$1200 a month

Perhaps Topeka, Kansas. I had a sister who moved there only because she could afford the rent there.

Depends what you mean by "comfortably." Even in NYC, thousands of people live on that.

But are you willing to live in a tiny studio, with a roommate, in the worse part of the Bronx?

Most university towns that aren't cities. There's money to be made providing a lot of cheap apartments - in many places, say $600, even without a roommate and often providing wi-fi. You'd have to scrimp, but they're often located close enough to walk to shop and eat out. Even medium cities (60k plus) have buses - but you might have to be able to walk to work to make it, but the big employers in such places are close together - university/hospital/restaurants/retail.

With a roommate or maybe in a trailer park, most anywhere you could swing it. Or in one of those RV's with bed/kitchenette/utility hookups.

That sounds perfect, R3.

Any specifics?

Preferably no roommate.

A brothel in Nevada, OP. And you don’t have to spend any money commuting to work!

R3 Recently I checked in one place to find that sort of thing and found an apartment for $600 ($650 is you want a washer/dryer) and it was a 10 minute walk to a university with 12,000 students. The city's about 100,000. It's safe enough but in the Deep South. I'd assume something similar might be available in the Midwest -- places most people don't think to move to.

Although the job market can be tough because of the university students looking for part-time work. But if you're in healthcare or education - or work remotely - it could easily be done.

Places like Hammond, Louisiana; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Champagne, Illinois -- you want a medium size college town, probably, instead of, say, Moscow, Idaho. Try for 50k to 100k population and a good-sized school, 10k or so. Those places are built for people getting by on a shoe string.

Oh and the university towns have a bonus: symphonies, plays, jazz bands, interesting lectures and clubs -- you don't have to be a student to take advantage of the cultural events and such.

I misspelled Champaign IL but anyhow, there are dozens if not hundreds of college towns like that.

Are you on Social Security OP? Are you hoping to work at one of these cheaper destinations? If not lots of smaller cities in the rust belt would be doable on that income. Perhaps places like Dayton Ohio.

Oh and if you're income is fairly low, at least try to apply for food stamps/SNAP. Could save a lot of money if your food is free. You can't have much savings though - although in some places they don't count your car. Rules vary but check it out:

One quick check at link requires:

Your assets amount to $4,250 or less. Your net income is your gross income minus any allowable deductions. And assets are "countable resources" like cash, money in a bank account, and certain vehicles. For fiscal year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023), a two-member household with a net monthly income of $1,526 (100% of poverty) might qualify for SNAP.

* if YOUR income is fairly low....

god I hate chaotic English spelling. Most languages don't even have to teach "spelling" in primary school because it's logical.

Scranton, PA

I pay a little more than that for a beautiful, brand new studio, in a luxury building, with amenities, centrally located, in prominent East Coast city. These days, if you want to pay $1500 or less for your own apartment, go through your city's housing office. The prices are too high for normal people. To afford a nice place, you're either from a wealthy family or well educated and making six figures.

Grand Rapids, MI Decent rent, an incredible craft beer scene, the restaurants are very diverse, and not expensive. You just have to put up with the winter, sadly that's a big ask, but not as bad as what some places get.

R10 Pennsylvania (and several other states) have savings programs that allow people on Social Security, SSI (and I think Cash Assistance) to save up to $35,000 a year. Those funds do not effect (affect?) any state or Federal benefits (housing assistance, medical or food "stamps", etc.) In PA, it is called "PA Able".

For what it's worth (pun intended), I think the lowest cost of living is in Mississippi.

I looked up Topeka KS because I used to live near there and gurl they are chock full of murders these days, 7 in the last month alone. Looks like the cops are shooting plenty of people, too.

Last time I was there in 2018 the entire town had gotten grungy in a way it hadn't been when I'd been there regularly in 2004 and 2005. Glancing around at the news stories out of Topeka, it looks like there's a lot of crime in Topeka and the entire surrounding area. Not sure I'd move there just because it's affordable.

I live in rural PacNW, rents are not cheap anymore, and 1200 a month would mean a shared apt or room in a house to survive. 1 BR apts are at least 900 a month, and those are not at all updated, and your neighbors have loud dogs.

OP said $1200/month total, not just on rent but for everything.

Looking at rents in Topeka (because R1 mentioned it and I'm slightly familiar with it) the lowest is $550-$700 for a one bedroom in what looks to be a college apartment or in areas that aren't the safest, and in complexes with run-down buildings.

You'd still have to pay electricity, gas, insurance, and food and transportation with the remaining $500/month. I guess you could do it but it would probably be bleak. I can't imagine that it's much different in any other Midwestern college town.

[quote]Oh and the university towns have a bonus: symphonies, plays, jazz bands, interesting lectures and clubs

And the university libraries, where you're bound to find a convenient gloryhole frequented by horny PhD candidates.

OP, take a look at Springfield, Ohio. It has many colleges in the area, beautiful parks, and low living costs.

Go ahead and click the link I provided; it works.

Not this college town nonsense. They're insular places where the cultural stuff happens once in a while and then it's gone. You'd be living in the college student ghetto in a hovel with noisy neighbors and a slumlord.

$1200/mo before taxes---you could have lived in most places except maybe NYC (you'd need roommates) 40 years ago. $1200 after taxes, most places 30 years ago.

There are some YouTube channels, like World According to Briggs and Nick Johnson's, that cover this topic of where you can live the cheapest.

I suspect no place will be so great on 1200 a month but not being great is why they are affordable. OP< Have you ever thought of becoming Fern from Nomadland? Lots of people are doing it now because they can't afford the rents.

R16, I hope Lawrence isn't like that.

My mom lives on 1100, that's her SS check. But it's only viable because she got into a federally subsidized apartment building for the oldies. Her rent is set to not exceed 1/3 her income.

Pretty tough to do- I believe that is well below the poverty line- so…

Live perhaps, but tough to do it with comfort.

That’s a very small SS check R26. That must be what’s left after her Medicare add ons are taken out.

R25 is Dean Winchester.

[quote] Are you on Social Security OP? Are you hoping to work at one of these cheaper destinations?

Not on SS. Just retiring early, and taking the penalities.

I could work, but I would prefer not to, which is why I'm retiring early.

I don't think I'm eligible for Senior Housing yet, because most of them are 62 or 65 minimum age requirements.

Any Indian reservation.

$1200 goes nowhere nowdays.

Las Vegas? I don't know how the public transportation is, though. Seems like a car town.

I doubt that Las Vegas would work. There are few apartments there for less than 700 a month.

It's a shame we don't have those old-fashioned boarding houses where you could rent a room, have communal meals -- maybe like the old YMCA plan, though that might have just been for really young people.

I think Barney Fyfe lived in a boarding house on the Andy Griffith show. And there was a film about one? with some older British stars - wish I could remember one. David Niven? Probably one of those in the link - The L Shaped Room?

I know of one boarding house for visually-impaired people in Chicago -- and I think there are others for various disabilities. But it used to be anybody. Like John Wayne and Lauren Bacall in the west when he was dying? Oh I can't remember shit, but what a lovely idea for low-cost housing. With all the homeless problems, and migrant ones as well, you'd think they'd make a comeback.

Is that the same as the British "bed sits"? Are they still a thing?

Oh -- and universities sometimes have bulletin boards where people are looking to rent rooms to single people. Some specify 'female' or 'graduate student or older'. It's a thought to make it a few years till your retirement income increases.

The seven murders in Topeka in January were all domestic abuse situations or drug deal issues. It isn't like the general population is getting murdered randomly. It's a perfectly nice, quiet, place to live. Looking at apartments.com, there are plenty of nice one-bedroom apartments available for under $700 a month. Utilities aren't going to run that high in a one-bedroom apartment either. You would have to have a car there, though, unless you want to be dependent on the buses.

Sounds like a trip to Ohio is in order.

My sister is doing fine in Topeka. She lives in a studio apartment and pays 500 a month for it plus electricity. She is also doing it without a car but lives within walking distance of a supermarket. I suspect her life isn't so different from when she lived in Long beach, CA but she is someone who enjoys staying home.

Have you considered Darfur? On $1200 you would be king of the village!

Why don't apartment complexes in the Midwest have pools? Maybe they do in the fancier Kansas City suburbs but I don't see them in the smaller cities and towns. It gets hot as hell in the Plains states in the summer.

Get thee to an Indian reservation, live like a king on fry bread and creosote

Too much winter r42. All that concrete heating up then freezing afterwards year after year destroys roads much less the continuous maintenance that would be needed for a pool.

I think most of you suggesting college towns are remembering old times.

A lot of college towns have rental prices through the roof.

R44 Thank you for the explanation.

R35 I recently read an article about bringing back boarding houses as a solution to the housing crisis. I found it again.

Dunno about NYC, but I'm in a larger Canadian city and for $1200 I could get the cheapest room rental for that ($600 CAD), and feed myself for under $100 a week (up to $400-500), and scrounge the rest for whatever other bills.

If I penny pinch the rent price more ($500-550 somehow), and get the cheapest recipe ingredients (beans, rice, noodles, meat and fruit sales), its very 'possible', but terrible to expect one to subsist on. $1500 can work though - any full time job, say 30+ hours a week on $15+/hr, lets one live (work in walking distance, minimal lifestyle), but they don't necessarily build any future.

There was a good boarding house in Sacramento run by a sweet old lady. It was in all the papers!

R42: I lived in several Midwestern (and New England) apartment complexes with pools. You drain them in the fall and make repairs (if needed ) in the spring and the weather isn't a big issue. You don't find many newer complexes with pools anywhere because it's cheaper tp take a dank basement and make it a "gym".

Seems like the cheapest places to live are red states.

Depressed red states.

[quote]Dunno about NYC, but I'm in a larger Canadian city and for $1200 I could get the cheapest room rental for that ($600 CAD)

You must not live in Ontario.

I live alone in an older spacious duplex in New Orleans near City Park, but I use one side unit for storage of many diverse personal and Collectible items I've acquired over the years. I prefer to live alone, and I do not wish to be a landlord with tenants living next door to me. I know it's rough out there, but I'm too settled in my old gay ways at 59. I'm perfectly happy and content in quiet solitude with my alone time, my pets, my hobbies, volunteer work, and an occasional instance of keeping company with a gentleman caller now and again.. I work at home alone,, I live alone,, and prefer it that way. I sometimes have guests stay over for varied occasions like Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, etc. But they are here for a set amount of time, and rarely for more than a week. :-)

That sounds fabulous. I love NOLA despite the grunge. Or maybe because of it.

Not sure why r53replied to OP's post except to tell us about how fabulous his life is. Another DL humble brag perhaps.

If you're over 55, 695.00 per month in Gresham Oregon...seems very gay.

Sure its called 1973.

R53, we're talking about $1200 per month. Could you break down your numbers on your spacious duplex and living expenses?

[quote] but I use one side unit for storage of many diverse personal and Collectible items I've acquired over the years

What's a "side unit"? Does this mean you use 1 unit of your 2 units for storage? Then, you live in the other unit?

R55 Because OP spoke of wanting to retire early and live alone - and that's what he's done, perhaps in an inexpensive old house in a fairly cheap city?

R53 Lestat de Lioncourt

Stay away from Flawduh. God's waiting room has become unaffordable for the moribund.

IS R53 living in New Orleans on less than 1200 as a renter?

Consider moving to Mexico?

Let some sand n*gg**s shit on you and money won't be a problem.

Marrero is a suburb of New Orleans but practically inside the city, if I remember correctly - it's been years since I stayed at a hotel there but I liked the area (1990s)

House for Rent: 6219 3rd Ave, Marrero LA, $595/mo. 1636 Monroe Street, New Orleans, $600/mo. 6219 3rd Ave., Marrero $600/mo. 8627 Apple St, New Orleans, $600/mo. 1636 Monroe St, New Orleans (room for rent), $600.

The link may not work but I looked up apartments in New Orleans on Feb 11, and that's what popped up.

You should get a house.

I pay less than $1,200 a month in home costs since I paid my mortgage off 11 years early.

R66 And how is he supposed to get a house if he only has $1,200 a month and is close to retirement? Not particularly helpful.

R67 Sell some stock? Although probably not in this market, unless OP needs to do some tax loss harvesting.

My income is 1250 a month from SS. I sometimes sell on ebay for extra money. I barely make it but I own my own home which is paid for. I have a 9 year old car which is also paid for. I live in a place that is really cheap. Our Victorian mansions sell for under $200,000. Without owning anything I think it will be a major struggle for you especially since you are younger. Eventually everything will be so high you won't be able to afford it because SS does Not keep up with the cost of living. Try and keep working if you can.

The most affordable cities in the US, according to US News and World Report:

- Hickory, NC.

- Green Bay, WI.

- Quad Cities, IA-IL (Davenport-Bettendorf, IA & Moline-Rock Island, IL)

-Fort Wayne, IN.

-Pittsburgh, PA.

-Beaumont, TX.

The only one I'd even consider is Pittsburgh.

I wonder about that. I'm lazy but if I were serious about choosing a cheap place to live, I would spend hours looking up apartment availability and rent prices. I'd be shocked if you could get one in Pittsburgh as cheap as you could Hammond, Louisiana, or other really 'off the track' towns and cities with universities.

You don't need a university if you're in a city -- but you do in Podunky places because of the Zeitgeist and the cultural opportunities.

r70 If you live in that first one, they might sing this song about you.

I would say no. Not if you don't own the property, have some sweetheart rent deal, don't mind living in a below average apartment, not if you can't find some special deal, or not if you don't like having roommates.

In a study that looked at every U.S. city with a population of 50,000+, the cheapest city was Springfield, Missouri with rent for a one-bedroom averaging $662/month.

It's possible, of course, it just depends on finding some bargain rent, maybe for a small efficiency apartment or something outdated it basic features.

Here is a 1BR, 1 BA house with washer/dryer in Hutchinson KS (between Salina and Wichita) for $550/mo close to a grocery store.

I think the zoning laws for that area require you to have a beat-up old car on cinder blocks in the front yard and chain link fencing.

I'll give another vote for New Orleans as an affordable place that someone would actually enjoy living in. I don't do it on as bare bones a budget as OP is requesting, but I live in a newly renovated, one-bedroom apartment for $960 a month two blocks from St Charles Ave. I've been here seven years, and in that time, my rent has gone up less than $100. I don't drive, and the city is very walkable and bikeable with decent public transit, so I don't have any vehicle expenses. My internet and power are pretty expensive, though. $110 and $90 per month. And there is a lot of cheap, free fun to be had in the city. Carnival is happening now, and for about two weeks, you can have an immense amount of fun that doesn't cost you a dime.

1,200 a month? Sure you can. It's called living in poverty and accessing every government and nonprofit program you can to supplement it . Those places with dirt cheap rents come with other costs associated with living in the sticks.

right

I am living on about 1200 a month here in suburban Phoenix. I have a retirement income of about twice that so am doing okay. The secret to doing it is I am married and split the expenses. We bought the house 7 years back when housing costs were low here and my half of the mortgage is about 250 a month. I don't feel poor at all.

Public housing.

OP can join our Taylor in KL.

Taylor apparently has a condo in Florida, too.

Drop the fag and marry a hag. There are lots of em begging dudes any dude to share their condos. If you close your eyes and touch their wizened tit once a month ya score a cruise. The decks are slippery and accidents happen. Pop a Cialis close you eyes and think of Chris Hemsworth. A year at max you'll be on easy street.

OP? I retired at 58, bought a trailer on almost 1/2 acre for $30K, and lived for four years here in "Deplorable Haven, FL" (in the Ocala National Forest) on my $800/month pension. But I also worked online PT/seasonally for a large public university reading/scoring college applications, therefore making 3-4K a year to supplement my pension. Now I'm collecting $1400/month Social Security to add to my $800 pension, and I feel positively rich!

There are any number of trailers in my neck of the woods that are empty, and you could actually live in one for free as long as the owner doesn't object (read: find out). Just go out in the middle of nowhere (all around me) and find one and no one will know whether you're there legally or not. Chances are good no one will know who the owner is anyway, and if they do, no one will care enough to notify them. If you "squat" there long enough (I actually know a guy who's doing this; he's 60), the owner will have to jump through all kinds of hoops to get rid of you, and since most of the empty trailers here were left by dead oldsters to their children (who can't be bothered to even sell them), you could probably live that way for quite awhile.

Good luck!

^ Where you are is Shangri-La compared to a studio in downtown Long Beach.

[quote] one-bedroom averaging $662/month.

R73 - wouldn't that mean that half the apartments would be less than $662 if that's the average.

I live on 800 a month. But I own my home outright.

R77 is correct. Utility, grocery and gas prices are MUCH higher in smaller areas. Internet is poor and costs a fortune. Health care is terrible and there is often no public transportation. College towns are expensive now too.

Have you thought about Honduras?

R49 I’m from Sacramento. My husband actually wanted to buy that house, turn it into a bed and breakfast and have an old lady at the front desk.

Where I live, there are these nice senior, modest, single level, one bedroom apartments. Each has a carport and a small area to plant flowers. Laundry hook ups inside. There is a clubhouse. Rent is sliding scale and the gate is closed at night (with a code.) have a friend that lives there on about $856 a month. She signed up for low income utilities. There is public transportation & it’s adequate. Other seniors there with cars will invite her on grocery runs and she takes the bus to dr appointments. Her children send her some money periodically for extras.

Rent, utilities, AND food? And some form of transportation? That's asking a lot out of 1200 even in hicksville.

R83, Clark Gable’s first two wives looked like they could be his mother.

R83, Is that Lillian Carter?

r92 It's possible they could get a decent enough place within walking distance to commuter train and to a city with public transport. . . and chances are, they could find some food affordable resources for food along the way, if not double dipping into both outside of the city and city resources.

damage and distance could be lessened if they qualify for a SRO. If they don't, I'd have to know what they do for a living or they're willing to do. There are several options for live-in staff, not all sexual. And of course, numerous other trade off situations.

If they'd rather live in a rural or semi-rural place, there's the possibility communes or collective communities (though, they're just as expensive these days.. and geared more to remote workers willing to pay. There are, of course, some options in the city for that sort of thing too) but there are more traditional opportunities as well, usually seasonal but it often includes room and board, and someone willing to take them to town now and again. Also in the seasonal trade, are the varied arts and music festivals, the ones with housing tend to be isolated but they do usually have transportation twice a day to the nearest major city or large town.

There's a few govt opportunities as well but generally geared towards younger people in crisis, even if over 18 pre-college. . . mostly see that kind of thing with the forestry departments.

R35 Honestly! Get a grip!

Rainbow Vista looks lovely, R56.

But is it a Boarding House? Motel?

The website says they also rent on a daily basis.

There's always OnlyFans.

[quote]The seven murders in Topeka in January were all domestic abuse situations or drug deal issues. It isn't like the general population is getting murdered randomly

Four were domestic murders (three kids and one adult woman) but the other three haven't had details listed. You're assuming they're drug deals, but people who aren't involved in those kinds of drug deals often get killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, like in a cheap apartment next door to Methy McMetherson.

If you go to the link below you'll see tons of arson, car wrecks, drug arrests, and apparently Topeka has a real problem with water mains breaking once a week, which is weird. The cops apparently also love pulling people over who are legally transporting marijuana to CO or MO where it's legal. How fun.

Jeez, this is bleak. The news for the last 3 days isn't so bad, but if you scroll down, it turns into nothing but meth, burglaries, "officer-involved shootings," arson, and sports. Lots of sports.

Anyway, I would suggest anyone wanting to move to any place listed on this thread, including Topeka, find a local group or two and hang out on it and ask around. They're going to know more about stuff than the news does. For instance, where I live, some crazy lady tried to burn down the house across the street from me, and it didn't even make the news.

Impossible!

Gosh $1200 per month for everything (rent, utilities, food and transport) would be extremely difficult OP.

It would have to be share accommodation of some kind.

R49 = Your BB dream is flawed because that would imply anyone would want to come to Sacramento to visit. I've lived there. A hellhole of dry heat, crime, and overpopulation. But I will say lots of cruising along the American River.

I suspect the OP can't be too picky in regards to living on 1200 a month. There is usually a reason places are cheap . Topeka may not be Manhattan but it sure is cheap. I suppose one would need to put up with all sorts of things in order to live in low cost locations.

R103: Cheaper than NYC, of course, but Topeka doesn't sound that cheap if the total monthly budget is $1200. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Topeka is $790; for a studio it's $610.

Even for an average studio apartment, $590 is not a huge sum of after rent money to budget. The average electric bill for an 850sf apartment is $211 (versus $177 in NYC); monthly internet service is $80 (versus $69 in NYC).

More possible than in NYC, but no one is going to feel rich at the end of the month just because they're closer to where wheat grows.

[quote]The only one I'd even consider is Pittsburgh

I live here…it’s not nearly as affordable as those lists lead people to believe. In fact, things like groceries and restaurants are more expensive here than where I came from in the Hudson Valley. To continue the comparison…utilities are slightly lower in the Pitts but gas is more expensive. There’s no difference in prices between both when it comes to major brick and mortar retailers and the difference in taxes is negligible.

Housing is more affordable but that also depends…affordable housing means you get what you pay for, which is usually a very old home that hasn’t been renovated. Newer housing is more expensive. You also need to pay attention to the neighborhood…the better neighborhoods like Lawrenceville and Squirrel Hill etc aren’t going to be cheap. Up and coming neighborhoods like the Strip are fast becoming expensive. The “cheaper” neighborhoods tend to high crime rates and are run down.

Topeka rules!

Hudson Valley is *exactly* where I’d go.

Not directed at OP....but all of you young homeowners, pay off your mortgage before you're too old to do so. You never know what health challenges are ahead as you age. Husband and I were late in doing so, but finally paid ours off last year, I'm 62, he's 66. Our social security combined will be around 6800.00 per month, which will be more than enough to live on without drawing from 401k. I wish we had our act together sooner so we could have built more of a nest egg. I'm taking SS at 66, he's waiting until he's 70. We both are working part time until then, and we're living well off that income. Get your hosing squared away when you're young, and lets hope to god the R's don't fuck with SS and Medicare.

“Get your hosing squared away.” Oh dear.

$1200 won't get you a goddamned thing these days.

Maybe an abandoned mausoleum?

Chicago. They’re giving poors an extra $500/month cash.

Costa Rica. If you can prove a $1000 guaranteed income or more, you can live comfortably on that and get this visa.

Jenny from 90 Day moved to India and lives on something like 600 a month social security.

Go away from the coasts and there is plenty of places in America where land is cheap.

Can get your own apartment in Mississippi for 600 bucks. Little places in unpopular states are very affordable.

Here's a $570 one in Hattiesburg Mississippi - there's a 12,000 student university there - and the metro area has about 100,000 people. (it's an hour from the gulf coast and a little bit farther than that to New Orleans (about 130 miles)

Looks decent R116, but the availability says nothing is available.

The price is right, though.

That's right - I was stupid not to check the availability. However, the semesters end in May and December -- so you might could get on a list and expect a vacancy (or maybe anytime in the summer, when a lot of students aren't there)

[quote] Oh and the university towns have a bonus: symphonies, plays, jazz bands

And mass murderers.

Tuscaloosa, AL is another deep south college town with cheap rent.

No way, R120.

Tuscaloosa is home to the SEC's finest football school, the University of Alabama.

It's famous around the country.

I highly doubt that rent in Tuscaloosa would be cheap.

Kids from around the country (especially those looking to go to THE best football school) would be clamoring to attend the University of Alabama and rent off-campus apartments.

I couldn't live anywhere where people have that horrible southern accent.

Here is another one in Tuscaloosa.

My favorite U of Alabama story was a nursing alum telling me he graduated from a top 5 public school.

Top 5 where? In Alabama? In Tuscaloosa?

Try prison, OP.

[quote]Tuscaloosa is home to the SEC's finest football school, the University of Alabama.

Georgia won the last two national championships.

Anyway, that has nothing to do with the price of apartments in a town whose college has 38,000 students.

Definitely in Carthage Mississippi. No problem at all.

Norman, Oklahoma.

[quote] Get your hosing squared away

I beg your pardon!

And there is always North Dakota

Depressing

I think R130 looks great! A city of about $60,000 (and that may not include it's sister-city just across the Minnesota border.

Grand Forks is a city in North Dakota. It sits on the Minnesota border, across from its sister city of East Grand Forks. Along the Red River, the Greenway is a system of waterfront parks and trails. Lincoln Drive Park has gardens and multi-use trails. The North Dakota Museum of Art displays contemporary works from around the world. Performances at the Empire Arts Center include drama and musicals.

I haven't investigated but Minnesota tends to have better state services than most states - due to its progressive past and the Swedish influence, I guess. And it's voted blue most of the time. It might be perfect for a cheap retirement destination - and it's the home of the University of North Dakota with 15,000 students, so there would be cultural/educational opportunities there. Often the affiliated clubs allow anyone to participate - I belonged to a "Secular Student Alliance" at a local university in my 50s and I fit in just fine because we had mutual interests and concerns.

* no idea why I put a dollar sign before the population - sorry about that

This one is kind of sweet. I would have loved it as a student into vintage things.

R132/R133, you apologize for a dollar sign before the population, but not for claiming Minnesota "is the home of the University of North Dakota"?

Two parts of one metropolitan area - Grand Forks in the ND side, East Grand Forks in the MN side - but yeah, that was a really fucked up paragraph. Sorry.

If you're in Grand Forks, you could become friends with Molly Yeh and her farmer husband, Nick. Maybe she'd invite you over for brunch.

North Dakota rents in oil country were more expensive than New York City a few years ago.

North Dakota? Makes me shiver just reading about it. How are you going to pay for heat?

R140 is correct.

Grand Forks looks lovely, but check the weather forecast for this week.

Google "Grand Forks Weather" and be afraid. Be VERY afraid.

I spent a year in Montana once and my apartment building was heated with radiators. It is cold in that part of the world but Montana is a dry cold so it wasn't so bad.

Montana, North Dakota, and MInnesota are the three coldest states in the Continental U.S.

Still, all three are incredibly expensive, given the weather.

Recently, Montana is being sold as some sort of nature paradise resort, driving prices skyrocketing.

That stupid Yellowstone show doesn't help, either.

When I was in college, I lived in an apartment above a funeral home. The rent was free, in exchange for doing the snow shoveling, and vacuuming and dusting the funeral home. The apartment was nice, modern and quiet.

I’ve heard Boise is cheap and also pretty safe.

[quote] I’ve heard Boise is cheap and also pretty safe.

That's what they said about Moscow, Idaho.

Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, NEw Mexico. North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia. Take your pick...

Your mother's basement.

I think more people need to consider having a roommate or living in a situation where several people share a house.

I'd rather have a roommate than live in a backward red state.

Boise isn't cheap at all these days.

[quote]I think more people need to consider having a roommate or living in a situation where several people share a house.

A friend of mine in London did this…they bought a house with two other people. I think it’s weird but they’re quite happy.

[quote]Montana, North Dakota, and MInnesota are the three coldest states in the Continental U.S.

The "Continental U.S." in includes Alaska.