Posted on 05/02/2011 7:25:30 PM PDT by blam
What Is The Best Place To Live In The United States To Prepare For The Coming Economic Collapse?
May 2, 2011
What is the best place to live in the United States? I get asked that question all the time. My answer can be summed up in two words: it depends. The truth is that the answer is going to be different for each person. All of us have different goals and different needs.
If you have a very strong network of family and friends where you live right now, you might want to think twice before moving hundreds or thousands of miles away. If you have a great job where you live right now, you might want to hold on to it. You should not just assume that you are going to be able to pick up and move to another part of the country and be able to get a similar job right away.
The United States is in the midst of a very serious economic decline right now, and wherever you live you are going to have to provide for your family. Just because you move somewhere new does not mean that you are going to leave your problems behind. In fact, you might find that they moved right along with you. With all that being said, the reality is that there are some places in the U.S. that are going to be much more desirable than others when the economy totally falls apart.
For example, during a total economic collapse it will not be good to be living in a large city or in a densely populated area. Just think about what happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If the entire nation is going through something like that, you don't want to have hundreds of thousands of close neighbors at that point. So when thinking about where you want to be when everything falls apart, population density should be a major factor. But there are other factors as well and no area of the United States is perfect.
If you live in or near a major city right now, that is okay. Most Americans do. Even if you have limited financial resources at the moment, you can start developing a plan that will get you where you eventually want to go. If you want to move to another part of the country you can start applying for jobs out there. You can also be working hard to develop a business that would enable you to move. Perhaps you have friends or family in more isolated areas that would allow you to stay with them during an economic collapse.
Those that possess more financial resources could start thinking about getting a second home in a location that is more rural.
The key is to come up with a plan and to be working towards accomplishing that plan.
If you don't have a plan yet, hopefully the following information will give you something to think about. Not all areas of the United States are equal, and all of them do have problems.
The following are some thoughts about the best place to live in the United States....
The Northeast
A major problem with the Northeast is that it is just so darn crowded. Yes, there are some rural areas, but the overall population density of the region is so high that it would be really hard to go unnoticed for long in the event of a major economic collapse.
Another thing that is not great about the Northeast is that so much of the population lives near the coast. As we saw in Japan recently, living near a coastline is not necessarily a good thing. While it is likely safer to live along the east coast then the west coast, the truth is that there is an inherent level of insecurity when it comes to living in coastal areas. You never know when the next hurricane, oil spill or tsunami is going to strike.
Also, the Northeast is really quite cold. So staying warm and growing your own food would be more difficult than in some other areas of the country.
The Mid-Atlantic
The Mid-Atlantic is one of the most beautiful areas of the nation. Unfortunately, it suffers from many of the same problems that the Northeast does.
The Mid-Atlantic has a very high population density. For example, the area around Washington D.C. is pretty much all suburbs for 50 miles in all directions.
The weather is nicer than in the Northeast and there are some less dense areas once you get south of Washington D.C.
If you think that the Mid-Atlantic might be for you, you might want to check out North Carolina or South Carolina. The people tend to get friendlier the further south you go and there are definitely some areas that could potentially work.
Florida
Florida is generally not going to be a place that you want to be during an economic collapse. The housing market has absolutely collapsed down there and the crime rate is already very high. It is also very densely populated.
The weather is very nice down in Florida, but one big thing that you need to consider when it comes to Florida is the fact that it is very flat and most of Florida is just barely above sea level. In fact, quite a bit of Florida is actually below sea level.
In addition, hurricanes are always a major threat in Florida. It is a beautiful state, but there is a lot of risk to living down there.
The Southeast
The Southeast has really taken a pounding over the last few years. First it was Hurricane Katrina, and then it was the BP oil spill and then it was the tornadoes of 2011.
There is a lot of poverty in that area of the country. There is also a lot of crime.
There are a lot of great people who live down in the Southeast, but if you do not know your way around it can be a very difficult place to move to.
The Mid-South
One of my favorite places east of the Mississippi River are the mountains along the Tennessee/North Carolina border. If you must be in the eastern half of the United States, that is not a bad choice.
Where you do not want to be is anywhere near the New Madrid fault zone. The New Madrid fault zone covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. The biggest earthquakes in the history of the United States were caused by the New Madrid fault. Many are convinced that we are going to see an absolutely catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid fault at some point.
So if you want to live in the Mid-South, it is highly recommended that you stay far away from the New Madrid fault zone.
The Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest was once one of the great manufacturing regions of the world, but now much of it is known as the "rust belt".
Formerly great manufacturing cities such as Detroit are now absolute hellholes. Tens of thousands of our factories and millions of our jobs have been shipped overseas.
There are some really great people (including some good friends of this column) that live up there, but the truth is that the region is really cold and unemployment is rampant.
The Upper Midwest is an area that people want to get out of. It is probably not a great place to move to.
However, if you do need a job, one place to look is a little bit west of there. Thanks to an abundance of natural resources, unemployment in North Dakota and South Dakota is very low. If you really need a job you might want to look into those two states.
The Southwest
In the Southwest there are a whole lot of freedom-loving Americans, the weather is very warm and there is a lot of space to get lost.
However, the Southwest is also very dry and in many areas there is not a lot of water. Drought and wildfires are quite common.
In addition, illegal immigration is rampant and is a constant security threat.
If you are familiar with that area of the country it is not a bad choice, but if you do not know what you are doing it could end up being disastrous for you.
The Great Plains
As long as you are far enough away from the New Madrid fault, the Great Plains is not a bad choice.
It is very, very flat out there, and it can be quite windy, but the good news is that you should be able to grow your own food.
In addition, the population density is generally very low in most areas.
One big negative, as we have seen recently, is tornadoes. The United States experiences more tornadoes that anywhere else in the world, and "tornado alley" generally gets the worst of it.
The West Coast
During an economic collapse, the West Coast is not a place that you will really want to be. Just take a look at the state of California already. It is an economic nightmare.
Millions of people have left California over the past couple of decades. The millions of people that have left have been replaced mostly with illegal aliens.
Oregon is better, although they have very high taxes and they are experiencing huge economic problems right now as well.
The best area along the West Coast is the Seattle area, but you won't want to be anywhere near a major population center when things totally fall apart.
Also, the West Coast lies along the "Ring of Fire". Considering what just happened in Japan and what has been happening in other areas along the Ring of Fire lately, the West Coast is not an area that a lot of people are recommending.
The Northwest
Large numbers of freedom-loving Americans have been moving to the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. You can also throw eastern Washington and eastern Oregon into this category as well.
It gets cold up in the Northwest, but not as cold as the Upper Midwest. There are lots of rivers, streams and lakes and in certain areas there is plenty of rain.
The population density is very low in most areas and there is an abundance of wildlife. Housing prices are reasonable and in many areas you can grow your own food.
The Northwest is one of the favorite areas of the United States for preppers. It is far from perfect, but it does have a lot of advantages.
Alaska And Hawaii
Neither Alaska or Hawaii is recommended. Alaska lies along the "Ring of Fire" and it is very, very cold. Also, almost everything has to be either shipped or flown into Alaska. In the event of a real economic collapse, supplies to Alaska could be cut off and shortages could develop very quickly.
Hawaii has a huge population and it does not have a lot of room. Like Alaska, most supplies have to be either shipped in or flown in. And one really bad tsunami could pretty much wipe Hawaii out.
But once again, there is no "right answer". There are areas of just about every U.S. state that could potentially work well during a major economic collapse.
When assessing where "the best place to live in the United States" is, it is important to examine your own personal factors. What will work for me and for my family will not necessarily work for you and your family.
So what do all of you think about this list? Which area of the country do you think is best for those Americans who are seeking to prepare themselves for the coming economic collapse?
Why? You can already begin to see why from what is happening both here and in Europe.
-Corrupt socialist/communist governments who think nothing of robbing you to keep the gravy train going for them and their union thugs.
-Large populations living off of entitlements. When the money runs out they will go all "NOLA after Katrina". These people have never produced anything and they have never worked a day in their lives. The only way they know of housing/feeding and clothing themselves is to steal it from others-either through 'entitlements' or outright stealing it. This also includes places where there are lots of "academics" and "professional students"-they are some of the biggest pigs at the trough.
-Unionized government workers including police/fire. Look at what happened in Wisconsin for just a taste of the kind of crap they will pull. Wisconsin showed us that it is a very small step for the police to go from "to protect and serve" to violence, extortion and corruption.
-Laws that severely restrict the ownership of firearms and their use as a method of self defense.
I would also try to be at least 100 miles from the nearest city of over 100,000. Why? The vast majority of people in the US keep about enough gas in their cars to go 100 miles. Plus the attrition rate on the "golden horde" (via getting shot looting, breaking through roadblocks, etc.) will take out the vast majority of them before they go 100 miles.
History teaches that when the economy dies, civilization dies. Civilization will survive there long after it is only a memory written in the ruins of the great secular cities and countries. Learn a lesson from the fall of the Roman Empire. When it died, so did trade. Roads and laws were not maintained thus it became impossible to obtain goods and services that were not locally based.
Look for states with strong governments with a general population that is self sufficient and strong then look for places with strong communities and churches within those states. Look for places where most basic goods are locally (or in state) produced. When the economy goes the US goes.The feds (like the Romans) will try to keep control but will not have the manpower nor the wherewithal to do so, they will fall like a termite riddled house. The country will fracture into smaller units (individual states or regional unions). If I had to choose a region or two I would choose Texas, Oklahoma, the Dakotas, eastern Montana (too many Californians and other 'bleu staters' in the western part), Utah except for the Wasatch front (too many Californians and other 'bleu staters' there), Alabama, Oklahoma, Alaska (except for Anchorage and Juneau). Almost all of the places I have mentioned have infestations of Californians and other 'bleu staters' but it should not be too difficult to seperate the wheat from the chaff so to speak and send the chaff down the road back to where they came from. If TSHTF the illegals would self deport in droves-when the host runs out of blood the ticks fall off.
Mexico looks real safe
Yep and Texas also. Good!
Oh, I sleep just fine!
(hee hee...)
bump
Whatever you do stay away from South Carolina. Wages are as low as Bill Clinton’s credibility, taxes are as high as Obama’s ego, the alligators would frighten Troy Landry, the cottonmouths are exceeded in size only by the diamondbacks, the ticks are thicker than wheat in Kansas, the average IQ is even lower than the wages. The banjo boy from Deliverance moved here because it seemed like home. The fire ants are being recruited by the Jihadists who have a training camp in York County. The coyotes are killing off the deer and the wild hogs rooting up the nut grass leave holes big enough to lose a Jeep in. The Flathead catfish have eaten up most of the game fish and grown so large they are said to be turning into maneaters. Don’t believe all you have heard about how conservative the state is, that is on average and since most of us conservatives consider Rush Limbaugh to be a socialist the liberals think Obama is a right winger. Charleston has fewer fruits but more nuts than San Francisco. In short there is no place fit to live in this state except for one little half acre lot somewhere in the hills and I have lost my directions to it. Your chances of being happy here are slim and none and Slim just joined the Marines and is headed to Afghanistan.
On the other hand if you are the type to crave a good fight on Saturday night you might like some parts of the state.
THX THX.
“Look for states with strong governments with a general population that is self sufficient and strong then look for places with strong communities and churches within those states.”
An eminently wise choice. Safety in numbers and all that. Associate with like-minded people who believe in the Constitution, are armed and trained to use those arms.
“it’s a good idea to live more than one gas tank away from any large city.”
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Good luck with that unless you mean VERY large city. A tank of gas is a one way trip of four hundred miles or even more depending on vehicle.
New Hampshire is the only state in the northeast that is not hostile to firearms. I was born there, grew up there and intend to move back there. Up North. Massholes have ruined Southern New Hampshire.
That’s my plan. Plant a garden, get some livestock, and know thy neighbors.
Shhh!
You are suppose to tell about the -65 temperatures and the 7 months of winter! Keep on talking about Alaska and even more refugees will try to drive here!
But realistically Alaska IS a safe if not the safest place in America to be should such events like Yellowstone erupting, illegal immigrant invasions, terrorism or political dangers.
The interior of Alaska nobody gives a dam about. But the natural resources are outrageously abundant, provided a person can live with that mindset.
No netflix, no cable TV, no phone lines, gas lines, hardly any real roads. Gun laws? Hardly any. Cost of living? Extremely high in the big city and living like you would in the lower 48,in the interior its a different story, chop down your own trees for a log house, mortar your own fireplace, harvest local game, grow foods VERY quickly and then you have this natural barrier against the outside of sheer distance and of course the weather and in most respects Alaska is a natural fortress.
In Western Tennessee, there are no hills to speak of, and that’s close to the New Madrid deal. The Navy map shows it under water if the New Madrid blows; winters there can be buggers, though maybe a bit shorter than northern winters.
Probably 300 miles is good enough. My gas tank holds 20 gallons, I supposed big trucks might have bigger ones. I have two old cargo vans and usually if I drive to the nearest big cities (both about 6 plus hours away) I generally need to refill at some point in the journey.
Even 200 miles is better than nothing. But to live within half a tank of any big cities is IMO something that will be later bitterly regretted.
Definitely not The Mid-South, don’t come down here, it’s a horrible place. Just horrible.
You should instead consider New Jersey, New York, Chicago, Boston, Denver, Seattle or Los Angeles.
Any of those would be a better bug out zone than anywhere near the TN/NC mountains. Take my word for it.
I agree!! South Carolina really sucks.. you don’t wanna come here!! North carolina or virginia are much nicer places
Terrible advice! Especially the Upstate of SC. Stay away from here. It's no good......
I've never owned a cell phone, but have a sat phone for emergencies and I never use it. We are still on slow dial up but have dir tv. More importantly, we live off what the land and river provides as a matter of seasonal subsistence. I could put up 100 hundred kings if I needed to, use to always put up 3000 chums for my dogteam. Everybody here snares rabbits come winter, gets all the caribou they need in fall, and heck I was shooting spring mallards last night myself. People here do what the Indians have done since time began and it becomes quite part of lifestyle.
Most lower 48ers can't deal with giving up the city when it comes right down to it, no joke. At first, I missed some things too, but quickly figured out what I gained was more important; but I still get hungry for big macs mid winter.
Food & supplies will always flow if you have the bucks to buy them. High cost of living is what will kill people everywhere; the less I spend and more I make it on my own the better. It's a way of life we have always followed here. The State of Alaska could survive economically on it's own also with resource development. Just look at how many fed regs are not enforced here and matter of law of the land back east.
WE feel quite good about the future out here, not much will change except higher prices. When you can control what you spend, half the battle is over. People in urban areas can't control their cost of living, just keeps going up; everything you do costs big bucks.
Luv the freedom I have out here, the country is just icing on the cake, and the minus 60 for 2-3 weeks a winter is a minor distraction.
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