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'm in my late 20's and I know exactly what you mean, plus the weather could be better. I've been considering mid-state North Carolina, somewhere near Raleigh. I'm told if you stay inland and toward the north, the weather is about as fair as you're going to get and looking online, it seems their temperatures throughout the year are about 10 degrees warmer. My uncle is a trucker and has been to NC several times, he said Raleigh something like tripled in size over the last couple decades. Someone else I know lives just west of that area and he told me he's never been unemployed and is somewhere around the age of 50. I'm in Forestville, Bristol, CT, it's ok, but it's CT. Bristol was a small rural city that boomed in the middle of the 20th century, then in the 80's lost a lot of nice jobs. I remember what it was like here when I was young, Bristol was great! A strong large suburban town. I don't recognize this place anymore. It's disappointing, I guess I thought Bristol from the early 90's onward would go in a different direction than it did. But, oh well. So I have to figure out what next. Do I stay and maybe things will change more like how I want or do I go somewhere else? It's a big move to leave where I've always been.
There is an old saying "the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence". While Raleigh has grown a lot in the last couple of decades, there is a cost to all that growth. That includes traffic congestion, higher real estate prices for well located homes and apartments and the added cost of being far from friends and family. Keep in mid that your wages will likely be lower there and that there are hidden costs that people do not take into account when they move like taxes on groceries. Even your uncles few visits would not give him a true feel for what it is like to live there. Also note that there are many 50 year olds here who have not been unemployed either so one persons experience does not make that a true fact for everyone.
Bristol is not really a suburb. It has been a small manufacturing city for more than a hundred years. You are correct that it has changed. Like most cities in this country, the manufacturing has moved out and left some very visible scars. On the other hand Bristol is home to ESPN which has brought a lot of jobs into Bristol and helped offset a bit of the manufacturing job losses.
As for whether you should stay or go depends a lot on your current situation. Do you have a job? Is it decent? I am assuming you do not have a wife or children so if you really are questioning whether it is right for you or not, the only way to know is to go and try it. Still just go into that move knowing the differences between the areas and the advantages and dis advantages of both. We have a regular here who left the state for what he thought was going to be greener pastures. A few months later he lost his job (which paid him significantly less than he made here) and could not find another in a city that was supposedly booming with job opportunities. He ended up returning to Connecticut and is happy with that decision though it cost him a lot of money for the multiple moves but I think he learned a valuable lesson that Connecticut is actually a pretty nice place to live. Of course it is your decision. Good luck, Jay
There are several reasons I want to escape CT and several that hold me down here. Coming up on 29 years in this State and probably won't leave till 33 or 34 years.
Cost of living is too high and K to 12 schools are only good depending on the cost of the average homes where you are living usually.
It's like a sardine in the State West of the river.
Roads and infrastructure are so so.
Traffic is congested and rough.
Winters are a mix of harsh, to slush, to grey icy rain, and just grey bitterly cold.
Only paid car taxes in the State, but before the Cap it was high. Can't imagine putting roots down buying a house with taxes. Rents are too high and low rent in the State is either away from jobs/colleges or in unsafe area's.
Colleges are expensive and over crowded in some programs.
Limited job's and unstable market due to cuts made by the State.
Now I have family here and it be tough to leave. Also CT has random sweet spots of outdoor adventures and great hiking options. However, hiking all depends on CTs unpredictable weather.
I think it's hard to be single and at any stage/age above the 20's. Being single and 30s sucks where ever you go. It not unique to Connecticut.Night life is pretty much geared to the youth, except maybe karaoke.. Any night of the week you'll find folks in your boat singing and making friends.. Even if it's not your cup of tea, there are nice people out and about.. I don't think you need to move .. But that's up to you.
There is an old saying "the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence". While Raleigh has grown a lot in the last couple of decades, there is a cost to all that growth. That includes traffic congestion, higher real estate prices for well located homes and apartments and the added cost of being far from friends and family. Keep in mid that your wages will likely be lower there and that there are hidden costs that people do not take into account when they move like taxes on groceries. Even your uncles few visits would not give him a true feel for what it is like to live there. Also note that there are many 50 year olds here who have not been unemployed either so one persons experience does not make that a true fact for everyone.
Bristol is not really a suburb. It has been a small manufacturing city for more than a hundred years. You are correct that it has changed. Like most cities in this country, the manufacturing has moved out and left some very visible scars. On the other hand Bristol is home to ESPN which has brought a lot of jobs into Bristol and helped offset a bit of the manufacturing job losses.
As for whether you should stay or go depends a lot on your current situation. Do you have a job? Is it decent? I am assuming you do not have a wife or children so if you really are questioning whether it is right for you or not, the only way to know is to go and try it. Still just go into that move knowing the differences between the areas and the advantages and dis advantages of both. We have a regular here who left the state for what he thought was going to be greener pastures. A few months later he lost his job (which paid him significantly less than he made here) and could not find another in a city that was supposedly booming with job opportunities. He ended up returning to Connecticut and is happy with that decision though it cost him a lot of money for the multiple moves but I think he learned a valuable lesson that Connecticut is actually a pretty nice place to live. Of course it is your decision. Good luck, Jay
Well.... I guess there's only one way to find out.
Bristol is primarily suburban. It has no limited access highway and it's downtown is dead. It's legally a city because it has a city government and it has a city-like history. But Bristol still even has around half dozen farms. I think of it as a once very small city that grew and transformed into a large suburb and that's progress. But it's like over the last few decades, things went wrong.
I have a job and some side work. Nothing I really like, nothing that really pays. I keep saving as much as I can and take it day by day, but I feel like there's somewhere better out there.
I'm in my late 20's and I know exactly what you mean, plus the weather could be better. I've been considering mid-state North Carolina, somewhere near Raleigh. I'm told if you stay inland and toward the north, the weather is about as fair as you're going to get and looking online, it seems their temperatures throughout the year are about 10 degrees warmer.
This is for the OP. I know many people who have moved to many different locations in the US from CT. Some love their new locales and some like my mom and dad have come back to CT. There are many different reasons people have left CT and the reasons they have come back are numerous also.
Here are some locations that I know people have moved to and the love it. I know quite a few people who have moved to the Charleston area of SC and they all love it. I also have a cousin that moved to Huntington Beach in southern CA when she was in her 20's for work. She LOVED it out there, got herself a husband and never came back. I also know people that moved to the San Francisco/Berkeley area they love it too. On the flip side I know people how have moved to FL and other southern locations and have come back to Fairfield and New Haven Counties.
This is for Forestville. My mom and dad moved to NC in retirement for about 5 years but moved back to CT because they missed family and friends. They lived between the Outer Banks and Raleigh. My husband and I would take the 45 minute ride to Raleigh when we were down there quite a bit and we really liked it there. Many cities in CT are frankly not that great and filled with crime but Raleigh seemed much safer and looked nicer overall. It might have been a perception on my part that Raleigh was safer but that is how I felt. The politics/culture in North and South Carolina are vastly different from the more liberal northeast and that certainly is something to consider. The most drastic difference is you don't have easy assess (from Fairfield and New Haven Counties) to one of the world's greatest cultural cities in the world like NYC.
One thing to remember is if you are young and are moving to a popular expensive area you need to have great skills and jobs prospects to live there. If not you would probably be miserable there too if you can't afford a decent lifestyle.
Well.... I guess there's only one way to find out.
Bristol is primarily suburban. It has no limited access highway and it's downtown is dead. It's legally a city because it has a city government and it has a city-like history. But Bristol still even has around half dozen farms. I think of it as a once very small city that grew and transformed into a large suburb and that's progress. But it's like over the last few decades, things went wrong.
I have a job and some side work. Nothing I really like, nothing that really pays. I keep saving as much as I can and take it day by day, but I feel like there's somewhere better out there.
There are major QOL upgrades available to you within the state. Bristol specifically is a depressing place to live. Have you considered anyplace else in CT?
There are major QOL upgrades available to you within the state. Bristol specifically is a depressing place to live. Have you considered anyplace else in CT?
I like what Bristol used to be, but never really liked CT. The weather and (maybe I shouldn't go here, but oh well...) the plethora of Catholicism and Atheism (and other dead beliefs, at least to me). Looking for somewhere where the common belief is that Jesus Christ already paid for ALL past, present and future sins and that it's all an already completed work of God. I figure the Carolina's area is more like this. I don't hate someone for associating with Catholicism or atheism, we're just disconnected from eachother on that level. I'd like to get around others who know my core belief.
I like what Bristol used to be, but never really liked CT. The weather and (maybe I shouldn't go here, but oh well...) the plethora of Catholicism and Atheism (and other dead beliefs, at least to me). Looking for somewhere where the common belief is that Jesus Christ already paid for ALL past, present and future sins and that it's all an already completed work of God. I figure the Carolina's area is more like this. I don't hate someone for associating with Catholicism or atheism, we're just disconnected from eachother on that level. I'd like to get around others who know my core belief.
Huh Catholics don't believe Jesus paid for sins? That's a new one to me. Guess my Catholic school education was for naught... I mean it was I just didn't realise the extent.
I like what Bristol used to be, but never really liked CT. The weather and (maybe I shouldn't go here, but oh well...) the plethora of Catholicism and Atheism (and other dead beliefs, at least to me). Looking for somewhere where the common belief is that Jesus Christ already paid for ALL past, present and future sins and that it's all an already completed work of God. I figure the Carolina's area is more like this. I don't hate someone for associating with Catholicism or atheism, we're just disconnected from eachother on that level. I'd like to get around others who know my core belief.
Ahh, I see now. Based on what you've said here, I do agree the South would be a better fit for you.
Huh Catholics don't believe Jesus paid for sins? That's a new one to me. Guess my Catholic school education was for naught... I mean it was I just didn't realise the extent.
^^And they tend to be so confident in their beliefs, that they get snippy with people who see things differently.
I was raised a Catholic, even went to CCD. Catholics very much claim a belief on Jesus Christ, BUT (and this is a big BUT), add their own dead works unto it (telling your bad doings to another human being, getting sprinkled with or dunked in water, attending regularly a 501c3 organization they call church). Jesus Christ is our already complete salvation and sanctification. He is also the Church, Baptism, complete gifts of God, everything that's anything is already all complete, in Him. This is my belief, maybe not yours and that's fine, but do you see the difference between Jesus Christ and Catholicism (and Christianity, Atheism, Satanism, Islam, Buddhism and basically everything else of our current world)? The world says, 'DO', Jesus already said, 'DONE'.
I don't mean to offend anyone, I just don't believe on anything outside of Jesus. Everything outside of Jesus, I just deal with, best I can.
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.
