Each month I will answer a commonly asked question from Expats coming to The United States, and break that question down by 10 states each week, in alphabetical order. Which State Is Right For you? Alabama-Georgia.
Which State Is Right For you? Alabama-Georgia
In this article I will break down each state, what it has to offer (cost of living and education), the lifestyles of the people living in those states(what hobbies are popular, music), the states geography and Information regarding Insurance, International Money Transfers, Building a Credit History and Other Services (Cell Phone Services, Pet Transportation, Global Banking, Credit Score Monitoring and Identity Theft Protection, Mortgage Assistance, Unsecured Personal Credit Cards and Currency Exchange Services)
Alabama:
Cost Of Living Is Low!: The general range of housing costs anywhere between 150k-200k for a 2-3 bedroom house.
Education: ranked 37th nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Outdoor Lifestyle: hunting, camping, biking, fishing, football, baseball, NASCAR
Popular Music Genre: Country & Blues.
Geography: To the north and northeast regions lands are mountainous and very hilly, the central, west and southwestern areas are mainly grass plains. The southern boarder touches Florida with the excpetion of the south western coast line touching the Gulf of Mexico. Roughly 60% of Alabama’s land consists of woodlands. Also Alabama is home to the most waterways in the United States.
Alaska: 
Cost Of Living is Medium:The average listing price of properties in Anchorage is anywhere from 300k-400k. Prices drop when looking for housing outside of city areas to 175k-250k
Education: ranked 32th nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Outdoor Lifestyle: hunting, camping, fishing, hiking
Popular Music Genre: Folk, Country, Opera, Rock, Pop.
Geography: One of the only two states to not boarder another State, the other being Hawaii, Alaska is home to the largest ocean coastline in the United States. Alaska is home to beautiful mountains, glaciers, active volcanoes, huge forested land and some of the planet’s most varied weather.
Arizona:
Cost Of Living is low!:The median sale price of a home in Arizona is about $205,000
Education: ranked 30th nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Lifestyle:skiing, camping, biking, fishing, boating, sightseeing, shopping, gambling, entertainment, and restaurants.
Popular Music Genre: Folk, Alternative rock, Latin.
Geography: The Colorado Plateau, a series of flat lands, gorges, mountains and valleys, extends south into Arizona, and covers most of northern half of the state. The Black Mesa, Painted Desert, and Monument Valley in northeastern Arizona are some of the plateau’s most interesting areas. (worldatlas.com)
Arkansas:
Cost Of Living is low: average cost of a house is roughly $120,000.
Education: ranked 35th nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Outdoor laid-back Lifestyle: camping, biking, fishing, boating, sightseeing,hunting.
Popular Music Genre:Rock & Oldies,Blues, Country, Rap & Hip-Hop, Gospel, Punk, Alternative rock, Rhythm & Blues.
Geography: “The Ozark Plateau stretches across parts of Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma, and on into Arkansas. This area of low mountains, hills and deep valleys is heavily forested and etched by many small rivers and streams.South of the Ozarks, the Arkansas River and its namesake valley cut a dramatic path across the state. This valley gives way to the Ouachita Mountains, where Magazine Mountain, the state’s highest point is located.Hot springs are found within the eastern ridges and valleys of the Ouachita Mountains, including the aptly named and world-famous Hot Springs area. In the far north, Mammoth Spring, Arkansas’s largest spring and a National Natural Landmark, flows nine million gallons of water hourly that forms a scenic 10-acre lake.”(Worldatlas.com)
California:
Cost Of Living is High!:average monthly rent is roughly $1900 a month.
Education: ranked 3rd nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
The Most Diverse Lifestyle:Surfing, Fishing, Skateboarding, Skiing, Snowboarding, and Entertainment.
Popular Music Genre:Rock & Oldies, Rap & Hip-Hop, Latin, Folk, Punk, Indie and Alternative rock.
Geography:“From the giant redwood trees of the northwest to the Mars-like landscapes of the southeast; from snow-capped mountain peaks to its fertile valleys – California presents (arguably) the most diverse series of landforms in all of the United States.”(worldatlas.com)
Colorado:
Cost Of Living is high!: average cost of a house in Colorado is roughly $350,000
Education: ranked 21st nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Artistic and Culture filled Lifestyle:Flourishing urban areas,quaint rural towns,skiing, snowboarding, hunting, camping, rock climbing.
Popular Music Genre: Metal,Folk and Alternative Rock.
Geography:“The Great Plains of North America slope east from the Rocky Mountains, extending south from Canada, covering the eastern parts of Colorado.Located at the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the average (mean) elevation in Colorado (6,811 ft.) is the highest of any U.S. State. Within the state over 50 peaks reach, or exceed 14,000 ft., including Colorado’s highest point, Mt. Elbert at 14,431 ft. Significant mountain ranges (or chains) include the Front, Park, Sangre de Cristo, San Juan and Sawatch. In the western regions of the state the Colorado Plateau covers the land; a region of high plateaus and deep, rugged canyons, formed over hundreds of centuries by the meandering waters of the Colorado River, and numerous smaller rivers. The Continental Divide (an imaginary line) indicates the absolute highest points of land, where on either side of same rivers will flow downhill, east or west. That divide runs from northwestern Canada, south along the crests of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, then south into Mexico, where it follows the peaks of the Sierra Madre Occidental As an example, the Colorado River flows west, while the Arkansas River flows east. Many rivers originate in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, including a handful of some of the most significant rivers in America; they include the Colorado, Platte, Arkansas, and Rio Grande.”(worldatlas.com)
Connecticut:
Cost Of Living is high:average cost of house in Connecticut is $300,000
Education: ranked 2nd nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Diverse Lifestyle: Fishing, Hunting, Biking, Water-sports, Casinos, Historical museums.
Popular Music Genre:Rock & Oldies, Blues, EDM, Rap & Hip Hop, Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Metal.
Geography:”The jagged, and rocky Atlantic Ocean coastline of Connecticut is a remnant of the last Ice Age. It’s a mixture of bays, inlets, tiny islands, river estuaries, and a few sandy beaches. From the narrow coastal lowlands the land rises into the central hills and low mountains of the north. Eastern Connecticut (central and north) is hilly, heavily forested, and crisscrossed by narrow river valleys. In the west, the Appalachian Mountains stretch north across the state on into western Massachusetts. The Berkshire (hills or mountains) and the narrow Taconic Mountain Range are the dominant landforms. Mt. Frissell, is the state’s highest point, at 2,380 ft. The state is dissected by the Connecticut River and the surrounding central valley. At 407 miles (655 km), it’s the longest river in the New England states. There are dozens of additional rivers within Connecticut. The Housatonic, Farmington and Thames are the most significant. Numerous small lakes and ponds are found in Connecticut, with the largest being Lake Candlewood, one of the largest man-made lakes in the USA.”(worldatlas.com)
Delaware:
Cost Of Living is low: average cost of a house if about $215,000
Education: ranked 16th nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Lifestyle: Fishing, Boating, and Biking.
Popular Music Genre:Rock & Oldies, EDM, Rap & Hip Hop, Jazz, Rhythm & Blues.
Geography:“Most of Delaware’s land is very flat, averaging only 58 ft. above sea level. The only significant exceptions are the rolling hills of the Piedmont Plateau that cover the northern edges of the state; the state’s highest point is located there, rising to 447 ft. The Coastal Plain covering much of Delaware is a low-lying stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean. It’s approximately 2,200 miles long, stretching from central New Jersey, south to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The state’s eastern shorelines contain a number of bays, tidal creeks and marshes. Its southern border with Delaware contains over 30,000 acres of swampland. Sandy beach fronts large stretches of the southern Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean coastline.”(worldatlas.com)
Florida:
Cost Of Living is medium!:Average cost of a house today is roughly $250,000
Education: ranked 4th nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Outdoor Lifestyle: Surfing, Swimming, boating, biking, A Healthy Night life.
Popular Music Genre: Country, EDM, Rap & Hip Hop, Punk, Indie, Pop, Rhythm & Blues.
Geography:“The Florida peninsula is a diverse collection of islands, marshes, springs, swamps and hundreds of small lakes, rivers and ponds. The land is divided into four main regions; the Gulf Coast/Atlantic Ocean coastal plains, the upland (hilly area) of the north and northwest, the swampy Everglades of the far south, and the Florida Keys. The coastal plains generally consist of flat land, fronted by barrier islands, sandy beaches, coral reefs and sandbars. The low rolling-hills of the uplands area stretch across the Florida Panhandle. Here, the state’s highest point, Britton Hill, rises to 345 ft. The swampy Everglades (averaging about 8 ft. above sea level) is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. This protected area is dissected by countless bays, channels and small lakes, and includes thousands of tiny islands. It is officially designated as an InternationalBiosphere Reserve, World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Significance. The Florida Keys is an archipelago of about 1,700 islands, extending southwest from the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, on to the uninhabited Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico. Its largest inland body of water is Lake Okeechobee, a very shallow (only 20 foot deep) lake that drains into the Florida Everglades. Significant rivers include the Apalachicola, Caloosahatchee, Indian, Kissimmee, St Johns and Suwannee.”(worldatlas.com)
Georgia:
Cost Of Living is low!: average cost of a house is roughly $200,000.
Education: ranked 22nd nationally overall out of the 50 states in 2016 according to usnews.com.
Outdoor Lifestyle:Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing, Hiking, Camping, Biking.
Popular Music Genre: Rap & Hip Hop, Rhythm & Blues and Country.
Geography: “The territory of Georgia can be divided into six main land regions: the Appalachian Plateau, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. Atlantic Coastal Plain:The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the part of the Atlantic Plain. The Atlantic Plain extends from Massachusetts to the Florida peninsula and around the Gulf of Mexico. It lies in southeast Georgia along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline. The topography of this region is characterized by a flat landscape. The rivers of this region drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The Okefenokee Swamp lies in the southern part of the Atlantic Plain.”(mapsofworld.com)
Sources: worldatlas.com, usnews.com, www.google.com/maps, mapsofworld.com
