Living in Vermont, what is it like?

Insert name wrote:

Housing prices in Tahoe go for about $600k minimum? average house in VT or NH say it’s $250k? That’s 350k plus interest that would allow you to travel throughout your life to world destinations. So depending on your career/income, that plays a big factor into things

Tahoe, Mammoth, etc have bigger/better. But most people aren’t making 6 figures to afford  the same life. I moved to NH so I can retire by 40 at my current job. If I was living in Tahoe I would be destined to working until 60+. So longterm “lifestyle” is another factor.

Great points. You have to weigh everything. Jobs, housing, family, lifestyle. Housing prices in many desirable locations have gone through the roof. Tahoe or Bishop in the 90s were affordable. Now they are crazy. Joshua Tree was super affordable less than 10 years ago.

Glowering wrote:

Great points. You have to weigh everything. Jobs, housing, family, lifestyle. Housing prices in many desirable locations have gone through the roof. Tahoe or Bishop in the 90s were affordable. Now they are crazy. Joshua Tree was super affordable less than 10 years ago.

I think Slade near the Red is likely to remain affordable for some time, if one's looking for cheap....

Marc801 C wrote:

Yeah. I think it's important to remember that despite a person's focus on outdoor activities in selecting a place to live, the truth is that they'll spend the vast majority of their hours not doing that stuff, so the other stuff needs to be taken into account. As an example, we've driven to Vegas and flown to California to see major bands that skipped over SLC. Living in Burlington VT can easily mean going to Montreal, Hartford, or Boston to see your favorite band in an arena concert. What's necessary is to figure out what's important to you in a place to live. Consider interactions with the townspeople and the socio-political climate of a place as well.

We're big hockey fans, so living in a city where there's a NHL team was definitely one factor for us.  Red Rock being 15 minutes away a little higher priority.

Nick Ludwig wrote:

Marc,

I don't need a dozen great sushi restaurants or easy access to attend professional sporting events but I see your point.

That’s good, if you’re thinking VT. Boston/NE fans are the eighth circle of hell.  

I generally refrain from these discussions for a number of reasons, one of which is that I haven't lived out west and I have also lived in VT for over 35 years so some might consider my perspective "limited". That said, I think the biggest plus for me for living in VT/NH/ME upstate NY, is that there is a diversity of options for recreation very close by (<20-25 minutes drive) that makes it possible for one to hold down a career, raise a family and still "get after it" in a way that I think would be difficult in a place like the bay area or LA.  For me, accommodating full days or multiple days away from home is difficult, so my adventures come in half day increments.  If I had to drive more that an hour to engage in these activities, I simply wouldn't be able to participate.  So, depending on the arc of your career and family life, this may be something you want to consider.

Obviously the scope of options is limited in comparison with the West (we don't have 15 pitch routes,3000' couloirs, or 14000' peaks).  That said, those options are only a day away (or less) via air travel.  I hope this information helps with your decision....