Portland maine to Albuquerque (insurance, buying a home, job market)

[ZombieKitten13]

So I am currently living in portland Maine (i'm an arizona native though) & i am putting some serious thought into moving to albuquerque. I know that the cost of living is a great deal less out there than it is here in Maine, But i'm curious to know how the job market is out there(its TERRIBLE here). I am an art student w/ an associate degree(will be transferring to unm). I have experience in social work ranging from HIV counseling to drug & mental health treatment for adults & youth. I have a long background in retail. Basically i have a pretty diverse work history . I'm also wondering what area's to shhot for in ALB, i know that there are some pretty rough neighborhoods out there. Basically I want to get feedback from all those who care to respond on NM life, the pro's & con's, what to prepare myself for if i do move there, jobs, schools(I have a kindergarten age child), health care, blah blah blah all that good stuff. Thanks!

Amber

[Zoidberg]

Probably far more opportunity for that sort of healthcare service in rural NM. Quality of life in those areas, well, that's a matter of opinion, but there's a reason those jobs are available.

Recommend you search on the Albuquerque and New Mexico forums for a lot of the other things you asked about.

[red46]

If you're going to UNM, you might want to keep in close to save on commute and gas. All around UNM is older but really sweet neighborhoods. I don't remember ever hearing any bad news like gangs or drug problems (midnight raids etc). It's actually quiet and if you happen to catch the off season, between school years, you'll find a lot of vacancies.

If you're thinking more along the lines of buying a home, stick with the NE (far NE).

Jobs, here, have always been numerous compared to the rest of the country. Healthcare is a huge theme here, as is technology. I don't think you'll have much of a problem there.

Check with the university, they might have some secrets with the child care thing.

Since you already know about AZ, if you happened to come from around Phoenix or south, Albuquerque is much milder in the summer although colder in the winter BUT the winter's are nothing compared to Maine.

[BostonYoureMyHome]

I just moved here from MA in July and I LOVE it here. Say goodbye to New England winters!! The weather has been warmer than a typical winter here this year, but it's supposed to be 61 today. How great is that?

The job market is a lot better here than back East. I feel guilty because I am sitting in a position with my company where the world is my oyster right now... but then I have friends back home going through layoffs or scared that they may be soon. Fidelity Investments and HP are both growing a presence here. And the business moving to ABQ with Fidelity is all related to benefits outsourcing, especially health/insurance benefits. It's not personal investment stuff. So that may end up being something that would interest you, given that you have a background in the health field.