Moving, not sure where to start (insurance, home, find a job)

[32rachel25]

I get done with school in July and I don't want to stay where I am. I think want to move to Philadelphia area, but it's really far(I live in Kansas) and I'm not sure if I want to commit to a place so far without knowing 100%. I don't know where to start. How do I narrow it down?

I have a couple other cities that I like, St. Louis and Portland, but I just don't know if I want to live there. The three have like nothing in common, so I'm not sure what I'm looking for other than a bigger size city.

I hope it makes sense what I'm trying to ask.

[icecreamsandwich]

As I understand it you're looking to figure out where you'd like to live?

If so, I suggest doing some thinking and reading - make a list that prioritizes what you like/enjoy/find important. Things to look at can include weather (snow, rain, etc), proximity to amenities (ie a big airport, a stadium to attend games, etc), cost of living, tax burden, location (on a coast / lake or near mountains etc), and maybe population size (as you've already said you want a bigger city). Once done you can refine that to be more particular to other things you find important. Once you've done that you can look at Wikipedia, visit the city's section on here and also look at any websites there or also the city's travel website if it has one

For example my list has been regular snow, low cost of living, 500,000+ metro with easy (8 hours or less) access to other metro areas. Cities that I feel would work for me include Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis / St Paul.

Also you may want to go to Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed(though it needs you to register ) and do the quiz - its pretty good at figuring a list of cities you may want to live in.

Best of luck in finding your perfect place to live

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by 32rachel25

I get done with school in July and I don't want to stay where I am. I think want to move to Philadelphia area, but it's really far(I live in Kansas) and I'm not sure if I want to commit to a place so far without knowing 100%. I don't know where to start. How do I narrow it down?

I have a couple other cities that I like, St. Louis and Portland, but I just don't know if I want to live there. The three have like nothing in common, so I'm not sure what I'm looking for other than a bigger size city.

I hope it makes sense what I'm trying to ask.

As someone young and starting out, you should probably consider the heaviest where you can find a job and how affordable it is. Personal Safety is another factor you should consider when coming from a less urban place like Kansas. Often it's not about the actual physical danger, rather the perception which can make life unpleasant when dealing with it on a daily basis long-term. I agree with the post above regarding a list. Determine what is most important to you and what are the key issues you'll deal with as part of everyday life. Some examples: automobile insurance costs/ cost to register vehicle or annual car taxes/parking issues (no street parking, etc)/commute time from where you can afford to live/average salary versus rent/can you afford to live alone?

[daydreamin71]

I second what the previous poster said about narrowing it down and focusing in on what areas are best for your career. What areas offer you the best chance of landing something in your career? Entry level positions may be in places that aren't first on your list; but the choice locations can be targets for after you have some experience under your belt.

If career really isn't a concern then I suggest looking at safety, weather, amenities, urban vs. suburban/rural, etc. And don't discount proximity to home. Having a total change is exciting. But it can also be very difficult to pick up and move to new location where you don't know anyone. Do some soul searching to try to determine how being far from home will work for you.