[galejuniper]

Originally Posted by CTDex

Too bad Galejuniper. You're the type of couple this state needs and should encourage more of.

Thanks. I agree with you! It's a shame that it's so hard for young families to get ahead here. We have some student debt we are still paying off and with our housing costs here- I know if we stayed it would take a very long time to pay it off.

Not to mention things like groceries, insurance, gas, property taxes, etc. are just so much higher here. We were blown away by 1.89 gas when we were house shopping in Ohio.

[galejuniper]

Just for reference- this is the home that will cost us 396.00 per month. Not too shabby if you're willing to tough it out in a relatively small space for a few years!

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by Sigequinox

Also important to note: one does not have to live somewhere as backwards as Oklahoma to get twice the house and/or 1/3 the taxes of CT. Not that I would ever stay (there's numerous fundamental issues for me with CT), but the household income I think we would need to have the life we strive for in CT is about 175k/year. We can actually be close to the equivalent of such a salary with our current income in many other great areas of the country. It would take us years to achieve here. By the time we are in our 40's we expect to both be making 100+ salaries. We will be living unbelievably comfortable with 200k elsewhere.

Most people aren't going to be able to have their income stay the same though. If your income does stay the same, of course you can go to a lower COL area, but many can't and that's why they stay in the rich and prestigious states.

[galejuniper]

Originally Posted by Sigequinox

So rare that we agree. The key word is sacrifice--and there are always some. The key to figuring out where to live is to understand what it is that you truly want and prioritize that list.

For a progressive with a comfortable salary (typically achieved later in life than the current age of millennials) who enjoys traveling to (but doen't need to live immediate to) large cities and casually enjoys the outdoors, CT is a great place.

For a libertarian who wishes to donate rather than redistribute income, expects a nicer/newer home for what they can afford and would like to have more discretionary money for raising a family/taking vacations, CT is not so great.

Also important to note: one does not have to live somewhere as backwards as Oklahoma to get twice the house and/or 1/3 the taxes of CT. Not that I would ever stay (there's numerous fundamental issues for me with CT), but the household income I think we would need to have the life we strive for in CT is about 175k/year. We can actually be close to the equivalent of such a salary with our current income in many other great areas of the country. It would take us years to achieve here. By the time we are in our 40's we expect to both be making 100+ salaries. We will be living unbelievably comfortable with 200k elsewhere.

Hey hey now- Tulsa and OKC are actually very cute little areas. Oddly more progressive than you would think and even a bit on the rise. Plus doesn't get much friendlier.

But I completely agree with you. My husband and I are in the rare position that income doesn't change that drastically by moving to a much lower COL area. We are therefore bad candidates for Connecticut- as we would have a much better quality of life else where due to not having to stress about finances as much. So few Americans are in this position but those of us who are are very lucky and should take advantage!

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by Sigequinox

Depends what you mean by young people... We are talking about millennials, a generation that is now in there 20's and 30's. The ones who don't care about it yet will start caring about it real soon.

I never thought about taxes in college. I did when I got my first real job though, and saw what kind of coin is taken out of my pay check. Also made me really start to wonder what happens to all that money. That's when grumpy old me was born When you really start caring about taxes is when considering buying a home. When you start to despise taxes is when you actually buy the home. In CT, the taxes also smack you in the face when you sell the old 3rd-hand car you got for your 17th birthday from grandma and buy a new one. 2k sales taxes. Another $500-800 in some invented tax they take iteratively on a yearly basis for the privilege. Millennials are growing up now and will experience this more and more as they start to build their own lives.

The ones who don't care yet are the ones who are still renting, still driving their HS graduation present, still haven't landed a good paying job...

I think we're in agreement here--

When people (post-college) make the move to where they're going to settle initially, taxes aren't a consideration. I do agree that it floats in to their consciousness pretty quickly.

Not to get too in the weeds, but wouldn't those in their 30's be Gen X/Gen Y... Millennials came of age post 2000-- They wouldn't be 30 yet.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by galejuniper

Hey hey now- Tulsa and OKC are actually very cute little areas. Oddly more progressive than you would think and even a bit on the rise. Plus doesn't get much friendlier.

But I completely agree with you. My husband and I are in the rare position that income doesn't change that drastically by moving to a much lower COL area. We are therefore bad candidates for Connecticut- as we would have a much better quality of life else where due to not having to stress about finances as much. So few Americans are in this position but those of us who are are very lucky and should take advantage!

Tulsa is not progressive in any way shape or form. The politicians they elect are anti-gay, anti-global warming, and pro-corporate....

Again- our income will go from about 150,000 per year to about 100,000 per year

In any case, I do wonder why you can't make it on 150K in Connecticut. The idea seems absurd to me-- Even in Fairfield County, you can live on that salary. You could find an 800 square foot home in Fairfield County for 200K or less. There's are a bunch of listings in Stratford for under 100K with more square footage than you're getting.

Even in Trumbull-- I would imagine a nicer town than Youngstown-- there were houses in the low 200's with more square footage.

Will you live high on the hog on 150K in Connecticut? No-- Unless you're outside Fairfield County. That's a damn good living. You certainly don't have the option to spend $400 all out per month on a home-- but to present CT as unlivable on 150K per year is just plain false.

Not questioning your move-- Just the justification you provided. Frankly, I don't get it.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Tulsa is not progressive in any way shape or form. The politicians they elect are anti-gay, anti-global warming, and pro-corporate....



In any case, I do wonder why you can't make it on 150K in Connecticut. The idea seems absurd to me-- Even in Fairfield County, you can live on that salary. You could find an 800 square foot home in Fairfield County for 200K or less. There's are a bunch of listings in Stratford for under 100K with more square footage than you're getting.

Even in Trumbull-- I would imagine a nicer town than Youngstown-- there were houses in the low 200's with more square footage.

Will you live high on the hog on 150K in Connecticut? No-- Unless you're outside Fairfield County. That's a damn good living. You certainly don't have the option to spend $400 all out per month on a home-- but to present CT as unlivable on 150K per year is just plain false.

Not questioning your move-- Just the justification you provided. Frankly, I don't get it.

I have been to Tulsa too and agree. It is not progressive. I actually know a couple of people that went there for work, one still lives there. I would not call it "cute" either.

I also wondered about not being able to live on $150,000 per year in Fairfield County. I know a lot of people who do fine on a lot less there. I also wonder why the OP did not consider moving to another part of Connecticut. Only southwestern Fairfield County is crazy expensive but the rest of the county as well as other Connecticut counties are more reasonable. I also have to wonder what job the OP and her husband have that provides them with that type of income in such a low cost area. Jay

[ctguy87]

Originally Posted by galejuniper

We follow the Dave Ramsey approach so spending less money on a home allows us to just put more money into retirement. We are relaunching our business in the Cleveland area where there is more money- and fortunately only commute 1-2 days a week so the one hour drive won't be too bad. Hell- that's what I drive here in CT due to traffic. Again- our income will go from about 150,000 per year to about 100,000 per year- so we will take a hit there- but when your housing and utilities are only 6k per year vs the 30,000 per year that we pay now- it makes a big difference in terms of long term savings.

The home is in a town that feels similar to Winsted with a slightly better school system. Not the best town- not the worst- but plenty safe. It's 800 square feet so very small- but very cute. Needs about 5k worth of work to be done on it. We are seeing it as just a three year starter home- so in a few years we will likely take our equity from the home and either build something in a town we like better- or look for a 4 bedroom home in one of the nicest towns- which would cost us about 120,000. This is just not a reality for us here in CT- so sacrificing to a less appealing part of the country is worth it for the financial gain for our particular family.

I'm awfully critical with the current state of CT, but how do you justify your income decreasing from 150K to 100K (minus 50K) to change your housing and utility costs from 30K to 6K (plus 24k) by moving to OH? I'm sure there's other costs that will be cheaper for you (you mentioned gas) - but I still don't understand the math.

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

I think we're in agreement here--

When people (post-college) make the move to where they're going to settle initially, taxes aren't a consideration. I do agree that it floats in to their consciousness pretty quickly.

Not to get too in the weeds, but wouldn't those in their 30's be Gen X/Gen Y... Millennials came of age post 2000-- They wouldn't be 30 yet.

I saw the definition as being born 80's - early 2k.... These "generation" definitions have always confused me since I think of generations in such a narrow way (pedigrees and such). The more colloquial definitions are rather loose. The youngest of generation X could have a child at 16 and now that child is a member of the "next generation" (from a population genetics POV), which is technically the millennial generation yet this hypothetical child is born in 1976. Generation Y IS the "millennial generation" btw. clear as mud?

The Generation you speak of is generation Z, according to whoever decides that sorta thing...

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

...
In any case, I do wonder why you can't make it on 150K in Connecticut. The idea seems absurd to me-- Even in Fairfield County, you can live on that salary. You could find an 800 square foot home in Fairfield County for 200K or less. There's are a bunch of listings in Stratford for under 100K with more square footage than you're getting.
...

They own their own business (IIRC). That 150k isnt true income. They need to pay insurance, contribute to retirement and all that jazz.

What does the average employee cost in that regard if you don't mind me asking?