Where to set up shop!

[Dylan Osmon]

Hello, I am 22 years old deciding on where to set up home. I currently live in the area of the job I took after college. I no longer have that job and would like to get closer back to home(9 hours away). I know I will build a real estate empire, I just don't know the better part of the country to start. Yes, wanting to live there comes into play. This brings me to two locations, Golden Triangle area of MS or Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers). Golden Triangle(Columbus specifically) is a stagnant market. Population stays the same, real rough areas, less competition, and much cheaper prices. This is comparison to Northwest Arkansas: high population growth, high competition, much higher prices, and highly appreciating. 

What's better for someone starting off? My goal for this stage in life is to build my Cash Flow. I also don't have tons of money to invest yet(young and building a business). My gut would say Golden Triangle is the better bet. The Price-Rent ratio is much more favorable. There is a huge spread in neighborhoods which plays in favor of finding deals. You can still find deals under 75k, something of the past in a market like NWA, I would guess. Golden Triangle is a unique market including Starkville (huge college town), Columbus (smaller college town and Air Force Base), and West Point (pretty rough...). There is really 3 different markets there that each have unique characteristics. 

What do you think? Am I missing variables that I should be looking at when making this decision?