Hampton Roads: The New NOVA? (Chesapeake, Richmond: car insurance, school, wages)

[Richmonder27]

It seems like Chespeake is one big Fairfax County. With more Ocean breeze!

Very transient. I know that NOVA is more government, while Hampton Roads is more military. But Hampton Roads 20 years ago was soo different than it is now. I feel like Hampton Roads is just like NOVA.

[Erma]

No, not like it at all. I'd move to N. Carolina if that happened. It's too congested up there and the cost of living is more than what the transients around here complain about.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by Erma

No, not like it at all. I'd move to N. Carolina if that happened. It's too congested up there and the cost of living is more than what the transients around here complain about.

There are many similiarites:

-You have to drive EVERYWHERE
-Lots of strip malls and fast food joints.
- At least 90% of the residents are from out of state
-The cost of living is pretty high in both regions
-Very suburban and spread out everywhere
-Beltway (kinda (264 is like 494)

[Erma]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

There are many similiarites:

-You have to drive EVERYWHERE
-Lots of strip malls and fast food joints.
- At least 90% of the residents are from out of state
-The cost of living is pretty high in both regions
-Very suburban and spread out everywhere
-Beltway (kinda (264 is like 494)

You've had to drive everywhere in the past 24 years I've been here. Now, when you say NOVA, be specific, because there are a few towns and in your original post, you said Chesapeake is like NOVA and I really have to disagree with that.

[bbguy05]

NoVA is its own beast and SoVA is its own beast!

Down here you necessarily don't have to drive everywhere. I could actually walk to the grocery store from where I live.

My uncle lives in NoVA, and it will take a good 5 to 10 minutes by car to get to the nearest grocery store or shopping center. He lives in Manassas/Bristow area, and everything is still spread way far apart, even though the area is growing very rapidly.

Traffic in NoVA is more face paced and congested. Traffic down here is slow paced and congested.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

It seems like Chespeake is one big Fairfax County. With more Ocean breeze!

Very transient. I know that NOVA is more government, while Hampton Roads is more military. But Hampton Roads 20 years ago was soo different than it is now. I feel like Hampton Roads is just like NOVA.

No way Hampton Roads is not like NoVA! I lived in Hampton (HR) until 04 until i moved to Alexandria (NoVA). Plenty of differences.

- Much less diversity in Hampton Roads. Espeically less Latino, South Asian, and Middle eastern immigrants than NoVA.
- MS-13 is basically unheard on the peninsula. NoVA has the highest concentration of MS-13 outside of LA.
- Hampton Roads much cheaper than Northern VA. Espeically car insurance and gas prices.
- Hampton Roads, the peninsula in particular, is very laid back compared to the steroid rat race in NoVA.
- Outside of the tunnels, HR has more manageable traffic problems than NoVA.
- Wages are much higher in NoVA than Hampton Roads.
- HR's bread and butter is defense and shipbuilding while NoVA's bread and butter is other Govt industries.
- HR's folks are much nicer than NoVA's folks.
- NoVA has much better school systems than HR.
- HR has less sprawl than NoVA.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by Erma

No, not like it at all. I'd move to N. Carolina if that happened. It's too congested up there and the cost of living is more than what the transients around here complain about.

You may move from the frying pan to the fire if that happens. Charlotte and Raleigh are coming pretty close to becoming NoVA very quickly. My thing is to move to somewhere that is kind of a HIDDEN gem, like Louisville. After 5 years in NoVA, i'm turned off by quick population growth.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

You may move from the frying pan to the fire if that happens. Charlotte and Raleigh are coming pretty close to becoming NoVA very quickly. My thing is to move to somewhere that is kind of a HIDDEN gem, like Louisville. After 5 years in NoVA, i'm turned off by quick population growth.

Lord no! Nowhere near either of those places. When I'm done bee-bopping the countries, I'm settling down on a plot of land by a lake!

[naomisday]

Erma

Anytime any place becomes too IN it does go down, whatever made it nice...its too crowded to enjoy it or too expensive

Actually that is part of what has happened to the Bay Area...

[naomisday]

Alanboy395,

I was shocked with the traffic in Charlotte....Good luck in the Hidden Gem--Louisville..or wherever
you choose.

I have been to NC a few times---and I wasn't impressed enough to relocate to NC...Charlotte and just thru Greensboro and Raleigh..its pretty and so lush and
green..BUT----it wasn't for me...

I am looking to relocate in a few years...I am looking at either Hampton Roads or Nashville--perhaps
Toronto,Canada..

Native of the Bay Area in California..looking for a change.....