re: Thinking of moving out of Louisiana and to the Tampa area.

quote:

---

"because they don't want to leave thier family" when you /they can visit anytime.

---

Can we? We don’t have unlimited vacation days, and neither do our parents. And if we move away, our vacation time would likely be spent visiting with family, so we would miss out on actual travel. We live 30 minutes away from our parents, so we could (and do often) see them multiple times per week, it’s not like we live near them and only see them once per month.

quote:

---

So people with a family stay to raise a child to have a likely lower quality of life with higher cost of living, worst job market, lower pay, poor schools, higher crime, overall dirty area, just to be close to family.

---

I’m not saying the trade off is worth it, but it’s not like we could see them whenever we/they wanted. Also, I live in Lafayette and the job market, lower pay, poor schools, and higher crime rate doesn’t really apply to our situation.

I moved in 2001. I built, watched it double in value, then fall back to 98% during the depression. It is now back to double, plus 15%. The experts are calling for the bottom to all out again. If you believe it will, it is better to wait.

Where you choose to live depends on your job. If you are an engineer, there is food production, alcohol production, etc. They hire a lot of Chem. and Mech.

The taxes are better. The govt. also uses most of the taxes for infrastructure, instead of stealing all of it. Insurance is cheaper because there is no extra added to yours to pay for all the LA drivers that go without.

Not all of the public schools are better, but there are good schools close to anywhere you may want to live.

quote:

---

Can we? We don’t have unlimited vacation days, and neither do our parents. And if we move away, our vacation time would likely be spent visiting with family, so we would miss out on actual travel. We live 30 minutes away from our parents, so we could (and do often) see them multiple times per week, it’s not like we live near them and only see them once per month.

---

My parerts are retired, so I see it from my angle. I guess in your case that makes sense if they are still working.

quote:

---

I’m not saying the trade off is worth it, but it’s not like we could see them whenever we/they wanted. Also, I live in Lafayette and the job market, lower pay, poor schools, and higher crime rate doesn’t really apply to our situation.

---

I'm also from Lafayette area. Generally speaking when compared to other areas, say Texas or Georgia for example, Louisiana schools, cost of living, Healthcare, job market and pay, crime, and overall cleanliness are worse. I wanted my kids to have the best opportunity in life possible, even if meant not seeing the grandparents as often. But everyone has to do what's best for them.

quote:

---

This seems to be a very common theme for a lot of childhood friends that are constantly talking about leaving Louisiana and yet after 25 years they are still talking about it but still living in LA.

---

It's true for me.

Before meeting my wife I was working towards moving away. Once we had a kid, though, I realized I wasn't going anywhere. I still poke at moving to North Carolina from time to time, and we look at real estate out there, but we probably won't pull the trigger. There's always excuses. She works for the state so she will get an incredible pension at retirement, and her student loans will be forgiven in a few more years of state service. Then there's family. Then there's much higher COL expenses that we'd have to change our lifestyle to take on. Etc.

quote:

---

anyone else make a move out of Louisiana lately?

---

About two years ago. Great decision. Do it.

quote:

---

I’ve lived in the Lake Charles area near my whole life, and it is becoming a major shite hole. I know we’ve suffered back to back hurricanes, but it’s really becoming slum ville and I really don’t see it recouping to what it once was.

With that said, my first born will be here in August and I want him to experience a good life and not have to live in such a miserable place, anyone else make a move out of Louisiana lately? We’re just kind of nervous about uprooting and moving away from all of family looking for new jobs etc, but still excited about a new journey!

---

man i have lived in LC area most of my life and yea....i have to agree. before covid I would have told you that inspite of the State government LC is on the upswing. I am not sure it recovers now.

right now its a shithole. My wife and I are stuck due to careers and we do well enough to really enjoy ourselves but it sucks driving around almost a year after the storm and still see many places looking the same as they did a week after the storm.

good thing is many restruants have come back, nice ones atleast plus a couple new ones. bad thing is...real estate sucks here right now, fricking outragious!! The bad parts of town have gotten way worse too.

now they are going to be buying out the village, so they will displace all of that crime and bullshite that was contained there to other areas. Hopefully they pay enough that those people leave.

but yea if you can leave and arent attached for family or career, leave. LC went from being on the rise to complete and shitville.

Run and don’t look back. So glad my parents got out. They hauled arse when they got married. They were giving away jobs in Beaumont area plants.

Wasn’t a far leap but was far enough.

Rest of my family are stuck there. I feel bad for them.

Moved to Georgia 21 years ago and never looked back.

Every time I come back to visit reinforces I made the right decision.

To be clear, I'm not knocking suburban living in general.

quote:

---

Brandon

---

Yeah, that's what I figured you were referring to. No one wants to get stuck in that shitshow on 60 on the weekends.