Still think that life out west is all about cowboy hats and cattle rustling? Think again. Today, America’s Western States count among the most diverse, economically successfully, and technically advanced regions in the country.
Housing Options are Pricy but More Varied
This might seem like a contradiction, but it’s really not. The first thing most East Coast transplants think when moving out west is “Good lord, property is expensive out here.” But the second thing they think, after they’ve looked a little closer, is “Wow, it’s a lot easier to find affordable housing out here.” How is this possible?
It’s true, there’s a lot of expensive housing in the Western States, especially in coastal California. But there’s also a wider variety of housing options, from small urban apartments to huge hillside mansions. In other words, it’s easy to find something to fit your specific needs. Add to that the reasonable prices on houses for rent in Phoenix, Roswell, Green River, and other non-Cali regions, and the west is a lot more accommodating than some people realize.
Tech is Leading in Post-Recession Growth
Though more than a decade past at this point, The Great Recession of 2007-2009 still has a major impact on American industry, with the recent Covid-19 pandemic doing nothing to help matters. While many local economies are still in the process of bouncing back, though, those in the west are surging.
The biggest reason for that? The rise of tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Facebook. These are some of the most innovative and important employers in modern times, and it’s notable that they all have one special thing in common: they’re all headquartered in the Western States. This has led to tremendous job growth, wealth accumulation, and improved quality of life for those living out west.
Weather is Warmer but Not Monotonous
There’s a misconception about the Western States that a lot of folks living in places like New York and Pennsylvania seem to have. Many people seem to think life out west is always hot and sunny, with little variation. That’s great, they say, for those who enjoy warm weather and lazy days at the beach. But what about everyone else?
Well, everyone else can rest assured that while, yes, the climate on the whole does tend to be a lot warmer and dryer than on the East Coast, that doesn’t make it monotonous. In fact, Western States like Washington, Oregon, Utah, and even the famously tropical California are home to some of the snowiest places in the country. In other words, it’s not all red deserts and tumbleweeds, not even in Arizona, which receives an average of 101.7 inches of snow per year.
Article by Born Realist