am thinking of moving there after i read thru joel's website saying it is cheaper AND safer to live there.
any and all info would be greatly welcome.
Better read Joels book. WVA is one of the higher tax states.
how high can the taxes be??
i live in new york and EVERYTHING is expensive here.
Dan Man:
Using the data appearing on page 53 of Joels Book:
New York is the highest taxation state in the union with 26.3% of your income being taken for state and local taxes alone.
West Virginia is #23 at 19.3%
Virginia, where I live, is #41 at 17.1%
The lowest is Alabama at 14.2%.
Running from memory on this one, Tennessee is a close second to Alabama at 14.4%.
That "everything is expensive" in NY is but only one of a full spectrum of reasons for you to seek more fertile fields. The tax issue is due to having too much government then having them re-distribute your heard earned into sectors which keep them in power.
As I said previously, if you are considering relocating, get Joels book a take a few evenings to read it. As you plan, consult the book to "fine tune" your efforts. You'll find the time and expense a worthwhile investment.
Best
dear mr. rippel: first of all thank you so much for your time to answer this boys question and second i am waiting to get the book soon from amazon.com and yes i will spend alot of time reading it.
dantheman
Dan, you'll love the book! There is a lot of data in it but Joel ties things together nicely. There is a lot to consider.
In the back there are regional maps with "zones" Joel has marked out. These are labeled A, B and C, I believe. There is a Zone "A" corridor that runs from down the Applachian mountains just south of Lexington, VA to North Western GA. It extends slightly into Eastern TN and Western NC.
That is the area we are considering. There is another Zone "A" in South Eastern KY. That would be a 2nd choice but would suffer from a shorter growing season and slightly harsher climate as would W.VA.
Just an FYI, while I have been aware of and working half heartedly at the issues addressed in this forum/Joels books for some time, I am certainly no expert. Taxes always push my "buttons."
well given the recent wintwer storms i have had here in new york and my weekend stay in huntington, W.VA. a few years ago it shouldnt be all that bad as far as snow.
i got the book!!!!
but it isnt the usual kind of book i was expecting to see,altho the info in it is valuable.
anyrate i will use it and hope the joel will update the edition soon.