Tennessee and North Carolina are becoming very popular as a final destination. People retire and leave "snow" country , because it's too cold! They move to Florida and find it's too hot! They go about half way back- Tennessee and North Carolina.
We have even named them the half-backs.
Tennessee has no income tax but we do have a very high sales tax. Homes are cheaper than the Northeast. They used to be even cheaper before so many people started coming in from up north. They would pay what we considered a very high price, but it was a bargain compared to what they sold their other house for.
Property taxes; I own an older 3 bedroom 2 bath home. It's been upgraded some, 1300 to 1400 square feet, about half an acre yard. I bought it for $60,00 during the heart of the housing crisis; with the work we have done it should be worth $75,00 or so. It' a very small town, but we do have both city and county taxes. Together they are about $500 a year. Yes that is hundred!

Good luck with your situation.

I love the 'it's a dry heat' argument. When it's 95 degrees, it doesn't matter that it's dry - which is what you will get in NV, AZ, and even, I'm sorry to say in Colorado now. Summers here have turned into a blister. Don't even consider these areas if you have a child with heat issues. And if your husband is on oxygen now, you need to know whether he can live comfortably at this altitude.

Heathwotten, God bless you. I have no experience with autism but I have a mentally ill young adult son and I know what it is like being a parent in that situation and having it affect every decision we make. And I know the feeling of having it affect all of our lives at a time when my husband and I thought we would be winding down to a nice retirement and finally getting to travel, spend more time together, etc. I commend you for asking for help here and taking so many things into consideration before undertaking a move. My guess is that a move will be hard for your son and you obviously want to get this move right for all of you. God bless you and your husband and son. And the people here who are reaching out to give you info to help.

I wonder about something, and this has nothing o do with Heathwotton's per se, but rather about the Lounge rules. Heathwotton's profile says she joined the forums in Sept. 2013. The posting in the lounge is her only posting. I thought if you had not posted in the lounge before April 2013 then you can not get into the lounge at all and can't post here. Has that policy changed?

Oops sorry duh, I see now this is in the US Forum, not the lounge

We thought about Florida for retirement, there are many things we like about it but the summer heat and humidity, which can last 8-9 months would be too much.

It's good to use forums for gathering impressions and first-hand opinions. It helps concentrate priorities. Services for people with autism can vary so much from state to state that access to services including respite care has to be, I assume, a top priority.

I'm not familiar with incentives for constructing solar-powered homes but believe that varies from state to state. Where we live (SW France), a fully solar-powered home is expensive and tax rebates aren't spectacular. The investment recovery is estimated at 20-25 years. That is just an example, obviously, as it's not even in the States.

Best of luck to you and keep doing your homework and research. The best move is one with no major surprises so leave no stone unturned.

Be very AWARE when people, especially those who do not LIVE HERE, talk to you about electricity rates and how "bad" they might be.

You have to remember that there are a multitude of electricity providers in the state of Florida and a great deal depends on where you live and your provider. Also factor in the average temperature that you decide you wish to have within your dwelling, the amount of insulation in that dwelling, the efficiency of the units you use, whether or not you also use ceiling fans, the color of your roof, etc., etc.

Whether people in other states like it or not, 90+ degrees with humidity is not that different in New York City or in Miami..90 degrees is, well 90 degrees. High humidity is high humidity.

Have we talked about auto insurance rates yet?

Of course 90 F with high humidity is the same where ever it occurs, it just occurs, on average, much more often in central and south central Florida, so I don't quite understand your point.

I don't live there but have spent many weeks in Florida for business and pleasure. We did seriously research moving there as we have close relatives in Bradenton, Pensacola, Indialantic and Vero Beach. However, children in the UK and moving to an area with much lower humidity, on average, trumped Florida's temptations.

....When it's 95 degrees, it doesn't matter that it's dry - ....

O yes it does ! There is a huge difference in how it feels when it is 95 with high humidity or 95 and very low humidity. Dry heat is far more comfortable than wet heat.

I don't really understand, either. And I do disagree with the person who says it doesn't matter if it is 95 degrees if it is humid or not. Yes, it does matter, a LOT. I've been in both situations as I used to travel to Denver on business a lot and I live in Wash DC. 90 degrees were completely different in the two places in terms of how you felt.

What I don;t get is is high heat is a problem for the OPs son why move to one of the hottest/most humid parts of the country?

Why not pick a place with a more moderate climate?

My only advice is to agree with Dukey, pay attention to who lives in Florida and who is talking our of their... other end, if you get my drift.

< (Gainesville), but I know while it is moderate temp in winter, she said last year it was over 100 for several months straight, I think>
Utter nonsense. It has never been over 100 for several months straight in Gainseville, I guarantee you that.

< but in NYC our Con Ed bill in the summer is almost $700 per month>
Which qualifies you to speak about Florida how?

What is the Internet equivalent of loving the sound of your own voice?

we have lived in Ft Lauderdale for a year now and figure we swapped a furnace for an AC unit. We have a small 1970's 3 bdrm home and spent $130.00 last month on electricity. The central air runs during the day because the little 1970's houses were built so poorly. The tropical stuff is all here including palm trees, great beaches and mangos. the flip side is you see more fraud, cheating and general crime in S Florida. I have been in retail for 40 years and have seen my first counterfeit money down here. The stuff comes in from ColombiaRunning over to a car and laying down and acting hurt happens as an income booster. I have a perfect driving record and had to have our vehicle inspected to get insurance when we got here. I was told it was account of all the fraud that goes on. Further north its better.

Here's a generally, typical situation in the MIAMI area (unincorporated Miami-Dade); Culled from a neighbor of mine.
3/2 Home;Market Value: $128,399. Lot size: Adj Sq Footage: 1,481; Lot Size: 4,569 SQ FT. Property Taxes last year: $2,000.00; Electricity bill (for 2 adults): (in the summer->): $195.00; Homeowner's Insurance:$2,000.00+ (this year); every year it goes up. This does not include Flood Insurance, by the way. Property taxes go up every year depending on politics. Satellite tv: $56.00. Water bill $80.00 every three months; cell phone bill: $200.00 for 2 cell phones (no text or internet); one landline; one dsl account. Car insurance: Two vehicles (one is 10 yrs old and the other is 7 years old); $3,000.00 a year (State Farm). Annual Car decal/renewal tag for each car: $98.00 and $65.00. Mortgage: $1,100.00.

My neighbors together make about $75,000.00 in South Florida. They live from paycheck to paycheck and don't know where to cut back...living is horribly expensive in many, many areas of Florida. The heat and humidity is stifling. Day after day...this year it's been like this since about February. And this year has also been the rainiest season, it seems, in awhile. The humidity is never lower than 95% during certain seasons. My neighbors have wanted to leave, but in general, there are no jobs and making $75,000 relatively speaking is better than moving to a small town, and being up to your neck in bills anyway, making less.

You would love MANY areas of Florida, but if your child has an issue with SUMMER, the LAST place I would take my child to is FLORIDA. Good luck.

That is about as negative as you can get. Age old question, If it is that bad, why do you stay?

A lot of the bills Cira lists would be the same anywhere (cell phone, landline, dsl, satellite dish), and at least one of her facts is wrong. Property taxes have not gone up every year--because of the real estate downturn, they went down a couple of years in a row and then stayed the same for a couple of years.

Blame politics, blame the weather, but the grass-is-always-greener mentality is alive and well.

Cira, minor point, but could you tell me what kind of car these people drive that they pay $98 for the license plates? The most expensive car rate in Florida is $70.65 and even if they drive a huge motor home -- the rate would only be $72.40. Of course they can pay more if they opt for some sort of vanity or charitable plates. Is that it? If so, it's their choice so hardly should be a complaint.

And by the way, where were you during the "cold snap" this year in mid March? Or even during the first week of May this year which was amazingly pleasant. Stifling heat and humidity "like this since February"? I guess the heat has caused your memory to go -- fried your brain perhaps?

I agree with fmpden. If it's that bad, why do you stay there?

$3K a year for insurance for 2 cars that are so old collision doesn;t make any sense. That sounds really high - or like really bad driving records.'

"Our home we keep warm during the winter for him. He does not like summer ever so our home is always around 75 degrees."

I really think this person is looking for someplace warm and meant to say "He does not like winter." Why else would people keep their house so warm?

New Mexico is a very poor state; the services for special needs are strained and are really lacking. Medical services are also strained and not likely to get better.

The cost of living isn't all that bad here, but it is hot in summer, cold in winter [except in southern part of state] and it snows.

This may not be the state to head to....