Considering KY from NJ (Lexington) (Louisville, Frankfort: real estate, insurance, low crime)

[CJ-FROM-NJ]

Hello everyone. In a few years me and my mom will be considering a move from NJ to KY. I have looked at the real estate in the Lexington area and I have to say that I really like what I see. The houses that are about 200k there would be about 600K here. I am also looking forward to being in fresher air and away from the nasty rude NJ people. I have truly had it with this state. I looked at the pictures of KY with the sprawling green hills with horses and it just seems like that is where I would love to be. The problem is finding a job there. I have browsed the want ads and have found nothing! Both me and my mom are administrators for a corporation (i.e. payroll, manage the office, accts. payable/receivable) things along that avenue.

Anyway could you suggest towns that are near corporations where jobs would be. I would like to live in a place where it is safe to go out and walk around town, where there maybe county fairs, where the people are friendly and the taxes are low. Also, I am sick of the riff raff people in NJ (like the lazy welfare recipients that have 4 kids hanging on them) I def want to avoid people like that. So to sound harsh but I am tired of working for these people that need to stop drinking beer all day and get a job.

Anyway if you could help me that would be great.

[jjbradleynyc]

I think the area around Lexington is beautiful--and it is a great choice in the state of Kentucky--depending on your lifestyle. I'd recommend only Lexington and Frankfort (the capital of KY) or Louisville, which is a growing, vibrant, young city. Most other areas in KY you will encounter exactly the type of people you describe in your post that you are trying to avoid. Especially in eastern KY, which has some lovely mountains and small towns but is overall impoverished, depressed (economically), and the people are a bit small minded (most, not all of course.). My mother grew up in southeast KY and I have visited cities and towns all over KY. I'd definitely recommend the Lexington-Cincinnati-Louisville triangle in which to live. Check out Frankfort. Pretty town.

[Kichenwich]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

I think the area around Lexington is beautiful--and it is a great choice in the state of Kentucky--depending on your lifestyle. I'd recommend only Lexington and Frankfort (the capital of KY) or Louisville, which is a growing, vibrant, young city. Most other areas in KY you will encounter exactly the type of people you describe in your post that you are trying to avoid. Especially in eastern KY, which has some lovely mountains and small towns but is overall impoverished, depressed (economically), and the people are a bit small minded (most, not all of course.). My mother grew up in southeast KY and I have visited cities and towns all over KY. I'd definitely recommend the Lexington-Cincinnati-Louisville triangle in which to live. Check out Frankfort. Pretty town.

Boy, from the sound of it, you have something against MOST of KY! I am not from Lexington, but have found that in my "neck of the woods" people are quite open minded, honest, helpful, and friendly. And, as towns go, Richmond is growing rapidly, has low traffic, low crime, and you still have people offer to help if you are broke down or need help! If I broke down in parts of Lex, I'd roll the windows up and lock the doors.

Please don't judge EVERYONE by a few people. I gaurentee that there are small-minded, bad driving, rude people in Lexington, Louisville and all the towns you have mentioned. In fact, I have met several up there.

Come on down to KY, visit all the areas before you make a choice. I promise you we are NOT the red-neck, small minded, mean people we have been made out to be.

[gimme it]

All of my friends who moved to NJ live in beautiful suburbs. Their quality of life is very nice. The only thing I agreed with in your post is that the taxes are high, but you can't say that all of NJ is bad. Maybe Newark is, but there are many, many lovely places and many terrific, friendly people in NJ.

[mama4mia]

CJ, I grew up in Newark and everytime I go back to visit I'm ready to leave after a few days. Take some time and go out to KY, drive around Lex/Frankfort area, Louisville is great and then you also have Florence which is just across the bridge to Cincinatti. Once you leave NJ you don't want to got back...when you drive through PA to Ohio into W. VA the scenery changes dramatically, it's beautiful. Then when you drive back to NJ you see the smog and pollution and the overall feel of the area, to me, is just very dreary.

You are 100% correct about the taxes, real estate, insurance and cost of living in general. Gas is high in KY but once Corzine ups the gas tax it won't be much less than KY.

And the people are so much nicer in KY, cashiers in the grocery stores actuallly look up at you to greet you and carry on a little conversation as they're checking you out.

Get on the road and explore, pick up local papers and find a job before you do anything else. When it comes to finding a place to live, there are many nice and affordable neighborhoods in all the towns/cities that have been mentioned.

Good luck and take your time.

[diman]

If you are looking for a city with a lot of corporations, then Lexington may not be the city to settle down in.

I lived in Lexington for 4 years after having lived in Lousville for 8mo. I loved Lexington, but when time came to change jobs, I found that I will have to move in order to get a new job, so I ended up moving out of state. I write software for living, and there were maybe 3 software companies to choose from. There is much more jobs in Louisville, and some of my friends ended up moving to Louisville because of the job market.

I recommend checking careerbuilder or monster and such to see how things are. Maybe it's not as bad with your industry.

Good luck with your move.

[KentuckyBlue10]

I don't live in Lexington, but live close to it.

Lexington is a beautiful city and a decent amount of things to do. It has a great hospital (UK) and a great college too.

I actually prefer Frankfort. It's the Capitol, yet still quiet and nice. It's not a sleepy, depressed place. There are things to do, a Starbucks, and lots of friendly people.

I took my last trip to Louisville in 2004 and enjoyed it. The economy there is tremendous. I also like the downtown part.

I think Lexington is a good place to go to!

[KentuckyBlue10]

Originally Posted by Kichenwich

Come on down to KY, visit all the areas before you make a choice. I promise you we are NOT the red-neck, small minded, mean people we have been made out to be.

I agree SO much! I live in a nice house, my family is educated, and I plan to further mine after graduating HS. I think Kentucky is a great state!

Also, I have felt safe in basically all areas of Kentucky. I've been to a good majority of the counties in the state.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by gimme it

All of my friends who moved to NJ live in beautiful suburbs. Their quality of life is very nice. The only thing I agreed with in your post is that the taxes are high, but you can't say that all of NJ is bad. Maybe Newark is, but there are many, many lovely places and many terrific, friendly people in NJ.

I don't understand all the defensiveness for NJ

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by KentuckyBlue10

I don't live in Lexington, but live close to it.

Lexington is a beautiful city and a decent amount of things to do. It has a great hospital (UK) and a great college too.

I actually prefer Frankfort. It's the Capitol, yet still quiet and nice. It's not a sleepy, depressed place. There are things to do, a Starbucks, and lots of friendly people.

I took my last trip to Louisville in 2004 and enjoyed it. The economy there is tremendous. I also like the downtown part.

I think Lexington is a good place to go to!

I am not sure if the job market is any better in Louisville than it is in Lexington. However, Louisville is such a bigger city than Lexington that of course there are just way more jobs and tremendously more high paying, Fortune 1000 type of jobs. It just goes along with being a much bigger city. Atlanta has a lot more high paying jobs than Louisville, but that is only because it is so much bigger, I don't think the economy is all that much better per se.