Questions on Mooresville, NC (Charlotte, Concord: apartments, health insurance, student loans)

[Elaine1970inNJ]

We live in Central NJ. My husband may or may not have the opportunity to move to NC. He is requesting a transfer at his job. More than likely he won't get it considering the current economic situation. Like everyone else the economy struck us real hard. I was laid off in November of 2008 and my husband's hours have been cut. I currently collect unemployment.

I've heard just about everything about North Carolina particularly Mooresville and/or surrounding towns of Charlotte.

The pros in NC outweigh the cons for us. There is one exception and it is a BIG concern of mine. NC's unemployment rate is about 2.3% higher than New Jersey's.

I understand you have a lower rate of pay. I am almost willing to bet that it is a significant lower rate of pay than NJ. I am ready for that. My thing is I don't know what the average pay is for let's say a warehouse worker and a worker in the health insurance/claims examiner and customer service field. I tried salary.com but to me it doesn't seem realistic. So either I am doing something wrong or I am just plain retarded at this point.

Mooresville seems like a popular and desireable town to live. The apartments are absolutely gorgeous. However it looks very expensive according to North Carolina's standards. One website said the median income is about 53K then another website told me the median income is 80K. So I don't know which one is accurate.

We are looking for a one bedroom apartment close enough to Charlotte yet far enough for peace and quiet with some added perks like a hospital near by or a supermarket with a pharmacy near by. We really aren't too picky.

Our 2008 taxes for me and my husband was 72K combined. Remember this is New Jersey's table of income. If I were a betting woman I would say if my husband and I were to perform the same job in North Carolina our annual income would be 50-55K combined.

Because I am unemployed, we are in no situation to purchase a house.

I am trying to determine:

What is the average electricity bill on the peak months in a one level, one bedroom apartment in Mooresville?

What is the average heating bill on the peak months in a one level, one bedroom apartment in Mooresville?

What is the average auto insurance on two cars needing comprehensive insurance? I have a 2002 Honda Accord and my husband has a 2008 Ford Ranger. No tickets EVER. I know the auto insurance is significantly less in NC because up here in NJ it is atrocious.

What is the average bill for Cable hooked up to phone, TV AND internet service? I am willing to go only a notch above basic TV. Me personally I don't like TV except for the news etc but my husband is Mr. Hollywood.

What is the average price of automobile gas at unleaded regular in that area or surrounding areas?

Last but not least what would you say that each of us has to make per year or per hour in order to live in Mooresville? Keep in mind we currently have things like car payments and student loans totalling $ 1120 a month for the next 4 years.

If this cannot be answered, I would appreciate anyone who can direct me either to a reputable website or a person who can answer this for me. My first instinct is the chamber of commerce but I may be wrong.

Thank you for listening to my long dragged out concern.

[jaynarie]

Any Lake Norman town is going to be more costly to live in than the non-Lake Norman towns. Salisbury, Concord, Kannapolis, etc... are all cheaper places to live. As for the difference in median income you saw, it was likely one was for 28117 and one was for 28115. 28117 is the lake side of Mooresville, where houses are considerably more than the 28115 side of Mooresville.
As for what type of salary you'd make, I have no clue.

What I can do for you is give you information about utility bills in a one bedroom apartment. I had a 3rd floor, 1-bedroom in Cornelius that was about 850 SF.

What is the average electricity bill on the peak months in a one level, one bedroom apartment in Mooresville? About $60 in the winter and about $80-90 in the summer. Everything is electric- water heater, heat, etc... I am also one who is huge on unplugging electronics when not in use, adjusting the thermostat, etc... So, a typical person will see a bit higher of a bill.

What is the average heating bill on the peak months in a one level, one bedroom apartment in Mooresville? See above- everything is electric (and this is the norm in NC)

What is the average auto insurance on two cars needing comprehensive insurance? In Cornelius, my 07 Chevy Trailblazer was $310 every 6 months. Clean driving record. Moving to Mooresville caused my insurance to go up. I have an 08 Dodge Charger and now pay $395 every 6 months. (The change in cars only caused a $5 increase. The moving caused $80).

What is the average bill for Cable hooked up to phone, TV AND internet service? If you live in an area that has Mi-Connection, they do not offer phone. Cable and internet is about $120. I paid less in the apartment, as my apartment included a $40 basic plan. I have digital and a DVR (only one box). I also pay about $32 a month to add Vonage as Verizon gets a terrible signal near the Mooresville city limits and my cell does not work in my house.

What is the average price of automobile gas at unleaded regular in that area or surrounding areas? About $1.95 right now.

Last but not least what would you say that each of us has to make per year or per hour in order to live in MooresvilleThat completely depends on your lifestyle. I am a teacher only in my 2nd year (therefore making next to nothing) and I own my own home, have a new car, have student loans, etc.. I manage money well and live without hardly any extras (no entertainment money at all). I do have a second job that brings in an extra $400-500 a month. I would say for 2 people, you'd need a minumum of $3000 net per month to live (rent is going to be $700-900 alone). You can do it on less. I do it on much less. But, I live alone and very frugally.

[jaynarie]

I forgot- make sure to secure a job first. I know you mentioned a transfer, but jobs are getting tight here, too. I am a teacher and could very well be laid off after this year. My small school of less than 400 students will be letting go of at least 1 teacher. And, just 2 years ago this area was desperate for teachers. If teachers are losing their jobs, that says a lot about the job market here.
It took me 8 months to find a second job. I couldn't even find a retail job only working nights and weekends (their peak times). I have 9 years experience, too.