Here's one...Honolulu or Washington DC metro? (Hilo, Waipahu: crime, mortgage)
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DC would strictly be for the jobs...that being said, NoVA (Northern Virginia) has a sizeable Vietnamese and Korean populace. But, I'd go for DC strictly because of the job opportunities.
SF, LA, and Seattle...yeah, they would certainly have Asians. I just don't like any of those cities enough to want to live in them. Honolulu, however, I absolutely love.
That being said, when I went to the other islands, I didn't get the asian feel at all either. I felt it quite strongly in Honolulu though.
I would argue that the DC metro has 10x the diversity that Honolulu has. There are so many recent immigrants from all over the world, not just Asia but also Africa, Europe, South America... basically any place you could imagine.
I am from Virginia and 2 very close friends that live in NOVA (northern virginia) near Dulles Airport, we go up there at least a couple of times a year and always find stuff to do. The job market is tremendous, the schools are great, and the cultural amenities are top notch. You are close to NYC, Baltimore, Philly, Richmond, Virginia Beach, and many other interesting places as well.
That said, the cost of living is high and the traffic is horrible... so unless you live near a metro stop you have to either pay to live close to the city or live in the exburbs and commute.
There are really very few similarities between the DC metro and the Honolulu metro. Both are outstanding in very different ways and both have huge downsides as well associated with cost and congestion.
As I understand, DC is basically a giant ghetto. Among the highest crime rates, drug use rates, HIV infection rates, etc. It's a terrible city by every single metric.
As I understand, DC is basically a giant ghetto. Among the highest crime rates, drug use rates, HIV infection rates, etc. It's a terrible city by every single metric.
As I understand, DC is basically a giant ghetto. Among the highest crime rates, drug use rates, HIV infection rates, etc. It's a terrible city by every single metric.
DC proper is really cool but can be very sketchy (especially at night). But the DC metro is huge and contains many nice areas and neighborhoods.
My friends live in Loudoun County in a beautiful suburban home with walking trails and a recreation center built into the community. It is close to Tysons Corner and Dulles Town Center, an hours drive from the mountains, down the street from a great riverfront park, close to a metro station, and is in one of the best school districts in the area. They both make 6 figures working for large government contractors and by all measures have a good quality of life in a very safe area.
Cost of living is high compared to the national average but wages are proportional, and it is still much cheaper than Honolulu in terms of housing and goods are concerned. I really don't know a lot about the tax rates there to compare them. NOVA does have some gang issues, especially with MS13 and other similar gangs in recent years, but the crime rates in the suburban areas are still pretty low.
It is not a tropical island with year round balmy weather and nice beaches. But there are tremendous job opportunities and cultural amenities that Honolulu/Hawaii can't even dream about competing with. It all depends what you are looking for and what is important to you...
DC metro area is pretty amazing - it reminds me of a SF Bay Area on the East Coast. So much diversity, so many people from all over the country and being its the nation's capital you feel instantly vested there. It belongs to everyone. High incomes, lots of opportunity, good public transportation, American history abounds, lots of neat natural areas nearby. If I had to move to the East it would be at the top of my list.
I really don't know a lot about the tax rates there to compare them.
Pretty high in VA & MD (around DC)...it seems like the ballpark average is around $6,000/year. Whereas, from what little I know of Hawaii, it seems to be around $2,500.
Granted, there is probably great fluctuation in that though. Great variance.
Either way, I don't see myself being housebound in either place, for a good 5 years after landing. But, I was researching a bit about it.
Pretty high in VA & MD (around DC)...it seems like the ballpark average is around $6,000/year. Whereas, from what little I know of Hawaii, it seems to be around $2,500.
Granted, there is probably great fluctuation in that though. Great variance.
Either way, I don't see myself being housebound in either place, for a good 5 years after landing. But, I was researching a bit about it.
Tax rates are not a dollar figure, unless you compare a specific wage/salary, property taxes, sales taxes (excise tax in Hawaii) etc.
I've been to DC and I've got family that live there - but I still agree with Wink's assessment. Maybe you've visited a nicer, more affluent area than I did- who knows? I just know I would never choose to live there myself but then again I chose the Big Island over Oahu so I suppose we have different tastes.
Tiger Beer, I think you're being one-sided in your projections for both places. You're too harsh on DC and too dreamy about Hawaii. Here's what I see:
DC: you get a decent middle class job, live in the leafy suburbs. Your wife can choose to work or not. The schools are good, the community is stable, some established some newcomers, you meet people and make friends. Everything you need is within 10 miles, shopping, culture, and recreation. You may or may not have a bad commute, but it seems worth it for the other benefits. As mentioned, you have easy access to the museums, other east coast cities, and easy vacations to the Caribbean or Europe. Though you do need to make the effort to get out and go, and not get sucked into suburban consumerism. You have 4 distinct seasons, and each one has its charms and rituals. Your kids grow up, go to a good high school and get into a good college, chance at Ivy League if so inclined. By then, you and your wife have friends and a support structure, why would you leave for some place uncertain?
I have a retired aunt and uncle in the DC area. They love it there and I've never heard of them talking about leaving. He works on his cars in his garage, she gardens in season, and they both enjoy what the capital has to offer (symphony, museums, etc.). I thought my parents would leave TX after retiring, but no, it's familiar to them and the house is paid off, so why leave.
The one thing I don't know about DC is whether you and your wife would find the multi-cultural interest you seek out in the suburbs I describe. But I'm guessing you could find a blend of cultures and neigborhoods to suit you. Maybe that is the crux of your question.
HI: It takes a while, but you finally find a job on which you can support your family. Your wife doesn't absolutely need to work, but it sure would help. The schools aren't so good, but you and especially your wife fit right into the community and make friends. Yet, you didn't go to school here and you are still a bit left out of the "inner circle" of friends. Everything is within 10 miles, you dont really have a choice, some things are limited. You may or may not have a bad commute, it depends on whether your wife works and where you can afford to live. As you imagine, you have easy access to the beaches, and live an outdoor lifestyle (surf after work if that's your thing, BBQ, potlucks on the lanai). But you do have to watch your budget, and you do have to make an effort to take advantage of the outdoors, so you don't slip into a work-chores-sleep routine. You don't travel much because it is way outside your budget. As your kids grow up, you have to deal with worse high schools and the cost of private tuition--not to mention sending your kids away to college. As you get older, you find you're far from your own families, have only a few close friends, not able to take advantage of the outdoors so much anymore, and still struggling towards retirement.
These are of course contrived counter-examples, but I think they are just as possible as your scenarios. Essentially, there is a range of possibilities in both places that I don't think your're considering, and you may not land where you think you'll land in either case.
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