North Carolina Relocation by beach? (Wilmington, Jacksonville: crime rate, how much, job market)

[christine_n]

Hello everyone! I am 28 years old and live in Ohio. I am looking to possibly relocate. I am looking for a couple of things and thought maybe you could help me out on this.

1) I'm looking for an Elementary teaching job. Ohio does not have a very good job market for educators and it is like fighting a huge battle to find a job.

2) I'm looking for safety. I plan on moving by myself and living most likely by myself. I would be interested in a bigger city that is safe.

3) This leads to another point. I am looking for a city where it isn't HUGE (like New York City) but it is very easy to travel using public transportation and/or walking. I love walking different places, and I do not like dealing with traffic.

4) This is going to definitely narrow it down I'm sure.. The ocean!! I LOVE the ocean and would LOVE to live in a city that is close proximity to the ocean.

If you could even just give me a slight idea of any of those things, then I can research it further, I would GREATLY appreciate it! Thank you SO much!

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by christine_n

Hello everyone! I am 28 years old and live in Ohio. I am looking to possibly relocate. I am looking for a couple of things and thought maybe you could help me out on this.

1) I'm looking for an Elementary teaching job. Ohio does not have a very good job market for educators and it is like fighting a huge battle to find a job.

The only areas on the coast meeting your wish-list are Wilmington and Jacksonville, but Wilmington is by far the nicer location. However, finding a teaching job will be just as difficult as as in Ohio. NC has had budget cuts, and you are competing with local, young graduates who also want to live near the beach.

You might look into Greenville, which is about 1.5 hours from the beach. It's a moderate size city, but not neccessarily very safe. Lots of young people are there for ECU.

[Yaqngie]

I know the public transport in the ILM area is not all that great. It will get you from point A to B but no telling on how much walking to get to where you want.

The teaching market is hard right now in all of NC, a lot of school systems are still laying people off. I personally would not make the move unless you had something lined up ahead of time.

[glamatomic]

I would not recommend Jacksonville to anybody. I've lived here 4 years and it is a cultural void, as I've mentioned in other posts! As the main source of income is the Military Base, all entertainment / life is directed towards that (Strip Clubs, Tattoo Parlors, Chain Restaurants and Fast Food). I would not live here were it not for my husband being in the Marine Corps. We can't wait to leave!

Additionally, most areas of Jacksonville are a 45 minute + commute to the beach, and we don't get the benefit of sea breezes.

Wilmington would definitely be a better option. Statistically speaking the crime rate is quite high, but I've never personally had a problem down there. Wilmington has some degree of culture / life (a lot more so than Jacksonville) and is more aesthetically pleasing. It's got more shopping options, and some more interesting dining choices. Although parts of Wilmington too aren't right near the ocean, I still believe that it's a far nicer choice than Jacksonville.

I have had friends live near downtown however, and although the downtown district is going through a renaissance of sorts, certain areas still aren't all that safe and my friends have had problems with break ins/ auto thefts etc.

goldenage is correct that budget cuts have been made to our education budget as well. I have three friends here who are teachers who have all been affected in some way.

Wherever you choose to move, make sure you secure a job before moving Although I'm sure you knew that already!

The best option may be to flood multiple regions with applications / your CV and see where the best offer comes up.

Let a city find you... and you might be pleasantly surprised