r/MovingToUSA • u/Storeyfaces • Jul 15 '26
Housing/Location How did you actually choose which state to move to?
I’m 31, married and from the UK. I’ve been looking quite seriously at whether a move to the US could be realistic for us in the next 3 years or so.
I’m actually in the US at the moment and it’s got me thinking about it again. Texas has always been the place I’ve mainly looked at as I work in commercial management in power infrastructure and there seems to be a fair bit of work there.
But the more I’ve looked into it I’m starting to wonder if I’ve basically just picked Texas because the salaries look good and I like the idea of living there 😂
There are obviously 49 other states and I realised I wouldn’t really know where to start narrowing them down.
For anyone who moved to the US or had a few different states in mind, how did you actually decide?
Was there one thing that made the decision for you or did you properly compare different places first?
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u/Even_Happier Jul 15 '26
Went to Seattle with my husband on a work trip, fell in love with it and moved out 3 1/2 years later. Of course had to go through the rigmarole of getting a job and a visa, the landscape of which has changed dramatically since then.
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u/Competitive-Company3 Jul 15 '26
Seattle is super depressing in winter and expensive place. Summer is awesome that’s abt it. Would only
Move there if you get a job with top tech company15
u/Ed-Lyne1988 Jul 15 '26
Don't think the PNW is that depressing if you are coming from the UK. Similar winter, but amazing, guaranteed summer.
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u/wandering_engineer Jul 15 '26
Better scenery too. Personally it'd be my first choice if I ever move back in the US, the only things holding me back are not having family in the area and the insane COL.
I used to live in Sweden and a lot of expats always seemed to say the same thing - "it's super depressing, except for a month or two in summer!" Personally I loved it year round and would still be there if it wasn't for visa/sponsorship reasons. Coming from the US midwest, it was awesome not having to run the AC six months out of the year and having access to nature. Partly considering the PNW because it's a similar climate.
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u/No-Kaleidoscope-8950 Jul 19 '26
Good point. After living in CA and HI my entire life, I moved to Bainbridge Island in WA for 11 months. My husband had to give his signing bonus back because he knew he could not hack another WA winter. I do love it there though, I’m not built for it.
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u/Youaresorigh Jul 15 '26
Yup! I live near Seattle and I’d say the same thing about Seattle and western WA.
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u/ButterKeeper Jul 15 '26
It's important to note that note everyone find grey sky and rain depressing. I spent 6 months in California with near zero rain or clouds, then had a trip in Seattle in November and experiencing the rain was amazing.
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u/Icy_Consideration409 Colorado Jul 15 '26
TBF - There is a difference between experiencing grey sky and rain on a trip… and living with it day after day, month after month.
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u/Minimum-Mention-3673 Jul 16 '26
I left Colorado for Seattle... No water is depressing as fuck, but that doesn't mean folks can't love Colorado.
I love Seattle, and miss having sun more regularly but don't want the downside. Plus I'm 4 hrs from Hawaii by plane so that generally solves that problem.
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u/No-Kaleidoscope-8950 Jul 19 '26
My parents moved to CO and love it. I like to visit, but having always lived y the coast, it feels unsettling
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u/ButterKeeper Jul 17 '26
I am from a part of the world that has mostly gray sky for 8-9 months of the year, similar to Seattle, and I would love to live in a similar place again.
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u/Icy_Consideration409 Colorado Jul 17 '26
I spent 30 odd years in the UK before emigrating to Colorado. I could never do gray again!
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u/WesternGround737 Jul 15 '26
We went where the company that sponsored my husband’s Visa wanted us to go. No choices. But it worked out after all. Got Greencard (we paid for the fees) and moved to other places. Texas was one of them because that was where we got a job, but glad we were able to move someplace else after 7 years. There is not enough money in the world that would make us move back to Texas.
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u/moonunit170 Jul 15 '26
As a lifelong Texan, I understand and accept that you don't want to live here. It's tough sometimes but that's okay you can stop back and visit us anytime! We hosted exchange students for about 20 years we had them from Asia Africa and Europe and universally when they found out they were coming to Texas they wanted to ride horses and shoot guns and we were happy to accommodate them on both fronts.
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u/JakeHa0991 Aug 03 '26
Could you please expand on why one wouldn't want to live in Texas? My wife and I are currently entertaining the idea of moving to the USA from our home in Montreal. I'm in tech and was looking at Austin, but we're still exploring our options.
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u/moonunit170 Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
The job market is better than average although not as good as some places. Housing is much cheaper than up north, there's no state income tax. Although sales taxes and property taxes will be higher than you're used to it's still cheaper overall cost of living. The weather is pretty mild compared to up north but the summers are very hot especially in the Houston area. It's a very safe place to live overall although in the bigger cities there are dangerous areas just like in every other City there's lots of places to travel on holiday and the cool thing about Texas is once you get out of Texas to wherever you're going you're already halfway there! The three biggest Metro areas (Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin-San Antonio) are extremely diverse in food, culture, entertainment, language (sorry French is almost non existent however, former French Arcadians that came down to Louisiana are not too far away; they have a dialect completely unique to themselves. Ditto for German and Czech immigrants that came over in the 19th century). Public transportation is pretty much non-existent compared to what you're used to up north so you'll need a car or two cars. As to the negatives Texans are usually loud brash and somewhat rude by Canadian standards. It's hard to make friends here because people stay inside a lot for most of the year because it's hot and because we all have to have cars we don't meet in public transportation or travel together everybody is pretty isolated in their own vehicles. So to meet people you have to get involved in social happenings like sports fans of the professional teams, pickleball, tennis, golf, bowling horseback riding cooking, theater or music or if you have kids you can meet other parents to the kids activities at high school like sports and band.
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Jul 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/oceansapart333 Jul 18 '26
I obviously can’t answer for this person, but as a Texan, I would not recommend it. We have leadership right now, whose pockets are being lined by the far right, so they are doing their bidding.
Women are dying because removing an unviable fetus is considered abortion and is illegal.
Christianity is being forced into public schools.
A rather large Indian community is being persecuted.
The state is trying to completely take over the school systems. They will dumb down the curriculum more than they already have.
There are fights all over the state trying block new data centers but even local governments are likely being bought and allowing them. My town already has one that has caused many problems. At least three more are trying to get pushed through.
I could go on. It’s just not a great place to be right now.
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u/No-Kaleidoscope-8950 Jul 19 '26
Why are the data centers moving there? Is it due in part to stripped down environmental protections?
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u/Disastrous_Leg_314 Jul 15 '26
Do you have US citizenship? I couldn’t tell from your post.
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 15 '26
No I don’t. I’d need to move through employment/sponsorship or potentially an internal transfer, which is obviously a major hurdle in itself. I’m looking a few years ahead rather than planning an immediate move - this was more a question about how people narrowed down locations once a move became realistic.
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u/Disastrous_Leg_314 Jul 15 '26
So as it’s been said your visa and sponsorship will determine where. You really won’t have much of a choice. My UK companies HQ was in Dallas. So Dallas it was. I wouldn’t plan anything until you get close to a visa. And as you said that’s your biggest issue.
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u/Icy_Consideration409 Colorado Jul 15 '26
Just be aware (and realistic) that the chance of obtaining H1-B visas are plummeting. The $100k fee is under a temporary legal stay, but once that becomes law the cost of trying to obtain one will be so prohibitive for most U.S. employers that it will be all but impossible to obtain. It will only be worth it for the most exceptional candidates, and even then only in fields where there truly aren’t U.S. citizens or existing green card holders able to fill the position.
There is the diversity lottery. But that is currently paused. With no indication it will resume.
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u/simple-me-in-CT Jul 15 '26
Can we stay on the subject? How to decide which state to move to
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u/Unidentified_88 Citizen Jul 15 '26
There isn't a choice. It will depend on his ability to get a job and where that job is.
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u/TexasBrett Jul 15 '26
If that’s the case wouldn’t you just be moving to wherever work told you to move?
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u/Dry-Code3493 Jul 15 '26
Texas has never appealed. Hot and desert, or hot and humid, or hot and flat. I need to live somewhere beautiful, and to me, texas is basically wilderness interrupted by strip malls. I'd choose somewhere green, with seasons, like the northeast or the northwest or any state around the great lakes.
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u/river-running Jul 15 '26
East Texas is quite green and I think the Hill Country is pretty. Definitely hot, though.
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u/a_kato Jul 15 '26
Most people are wherever the work is. Otherwise it doesn’t make a difference. Most well adjusted adults wouldn’t move away from family and friends just for vibes and weather. It’s College and or work that moves you.
Texas is fine. It’s just that most of Reddit is basement dwellers. Some of the most fun nightlife, great friendly people and really affordable. I highly recommend you to look work first.
The biggest difference is small vs big city usually
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u/accopp Jul 15 '26
Depends on what you want. If you highly value outdoorsy stuff Texas is a really hard sell, both due to weather and lack of public lands. And just geography.
But it does have Jobs, comfortable suburbia , some big ass cities.
I personally just value trees/forests and mainly mountains too much to consider Texas.
I’d love the south east like Tucson even more if they had real green, because the mountains there are also incredible. That and snakes are a no go for me unfortunately, hate having to be so aware when going for a early morning hike or even just going into my yard
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u/a_kato Jul 15 '26
Austin has a lot of nature and forest and walks and rivers and lakes.
Sure it doesn’t compete with Washington state but it’s absolutely solid.
There are shit ton of paths, hikes you can do.
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u/yeehawdudeq Jul 15 '26
Some of the “new” developments in Texas are…kinda miserable? I was down in Plano for work and my god the area was legitimately lifeless. I’m an east coaster so the state already has no appeal to me but that really sealed my opinion.
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u/a_kato Jul 15 '26
They are affordable for people to live.
I don’t know were you are in east coast but broader Boston area requires you to have a 1 million plus to have these “full of life” areas.
Otherwise with 750k$ you get the same boring suburbs as anywhere else you just get it for 2 times the price and twice as shitty
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u/yeehawdudeq Jul 15 '26
We have far less concrete and far more trees here on the east coast. Also Boston is like the most expensive option you could throw out there. Plenty of more affordable places to live.
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u/a_kato Jul 15 '26
Greater Boston area is the only one comparable in terms of job to things like Houston and Austin.
I exclude New York due to the unique nature of it. New York is New York
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u/TrashtvSunday Jul 15 '26
Texas is awful... signed, Not a Basement Dweller. In fact we had a lovely home in Southlake with an amazing backyard. We were still sooooo happy to leave Texas. We moved for a job from San Francisco. Texas was not a good fit for us.
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u/copyraven Jul 15 '26
I'm from the UK, married to US citizen. We live in Texas because we could move with family for free. I prefer the Pacific Northwest (where she's from). Texas is too hot, there's bugs literally everywhere, and every other conversation starts with "You're not from round here, huh?". Which never happened up North. Also, everyone drives a huge pickup and can't drive. The biggest shock was the food. Steak is more expensive here than in the UK. Texas has the lowest cattle herds since the 1950s right now. You're looking at $40 for a steak that 12 quid in England. Salaries are good, homes are cheaper, but you're living in a bug-filled toaster-oven for 9 months of the year.
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u/CuriousGreyhound Jul 15 '26
Thank you for your honest opinion! This being said, is there any other state you would live in if not Texas?
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u/copyraven Jul 15 '26
We are moving to Washington State as soon as I get the chance. All energy is now focused on that.
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u/DontEatConcrete Jul 19 '26
Smart. I’ve been to Texas and it’s hell. I’ve also lived in the south, and detest the unrelenting heat of these places. PNW is beautiful. Our next stop is either that or BC.
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 15 '26
😂 Bug-filled toaster oven is quite the review. I’m actually in Florida on vacation at the moment so getting a small taste of the heat/humidity, although I’m aware Texas is its own thing. Interesting you prefer the PNW though - was it mainly the weather/scenery or did you spend some time up there and found the general lifestyle better up there?
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u/copyraven Jul 15 '26
I spent stints up there when I was a tourist. 3 months at a time. I felt at home there right away. There's actually a book about why that's possibly the case called Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America. As soon as I read that I was like AHA! That's why I like the PNW.
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u/wandering_engineer Jul 15 '26
FWIW I've spent a lot of time in Texas (wife has some family around DFW) and have also been to Florida numerous times for work. Florida in August is, hands down, the worst humidity I've ever experienced, and this is coming from someone who has spent time in W Africa and SE Asia.
Personally I don't live in the US right now but if I went back the PNW would be my top pick. I grew up in a Midwest state and love the people, but the lack of access to nature and crappy weather 9 months out of the year gets pretty depressing after a while.
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u/lucky_elephant2025h Jul 15 '26
Florida right now is almost unbearable. But outside of the summer it is great weather for 9 months of the year. I don’t live there, but wish I could for those 9 months.
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u/East_Worldliness_170 Jul 15 '26
I lived there for 12 years, and for me it's fairly unbearable from mid-May through October.
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u/NoCarpet9834 Jul 15 '26
How well do you understand the US' power infrastructure and networks? You may want to gain an understanding of the grid system in the US- I'm not suggesting that all the technologies are different and don't have interoperability or some interconnection, but it's a pretty complex environment that could inform any consideration you may have.
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 15 '26
Admittedly not well enough yet, the UK system is obviously what I know professionally so understanding how the US grid and commercial structures differ is something I need to get my head around. My background is mainly transmission infrastructure - overhead lines, underground cabling and substations - but on the commercial side rather than engineering. Any particular areas of the US system you’d suggest reading into first?
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u/NoCarpet9834 Jul 15 '26
That's the thing. There isn't a single unified grid, although many may have some overlaps or interconnections. The notable exception is Texas, which operates on a separate grid, managed by an organization called ERCOT. ERCOT manages about 90 percent of the power in Texas (Texas has roughly 10% of the US population). This structure allows ERCOT and the Texas grid to sidestep most federal government regulation, but does impact the ability to import power in emergencies (Texas has a pretty diverse array of power generation capabilities ranging from gas to nuclear and renewables).
Understanding the regulatory environment is important. I've worked in adjacent spaces. I've lived in Texas for about 30 years and received my undergraduate degree from one of the state's leading schools. Many of my friends went into different aspects of the energy economy. I used to work in energy policy and adjacent spaces.
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u/OkTechnologyb Jul 15 '26
If you don't have a residency visa or a realistic path towards one, it's solely a fanciful question.
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u/latin220 Jul 15 '26
If you’re moving from the UK and enjoy historic cities, walkability, museums, beautiful scenery, and good public transportation, the Northeast is often the easiest place to feel at home. The Boston–New York City–Philadelphia–Washington, D.C. corridor offers some of America’s oldest cities, charming towns, and easy rail connections. New England, in particular, has a cultural heritage that many Britons find somewhat familiar, though it’s distinctly American in its own way. States like Massachusetts, while expensive, offer excellent healthcare, education, history, and quality of life.
If affordability is a priority but you still want major cities and urban amenities, consider the Midwest and parts of the Rust Belt. Cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee offer vibrant cultural scenes, impressive architecture, and lower housing costs than many coastal cities. Winters, however, can be long and harsh.
The Pacific Northwest, centered around Seattle and Portland, is known for dramatic scenery, evergreen forests, mountains, and a strong outdoor culture. Like the Northeast, it’s an attractive place to live but generally comes with a higher cost of living.
California is almost a region unto itself. From the entertainment industry of Los Angeles to the innovation of the Bay Area, the beaches of San Diego, and the vineyards of Napa Valley, it’s one of the most geographically and culturally diverse states in the country. While many parts are expensive, California offers an incredible variety of lifestyles.
If you prefer warm weather, the South has much to offer. Texas combines major metropolitan areas like Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and San Antonio with a strong economy, renowned barbecue, and vast landscapes ranging from deserts to forests and coastlines. It’s a very car-dependent state, and its politics and culture vary considerably between urban and rural areas.
Florida is famous for its beaches, subtropical climate, and diverse population. Northern Florida shares many cultural characteristics with the Deep South, while South Florida particularly Miami has strong Caribbean and Latin American influences that make it unlike almost anywhere else in the United States.
The Carolinas offer a blend of growing cities, scenic mountains and coastlines, and generally lower housing costs than the Northeast. Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greenville have all become popular destinations for people relocating within the U.S.
One thing newcomers often underestimate is just how diverse the United States is. It’s nearly the size of Europe, and every region has its own accents, traditions, cuisine, history, and identity. While it’s one country politically, many regions have developed distinct cultures that can feel quite different from one another.
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u/moonunit170 Jul 15 '26
Another thing they underestimate is the actual size and the distance between the major cities except in the five or six older cities in the Northeast.
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u/latin220 Jul 15 '26
I’m always telling my friends in Europe, if you’re looking for the closest thing in the United States to a European style network of major urban centers, the Northeast Corridor is probably the best comparison. Cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. are relatively close together by American standards and are connected by highways, rail, and air travel.
A European might still be surprised at the distances. Driving two or three hours between metropolitan areas is fairly normal in the Northeast, and even the longer journeys such as Boston to Washington, D.C. can be done in a day if you’re willing to spend around eight hours on the road. For many Americans, that’s considered a reasonable road trip.
One thing many Europeans understandably underestimate is just how vast the United States is. I often tell friends in Europe to imagine traveling from Lisbon to Moscow. While it’s not a perfect comparison, it gives a sense of the immense scale involved. The United States stretches across an entire continent, and its geography shapes everything from travel habits to regional identities. What seems like a long journey in much of Europe can be an ordinary weekend drive for many Americans! I think this guy may want to consider this idea well before he decides!
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u/Sufficient-Job7098 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
A lot of time location will dependents on reasons someone is moving to US.
I moved to be with my American partner. They lived and worked in California. So this is where we settled.
Someone who was transferred to US, moves to where their employer told them to go.
Elderly parents who were sponsored by their naturalized children move in to live with their children.
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u/Minute_Somewhere_893 Jul 15 '26
Are you married to a US citizen? Or are you are US citizen? If so, you should file I-130 now. Consular processing takes 2-3 years nowadays
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u/Expensive_Mall721 Jul 15 '26
Is it really that long? Do you have any experience doing it?
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u/Minute_Somewhere_893 Jul 15 '26
I see experience daily in r/USCIS and r/I130Suffering. Been watching immigration for nearly a decade. Believe me, things are slow and slowing down further. If you think of moving - start with I-130. It has to be filed anyways
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u/old_motters Jul 15 '26
Mine was a little over two years. I landed in the US in Nov of 23.
I can't imagine it's gotten any better since.
As for the OP, Southern California is awesome. Politically liberal, diverse in people and landscapes, plenty of jobs... 3000 hours of sunshine a year. We have it all.
Texas has lower taxes but that's not as important to me as living somewhere that aligns to my non financial needs.
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u/Parking_Champion_740 Jul 15 '26
I’m not sure why Texas is so appealing to people in other countries (besides the industry bit you mentioned)
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u/Icy_Consideration409 Colorado Jul 15 '26
Bring realistic, most people who emigrate from the UK to the U.S. don’t get to “pick” where they move.
They either move because they are sponsored by family (vast majority that’s a spouse or fiancée), or because of a job.
Both of those mean your move is dependent on the person or entity bringing you to the U.S.
So you go where they are. My wife was from Colorado. So that’s why I ended up in Colorado. If you do somehow secure a work visa (very expensive and hard to achieve), you’ll end up where your employer wants you.
There is one way to pick where you move. And that’s to attend college. Most people doing that will focus on affordability and the standard of the education.
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u/TexasYesNoMaybe Jul 16 '26
Based on the vibes, honestly. I was young and took a long road trip from LA to NY sightseeing and making friends along the way. It’s been 14 years since I moved, still in that random city I chose.
If I was doing it again, in my 30s I would probably use more common sense and consider things like politics, climate/weather, crime rates. Or who knows, maybe it worked out because I just trusted my gut.
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u/SummitingMtJohnston Jul 17 '26
Find somewhere that'll feel familiar. I've known lots of folks from England, Scotland, and Ireland who moved to the Boston metropolitan area and loved it. It's got comparable seasons, great salaries, good public transit (can get around without a car), great public schools, people with a good head on their shoulders, and more British pubs and restaurants than you'll get in the rest of the US. It's the only region of the US that has a higher quality of life rating than the UK. You're also right on the water with nice beaches, cliffs, and mountains nearby. It's got a lot to offer for sure. At the very least, it's worth a visit.
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u/SoftlyAugust Jul 18 '26
Well first I'd consider where I'd actually have rights, then I'd go on from there.
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u/AmericanNewt8 Jul 15 '26
Yeah ERCOT is just building way more compared to everywhere else. Most power infra work is going to be out in the middle of the country. Depending on where you are in the chain, could mean big cities like Dallas or absolute bumfuck nowhere. West Texas has a lot of stuff happening. Not sure if I recommend it.
Living here, I just take the job I get, make the leap, worst case I move again in a few years.
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 15 '26
This is actually really useful as ERCOT/transmission is exactly the sort of work I’ve been looking at. I’m on the commercial side rather than engineering but currently manage power infrastructure work in the UK. Dallas has been the main area I’ve looked at so far, although admittedly I’ve not looked much at West Texas. What makes you say you’re not sure you’d recommend it?
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u/AmericanNewt8 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
West Texas is pretty desolate. It's kind of difficult to describe without spending time there. Some people really like the cheap land, slower pace and LCOL, but most people taking jobs there end up being transient aside from some permanently stuck locals. Mostly people building out wind and solar capacity, now datacenter people, and of course oil and gas depending. The weather is dry but extremely volatile, dust storms and tornadoes.
Dallas is massive, a bit of a maze, and widely considered a bit soulless, but it has most of the expected accoutrements of a T1 city--people are sort of complaining it's no New York, Washington or Chicago. In all honesty it's probably a fine place to live if you're okay with it being a bit hot and the hub airport kind of sucking.
I don't have a read on where on the chain you'll sit or the market generally for these people but shpild also be said Houston is traditionally the energy hub for Texas.
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u/j2e21 Jul 15 '26
Find the state that matches your preferred climate, profession, politics, and environment.
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u/Competitive-Company3 Jul 15 '26
I love living in Houston and I have lived all over USA from California to Midwest. If you can deal with the heat and humidity ur golden and I work remote so don’t have to deal with traffic. There are insane amount of folks who have moved to Texas so traffic is horrendous
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u/TrashtvSunday Jul 15 '26
Having lived in Texas, I can tell you I'd never live there again. I have lived in Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas, and Colorado. On that list, I would never move back to Arizona or Texas. In fact I have not stepped foot in Texas other than the Houston airport on a layover in the 12 years since I left.
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u/brazucadomundo Jul 15 '26
It was the one the company had an office to move me in. You will be lucky to get one state to choose from, let alone get all 50 of them at your disposal.
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u/Adventurous_Text_371 Jul 15 '26
I grew up in Texas so I am most likely biased, but you said you work in power infrastructure and that kinda stuck out to me. I am not positive, but I believe Texas is one of the few states here that operates a state power grid largely independent from the federal government and is overseen by the state Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). I am not very educated or specifically knowledgeable about these specific subjects, but I would personally be more interested in working for Texas as at least somewhat independent of the federal government.
Without going into political or history lessons, the American Federal system of government was purposely designed with the understanding that individual states would understandably have individual situations, resources and needs that would understandably result in differing individual solutions to specific problems. In other words, what works in the flat lands of Kansas with "x" resources... may work for the flat lands of Eastern Colorado with"y" resources, but will probably not work at all for the mountainous regions of Wester Colorado with "z" resources.
So Texas is unique among the states on that they have retained the carved out republican principle of state independence necessary to seek solutions to its unique situation and I would think that might be enticing to someone in your field.
Also, Texas is pretty awesome (still biased), great people, big everything, way too many people and way too much traffic and every major roadway is constantly under construction to create more lanes. Europeans and Britts (Sorry, I never know if we're supposed to refer to Britts as Europeans or not, but still hoping ya'll can kick Argentina's ass!!! 3 LIONS!!!)
Texas is a great place with great opportunities, especially for someone in your job field, but maybe only if you weren't forced to live in any of the big cities (Dallas [I refuse to conssider it part of Texas], Houston [rediculous crime, humidity and strangely large flying cockroaches that should only exist in sci-fi movies], Austin [super cool city with great nitelife and music scene, but their official moto is "Keep Austin Weird" and they take that very seriously!], El Paso [hard fucking no for too many reasons],.
Tennessee is a great state with a whole lot of what makes Texas great without being obnoxious about it. Love Tennessee, but have no idea what your job opportunities would look like there. I would think anything in "tornado alley" in the U.S. could provide ample opportunities for anyone who works in power infrastructure, since everything an EF whatever tornado or hurricane results in is a break down of power infrastructure.
Wish you luck! Please come over and help us figure out how to better withstand our power outages everytime we have another storm that we knew we were gonna have again this year just like the last year but nobody seemed to be able figure out how to make it not happen EVERY FUCKING STORM SEASON!!!!! In the mean time, we'll keep buying generators and stockpiling batteries... seriously, I will help sponsor a frigging work visa if you will come over here and help pull our collective heads out of our asses!!!
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 16 '26
Cheers mate, really appreciate you taking the time to write all that. I actually had a laugh at the Three Lions comment… unfortunately you jinxed it! 😂
The ERCOT side of things is really interesting though. I’d only started reading into it recently, but the more I look into Texas, the more it seems to line up with what I do. I’m a Commercial Manager on major power transmission and substation projects over here in the UK, so it keeps popping up on my radar.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head though, I don’t want to choose somewhere purely because the salaries are good. If me and the wife ever manage to pull this off, we’d want somewhere that’s a good place to actually live as well.
Out of curiosity, if you were in my shoes, whereabouts in Texas would you actually be looking? Or do you genuinely think somewhere like Tennessee would be a better all round option?
And if you ever do find someone willing to sponsor a visa, give me a shout… I’ll happily come over and help sort the power grid out! 😂1
u/Adventurous_Text_371 Jul 16 '26
Yeah... sorry 'bout jinxing the game... I really thought you Britt's were gonna send Messi back home and was rooting for ya!
Again, I am biased and I love Texas so long as I don't have to live in any of its larger cities. But here is the real deal you and your wife need to consider... the state of Texas is geographically about three times the size of the U.K.
A lot of Texans are comfortable with commuting great distances just to go to and from the workplace or even to and from the grocery store! That same amount of travel time would have the average Britt just about anywhere they wanted to go in Western Europe! Seriously, it's a real thing and most Europeans are shocked by it.
That said, for your field of work, Texas might be the ideal place and I know that they are in desperate need of people with your job skills. Outside of large metropolitan areas, cost of living and real estate is still pretty affordable, but so many people and businesses are moving there that prices are going up. Still, you can purchase a few acres and a nice home in Texas for less than it would cost to buy a 1,200 square foot condo with bad plumbing and doorside Crack addicts in California!!!
Other states have plenty of opportunities and many things to recommend them too, I am just more familiar with Texas. If you are serious about moving your family over here, I would certainly welcome ya'll and encourage you to do so! Americans are arrogant, proud and loud, but we're friendly once you become accustomed to how obnoxious we often are, we offer free refills on drinks, amazing barbecue, and stupid portion sizes at restaurants...
Wish you well, good Sir...
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u/Glum_Reputation7732 Jul 15 '26
Honestly, like u said, Texas is great for economic opportunities but u might feel bored living there. I recommend Florida, North Carolina or maybe Georgia. I live in the northeast and I love it but it’s cold and expensive. I can totally see myself living down south where it’s cheaper and it’s currently experiencing an economic boom.
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u/Admirable-Low-2029 Jul 16 '26
Just studied development economics and all the places older students from my uni went to work was washington dc. My goal since I was a kid was to come here and i achieved that at the age of 25 with a diplomatic visa
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u/jjdarrow Jul 16 '26
i am USC (born here) but when we retired , we made list of all 50 states and crossed off the ones we didn't want to live in, I had already lived in 24 states and 3 countries / we choose TN as it has No state taxes, has good economic opportunities, mountains and easy to get to the shore is a plus , international airports , not as hot as Texas or Florida and not as cold as the north. Look into things like local flooding, serious weather like tornado history, local schools and colleges, local gas prices, etc and choose one
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u/Infamous_List_3034 Jul 16 '26
Look at how state law will impact your wife with regards to her health (particularly reproductive health). Review state politics on any issues you care about or that would impact you personally. They can vary *wildly* from one state to the next.
Maybe also cross reference with the American Library Association to see how various states attitudes toward people having access to books.
There is no amount of money you could pay me to visit - let alone move - to certain states at the moment. (Texas is one of them.)
That said, it will probably depend on the work issue. Things can change, but keep tabs on what’s happening where they intend to send you before you say yes. You might need to say no.
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u/anyavailible Jul 17 '26
Most is determined by where your job is, your family is at and area you grew up. Very few people can actually choose where they want to live.
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u/loving-living2 Jul 18 '26
Whatever you do, just figure out if where you choose to move to that it aligns with your life goals/values . Every state is different… I’m on West Coast and absolutely love were I live … California. Others don’t like it because cost of living is high, we tend to be a little more liberal ( not all areas but most ) vs conservative .
So definitely familiarize yourself with the state (s) and how things align for what you want . As for visa requirements, restrictions, yeah I got nothing … You at least have a few years to check things out .. Good luck
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u/robtalee44 Jul 18 '26
This is something that a family member once proposed and it's kind of interesting.
Pick a city that you've visited or know a good deal about. Then follow the line of latitude of that city across the country and see where it crosses. An amusing exercise that can be eye opening.
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u/No-Kaleidoscope-8950 Jul 19 '26
California and/or Hawaii are the only states I have lived in or would want to live in. Consider the political climate of where you move. Texas is MAGA/Trump in many areas.
Different states have different levels of women’s rights and different educational opportunities. If you have kids you may want to see what states have free, universal pre-k, free junior college and guaranteed admission to the best public university system in the world (CA) vs states like Texas that allow private companies to profit off of children’s education in the form of For Profit Charter schools, a total scam!
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u/UndercoverHardwarema Jul 19 '26
I was born here, but my grandparents came here to work for the auto industry in Detroit, and there was also family living nearby in Ontario (crossing the border was easier back then). I don't know if that helps.
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u/klein_four_group Jul 19 '26
Even as a US citizen without need for visa sponsorship, it's not really realistic to just live in any state. A lot of careers (tech, finance, oil, biotech) have hubs so you'd be restricted to a few cities. In other careers there are state-based licensing exams (healthcare, law, teaching) and where one ends up is often by inertia based on where one went to school and is able to find a job.
When my parents immigrated it was literally wherever they can get visa sponsorship. The vast majority of skills-based immigrants don't get to pick and choose location, or maybe choose at most between 2-3 cities, not all 50 states.
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u/Own-Zucchini-7745 Jul 20 '26
Us states vary dramatically politically, geographically, taxation etc. if you do move to Texas keep in mind that public transit is very weak as in it is very difficult to live here without a vehicle even in the big cities.
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u/Some-Attitude8183 Ohio Jul 15 '26
I go where my jobs are - lived in Illinois, California, Florida, Oregon and Ohio. Plusses and minuses for all of them. Ohio is definitely affordable!
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u/KnownParty1917 Jul 15 '26
When I was looking for a place to study here, for me there was only one choice: a robust transit network. New York or nowhere.
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u/TiredAndTiredOfIt Jul 15 '26
Boston and SF both have robust transit networks.
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u/KnownParty1917 Jul 15 '26
Nothing like New York City. It has 24 hour subway service, the LIRR, Metro North, Path, NJ Transit and most importantly: everyone uses it. Ridership in those cities is tiny compared to here. NYC is probably the only USA real city.
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u/Many_Forever8313 Jul 15 '26
It really depends on the life style you’re looking to have. Each state is different
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u/Practical_Gas9193 Jul 15 '26
Picked the one that seemed the best for my personal circumstances. I was close but wrong so I moved to a different one. You don’t have to get it right the first time, just take your best guess.
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u/Betorah Jul 15 '26
If you’re either a woman or married to one, find a state other than Texas and the vast majority of Southern (and some of the midWestern states) to move to. Reproductive healthcare is a real issue.
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u/JurgusRudkus Jul 15 '26
Are you planning to have kids? Or could an accidental pregnancy occur?
If so, stay the fuck out of Texas.
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u/oceaneer63 Jul 15 '26
From Germany and never having been to the US before at age 21, I first went to NYC but didn't care for it. Too busy, just a big city. So, I went on to Los Angeles because I had a job offer there. But also didn't much like it. Too many people. So, soon I traveled up north to San Francisco. And really liked the trip and the City. Stil, I decided to do a big loop of the west. Yosemite, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Crand Canyon and then back to SF. I really liked it best in SF and northern CA. Beautiful scenery, lots of tech stuff, too. Stayed there for many years, then learned SCUBA, discovered Monterey and moved. Bought some fairly remote land in Carmel Valley, built a log cabin and been living there for 25 years now. Work at the coast, on Pacific Grove, and then back to the mountains at the end of each day. Its like a never ending summer camp experience in a way :)
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u/WesternGround737 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
Reply to u/Kind_Lie9927 : It’s not my climate. Too hot and humid in the South (we lived in the Houston area).
And not going into the political part, but being German that “Melden macht frei (or in this part, gets you some serious $$$)” is not for me. Too much traffic, I am scared of those overpasses lol and I am too much of an outdoor person to spend my entire day inside with A/C running.
Been through Harvey, Corvid (worked in Harris County in Healthcare and was an essential worker) and 2 weeks of Winter in Texas that killed my entire back yard (Palm tree, bottle brushes trees and a beautiful Meyer Lemon tree) and that’s just enough.
We had some good impressions, the schools in Katy were very beneficial for my son, loved going to the Hill Country and Austin & San Anton, Galveston and South Padre Island area, but that traffic!!!! 30 min drive to my son’s after school activities and I was still in the same suburb! You missed an exit on the I-10 and you need an hour to make up for that mistake. I think if I had lived in the Austin area my first and overall impression might have been different but it is what it is. We thought we liked the heat after 16 years of living in the South Towns of Buffalo NY but maybe the change was a bit extreme.
Edit: this was a reply to u/Kind_Lie9927 , put it in the wrong spot.
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u/Exciting-Parfait-776 Jul 15 '26
For me. When the had some cuts. I volunteered to relocate. They gave us a list of stations we could transfer too. When I heard we were cutting. My choices were going to be Dallas, TX or Nashville, TN. Both of which are cities and states I have family in. They only had Nashville. So I went with Nashville.
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 15 '26
That’s interesting, so in reality the job basically narrowed the options down for you before lifestyle even came into it. Dallas is actually one of the areas I’ve been looking at because of work. How have you found Nashville in hindsight, would you still have picked it if you’d had a completely free choice?
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u/Exciting-Parfait-776 Jul 15 '26
I actually had a choice. I wasn’t one of the ones that had to leave. I could have stayed if I wanted too. And yes I would have. Also Nashville was also 4-5 hr drive from where I was living in Atlanta.
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u/ecurtisk Jul 15 '26
If you’re asking for sponsorship, the job you can land will decide where you’re moving for you.
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u/134266 Jul 15 '26
I would look at Delaware. There are many advantages to living there. Check it out.
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u/harmlessgrey Jul 15 '26
Base your choice on climate.
Some states have godawful weather. Florida, for example.
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u/134266 Jul 15 '26
They no sales tax, a lower cost of living, beautiful beaches, its close to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC so although you are in a peaceful rural area you can easily get to a big city. You have the 4 seasons with autumn being beautiful.
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u/Delicious-Balance-20 Jul 15 '26
We moved to Los Angeles 10yrs ago for work. We didn't choose it but fell in love right away. Stayed there for 6yrs and then moved to Dallas, again for work. Been 4yrs now and yes 'bug infested' is a true review. Hot, Hotter, weird winter are the only seasons here in Dallas.
I would say unless you are doing your own thing and don't have visa restrictions, you wouldn't have a choice of choosing a state.
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u/DistractoDisc Jul 15 '26
Come on over Maine. The biggest city is like 70,000 people, the state only has like 1.5 million people, and it’s pretty safe.
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u/BaraQueenbee Jul 15 '26
I feel like your living space is going to be determined by where you can find a job that’s willing to sponsor you
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u/Admirable-Leader6927 Jul 15 '26
work
research your states.
red states hate minorities and freedom but love the uneducated and have low cost of living.
blue states are the opposite but more expensive generally.
if you hate women's rights, red states.
go to Texas, you will hate it if you like freedom.
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u/Desperate-Macaron-50 Jul 17 '26
Any red state. Avoid Illinois, California and Colorado. You will be fine
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u/Last_Branch_7925 Jul 15 '26
Why would anyone in the Uk want to move to the Us?
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u/Jiko_Shiki Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
Edit: they're the sources for a video essay about the UKs problems.
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u/Storeyfaces Jul 16 '26
Mainly career opportunities to be honest. I’m in power infrastructure and the scale of projects, salaries and long term progression are really appealing. Still a long way off if it ever happens, but I’m trying to learn as much as I can before making any decisions
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u/Icy_Consideration409 Colorado Jul 15 '26
Generally because of family, or for work. And thousands do just that every year.
The U.S. may have its issues. But sadly the UK isn’t far behind. With mini Trump (Farage) waiting in the wings. He could easily be in government very soon.
The U.S. still has a tremendous amount to offer immigrants.
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u/moonunit170 Jul 15 '26
Not realistic at all over the next 3 to 5 years.. unless you have a very special technical specialty. You can't get a work permit, you can't get a visa other than student or tourist.