HELP!! Sell you town to me :-)

[cellososweet]

Ok everyone so here''s the deal. We are a young married couple (have been married for a year and a half) and are looking to move to the east coast. I grew up all over the Eastern Sea Board (New York to Virginia Beach to Florida) and I miss it dearly.

My husband is in investment management (wealth management) and I am in the non-profit sector. Now, I''m looking primarily for an admin/associate position in anything mental-health related for about a year or so (I want to go back and get my MSW and be a therapist working primarily with patients who have eating/self-mutilation issues). DH is studying for his CFA level I and has a bachelor''s in Finance with an emphasis on investments. He has portfolio management experience as well as lending experience. I have 5 solid years of health-related admin and a bachelor''s in sociology with a minor in public health.

We have savings, so living for a few months jobless is ok.

We are packing a truck and going to Brooklyn in June as we have friends who live there and are gracious enough to let us stay for a month or so. We also have friends in Astoria who have offered to let us stay for a month or so as well and a friend in Hell''s Kitchen that''ll let us smooze for a few weeks too. So, we have time. We''ve decided to pack up and put our stuff in storage in New York and be there as a starting point. It''s a lot easier to look for jobs on the east coast (Boston, NY, etc) with a relatively local address and moving from NY to Syracuse, Hartford, Boston, etc. is a lot easier than trying to do it from California (where we currently are).

So, sell your town to us. I like to cook (a lot!!!), we are vegetarians, I love to run, we have three cats (yes, we are insane i know!), and don''t really relish the thought of driving. Weather-wise, I love love love winter. DH is apathetic to the weather and could give a hoot less. Neither of us is too into massive humidity, but will bear it for a few months out of the year if we know it isn''t going to last forever.

The main issues we have here are: I really miss the east coast seasons, the commuting stinks and car accidents are plentiful, the weather doesn''t change and is depressing for us, a lot of people are really into status and their cars instead of being good to one another, we want to have kids soon and i don''t enjoy the idea of raising them here because i don''t really like the vibe of the people where we live.

We''d love: seasons. real ones. a place where public transportation is good (this can be negotiated if traffic is ok and car insurance isn''t too high), a place that is relatively affordable to rent (we are looking at $1800 or less. size isn''t really a concern, but of course the bigger the better). A place where buying isn''t way out of the question would be great too (we''re thinking probably $400K or less in a few years. condos are ok). A place close to nature or with nature is always good. And most of all, a place where being a SAHM for a few years until the hypothetical little one goes to kindergarten isn''t looked down upon. I know I can''t have it all, but this is what we''re looking for

 

[somethingshiny]

Wow. Sounds like you''re looking for the Midwest. Sorry, we don''t have a sunny seashore!

But, Good Luck, and what an adventure!!

 

[cellososweet]

haha. thanks! i''m deathly afraid of the midwest for the same reason that i''m afraid of california (unpredictable forces of nature). i don''t mind hurricanes, but earthquakes and tornados? no thanks.

I guess I should''ve mentioned that the east coast is important because we like to be near my favorite vacation spots as a kid (Vermont, NY, Boston, DC, Jamestown/Williamsburg), etc.

 

[luckystar112]

Cello, I could have written your post. I hate the same things about where I live and love the same things about the east coast! As soon as I graduate we are OUTTA here.

So I'm guessing you're looking for Virginia and up?
I think the winters start right about there.

I'd totally recommend Maine, it was a WONDERFUL place to grow up...but I'm not sure how great the job prospects are. It's definitely more blue collar.

I LOVE Mass, but it's a tad expensive, especially around the Boston area. Areas like Salem and Plymouth are beautiful though...not sure how expensive they are.

I've always love New Hampshire...the good thing about it is that there is no sales tax (although I hear you are taxed on everything else) and it's less expensive that MA, ME, or NY. A very quick communte to the rest of New England, and practically everywhere you live will be close to the beach.

Connecticul is a great option too..preferably around the Meriden, area. I love Hammonassett State Park and everything CT has to offer! And it's got a lot of great culture.

I'm going to skip PA/NY/DC...etc. because I don't know too much about them.

In Virginia, I love love love Williamsburg and Fredericksburg!!!

I love a place with a lot of History, which makes Virginia and Massachusetts my top two choices.

I think about this stuff a LOT!!! I really feel like my life won't "start" till I get back to the east coast. I miss it!!!

 

[cara]

Hmm. You seem to have some contradictory requirements. For example... Functioning public transportation makes me think of a few big cities, NYC, Boston, DC, etc. But you want someplace compatible with being a stay-at-home mom, not too expensive, and less-status driven. And veggie/running/nature friendly.

I don't think I get your weather requirements. There are more tornados in the Midwest, but I didn't experience one or come close to one in two years in Chicago, and a mini-twister did come down my street growing up in suburban Maryland. And you can get some pretty wicked Nor'Easters on the New England coast, and some impressive/exciting thunderstorms in the summer all along the eastern seaboard. So you want the variety of seasons but don't like the unpredictability of earthquakes and tornados, but somehow hurricanes are OK (cause we can see them coming??)

I was going to say maybe New England, but more in VT, NH, Maine near more cultured/academic areas of those states that would have people looking for wealth management as well as proximity to mental health training facilities. That would have more nature/SAM and less rat race. But not so much good public transport.

Maybe pick an actual place and then tell us how you feel about it. How would Boston do? Good public transport, should have school/job opportunites for you and your husband, but it might be a bit pricy. And of course there might be judgments about lifestyle choices, but there will be enough diversity and tolerance that being veggie/SAM will not be foreign and it would certainly be possible to find people with compatible mindsets.

 

[Sabine]

Hmmm...well, good ol'' Hershey PA could be an option for you. The main income of the town is split between the Hershey plants and the Penn State Hershey Medical center...HUGE medical community, lots of job opportunities for you. Gorgeous houses can be gotten near the area (I''m talking brand new right over the Hershey/Palmyra line) for about $200 k, it''s definitely full of nature and has the full range of seasons, is 10 min. away from Harrisburg and an hour away from Philly. SAHMs are quite the norm as well. This may be WAY more small town USA than you''re looking for though, but just thought I''d throw it out there.

 

[decodelighted]

A friend of mine whose husband works in finance just moved from Westchester, NY to Providence, RI. Her whole neighborhood (practically) used to live in Brooklyn! She loves it because its urban ENOUGH, arty ENOUGH yet affordable, family-friendly etc.

I moved from Brooklyn up to the Hudson Valley and would NOT recommend it job-wise. Its gorgeous here and affordable but there are few decent-paying jobs. My DH now commutes to NYC everyday and most of my freelance clients are based there. Even finding a nice PART TIME job to supplement my sometimes fluctuating income is quite hard if not impossible.

We were just talking the other day about places we''d move if I ever dropped out of my peculiar NY-centric brand of media specialty. Since DH is in tech the following places came up:

Northern VA/DC -- lots of family there for me!
Austin, TX -- very groovy (but hot)
Portland, OR -- techriffic & scenic but I''m an East Coast gal
The _?_ Triangle in NC -- between three universities?? I''d never heard it called this before

What about Boston?

 

[iluvcarats]

We are happy here in Rochester NY!!
We have seasons, we certainly have winter, we have tons of parks, terrific public schools, extremely affordable housing and we are the home of the flagship Wegmans, the greatest supermarket on earth! A great place to raise kids, no traffic, 3 hours to Toronto, 6 to NYC and Boston (we have Jetblue!) the airport is so easy to use. We are the home of the Eastman School of Music and our symphony is affordable and amazing. We have the second largest children''s museum in the country. We have a great mountain biking park, tons of cross country skiing, lots of golf courses (the senior PGA is playing here in may and the Ryder cup has also been here) You can walk or bike for miles along the Eerie canal. The only bad thing I can say is that NY is a ridiculously taxed state.....but you can easily afford a house.
I am a stay at home mom, and I have never had anyone comment on that one way or the other.
People here are very friendly and nice. Rochester is a lot like a mid western town.

Check us out!

 

[cellososweet]

Date: 4/24/2008 8:24:59 PM
Author: cara
Hmm. You seem to have some contradictory requirements. For example... Functioning public transportation makes me think of a few big cities, NYC, Boston, DC, etc. But you want someplace compatible with being a stay-at-home mom, not too expensive, and less-status driven. And veggie/running/nature friendly.

I don''t think I get your weather requirements. There are more tornados in the Midwest, but I didn''t experience one or come close to one in two years in Chicago, and a mini-twister did come down my street growing up in suburban Maryland. And you can get some pretty wicked Nor''Easters on the New England coast, and some impressive/exciting thunderstorms in the summer all along the eastern seaboard. So you want the variety of seasons but don''t like the unpredictability of earthquakes and tornados, but somehow hurricanes are OK (cause we can see them coming??)

I was going to say maybe New England, but more in VT, NH, Maine near more cultured/academic areas of those states that would have people looking for wealth management as well as proximity to mental health training facilities. That would have more nature/SAM and less rat race. But not so much good public transport.

Maybe pick an actual place and then tell us how you feel about it. How would Boston do? Good public transport, should have school/job opportunites for you and your husband, but it might be a bit pricy. And of course there might be judgments about lifestyle choices, but there will be enough diversity and tolerance that being veggie/SAM will not be foreign and it would certainly be possible to find people with compatible mindsets.

i''m not quite sure what was contradictory about my requirements? i said i''d love to have public transportation but it''s not necessary if the place doesn''t have a high amount of traffic and ridiculous car insurance rates. I just don''t want to sit in my car 24/7/365 like i do here in southern california. And, I think pretty much 80% of the country is probably less blatantly status-driven than the particular place we live in. it''s absurd. i understand that a lot of the country is status-driven but it''s so blatant here that i throw up a lil in my mouth everytime i leave my house. I used to live in NYC and i didn''t even find that as status-driven as where we are. And for veggie/running/nature friendly i just didn''t want anyone to suggest someplace that thinks that meat is a staple for every meal, there would be a place to run (in NY I ran in central park and i don''t think anybody would say NYC is "running/nature friendly") and as for nature, i just want to be close-by (renting a car for the weeking and day-tyipping for example).

I don''t like tornadoes and earthquakes for exactly the reason you thought, you don''t see them coming and i''ve experienced a very bad tornado in FL and don''t wish to re-do it. Nor''easters aren''t scary if you don''t have to drive and i love thunderstroms. I''m feel that a lot more people die and have extensive damage to their properties on average from tornadoes and earthquakes than snowstorms. Snowstorms and thunderstorms can be fatal, I realize that. But, for the most part they are an inconvenience, not a threat to my existance. (that''s just how I feel about it. not stating it as fact).

I like Boston actually and it was one of our picks, but I wanted to see if anyone else was head over heels for their city and could give us some other prospects. It''s definitely not too expensive, but i was wondering what you meant, when you mentioned judgments about lifestyle choices?? We stayed for a week in November and it didn''t seem weird at all to people that we didn''t eat meat and I saw many in the stroller-set. And, we wouldn''t have to live in Boston-proper.

I''m sorry, I know you were trying to be helpful, but your post came of kinda rude. It seemed like you were kind of rolling your eyes at how I feel about unpredictable weather and such. I don''t know, these things don''t come across too well online, but it just felt slightly rude from the get go. I suppose there just could''ve been a better way for you to respond. As I said, maybe it just came across wrong, I dunno. I do appreciate your input, but felt put-off by the first two paragraphs. I''m realistic and not looking for an oasis. It just sounded like you were insinuating that I wasn''t being realistic.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

We''d love: seasons. real ones. a place where public transportation is good (this can be negotiated if traffic is ok and car insurance isn''t too high), a place that is relatively affordable to rent (we are looking at $1800 or less. size isn''t really a concern, but of course the bigger the better). A place where buying isn''t way out of the question would be great too (we''re thinking probably $400K or less in a few years. condos are ok). A place close to nature or with nature is always good. And most of all, a place where being a SAHM for a few years until the hypothetical little one goes to kindergarten isn''t looked down upon.

Well, I am going to plug Colorado and Denver specifically. Denver seasons are both real and wild. Last week it was 70 degrees, snowed the next day and was 70 degrees after that. I love it, but it is an aquired taste. We get more than 300 days of sunshine a year, more than almost every other major city in the US. The last thing you could call it is humid. We get a lot of snow, no blizzards this year, but when I was in high school we had 38 inches of snow outside the house during a really big storm! The nice thing is that it is still a dry winter so the cold is never that bad. Othan than the blizzards, we never get hurricanes, earthquakes or floods. Tornados happen, but there has never been a big one in my lifetime.

Renting and buying here are good. We have a 700 sq foot apartment, in one of the nicest parts of town, for $650 a month. Buying is great too. My parents live in the safest neigborhood in Denver and there are a number of houses in your price range.

Denver is probably best for the nature. The mountains are near by, we have more green space than most cities and like I said, the weather makes it easy to enjoy. Colorado is the thinnest state, in large part because so much is done outside. There is a huge amount of green space and there are parks everywhere. In central denver, everything is walkable and the buses aren''t bad. I use them everyday, and there is a light rail system that is really good but unfortunately doesn''t go my way.

For jobs, Forbes rates us 16 out of 100 for best places for employment, 4th best city for couples, 10th for young profesionals and 1st for the lustiest city (based on contraceptive sales). Our job growth rate is three times the national average and there are a lot of options. You mentioned health care. National Jewish has been the best respitory hospital in the nation for over a decade. Our children''s hospital got named the fourth best in the country. As for wealth management, based on population, Denver is 4th in the country for the number of Forbes 400 versus population and the county just to the south, Douglas, has one of the highest median incomes of any county in the country.

My mom was a SAHM from when I was 10. She never got any trouble, but then no one gives my mom trouble. I think it could go either way. One the one hand, a lot of the wealthier mothers don''t work so it is not odd. Most of my friends moms were SAHMs when they were little and it wasn''t a bog deal. However, there are a lot of young, profesional women, and I could see them being less accepting, I just don''t know.

 

[Elmorton]

Haha re: weather - DH and I are the exact opposite. We could never live on a coast (hurricanes!), in a desert (dust!), or a place where there are forest fires or mudslides. I would take a tornado over a hurricane ANY day. You can move away or take shelter from a tornado. In 25 years, I have yet to see an actual tornado. I've seen rotating clouds, but never an actual funnel. And, that's what basements are for!

I love where I live (Eastern IA) - we're about 2 hrs from Chicago, Madison, Des Moines.. and there is plenty here to keep me busy. There are some things I miss (retail-wise - I would eat bugs to have a Trader Joe's and an Ann Taylor!) and this past winter was brutal, but otherwise, I'm a fan. Iowa has such a weird stereotype though - my friends are convinced that DH and I live in the middle of a cornfield and people wear overalls. Not so true.

What about Madison, Wisc - DH and I are going there this year for a mini-trip to celebrate our anniversary. The town is basically set in the middle of some lakes, it's beautiful, has lots of culture and character because of the university, great entertainment, music, etc.

Sabine, you sold me on Hershey! . DH and I love to watch Jon and Kate Plus 8 and it does seem like the perfect place to raise a family.

 

[cellososweet]

thanks deco and iluvcarats. . . . .NC scares me a little because of the humidity but it would pretty much be the same as Virginia Beach. I''ve heard a lot about this triangle area. Hmmmm. . . it''s a little south for me, but maybe I can take a peek. And funny that you mention Rochester, we were looking at Rochester as well as Syracuse, but they seemed a little far-removed from a bigger city. But, perhaps we will investigate that as well.

and awww. . . luckystar you hit the nail on the head when you said you feel like your life won''t begin until you''re back east. we have great things here, but it''s all material and in the end, isn''t worth crap for our happiness. woohoo, nice condo, nice car, nice things. miserable. not worth it. I loved NH but that drive into Boston was pretty bad. Nowhere near as bad as the 405 in socal, but it would get tiring for sure. Hmmm. . . .


Does anyone live in Hartford, CT or know anything about it?? I know there isn''t public transit per se, but is the traffic terrible and is car insurance terrible (we''ve paid up to $500 a month here for just my husband at one point. Oy!).

 

[cellososweet]

ohhhhh Denver does sound tempting, but I''m really looking to be back east. i might let my parents know about denver though. They are about 5 years out from retiring and my Mum loooooves the outdoors to pieces. Sun is definitely her thing


And Hershey does sound great Sabine, although perhaps a little small. Good thing is that I''d probably be so sick of chocolate within 6 months! Haha.

Now that I think of it, I have heard good things about Providence (to deco). Anymore info on Providence??

Oh and Elmorton, I have friends in IA and they love it. And whoever mentioned WI, we took a findyourspot quiz and Sheboygan, WI comes up everytime. It baffles us though. The name of the city makes me laugh for some reason (reminds me of the name of someone who would be a guest on Maury Povich. "My name is Sheboygan and he my baby-daddy") haha and I''ve never been to WI so I have absolutely no idea what to expect.

 

[Kaleigh]

I live outside of Philadelphia. Public transportation is available, trains and buses. Housing costs outside the city vary widely. Towns like Narberth, Wynnewood and Ardmore have homes that are affordable. On the other side of the river is Chestnut Hill. It''s sooooo pretty and the housing costs are affordable, great community. But you pay city Taxes.

We love it here. It''s 20 mins to Philly. My husband is in wealth management. He owns his own company. Lots of opportunities in Mental health, and great schools to further your education.

Many of us are SAHM''s no looking down on that here.

 

[cellososweet]

Wow Kaleigh. That sounds really promising! Where exactly are you at, if you don''t mind me asking (general area would be ok too) or just suggestions of communities so that I can research further??? Thank you.

 

[iluvcarats]

We lived in SoCal for 2 years (Foothill Ranch),and although it was nice, it never felt like home.
I couldn''t wait to leave...
Good luck with your search - you will just know when you visit IT...

 

[Allison D.]

Cello, based on what you''ve said, I think the Merrimack Valley region of MA/NH might be a good fit for you....runs along the northern end of I-495 from the MA seacoast to where it meets I-93. Towns include Newburyport, Amesbury, Haverhill, Methuen, and a few southern NH towns, too (495 runs along the MA/NH border).

It''s far less congested than Boston/surrounding towns and much less so than South Shore (plymouth area, etc). The town I live in is about an hour''s drive from the mountains/camping/white water to the north. I''m within 20 minutes of the ocean and can get to Portsmouth, NH/Southern Maine in about 35 minutes. It''s a 30-minute drive into Boston on the weekends. Logan Airport is about 40 minutes from me in one direction; smaller regional Manchester (NH) airport is about 30-40 minutes in the other direction. From this region, you can reach destinations (by car) as follows: NYC 3.5-4 hours, Providence, RI - 75-90 minutes, Portland, ME - 90 minutes; Burlington, VT - about 3 hours; Lake Winnepesaukee (NH)- 1 hour.

Most of these towns nestle against the Merrimack River (makes for nice scenic running trails). From Haverhill, MA, the Downeaster express train runs into Boston with only one along the way, so it''s very commutable into Boston without driving. There is also a regional transit system that services the valley; I''ve never used it myself, so not sure how serviceable it is.

Housing in this area runs in your target range; average median home price in my town is about $270-ish? I''d say more realistic is mid 300s if you want something in the 1600-1800 or so sq. ft. range.

Jobs in your field are pretty attainable in this area. Nicer townhouse rentals in this region run in the $1600-1800 range for a 3 BR; average 2 BR rentals run around $1200, give or take a bit.

The only drawback (if it is one) to the area: people who''ve been in this area forever can sometimes be a bit hard to get to know. They''re polite, but definitely Yankee reserved.

Hope this helps.

 

[basil]

Providence, RI! Or RI in general.

It''s 1 hour to Boston, 4 hours to great skiing in Maine/VT/NH, a few hours to the Cape, 45 minutes to Newport nightlife, and most of the state is on the water. You can''t get too far away from a beach if you tried. It''s a great college town that has had a lot of improvements in the past 10 years. Really great restaurants. Hipster kids from Brown and RISD give the whole town a liberal vibe. Good theater, great running trails (google "east bay bike path"), beautiful parks. Get away for the weekend on Block Island, Martha''s Vineyard, or Nantucket.

It''s pricey compared to the midwest, but I definitely think you could find something in your price range (definitely cheaper than Boston/NYC - even cheaper than New Haven). It''s also really easy to get out of the city - the suburbs don''t stretch for miles and miles like Boston or NYC. In 30 min you can be driving by farms. It has a reasonable airport (plus there is always Boston and Hartford pretty close by if you can''t find the flight you want). There''s no subway and I''ve never relied on the bus, but the traffic is definitely not a huge factor...not that there isn''t congestion at rush hour, but you aren''t going to have an hour long commute unless you live really far away.

I don''t know much about the job situation there for mental health or investments..It is possible to commute to Boston from Providence by commuter rail (about 1 hour from Providence to South Station), but I wouldn''t advise it if your goal is to spend less time commuting.

Anyway, can you tell I''m homesick?

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 4/24/2008 9:15:53 PM
Author: cellososweet
Wow Kaleigh. That sounds really promising! Where exactly are you at, if you don't mind me asking (general area would be ok too) or just suggestions of communities so that I can research further??? Thank you.

We live in Bryn Mawr. Have your husband look up Logan Capital Management. They are in Ardmore.

Areas I love, which I already mentioned , but will add to that:

Rosemont, Villanova, Devon, and Drexel Hill.

Drexel Hill is close to the city, great houses, and a nice community. Also check out Havertown, that's a wonderful spot for young marrieds. We had lots of friends that lived there, very nice people, and a close community. Nice elementary school too.

 

[cara]

Ohh, I didn't mean to come across eyerolling or rude. Even if you did have contradictory requirements, there is nothing wrong with that! Sometimes I state things too strongly/wrong touch online. I wanted a little more explanation of the weather requirements cause I thought I understood them in your first post and then the no tornadoes through me for a loop. But now I get it.

And if Boston is not too expensive, then the situation gets a lot easier/less contradictory. If you wanted Midwest prices and public transportation that would be a little harder.

But really what I was trying to figure out is what is really important to you and what is kinda important, and what your standards are on your items.

For example, Boston seems like a great place to be a veggie/SAM to me, unless you are used to Berkeley levels of veg-friendly, or would find the finances really hard without two incomes in such a city. It is not cheap. Or for whatever reason, the crowd you run in is similarly judgmental of SAMs to the people you are around now. Surely these cretens exist somewhere in Boston too, as it is a diverse, modern city with tons of working moms/non-parents.

So which excites you more? A nice city like Boston or some place more rural, like Hershey, PA or Burlington, VT, or Hanover, NH? Or someplace more coastal like Providence? Would you be willing to move again for your MSW or should be be researching possible programs now to reduce subsequent moves?

 

[cellososweet]

Hi everyone. It''s ok Cara. Things do come across weird online. I really appreciate what you said. As for SAHM''s, I just don''t want to be in a city where you are expected to pop a kid out and hire a nanny to take over from there on out. I can handle other people''s opinion, but I don''t want to be made to feel bad for wanting to stay at home with my kids for a little.

As for my MSW, I was a navy brat and I''m not too shy on moving more than once. That was a good point. I''d thought about it, but since the ex-military mentality is to move a lot, I didn''t put too much emphasis on it. Now that you mention it, it would be nice to be close to a place that has several universities. That''s why Boston sticks in by head so much. I really like being in a bigger place with choices and also a place where I can apply to a couple of different universities if I happen to love it and not want to move.

What is really important to me is to have a place that I don''t have to stress out about getting killed every five seconds in my car and I''d love to have freeway driving be the exception not the norm (public transportation would still be great, but I realize it''s severely limiting). I love rural to pieces, but right now since my husband and I are closer to being entry-level than mid-level that would make it hard. Eventually, I''d love to go someplace like Dorset, VT. But, for trying to get our feet in the doors career wise (especially my DH), a bigger place or something within a reasonable commute to a bigger place is great.

Basil. . .tell me more about Providence??? It was actually something that I was really considering and haven''t really had any bad vibes about from anyone. Most people rave on about it. Any blatant negatives??

Allison D.- I loved loved loved Manchester when I was there. And Bedford. And Nashua (swooon). Perhaps starting off in Boston and making the move there when we are more established in our careers might be a good move.

Nobody for Hartford yet??

 

[cellososweet]

What''s really important are four seasons and a reasonable commute (no sitting on a jam packed freeway for 90 minutes) with reasonable car insurance if there are no mass transit options. Also, a place where there are enough job opportunities. With the job opportunities usually comes good grocery stores (more wealth management opportunities in bigger places than smaller ones), so the veggie thing isn''t a huge concern. I do have supplemental income from home (I teach violin and cello), and it never seems really that difficult to pick up students. So, of course I''d like it to be in our range that''s stated above, but if it''s getting closer to the high end, I could always try to pick up some students.

 

[basil]

Hmm, negatives. Well, I lived in PVD for 8 years while in college, and I grew up about 30 min outside the city. I lived in Boston for a year in my early twenties.

Boston is a lot more urban. For example, you can easily live in Boston without a car. In Providence, it''s a lot harder. It''s obviously a smaller city than Boston, so there are definitely going to be things available there that aren''t in Providence. There''s no Trader Joes

- but there are a few Whole Foods. It''s not the same level of "urban-ness", I guess...there are few really tall buildings, no real "downtown". But they have built up "downcity Providence" which is a very nice park along the river (waterplace park), hotels, and a popular shopping mall. But there''s no true equivalent to Newbury Street or Boston Common.

Rhode Island mentality can be a little bit insular. I live and work in a midwest-ish place now, and people regularly drive for an hour or two to come here for their appointments (I work in a hospital). In RI, people would complain and complain and complain how they had to drive from Providence to Warwick to visit their doctor (yearly exam) - it''s about a 20 minute drive. There are a lot of people there who grew up there and never left there and never intend to leave there. And considering it''s a pretty small place, it can get kind of weird. As far as I could tell, it doesn''t have the same draw that Boston/NYC/etc have...so there are less people our age moving there...so it may be hard to find people our age who did not grow up there and are already immersed in groups of friends.

I think it''s not the most diverse place culturally, especially in the suburbs. The most dominant ethnic culture is Portuguese and Cape Verdean, but there is starting to be a more substantial immigrant population from Guatemala and Cambodia. Some could say the local government has a history of corruption - the former mayor, Buddy Cianci, is in jail for racketeering. He had been mayor in the 80s, then jailed for assault, then re-elected after he was released. But now the mayor is David Cicilline, who from what I understand is the only openly gay mayor of a major city. So I think it''s interesting that Rhode Islanders will go from basically a mob boss to him!

But basically, I think that Providence has a lot of what Boston has to offer, but on a smaller scale. I think it''s more accessible...my feeling about Boston is that if you don''t live right on the T (which is $$$$$), you''re going to be either fighting traffic or taking the commuter rail (pretty slow and a PITA, IMHO) to get into the city. Whereas in Providence, I used to live across the river in East Providence (different city) and I could make the 8 mile drive in 17-20 min, with just a quick hop on the highway to get over the bridge. My dad commutes in from Massachusetts in 20-25 min. There''s less "stuff" than in Boston, but there are also less crowds. Parking is easier.

Anyway, I don''t know anything about finance, but I know quite a bit about the healthcare facilities in the state. As far as mental health, I''d look into Butler Hospital (adult inpatient and outpatient psych and research), Bradley Hospital (child psych), and Eleanor Slater (adult long term inpatient psych). Obviously there are many more mental health centers around the state. I did a quick google search, and Rhode Island College does offer an MSW program http://www.ric.edu/socialwork/

In any case, that''s about it for now. I hope all this rambling is helpful!

 

[Octavia]

I'm going to second Kaleigh's recommendation of the (extended) Main Line 'burbs of Philly. I went to college out there and still technically have an apartment there until the lease is up. I'm not thrilled about moving into the city, but since I'm here most of the time anyway, I have to suck it up for awhile...but after FI and I get married and hit the "let's have kids" stage, it's back to the Main Line fo' sho'

SAHMs are, if not the norm, at least extremely common. There's plenty of grocery stores, parks, coffeeshops, etc. and easy access to public transportation. I took the train to work and back every day, and although SEPTA leaves something to be desired, it's SOOO much better than driving into the city. The nice thing is that a lot of the financial services/wealth management firms are either based in the suburbs or have satellite offices there, so it might be a good choice for you and your husband.

Also, I'm not sure if they offer the type of degree you're looking for, but the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research is pretty highly regarded. No idea of how competitive it is, but it could be worth a look. And I think (but don't hold me to it) that some of the SSW students are involved with the Renfrew Center, which is an eating disorder treatment center that has locations in Philly and somewhere on the Main Line.

Finally, since it's a relatively well-off area, there always seems to be work for private music teachers. You'd face some competition from members of the Orchestra, the pit players for the Opera, and the freelancers who live around here, but I constantly see ads from people wanting strings teachers for their kids. And most of those people teach at the higher levels, so if you teach younger kids, I think it would be really easy to pick up students.

Soo...I sound like a complete advertisement for this area, but hopefully some of it was helpful!

 

[LAJennifer]

This list might help (the Kiplinger 50):

http://www.kiplinger.com/php/best_cities.html

I''m with you, Cello - I just saw my doctor today for treatment of panic attacks in traffic. Some friends of mine moved from Austin, TX to number 29 on the list (Morgantown, WV) about a year and a half ago (he is a biochemist and she is a yoga teacher) and they couldn''t be more happy. He rides his bicycle to work and she raises the children - who get to play outside and enjoy their community. The people are great and it is a college town, so there is diversity - and they have a kick a$$ football team! (might be too small of a town for you, though).

 

[luckystar112]

Basil, thanks for adding more information about Providence...I can''t believe I never thought about it before!
I don''t think I''ve ventured through that city but I have been to block island and I remember it was beautiful.

I guess I''m kind of using this thread for MY benefit too since FI and I really want to move someplace in the middle of Maine and Virgina....Providence sounds darling. I''m going to read up on it some more!!!

Don''t you hate it when you get excited about something and you realize you have to wait a LONG time before you can do anyting about it? Sigh.

 

[somethingshiny]

I don''t mean to threadjack, but I''d never heard of FINDYOURSPOT. I just did it and it told me my best areas are: Seward, Alaska / Ketchikan, Alaska / Lewiston, Maine / Jackson, Wyoming and several more throughout Alaska, Maine and Idaho.

I think you should give Sheboygan a try, because honestly Alaska is our "dream".

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 4/24/2008 11:47:38 PM
Author: Octavia
I''m going to second Kaleigh''s recommendation of the (extended) Main Line ''burbs of Philly. I went to college out there and still technically have an apartment there until the lease is up. I''m not thrilled about moving into the city, but since I''m here most of the time anyway, I have to suck it up for awhile...but after FI and I get married and hit the ''let''s have kids'' stage, it''s back to the Main Line fo'' sho''

SAHMs are, if not the norm, at least extremely common. There''s plenty of grocery stores, parks, coffeeshops, etc. and easy access to public transportation. I took the train to work and back every day, and although SEPTA leaves something to be desired, it''s SOOO much better than driving into the city. The nice thing is that a lot of the financial services/wealth management firms are either based in the suburbs or have satellite offices there, so it might be a good choice for you and your husband.

Also, I''m not sure if they offer the type of degree you''re looking for, but the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research is pretty highly regarded. No idea of how competitive it is, but it could be worth a look. And I think (but don''t hold me to it) that some of the SSW students are involved with the Renfrew Center, which is an eating disorder treatment center that has locations in Philly and somewhere on the Main Line.

Finally, since it''s a relatively well-off area, there always seems to be work for private music teachers. You''d face some competition from members of the Orchestra, the pit players for the Opera, and the freelancers who live around here, but I constantly see ads from people wanting strings teachers for their kids. And most of those people teach at the higher levels, so if you teach younger kids, I think it would be really easy to pick up students.

Soo...I sound like a complete advertisement for this area, but hopefully some of it was helpful!

Ditto to Bryn Mawr College, and the high demand for music teachers. You can charge a pretty penny and people won''t blink. There is a Renfrew center in Byrn Mawr. HTH, good luckl.

 

[cellososweet]

thanks so much everyone. I know i wasn''t too interested in going below Virginia, but does anyone have any info on the Triangle Area in NC?? Just an random thought

 

[Lynnie]

Hey cello! I live in Philly.... I wouldn''t recommend MY neighborhood - lots of traffic, tight rowhomes... however, I will be in your shoes in about 2 years (looking to move to the ''burbs), so here are my suggestions, staying in the Philly area:
The Main Line/Bryn Mawr is a beautiful area, but I''m not very familiar with it (Southern ''burbs of philly)
I''m more familiar with the eastern/northern burbs: Abington, Jenkintown, Willow Grove, Glenside, Neshaminy... all of these are decent neighborhoods with access to SEPTA (public trans), SAHM''s aren''t frowned upon, these areas have parks, and of course 4 seasons. Don''t know how your budget is, but Newtown is a gorgeous neighborhood with a fabulous school system. It''s a little pricy though.

Here are some Philly pros:
Fun nightlife (LOTS to do)
1 hour drive to Atlantic City, or Hershey. I take road trips down the shore and up the mountains (Poconos) every year - roasting on the beach and skiing,

!
Good Public Transportation
Tons of great restaurants
A plethora of schools, museums, and landmarks

Hmmm, the cons:
The news is depressing (high crime in the city)
The Phila public school system SUCKS
Gas is expensive-----> maybe this should be a pro, since Ca''s gas prices are very high, so I hear

That''s all I can think of for now... good luck!