curious about moving (Honolulu, Hilo, Wahiawa: renting, home, neighborhood)

[asp4ever47]

Hi

My wife and I are considering relocating to Hawaii. We both would be employed in the education sector, earning around 86k/year combined. Would this be enough to have an enjoyable experience? We have 3 elementary aged children.

Plan to work in Honolulu.

thanks

dh

[TERRIE]

What State Are You In Now? Thats Funny...you Would Make Here What We Made Last Year...and Are Moving To Austin Tx As We Cannot Afford It Any Longer....you Could Probably Qualify For Around $400,000 Home And That Would Be Around 1200 Sq. Ft....and Not In The Nicest Neighborhood....with Three Elementary Age Children I Would Reconsider On Education Alone...the Schools Are Not Great Here...if Your In A State That Has A Good School System And Affordable, I Would Maybe Try To Get A Sabatical And Try The Island For A Year First, If That's A Possibility For You....it's Very Expensive To Live Here, Everyday Expenses Kill Us! I Would Not Make The Move If I Could Do It Over Again...and Yes, Most People Do Get "rock Fever" After About A Year...no Real Regrets Just A Learning Experience For Us...

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by asp4ever47

Hi

My wife and I are considering relocating to Hawaii. We both would be employed in the education sector, earning around 86k/year combined. Would this be enough to have an enjoyable experience? We have 3 elementary aged children.

Plan to work in Honolulu.

thanks

dh

If you don't mind renting and sending your children to sub-par public schools, you might be able to have a somewhat "enjoyable experience" in Honolulu with an income of $86K per year. However, you should probably consider moving to the Hilo side of the Big Island instead. I highly recommend perusing H. Skip Thomsen's "Affordable Paradise: The Secrets of an Affordable Life in Hawai'i" and Toni Polancy's "So You Want to Live in Hawai'i: The Guide to Settling and Succeeding in the Islands" before doing anything else.

Cheers,

Jonah K

[NickiD]

Just my two cents - I graduated from Leilehua in Wahiawa and I left thinking I needed to come back to the mainland for a "better education". Now, I'm trying to get back there because I want my daughter to experience teachers that care in a community that was more about family values and looking out for each other than anywhere else I have ever seen. It was expensive to live there (as my parents tell me); however, they intend to go back for good themselves. To each their own I guess.

[Sorcerer68]

Honolulu for a family of 5 on 86k a year. Yikes. It's gonna be tight. Public schools here are awful, something to consider with your kids. Everyone I know sends their kids to private schools. I'm a product of public schools here. I had to educate myself and came home with bloody noses a lot. My experience is typical. Good news is that there are top-notch private schools in the area. Housing is outrageous for anything decent. Aside from that...nice town.