[GettingOutOfChi]

My husband and I are trying to find the best place for us to live. We are moving from Chicago in September, and are desperately trying to find a place that meets all of our needs.

We are looking for:

A mid- to large-size city
Racial diversity
Cultural activities
Good public tranportation
Plenty of universities to choose from
Moderate weather
Affordability in general
Affordability in places to live (ie. we don't have to live in the roughest neighborhood in town to have an affordable apartment)
Close proximity to major cities for weekend travel

We feel as though New Haven meets all of these needs, but we are not entirely sure. I am having some difficulty finding jobs, mainly because I work in the non-profit sector and there aren't many non-profit jobs in New Haven that pay more than $35k - and I'm looking for $45k. I have been looking all over the internet at jobs, apartments, etc. in New Haven, and seem to be coming to a roadblock.

Firstly, are there any non-pretentious or non-hipster neighborhoods that are a good fit for a 20-something couple (not interested in Westville, it sounds like suburbia in the city, and we're not interested in suburban living)? How about just a decent neighborhood that is racially mixed with shopping nearby and, hell, let's throw in a neighborhood bar?

Secondly, is New Haven the right place for us? We are a mixed-race couple with no children and lead a sort of quiet, corny life with our 2 cats. My husband will be attending college wherever we go (it's just a matter of choosing where to go first) - and although we are young, we are not into the party-all-night-puke-on-everyone scene. We are not wealthy by any means, but we live a nerdy, sort of white collar yuppie/buppie life here in Chicago. Is it possible to get by on $40-$45k (my husband will be working PT, so I won't count his paychecks) in New Haven?

We don't have jobs lined up yet - we are first trying to decide what city is best for us first. We have looked at Philly (too cold and expensive), DC (too expensive, college selection is not what we are looking for), Charlotte (no jobs), Seattle (no diversity), Denver (no diversity), Wilmington (no jobs), Baltimore (well... let's face it, just too damned ghetto), etc. etc. New Haven is the first place that I got really excited about, after 2 months of looking for the "right" place.

Will New Haven fit for us?

[Donna Springer]

I think New Haven is a great fit for a young couple wanting to be near universities (Yale, Univ. of New Haven, Southern CT State U, UConn divisions, Albertus Magnus, Quinnipiac U) also, great night life, bars, clubs, restaurants, Yale Theater, Shubert Theater, Edgewood Park with outdoor plays and concerts on Green, Peabody Museum, great boutiques, coffee houses and on and on. Check out Welcome to the City of New Haven Connecticut for tons of info... THere is a wide variety in price and location and I know there are non profits to work for like Paul Newmans Sunshine Camp (met a girl that works there at my gym-- did I mention tons of gyms, yoga, indoor Rock climbing (Wallingford)

Yale gives New Haven (and Westville) a very hip, young vibe -- filled with young couples and those with families wanting city life, good schools, and urban setting...

[skytrekker]

Getting out of Chicago

greater New Haven

A mid- to large-size city Population; about 130k
Racial diversity; Very diverse
Cultural activities; From The Yale art gallery to the British Museum of Art, to Peabody great Theater
Good public transportation; very good local transportation
Plenty of universities to choose from;Yale; Southern Connecticut State, as alluded to in the above post
Moderate weather- Moderate continental climate will be considerably milder then Chicago in the winter-summers moderated by breezes off LI Sound

Affordability in general- slightly higher for housing costs then Chicago
Affordability in places to live (ie. we don't have to live in the roughest neighborhood in town to have an affordable apartment)' Easily done
Close proximity to major cities for weekend travel- Boston is 2.25 hours away, NYC 1.50 hours away, Connecticut Beaches nearby-Rhode Island Atlantic surf under 2 hours away

Great restaurants, 40 minutes to Hartford, the state capital, with equal resources available for all your requirements as stated. Closer to Boston, with slightly less housing costs.

[nhctguy]

New Haven would be a great choice for you. Try the East Rock neighborhood. It has everything that you listed - diversity, good public transportation, and some great neighborhood rest./bars. E. Rock is affectionately known as the "grad ghetto" due to the large population of yale grad students. There are also many young professionals. The neighborhood is wealthy by new haven standards but it is not pretentious. If you are coming from Chicago, I would expect to find some very nice apartments for the amount of money that you probably pay now. In my opinion, New Haven is the most livable urban environment you will find in CT.

I feel compelled to share some drawbacks as well - new haven people can be pushy and rude at times, police and fire sirens are often heard at all hours, don't expect eye contact or someone to hold the door, etc. - all things that you would surely find in any urban environment. Personally, I prefer the "I mind my business, you mind yours" attitude that we have here.

[JayCT]

You said that you feel Philidelphia is too cold. Sorry but I do not think that New Haven is much warmer than Philly. Also, I am not sure you will find a job with a non-profit that pays $45k. Non-profits are not known to pay a lot and coming from a more expensive city like Chicago you should not expect to be paid as well. Other than these, I think New Haven would fit you well. Jay

[skytrekker]

Philly actually has about the same climate as New Haven-where is Philly is inland, New Haven is moderated by LI Sound- though being further north it still has a mid latitude continental climate that will have some cold and snow in the winter.

Also consider the Hartford area, which has much to offer as well. Connecticut is a gem of a state, however it is as least as expensive as Chicago- and Non Profits as Jay said may not pay as highly as they do in Chicago.

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

My husband and I are trying to find the best place for us to live. We are moving from Chicago in September, and are desperately trying to find a place that meets all of our needs.

We are looking for:

A mid- to large-size city
Racial diversity
Cultural activities
Good public tranportation
Plenty of universities to choose from
Moderate weather
Affordability in general
Affordability in places to live (ie. we don't have to live in the roughest neighborhood in town to have an affordable apartment)
Close proximity to major cities for weekend travel

We feel as though New Haven meets all of these needs, but we are not entirely sure. I am having some difficulty finding jobs, mainly because I work in the non-profit sector and there aren't many non-profit jobs in New Haven that pay more than $35k - and I'm looking for $45k. I have been looking all over the internet at jobs, apartments, etc. in New Haven, and seem to be coming to a roadblock.

Firstly, are there any non-pretentious or non-hipster neighborhoods that are a good fit for a 20-something couple (not interested in Westville, it sounds like suburbia in the city, and we're not interested in suburban living)? How about just a decent neighborhood that is racially mixed with shopping nearby and, hell, let's throw in a neighborhood bar?

Secondly, is New Haven the right place for us? We are a mixed-race couple with no children and lead a sort of quiet, corny life with our 2 cats. My husband will be attending college wherever we go (it's just a matter of choosing where to go first) - and although we are young, we are not into the party-all-night-puke-on-everyone scene. We are not wealthy by any means, but we live a nerdy, sort of white collar yuppie/buppie life here in Chicago. Is it possible to get by on $40-$45k (my husband will be working PT, so I won't count his paychecks) in New Haven?

We don't have jobs lined up yet - we are first trying to decide what city is best for us first. We have looked at Philly (too cold and expensive), DC (too expensive, college selection is not what we are looking for), Charlotte (no jobs), Seattle (no diversity), Denver (no diversity), Wilmington (no jobs), Baltimore (well... let's face it, just too damned ghetto), etc. etc. New Haven is the first place that I got really excited about, after 2 months of looking for the "right" place.

Will New Haven fit for us?

I can feel for you, they don’t make it easy for young people today. Since I am quite familiar with the New Haven area and work with two people who relocated from Chicago, maybe I can offer a few things…. while I sit here waiting for an e-mail…it will keep me awake (lol).

1) First an honest comparison…..New Haven is no Chicago – they are not even close to being in the same league. Chicago is a huge, cosmopolitan, densely populated, international, corporate, major world city…New Haven is a much smaller, older university city, with a mix of urban/funky New York-type style…….and old world nautical history. New Haven is not anywhere near as big and exciting as Chicago is. Understand that first. But New York City is a $17 train ride 45 min away. Providence, RI is about 90 min away to the north. Put it this way: there are 3,100,000 people in the City of Chicago…..there are 130,000 in the City of New Haven according to census data.

2) As far as racial diversity, cultural activities, and good public transportation, New Haven is a good as most other cities in the USA (for it’s size), perhaps a bit better. Buses run city wide, there is a good rail/Amtrak system to get you to other regions of the USA, commuter trains to NYC every 40 min, while most people in the New Haven area use the NYC airports to fly (JFK, Laguardia, or Bradley in Hartford).

3. Where you might like it – based on what you wrote, my advice would be to look in the East Rock neighborhood along Whitney Avenue - Orange Street area. University professors, students, and young couples live in the area. The area is close to downtown, small specialty stores, restaurants, cafes, on the bus line, near Yale, Albertus Magnus College, Southern CT State University, and Gateway Community College…. and a bit further is the University of New Haven and Quinnipiac University.

There are museums, bookstores, and safe (for an urban area) walkable areas. In short, it’s a fun place to live. You should go to craigslist for New Haven and look at some of the apartments for rent in East Rock area. Some streets are better than others are but as a whole it’s pretty nice. Being a coastal state – Connecticut and New Haven are near some nice small beach towns, (Madison, Old Lyme…etc) and Atlantic ocean surfing beaches in Rhode Island are 1 hour away. Southern Connecticut also offers casinos, sailing, hiking, fishing, arts, zoos, Mystic Seaport, and other attractions. Most sports fans follow New York sports teams in southern Connecticut, although some also follow the teams up in Boston. People in southern Connecticut are as middle of the road as it gets, you’ll find all types here like anywhere else across the USA.

4. As far as jobs, some of the major employer’s in or around New Haven are Yale University, the Yale-New Haven Hospital, St. Raphaels Hospital, banks, law offices, financial service offices, and a few government agencies (check on-line). I would think you would be able to get by well enough on $40,000 or so, you know the way that works, it’s all how you live.

5. Weather. Here is the only thing New Haven may have over Chicago – climate. Compared to Chicago and the Midwest - New Haven and the Tri-State/East Coast will have milder winters, although summers are longer and more humid. It is also significantly more sunny in New Haven/East Coast year round (especially in winter, though) than in Chicago/Midwest. I copied a mid-winter (February) map below from climate data.

Summers are similar to Chicago temp wise, but being on the seaboard - humidity is of course much higher. When that old Bermuda High gets going in deep summer - the combo of heat and humidity can make many East Coast cities feel like Thailand in summer. The frost –free season in Chicago is 150 days a year, while the frost-free season is 190 days a year across southern Connecticut/New Haven (if you garden), so the East coast has a longer warm season.

In winter – (according to the National Weather Service)…..Chicago averages around 56 inches of snow a season – while New Haven averages around 24 inches. Many winters we have very little snow (like this year), but some winters we get (for us) a lot. Also, it is rare for East Coast cities (south of Boston) to have subzero cold like the Midwest. Most days in winter in New Haven/NYC are above freezing. At times we even have days in the 50’s in Dec- Feb. Spring (warmer weather) will seem pretty close to what you get in Chicago, only in the fall will you notice that it stays warmer on the East Coast longer. I copied a monthly climate temp comparison for New Haven and Chicago.

Month Chicago, IL New Haven, CT
J 21 30
F 25 32
M 36 39
A 48 48
M 59 59
J 67 68
J 72 74
A 70 73
S 64 66
O 52 56
N 39 45
D 27 35





I hope this helps….

Good Luck.

[Castro Viejo]

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

A mid- to large-size city

I'd call New Haven more of a small-sized city with a population of only 130,000 or so. When you figure in Hamden, which is pretty much up Whitney Avenue a few too many blocks, the city grows just a bit more. Hartford is about 20 minutes away by car and is the largest city in Connecticut as well as the State Capitol.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Racial diversity

New Haven is pretty diverse for a Connecticut city. It's about 30-40% black, but also about 30% white, I think. Kind of similar to Chicago, less 3 million or so people of course.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Cultural activities

Anything cultural within the City of New Haven will be lead by Yale University, which operates a variety of museums (Ancient stuff, Natural History, etc.), theaters, libraries, and galleries (British Art, etc.). There's also non-Yale influenced cultural venues, the Shubert Theater comes to mind, but they are on a much smaller scale than you might be used to being from Chicago and all.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Good public tranportation

Not so sure about this one. There is CT Transit busses that run about the city. I don't know where they go though. I just drive or walk. New Haven has one of the most walkable commutes in the nation.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Plenty of universities to choose from

The only school that's actually in New Haven is ever-famous Yale University. Other nearby schools would be the University of New Haven (that's actually in West Haven), Quinnipiac College (in Hamden), and the University of Hartford (in West Hartford).

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Moderate weather

New England winters can be long and cold, but because New Haven is kind of at the southern of NE, closer to New York City, it enjoys a slightly better climate. It's nowhere near as cold as Chicago winters. The summers are also not as humid, I think.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Affordability in general

It's almost too affordable.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Affordability in places to live (ie. we don't have to live in the roughest neighborhood in town to have an affordable apartment)

A great place to live for a couple like yours would be East Rock. That's where many Yale graduate students live as well as professors at the university. It's affordable and relatively safe.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Close proximity to major cities for weekend travel

If you consider Hartford a major city, it's a close 20 minutes by car. New York City is probably what you're referring to. It's about 60-90 minutes by car, depending on traffic. A straight shot down 95. By Metro-North Commuter Rail, New York City is about 120 minutes. Stamford, CT that is finance heavy, is about 45-60 minutes by Metro North and 45 minutes by car.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

We feel as though New Haven meets all of these needs, but we are not entirely sure. I am having some difficulty finding jobs, mainly because I work in the non-profit sector and there aren't many non-profit jobs in New Haven that pay more than $35k - and I'm looking for $45k. I have been looking all over the internet at jobs, apartments, etc. in New Haven, and seem to be coming to a roadblock.

Consider looking Hartford or Stamford. Or seek out opportunities at Yale. They've got a lot of non-profit kind of stuff going on, but Hartford and Stamford have more companies overall compared to New Haven.

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Firstly, are there any non-pretentious or non-hipster neighborhoods that are a good fit for a 20-something couple (not interested in Westville, it sounds like suburbia in the city, and we're not interested in suburban living)? How about just a decent neighborhood that is racially mixed with shopping nearby and, hell, let's throw in a neighborhood bar?

East Rock is the place you're describing. It's close to Downtown New Haven where all the shopping is, but there's a lot of neighborhood stuff. Neighborhood restaurants and shops along State Street and a few on Orange Street. It's a great place!

Originally Posted by GettingOutOfChi

Secondly, is New Haven the right place for us? We are a mixed-race couple with no children and lead a sort of quiet, corny life with our 2 cats. My husband will be attending college wherever we go (it's just a matter of choosing where to go first) - and although we are young, we are not into the party-all-night-puke-on-everyone scene. We are not wealthy by any means, but we live a nerdy, sort of white collar yuppie/buppie life here in Chicago. Is it possible to get by on $40-$45k (my husband will be working PT, so I won't count his paychecks) in New Haven?

The only people who really don't fit in New Haven are the Yalies. Since I was one of them eons ago, I'll stop right there. But seriously you and your husband sound like the typical East Rock couple. There's a lot of Yale grad students and professors there, as I mentioned, so it sounds like you guys would make plenty of friends.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by Castro Viejo

Hartford is about 20 minutes away by car and is the largest city in Connecticut as well as the state capital.

Hartford is the second largest city behind Bridgeport.

[shwee]

Originally Posted by Castro Viejo

The only school that's actually in New Haven is ever-famous Yale University. Other nearby schools would be the University of New Haven (that's actually in West Haven), Quinnipiac College (in Hamden), and the University of Hartford (in West Hartford).

Actually, Albertus Magnus and Southern CT State University are both also in New Haven.