I’d say NC over TN. Milder temps for one thing. I’m near the coast in Eastern NC in a heavily agricultural county. Tons of free state resources available for all sizes of farms/homesteads/backyard gardens. Good soil. Abundant water, fish, and hunting. Not woke (only the areas around Charlotte and Raleigh are). Friendly and helpful law enforcement in the counties. A lot of retired military and wildlife officers here. Cost of living is, of course, higher than before 2021, but grocery food is 2/3 cheaper than in Raleigh. And we’re on an electric co-op grid that’s not for profit (hope to one day be off grid but that’s not yet!) so it’s inexpensive and they give us back any budgeted money not spent on infrastructure improvements each Sept. And of course a friendly, competent, talented community.
I’d say NC over TN. Milder temps for one thing. I’m near the coast in Eastern NC in a heavily agricultural county. Tons of free state resources available for all sizes of farms/homesteads/backyard gardens. Good soil. Abundant water, fish, and hunting. Not woke (only the areas around Charlotte and Raleigh are). Friendly and helpful law enforcement in the counties. A lot of retired military and wildlife officers here. Cost of living is, of course, higher than before 2021, but grocery food is 2/3 cheaper than in Raleigh. And we’re on an electric co-op grid that’s not for profit (hope to one day be off grid but that’s not yet!) so it’s inexpensive and they give us back any budgeted money not spent on infrastructure improvements each Sept. And of course a friendly, competent, talented community.