[adiab]

I am relocating with my 4 yr old from Oklahoma. I need to know what the good neighborhoods are, how much for daycare, utilities, ETC. I have never been anywhere near the northeast, so I am totally clueless.
Any LPN's out there? Is it hard to get an office position in Connecticut?
HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by adiab

I am relocating with my 4 yr old from Oklahoma. I need to know what the good neighborhoods are, how much for daycare, utilities, ETC. I have never been anywhere near the northeast, so I am totally clueless.
Any LPN's out there? Is it hard to get an office position in Connecticut?
HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

If you are an LPN- I would not think it would prove difficult finding a job within a few days.

Connecticut is a tiny state- I would avoid the states very expensive southwestern corner 'Fairfield County' which is basically a suburb or exurb of New York City.

The best area to locate with the lowest costs is greater Hartford- in central northern Connecticut. The areas east of the Connecticut river and Hartford have the lowest rents and housing costs, with very good schools and a high quality of life.

You should try and seek an online map of Connecticut and get a feel of the region. Other areas to consider are Greater New Haven, and Southeastern CT- New London and Groton.

Some great links and Information for you;
Connecticut State Map - Cities, Roads, Counties, Rivers, Lakes, Topo

From Wikipedia Connecticut - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

State of Connecticut
CT.gov Portal
Visit Connecticut - State of Connecticut Office of Tourism - Official CT Tourism Site

There are many fine towns in greater Hartford, with good schools and safe neighborhoods; Newington, Manchester, South Windsor, Rocky Hill, Vernon, Ellington, Cromwell, West Hartford, Wethersfield.

Utilities here are not cheap; especially for electricity. Living costs in the northeast will be considerably higher then OK- although the pay will be higher. Day care here can be expensive- not sure of the precise costs-perhaps another member can provide data.

Ask as many questions as you want- everyone will be happy to help!
Welcome!

[JayCT]

Do you know where in Connecticut you want to live? There are a number of major cities here. As Skytrekker indicated, the southwestern part of the state (Fairfield County) is a suburb of New York City and can be very expensive. Hartford and New Haven are more affordable. both are great cities with a lot to offer. As an LPN you should not have a problem finding work here. There is a shortage of qualified nurses. If you can give us a little more information we can direct you. Welcome to Connecticut. Jay

PS - Where in OK are you now? I have been to Tulsa and Broken Arrow. Connecticut will be a lot different than them.

[adiab]

My family is actually from Broken Arrow, they've been there about 80 years. I live in Tulsa. I am totally lost as far as which area of Connecticut. I have heard alot of nice things about Stamford and West Hartford. I know it is more expensive to live in CT, but I also know the pay is alot better. I am hoping to find a safe neighborhood with a good school system for my daughter. I have heard that they do not have Pre-K (4yr old programs) in the area, is that correct? I am looking to rent an apartment, preferrably a 2 bedroom. Utilities here are about $200 for gas,$150 for electric, $60 for water, cable/phone/internet is $160. I'm just trying to get a general idea so I can plan a budget. I want to make sure I can afford it before I jet across country. I have looked all over the country, and I really think the area is beautiful and it has easy access to so many great places.

[JayCT]

The cost of housing in the Stamford area will really shock you and finding a nice place to live with good schools will be difficult there. CNN-Money.com has a Cost-of-Living Calculator that lets you compare the cost to live in one area to another. You put in your current salary and it lets you know the salary required in another area of the country. It will be a start.

According to it, you would need to make about 24% more here in CT to maintain your current lifestyle in OK. You can go and play with other towns and see what the differences are. I would definitely consider the Hartford area. It is a wonderful small city with a lot to do and most conveniences. You are 2 hours to Boston or New York. An hour from the shore or the mountains. It is easy to get around here and the people are nice. As you noted West Hartford is nice but there are other more affordable towns that night also suit your needs. The schools there are excellent though and I think many towns have some sort of pre-school program. If not there are a lot day cares in the area. Good luck, Jay

[skytrekker]

Jay has given some pertinent information. Stamford is like another world compared to the rest of Connecticut cost wise. I would suggest the Hartford area. Towns like Wethersfield, Manchester, Rocky Hill, South Windsor, Vernon etc all have solid school systems and have low crime. West Hartford and Glastonbury have a very upscale jazzy veneer-but are more expensive.

As for utilities; I pay $70 a month on the budget plan for gas heat in an 1100 sq foot townhouse. Around $115 a month for electricity
Internet/'phone/and wireless bundled $85.00 a month. Cable TV $60 a month. I pay $60 every 3 months for water- though if renting that will be likely included in the rent.

The state of CT has access to much,very close by.

[adiab]

I have spoken to a couple of people up there who have given me an idea of what LPNs make. Here we get about $15/hr. I've been told it's around $25-27/hr up there. So, from what I've figured, the pay and cost of living increases about equal out. Another question I have is weather. How bad is the snow? That's something we deal with maybe 3 days a year here (except this year, we had like 20 inches at one point). I know I'm looking at 12-1400 for rent. Are there deposits for all of the utilities? Can you get into an apartment pretty quickly? Any local newspapers with job listings online?

[skytrekker]

Winters here are mild for the northerly location due to the moderating influence of the Atlantic ocean to the south and east.

On average we receive around 42" of snow from December through March. This can vary-last year in central Connecticut it was around 20".

It will be slightly colder then Tulsa- but not Cold like Detroit, Chicago or Des Moines Iowa. Temperatures below zero are becoming more uncommon.

Summers can have periods of hot and humid weather (make sure you get central air) the latter part of August until Thanksgiving are generally very pleasant. Winter starts around Christmas- and lasts until mid to late March- Springs here are changeable and begin late (especially if you live near the shoreline) However on the shoreline it will be less hot in the summer.

A nice upscale 2 bedroom apartment will run about $1150-1200- in the Hartford area. deposits on utilities are not required here.

[JayCT]

Skytrekker information looks good. I would allow a little morte for electric andd gas utilities though. The prices have been going up around here.

The Hartford Courant would have job listings in the Hartford area. Most appear on Sundays. You could check monster.com for listings as well. For apartments I would recommend craigslist.com.

You should note that unllike out west there are not a lot of large apartment complexes in CT. The complexes tend to be smaller or condos rented out by investors. There are many older two family homes with apartments as well. Finding a place should not be too difficult. Just give your self a little time. Once you know where you are working, it would then be best to determine where you wnat to live. I believe in keeping commuting distances as short as possible especially when you have children. Good luck, Jay

[skytrekker]

Jay thats all I pay for the two of us-

really- I guess I get by on the cheap, in any case I do not believe in squandering money or adding more Co2 to the atmosphere-

My electric bill this month will be higher for the central air- but it was $127 last month which is not bad really. And on Yankee gas- that $70 a month is pretty good as well- I have two levels with vaulted ceilings here, lots of windows and skylights and an end unit- am I living too cheap? LOL

I bundled my LAN phone, wireless and DSL with A T ....... well you know.