Plum tomato in Salem hands down

Exactly! I get literally zero value from having to constantly re-register my car, get my inspections, and renew my license. Sure we should make sure people aren’t driving cars that are leaking or falling apart but that doesn’t warrant this level of scrutiny and fees. They’re clearly looking to discourage the use of single occupancy vehicles and drive more funds into the transportation fund now that we’re being more proactive with climate mitigation/fare free transit and grappling with inflationary pressures—both are understandable but they’re shifting the cost burden to the wrong people. If we’re gonna put up with all of these rich folks moving up here the least we can do is tax the shit out of them so we can offset the affordability crisis they’re creating. The same goes for climate!

Agreed when I moved here I was amazed at how often I have to register/inspect my car and the associated fees. It’s almost cheaper to just keep your car unregistered and risk the ticket

It’s not class warfare it’s shifting a cost burden to those who can truly afford it. If you’re living in excess you can afford to pay into services, which should be streamlined to be made as cost-effective and efficient as possible. It’s a both and scenario. Trickle down economics doesn’t work

This fucking state is getting absurd. I’m a steadfast dem and even I’ll readily say that between paid leave, childcare, clean heat standard, and now registration fees I’m gonna be paying so many taxes and fees for services I won’t even be eligible for. It’s baffling to me that a state full of second homes and short term rentals, with a rapidly aging population, is choosing to place the bulk of the tax burden on the middle class.

No worries! Sorry to be so negative. Honestly if you can carve out a life here it’s totally worth it, but it takes persistence.

I work in conservation myself so you’re in good company. There are plenty of police officer/game warden jobs open across the state and lots of nature reserves as well! Check the local land trusts for listings and the state job lists as well. State gigs don’t pay well but the benefits are solid.

Like others have said here the state has a strong sense of community, decent schools, delicious local food and beer, and largely progressive values but also a solid hunting and fishing culture as well. Not sure what you fish for out in MO but some good spots for pike, large/small mouth bass, trout (mostly stocked) and more. You can hunt turkey, deer, duck, etc but there’s some controversy around trapping right now. Interestingly if you don’t post signs on your land then others can hunt on it as well.

The winters are long but if you bundle up and find some hobbies to occupy your time they’re not so bad. Summers are mild ish and just plain beautiful. Fall will blow your mind when the trees change color. Spring is a giant muddy mess but a lot of us are riding that post-winter high anyway.

AGood luck!

As others will soon point out Vermont is in the middle of an intense housing and affordability crisis, with the cost of living vastly outpacing local wages, so it’s gonna be much more expensive than MO. Our vacancy rating is one of if not the lowest in the country. Some low income housing and subsidies are available mostly to those living on the edge of homelessness but in some cases middle income buyers can access grants/preferential financing.

I don’t know what you two do for a living but unless it’s an in demand field (teacher, nurse, builder, etc) you won’t get a warm welcome from folks on this subreddit and rightfully so as we’re having a hard time taking care of the people already living/working here. If you’re on the affluent side then that applies doubly as the influx of wealthy remote workers and second homeowners is exacerbating everything.

In short, it’s a beautiful place to live with good values, abundant outdoor rec opportunities, and nice people for the most part but extremely difficult to make a living and build a life. If you’re looking to be part of and contribute to the community in a positive way (beyond just buying things) and you’re not some other yuppie looking to play homesteader then give it a go but just make sure you go in with eyes wide open. As a flatlander myself I feel really lucky to be here but it hasn’t been easy. Started off working with local nonprofits but had to shift to remote work so I could stay and have any hope of one day buying a house/having a family. My fiancé is on her way to becoming a doctor so I’m confident we’ll be able to make it work, but again it’s not for everyone.

You should look into Adventure Dinner. Awesome staff and they put out great meals in cool places across the state. I know the owner and she’s a gem too https://www.adventuredinner.com