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I'm in my mid twenties and I am looking for somewhere to move to that has all four seasons. I was born and raised in New York (just south of Albany) and am tired of the high crime rates, ridiculous taxes, poor education and most importantly the morals of the people around here.
I have no idea where to begin my search of where the best area would be to move to. I'm looking for a new beginning that is the opposite of New York. I love to ski and Christmas isn't normal to me without snow. My career is in accounting but am willing to commute to work if necessary. The country style living is more me rather than the loud obnoxious noises from a big city. I would love to find a place that has a prosperous lifestyle for a family with outdoor activities and a sense of community pride.
Any opinions or helpful tips would be great!!
Just curious, but what place just south of Albany has a high crime rate and poor education? To be honest, you really wouldn't have to leave the state(North Country/Adirondacks, the Enchanted Mountains area by Olean/Jamestown and around Oneonta come to mind). With that said, perhaps look into the Big Sky/Mountain states out West.
Just curious, but what place just south of Albany has a high crime rate and poor education? To be honest, you really wouldn't have to leave the state(North Country/Adirondacks, the Enchanted Mountains area by Olean/Jamestown and around Oneonta come to mind). With that said, perhaps look into the Big Sky/Mountain states out West.
I was SMH over that statement, too. I thought NY was supposed to be one of the top states for education especially?
I was SMH over that statement, too. I thought NY was supposed to be one of the top states for education especially?
Yeah, while some schools are better than others, it is generally pretty good. Also, the state crime rate is actually pretty low for a big and diverse state too(usually in the mid teens-low 20's in terms of low crime rates). What is interesting is that the suburb just south of Albany may be that area's best and most affluent school district(Bethlehem).
If you don't like the immediate area, you have other options within the state that would fit.
Danielj72- I was thinking of New Hampshire too because it isn't too far from my family in New York but I read that because there isn't state tax everything else is very expensive such as utilities, groceries, health, etc. what is your input on this ?
To everyone asking about the crime rate and schools.. I'm not in Albany .. I am about 1.5 hours south of it where 4 out of 5 school districts are not well known. Many people around my area send their kids to private schools because of this which is very expensive. As far as crime rates go, there has been multiple shootings around my area along with us ranking one of the top areas in New York State for drugs. I am not bashing all of New York State as I was born and raised in my town so I'm not certain of everywhere else. I do however want a new atmosphere which is what I was looking for. Sorry for misleading anyone !
If you are looking for more of a drastic change then the salt lake city area comes to mind. It's not a large city and you could choose a suburb on the outskirts to get away from the hustle. Someone else mentioned Nevada and though i havent been there I've been seeing it suggested more lately. I have been to the areas around Lake Tahoe and it's very beautiful.
Otherwise, I dont really see a reason to leave the northeast from what you've described? Anywhere from Pennsylvania and northward is going to have something you're looking for. Just look for a smallish town/city with lower crime rates and decent schools and you should be okay. The Midwest and Great Lakes region could also work, but while there are probably lots of outdoorsy things to do I think skiing will be harder to find.
Yes, I was looking into New Hampshire area but I read that because there isn't state tax the other necessities are more expensive but I am not sure. Hopefully I can get some input on that. I didn't say I wanted to leave the northeast in its entirety. I plan on going to some of these states mentioned next summer to explore the areas and get some personal opinions from their residents if possible. Thanks for mentioning Nevada and Pennsylvania. I vacationed at the poconos this summer and it was beautiful. I will have to do some more research on those areas.
Yes, I was looking into New Hampshire area but I read that because there isn't state tax the other necessities are more expensive but I am not sure.
Definitely a question for the NH forum, but I can sort of relate. I moved from a state with higher income taxes to one with much lower income taxes, and in my opinion it has less of an effect on your finances than the overall cost of living. On the other hand, NY is often considered one of the highest taxed states in the US, if not THE highest taxed state in the US. You may actually be better off in NH financially even with the higher costs of other necessities. For example, my parents once considered moving from PA to TX. Property taxes seemed astronomically higher for them in TX, but once they did the math it revealed they would still be better off in Texas financially at the end of the year than in PA. Theoretically if you are more of a saver than a spender you'll be better off because you won't have to deal with higher sales taxes as often. You may opt for a smaller home due to property taxes, but if you aren't someone who wants a McMansion then this probably wont matter to you anyway (plus you save on utilities).
I'd say go for NH! It seems like a gorgeous, quiet state and you'd still be close to home.
To everyone asking about the crime rate and schools.. I'm not in Albany .. I am about 1.5 hours south of it where 4 out of 5 school districts are not well known. Many people around my area send their kids to private schools because of this which is very expensive. As far as crime rates go, there has been multiple shootings around my area along with us ranking one of the top areas in New York State for drugs. I am not bashing all of New York State as I was born and raised in my town so I'm not certain of everywhere else. I do however want a new atmosphere which is what I was looking for. Sorry for misleading anyone !
Where in NY is this? Newburgh? Newburgh can be rough, as could parts of Poughkeepsie, Middletown and Beacon. However, Beacon has seen a lot of revitalization, Newburgh Schools covers suburban areas outside of the city that are fine to very nice and the small town/suburban schools in that area are fine to very good. It is in one of the most integrated areas in the country and in turn has some of the smallest White non Hispanic/non White per capita income gaps in the country. I believe that Kingston/Ulster County, Catskill/Greene County and Hudson/Columbia County are similar.
If you go further south, you are in Rockland and Westchester counties which largely have solid to very good schools, with a few exceptions.
I just don't want people thinking that areas of the state in between Albany and NYC are a complete wasteland, when it isn't.
Also, if drugs are a concern, make note of the meth issues in parts of NH and some of the other states mentioned. That's not to denigrate those areas, but to be aware that you may just be dealing with a different drug issue.
Cirrusly - I never thought of it that way but definitely something to look into. The taxes here are insane. But so much more around here is just as crazy so I'll have to weight my options and see how much everything is on average.. Thanks so much for your help!!!
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