Hey, Eric, the reason some of us who don't live in TX haven't chimed in..well, I'm happy with NY, but not pleased at the same time.
Where I'm at, the cost of living doesn't kill you. The house we're in cost us $525 a month in rent. Full basement, attic, 3 bedroom, patio, garage. We're working on closing the deal towards the purchase price of $57,000.
Gas is high, though, about fifty cents above the national average. Two year car registration, $21 inspections done annually. Absolutely no need for classic or antique plates, though. Those are strictly optional. Insurance is mandatory and the associated fees with that, the state gets it's share.
Thanks to the Marcellus Shale natural gas deposit a lot of hard working folks here in the Twin Tier have signed on with the gas companies hitting the fields in PA. Mechanics, welders, the poor SOB's who didn't know what they were getting into signing on to frack teams (100 hour weeks), roust-abouts, truck drivers, etc. All pay good, especially with the overtime.
The best thing about the state where I live: Google the Finger Lakes. Wine country. A lot of gorgeous scenery. A lot of hunting land. A lot of farms.
The worst part is that the state likes a lot of fees. Fees on insuring your car. Fees on movie tickets. Fees on concert tickets. Fees on utilities. Property taxes are dependent on where you live. Some townships are fairly low, some are fairly high. 8-8.25% sales tax is the norm in most counties, with the tax on everything but food and a few other items. The state usually suspends the sales tax on clothes right around back to school time.
There's some issues with the government run-amok on taxes, but I'm happy to say that Andrew Cuomo is starting to do something about it. We'll see if at the end of the four year term if he's done enough to get my vote.
