Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have been looking at places to relocate (have posted a couple of threads already, all great advice), and have narrowed it down to VA (Western, along 81 and perhaps even the Charlottesville area) and possibly PA (near Harrisburg). Couple of questions about each:
Which area will be easier to get a job in/have more jobs? As pertaining to desktop support/IT fields
Which area will be better commuting wise?
Which area will have a better overall COL? (Harrisburg seems not too bad overall, but outside C-ville doesn't seem that bad either.
Politics? I'm a conservative/libertarian whose not interested in the club/social scenes. Just somewhere to meet a few friends, and live peacefully.
Weather? I know a decent amount already about the weather in both places but always helps to have an insight from someone who lives there.
Either place will work I think I’d prefer the Virginia mountains and mountain life. The mountains take my stress away fast! Whichever place you decide isn’t permanent so you could always try a different place later. Good luck.
Two of my favorite states! I love that whole I-81 corridor. I travel that route a couple of times a year traveling between Charlotte and Boston and just love it. It's so beautiful.
Which area will be easier to get a job in/have more jobs? If you stay along that corridor, you should have about even odds of getting an IT job in either state. I'd give an ever-so-slight edge to VA.
Which area will be better commuting wise? Both would be fine. No real differences that I can see.
Which area will have a better overall COL? The Harrisburg area is going to be noticeably more affordable than the Charlottesville area. Harrisburg's Buying Power Score (average annual income vs. cost of living) is 26.78% better than the national average and Charlottesville is 32.72% worse than the national average. That's very significant. But I, personally, would recommend Roanoke over Charlottesville. It's a very nice, very livable area with a Buying Power Score 24.2% better than the national average.
Politics? I'm also a Conservative/Libertarian. You could find your niche in either state/metro area. They're not politically hostile towards Conservatives like some areas are around the nation. But Harrisburg would be a better overall fit, IMO.
Weather? VA. The I-81 region has, IMO, the best overall climate in the nation. Great 4-season climate, without extremes. But eastern PA isn't bad either.
Again, I would make this a Roanoke vs. Harrisburg choice. You couldn't go wrong with either. I'd go with wherever I got a job first. Good luck wherever you end up.
Two of my favorite states! I love that whole I-81 corridor. I travel that route a couple of times a year traveling between Charlotte and Boston and just love it. It's so beautiful.
Which area will be easier to get a job in/have more jobs? If you stay along that corridor, you should have about even odds of getting an IT job in either state. I'd give an ever-so-slight edge to VA.
Which area will be better commuting wise? Both would be fine. No real differences that I can see.
Which area will have a better overall COL? The Harrisburg area is going to be noticeably more affordable than the Charlottesville area. Harrisburg's Buying Power Score (average annual income vs. cost of living) is 26.78% better than the national average and Charlottesville is 32.72% worse than the national average. That's very significant. But I, personally, would recommend Roanoke over Charlottesville. It's a very nice, very livable area with a Buying Power Score 24.2% better than the national average.
Politics? I'm also a Conservative/Libertarian. You could find your niche in either state/metro area. They're not politically hostile towards Conservatives like some areas are around the nation. But Harrisburg would be a better overall fit, IMO.
Weather? VA. The I-81 region has, IMO, the best overall climate in the nation. Great 4-season climate, without extremes. But eastern PA isn't bad either.
Again, I would make this a Roanoke vs. Harrisburg choice. You couldn't go wrong with either. I'd go with wherever I got a job first. Good luck wherever you end up.
Thanks for the input, LOL I feel the same way when you said that I couldn't go wrong w/ either place. ALthough from the research I've done on jobs, I do see more jobs in Harrisburg, although as long as job competition isn't too stiff in either place, that's good. I would want to move first and then find a job because that way, I would be avoiding being weeded out for not being local.
Thanks for the input, LOL I feel the same way when you said that I couldn't go wrong w/ either place. ALthough from the research I've done on jobs, I do see more jobs in Harrisburg, although as long as job competition isn't too stiff in either place, that's good. I would want to move first and then find a job because that way, I would be avoiding being weeded out for not being local.
Totally understand! Hope everything works out
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
