So Why Live in the South?

I want to thank you from the start for starting this discussion. I've learned more than I ever wanted to know about the south! I've been reading the comments before commenting myself because, well, I don't know other than I wanted to read the other comments. LOL Anyway, hearing about the oppressive humidity and huge bugs, I think I'll stay right where I am, in the northernmost part of Virginia (actually called NorthCentral Virginia), in the pokey-up part. Anyway, after last winter, I was saying that, if we had another winter like that one I would be moving south. We had over eight feet of snow last winter. Luckily, this winter, it has been very un-snowy... very cold, colder than normal but not much snow or ice. So, that's why I'm still here in Virginia and am able to read your discussion here and the responses which are all telling me that I'm better off staying right where I am. LOL What I'm going to do is to have my husband hold true to his promise of building a sunroom onto our deck, just off our dining room. That is, if I decide to stay here. I could hang out in that room when winter seems like it will never end and it's freezing outside. I think that having the cold, snowy winters is worth it as long as the summers aren't too bad and there is beautiful scenery all around. All we need is a little warm sunshine every now and then throughout the winter. Maybe you should put a comfy chair under a south-facing window, curl up in it with a good book and soak up the rays... at least on the days that the sun is shining. Oh, I did read something about the hospitality of the south. It's funny but we moved 100 miles directly WEST of where we were living but, because we moved from Maryland to Virginia, the entire attitude of the people here is completely different. Maryland, although it is technically a southern state (south of the Mason-Dixon line), is really filled with northerners, or that northern attitude of not trusting people. Virginia is a southern state thru-and-thru and, even though we are located in the upper half of the country, the attitude here is definitely southern, filled with that good ol' southern hospitality. So, if you're thinking of moving south, why not try Virginia? (Where are you, anyway?) It's not so far south that you get the blistering heat and humidity and, even though there are bugs here, we don't have those monster bugs they do farther south. We have normal, everyday bugs.

I live in southeast asia so it could get very hot here. I don't know how cold you're experiencing there exactly but I have a bit of an idea because my cousin lives at San Diego, California and she said that she always wore two layers of jackets over her shirt so I'm guessing it's pretty cold. Although here in my apartment during the last summer, it's like the whole thing is on fire. I couldn't breathe naturaly so I had to go out to catch some fresh cool air.

I don't really care for living in Florida myself but at the same time I don't have the money to afford to move. You are right the heat here can be awful and with my having MS it can make thing even worse.

It has it's good & bad points. Our winters are far more moderate than those up north. Of course the humidity down here during the summer will steam you. If you move away from one you pick up the other.

It was -25 when I went to work this morning..Arizona is looking pretty darn good right now. My daughter lives down there and they love it....they don't miss the change of seasons at all...the older I get..the better it's looking!

shar I have never lived in the southern states, I have and do live in Southern California. I came here from the mid west South Dakota.We have talked and talked about moving out of horribly expensive California to some other state but it still takes money to move.we were caught in this economy crash and still are. my son in gov.paid apartment and me in Gold Crest retirement center not paid for by anyone but me and my social security and ssi checks.So I have no information on the southern states except we may yet end up going south to more affordable rents and more jobs.For anyone not wealthy this is not a good time to move to super expensive in every thing Southern California

The thing is, when the weather seems to be changing all of the time, the south does not seem so sunny either. I guess if I had to choose a new place to live I would want some place that did not go extreme either direction. I like temperatures between 40 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit, but there are no guarrantees any where. It is not too bad here in Kansas, in my opinion. We get some snow etc. We get some over 100 days, but not too many.

Oh the season change in the south I lived in Tenn for years yup hot and sticky take a shower and ya cnat dry off for your still wet after drying. and it rained seemed like all the time or snowed or ice storms in the winter. nope I wouldnt move back now I love it here in ther desert our trees loose thier leaves and it has got down to 27 degrees at night but the cold season dont seem to last as long here as up north We do get some rain but it isnt every otthr day lolol sometimes not for months or may have a trace. Dont care much for NC or FLorida yup I have lived there too

I live in Savannah, Georgia and LOVE IT! We do have four seasons but not as extreme as in the North. We have beautiful fall colors and have just experienced a cold snap where the temperature got down into the low twenties....brrr! Having come here from Europe the one problem I have is not the high temperatures in the summer but the high humidity and that is horrible. All in all I would not like to live anyway but here even with the occasional threat of a hurricane.

Okay, the summers are the PITS, make no mistake about that. If you could afford 2 places, that's what I would do - maybe getting an RV and become a snow bird... If I could escape the heat in the summer I would, but right now, with the temps in the 20's I would happily take a bit of that heat - at least it warms up during the day!

I live in Tennessee as u may know. we have season changes& i like that. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else but it would be nice if we had weather where u didn't have to have heat or a/c/ I would have some extra money if that were the case. lol

If you're thinking of moving because of the cold, don't come to the southeastern part of the country. I live in southeast Ga. I have lived here since 1974. The only time of the year that I really like are the spring and fall and they only last a matter of weeks. I like winter because it gives us a chance to use the fireplace once and awhile. Makes things cozy. What I detest are the summers, which last for about six or seven months. At least it seems that way. The culprit is the humidity. It becomes unbearable. Once it starts pumping up from the gulf, it just keeps on pumping. Outside activity is pretty much over because it zaps your strength, you stay drenched in sweat. Now if you live right on the beach, it's not so bad. Anywhere else, well it becomes intolerable. You stay sticky and gummy, it's an act of congress just getting from the car to what ever building you're going into. Crossing a parking-lot can take your breath away from the heat radiating up from it. And above all remember this; if the thermometer reads 98, it's going to feel like 110 because of the humidity. I make a joke sometimes about how southerners will eventually evolve to have gills to accommodate for all the moisture in the air. In the books it's called 'balmy' how very romantic. In reality it's just nasty, damp, sticky, sweaty, gummy, goo. Depending on where you might move, I would make plans to visit the area during the hottest part of the summer, stay a week or so and decide if you can stand being shut up for months at a time to avoid the excessive heat and moisture.

Heyya Shar! So nice to hear you are thinking of becoming a potential neighbor. I am in Tennesee...the eastern part...Gatlinburg/Knoxville area to give you a city to reference. We actually do get very cold here and we have actually had a bunch of snow in my area. I do enjoy living here but it has taken a bit of travel to realize it. Now in the fall we have quite the crowd visit the mountains to see the leaves change...it is very beautiful. Cost of living is pretty good too compared to some places. We have had some very mild winters over the past few years...mild as in snow..it's still gotten very cold. I think the south is a very nice place to be..at least for me.

What I love about the south are the friendly, hospitable, and always helpful people. I also love the laid back life style. But the humidity is almost too much to bear in the summer months, as are the insects. But the worst thing about living in the south are the hurricanes, especially if you live on the gulf or on the eastern seaboard. Even it one doesn't hit your neighborhood there is the constant preparation, boarding up of windows, and evacuating. If that doesn't bother you, than go for it. There's no place better in the winter.

Ive lived in alot of diffent places. My home state was north and humid. I never liked it there so since i turned 18 ive always moved away. returned back when i hit hard time then moved away again. I lived in texas before. It snowed once the whole time i was there. But it was so humid. I remember once i couldnt afford to turn the air on and i actually got tired of sweating. I love the dryer states. Im now in colorado and i love it here. This is were im planning to stay. My kids and grandkids are all here. The weather and mountians are beautiful. Its a dry climate. It snows but the snow dont last long. Thers a reason they call it COLORado. Home sweet home. Finally.

Hello my dear. Well here in Romania we have a moderate climate, not to cold and not to hot - we have four seasons, winters vary from milder to wilder each year, for now the snow is gone, but it's going below 0 again and rains and soon snow is to be expected. In the summer it usually is hot and good weather for going to the beach, but we had a recent year when it rained almost all summer - i remmeber it depressed me a bit, but if i am not wrong, we spent our holiday in another country then. Well we want to move to England, so that would be further north, but not because the weather, but because of better life conditions, so i can't comment to much about moving South - maybe to Australia, where my girlfriend has some relatifs, but that would mean that we will rarely get to visit our parents or not at all with tickets costing over 1.000$ or so per person.

i live in the southwest, az. i hate it. but then most people never want to leave that hate the cold. i miss snow at xmas and all the different seasons. i hated florida more tho, because there was so many snakes, bugs, and lizards in the spot i lived in. snakes right there in the small town. plus in florida you better like rain. cause thats what most days brought. 6 days out of 7 it seemed like it rained. so az is better in some ways but not much

Before you make arrangements to move go visit in the Summer, For me it's so hot I can never go outside and it doesn't cool off at night. The Bugs are terrible, snakes common and rats abound. My Hubby's from the south and even he says he'd never go back there to live. Try Arizona, Utah, New mexico for dry heat or come West to California, Oregon or Washington.

I live in the north. LOL. So I shouldn't even be answering this question. I live in Minnesota. One of my friends recently moved to Texas. Apparently the heat is unbearable in the summer, much like Minnesota's coldness in the winter. And he also misses the changing of the season. He's been confused lately I guess because the weather seems to be staying the same. He says it confuses him because he's used to the seasons changing, which is also a measurement of time. I don't really understand this, but this is what he tells me. lol. I know that we have a crazy amount of snow up north, and cold/freezing air..But at the same time, you know that people in the South have bad weather increments too (there's no safe area!) like floods, hurricanes (if they're on the ocean), tornadoes and heat waves.

Some people choose to live in the south because of the warm weather and climate. Some people do not favor the cruel winter weather so they choose to live as far from it as they can. I have quite a few relatives that live in the south just for these reasons.