FYI Becoming wary of traveling outside of state

[JRS]

Son and his young family live in Pueblo, CO where his wife was born. While there are shady areas, it's safe in their neighborhood. We're considering moving there when we're done with full timing.

 

[redbaron]

Son and his young family live in Pueblo, CO where his wife was born. While there are shady areas, it's safe in their neighborhood. We're considering moving there when we're done with full timing.

This is a point that many forget. Every city has a bad part of town, but very few cities are all bad. Even the worst cities (Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Miami) have safe places where entire generations have lived without incident.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Agreed that each state, county, city have good places and those areas that you might want to avoid.
As a visitor to a population center, you do not know without research, asking residents if you know any, then literally take a look, the visitor has no idea.
When going to the NKK event at Pueblo, I did all of the above.
A good friend’s brother lives in Pueblo town center for most of his life. He experience over the last several years is scary. Bad area, I guess.
When we arrived we went downtown to a breakfast place, B Street Cafe. Nice enough.
Area looked reasonably safe in the day.
One of the “tells” is barred entrance and windows. There were some but not excessive.
That said, we were as prepared as possible while still having a good time. Lock doors, keep belongs inside, know the area.
The running street gun battled in the wee hours of the morning was not a surprise but closer than we’d like.
There was an immediate response by law enforcement as several sirens were heard.

BTW Savannah has deteriorated since our last visit. Many homes in downtown look more like prisons than homes.
Many places even very nice structures are in dire need of maintenance and general cleaning.
But the tourism is still heavy.

We were happy to finish our tasks and leave.

 

[FL-JOE]

Neighborhoods can change, sometimes in a matter of two or three years. When we knew our full timing days were coming to an end we spent the last couple of years deciding on what area of Florida and what community we wanted to be in. One of our requirements was it had to be age restricted and gated.

I realize living in a gated community doesn't make you safe but at least your immediate community and/or neighbors will not change much. I think as we age the thugs see us as easy targets so you have to stay aware of your surroundings and try not to be vulnerable.