 20. The little town has a bank, a feed store, a general store, a quick stop (gas), and a few churches. No traffic lights. Volunteer FD and EMT's and a small police force. We find this ideal because we can grab necessities very close if needed and weekly make a supply run to one of the bigger towns 30 miles away. I am sure you can find this type "out in the boondocks, but still with access to town" pretty much anywhere. But those are the kinds of things you want to really check into before you buy some land.

The political climate is generally more conservative (save the areas mentioned above) and the economy is holding up under the pressure much better than most other states.

It does get hot so look for areas with shade trees. West Texas gets pretty barren but the "hill country" is gorgeous. My recommendation is take a quick road trip through both before deciding for sure. It is kind of a big decision :-)

am1too · #12 07/09/13, 12:36 PM

Ifin I was pickin Taxes I'd go for NE. Good water supply and green. I live in central OK. It is OK most of the time. Been unusually cool for July so far. Hasn't made it lower than the high teens in the winter. We have plenty wind to whisk away the heat.

Alice In TX/MO · #13 07/09/13, 03:41 PM

When I get home, I will post the info from the sale ad that I picked up.

Ozarks Tom · #14 07/09/13, 03:41 PM

Originally from MN, but 27 years in Dallas. When we were looking toward future retirement we opted for the Ozarks. We get all four seasons, just not too much of any one. Low cost of living and taxes. Not much real "farmland", but good for animals and hay. Lots of very reasonably priced acreage and homes. PM me if I can help.

JLMissouri · #15 07/09/13, 08:12 PM

Missouri, for me that is an easy choice.

I have been through Texas many times and I am a native Missourian. They are both good states with plenty to offer. I would live in Texas any day over many other states, although I would rather move to TN or OK if I had to leave Missouri. If you want to be by a big city and a better job market Texas will probably be in the lead, otherwise Missouri wins in most other categories.

Missouri is more free than Texas in about every way freedom is judged, sorry Texas. Not saying Texas is bad by any means, but its reputation exceeds reality. Missouri on average has more rainfall and better soils. If you consider what your land can produce Missouri is worth more acre per acre on average and will cost less as well for similar land. There is some good ground in both states but Missouri wins on average and has a lot more to choose from.

Raymond James · #16 07/09/13, 08:27 PM

Missouri as I like water. The only way I would consider Texas is eastern Texas along the Louisiana border.

andyd2023 · #17 07/09/13, 09:30 PM

I did the same exercise you are doing. Started looking for a new place in 2000. in 2001 I left SoCal and moved to East Texas. Getting out of SoCal is the best thing I ever did. If you want trees grass and pretty land East Texas or Mo are both good choices. If you like plains or desert Central or West Texas is for you.
Andrew.

bjgarlich · #18 07/09/13, 11:53 PM

We love Missouri for many of the reasons already stated. We wanted 4 seasons but a longer summer and shorter winter. When deciding on an area to move to (we came from Chicago), we considered Texas but fell in love with the Ozarks. Texas was too hot and dry for us, but everyone is looking for different things so it may work for you.

Breezy833 · #19 07/09/13, 11:57 PM

No lilacs in Texas...... they're my favorite! I'm never leaving Michigan, if i had to choose go to MO

Ernie · #20 07/10/13, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjgarlich

We love Missouri for many of the reasons already stated. We wanted 4 seasons but a longer summer and shorter winter. When deciding on an area to move to (we came from Chicago), we considered Texas but fell in love with the Ozarks. Texas was too hot and dry for us, but everyone is looking for different things so it may work for you.

A point in the favor of Texas ...

Places that are easy to live attract "easy living people". Hard places attract hard and resilient people.

As far as rain, God will be merciful and send the rain a LONG time before the government will get its boot off the necks of the people in those easy living places.