<p>hypothetical case:</p>
<p>You may get laid-off / retired with a kid still in high school. Where would be a good place to “retire” with low cost of living, very good public schools and a very good state university?</p>
<p>The Wall Street Journal did a great write-up on Bloomington, Indiana as a place that fits those criterion a few months ago. The average house prices seem incredible to me as a Californian.</p>
<p>Not to take anything away from Indiana but I don’t know if I’d put it with UNC, Virginia or Michigan. It’s pretty easy to get into from OOS for one thing - with financial aid.</p>
<p>I think the southwest and the south tend to have lower college tuition. Maybe Arizona or Florida. I would be concerned about Miss, Louisiana and Alabama in the HS years. I’m sure the colleges are fine.</p>
<p>Is your priority cost of living, or schools?
Fayetteville, Arkansas would be a place to consider–low cost of living, excellent public high school that produces a lot of NMFs every year, U of A --a good and very reasonably priced U. Safe and scenic area. More diversity and cultural events than you’d expect (if you’re worried about “Arkansas”)</p>
<p>I’d go with North or South Dakota, which would then get you in-state tuition at U of Minn.</p>
<p>The Roanoke, Virginia area comes to mind, although I’m not very familiar with the public high schools in that area. Winston-Salem, NC and vicinity is another. Home prices in both of those metropolitan areas are dirt cheap, as are taxes. Of course, this is from the perspective of a New Yorker.</p>
<p>We had a CC poster a few years back who had a chance to relocate anywhere. She chose South Carolina and raved about the cheap colleges.</p>
<p>Big fan of both Carolinas…South is a little bit warmer…less fantastic high schools. The publics in Chapel Hill or Cary in NC are excellent and the colleges are very affordable. I’d probably go there with a highschooler, but that’s just me. The West like Wyoming and Montana…don’t know about the schools, but the COL and the view is spectacular.</p>
<p>Arizona, if you can stand the heat. Wisconsin? Parts of the Eastern WA used to be very inexpensive to live, including Walla Walla (not sure about now).</p>
<p>I would definitely move to NC… oh wait, I did move to NC ! </p>
<p>I think user Katwithkittens (or something like that) moved to NC - not as a retiree perhaps - with college in mind, and it worked out very well.</p>
<p>Public schools in the Charlotte area are not universally great, so you have to choose your neighborhood/suburb/town carefully, but it is a great area to live in and you can’t beat the selection and quality of state universities. In state even gets a bump for acceptance to Duke I believe.</p>
<p>p.s. Although it may be difficult for a kid to move during HS it is much easier to qualify for in-state college tuition if child is under 18 and accompanies parents to new state. It varies from state to state so don’t assume you will automatically qualify the moment you move to another state.</p>
<p>If one is retiring with actual retirement income, looking at state income tax (or lack thereof) is a good idea - plus looking at how the state paying the income would tax it. I seem to remember (and google isn’t helping tonight) that CA will tax retirement paid on CA income even if the retiree has moved to another state.</p>