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OP I’m curious as to how old you are? You sound younger in that you are talking about grad school and wanting to be a professor but then you sound older when you talk about having fast typing skills and doing data entry. There aren’t many data entry jobs around these days as most of that is automated or outsourced. I think most people are fast typers these days as well since everyone is on some type of device communicating. Have you considered roommates?
From what it sounds you’ll be coming here to work and go to school? Going to school would be an added expense to rent unless you get a scholarship somewhere. I’d definitely think about the roommate thing if you’re really serious about MA. It’s hard to make it right now on a single low income salary. It has become very expensive around here over the past few years. Sounds like politically this will be a better fit for you than OK but it comes with a price.
I am in my low 30s, which means I'm a non-traditional student. (So yeah, not college age anymore) The reason for this is complicated and not really relevant to discussions on moving to MA. My typing experience comes from an internet addiction I've had since my mid teens (2004 thereabout) and me being in a small room in my teens and my early twenties where I had to learn to type without seeing the keyboard (I had one of those desks that you pull out the keyboard. There wasn't enough room for me to do that, so I eventually learned to type without looking and got very fast and accurate).
It's a shame that typing isn't the skill of value I thought it might be (the people at the job service center were blown away by my typing speed lol). Data entry is my beginner foray into desk/office work. I did notice that it is a position that is declining, which is a darn shame because it's so good for me. I'm willing to look at other office positions as well if need-be. I am a computer and internet person just by sheer experience over the last 18 years, but I have no degrees in that area.
I would be curious to know what kind of careers are lucrative in MA? Musicology is my dream, but I'm a mediocre musician. Not likely to get scholarships, even though I play highly desired instruments (oboe and bassoon). That's the sheer reality I know of, and I have always seen that as a bit of a pipe dream and just kinda say "yeah I want to get back to it someday" but to be honest, when we started thinking of moving to the Northeast I knew I probably wouldn't be good enough for the schools there.
If I could live anywhere near Boston I get the culture I desire, at least (of being able to watch/listen to performances). Tulsa is pretty weak on the classical music front aside from having two symphonies which are pretty great. It's just that we don't have an active early music or Baroque scene, which are my primary interests.
Anyway, that's a tangent. Kinda. I mean, it's a reason I like Boston.
Anywayyyyy. Onto the rest. I like to ramble. >.< I can not feign much knowledge on New York, CT, or RI. New Hampshire and Massachusetts have been the states that I have really looked into over the past several years. I caught wind of an affordable small town outside of Buffalo and thought "hey, that's New York! That would likely be great!" but didn't look much into it. I knew not the size of Buffalo or anywhere in upstate New York, just assumed it was without bigger cities like Vermont and New Hampshire.
I'm willing to look into CT or RI. I just didn't because I knew they were outrageously expensive, and if I'm going for outrageously expensive why not go to my desired MA? Hartford itself seems to have a cheap cost of living, but is it dangerous to live in the city? That's the vibe I got. But when you look at the suburbs outside of the city they are more expensive than even Northampton. The same goes for Providence, RI.
You all (going to have to stop that, it's a southerner thing I know xD), I would love so much to live in Northampton, but it's on the pricier side and right now I am looking at a way to escape Oklahoma, because Oklahoma is taking away my rights and I see no reprieve from that. I have lived in OK all of my life and I am so sick and tired of this, I am so sick and tired of my rights always being in the spotlight of a debate in this godawful state when they should be guaranteed from the beginning because this is the US and we're supposed to be the country of freedom.
This isn't something I'm taking lightly, this isn't something that I'm thinking just because I've always wanted to live in New England, it is becoming a necessity.
Before I go off on this long spiel, I do want to ask what people mean by Chicopee and West Springfield being "depressed" areas? Are they on the decline? Understand that would be quite different from where I live, which has been a growing suburban town for the last two decades. It is nice here in that we keep on expanding and getting more shopping centers, restaurants, and grocery stores, and don't really feel like we have to worry too much about finding everything we need as long as we're willing to drive around a little bit. That's what I worry about Chicopee and West Springfield. Especially since I've heard that Chicopee's Walmart is a no-go, and I've heard really bad things about Holyoke so should I even venture to that town for the mall, Target, etc? =(
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For the record, I have looked into other states - Upstate New York (Buffalo area), Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, but the problem with those areas is that there are not really any big cities with suburbs, which would be a shock for me. I'll of course still consider them (probably not NH) should I have no other option, but if I can swing Massachusetts it is my dream state.
I haven't looked much into anything further south of MA because to be honest the further south we get I'm going to be miserable. Don't get me wrong, RI and CT are not the south. I just want to get as far away from Oklahoma as possible because the climate here has messed with me mentally. The messed up climate of OK has created in me some kind of reverse SAD where I dread Spring with every fiber of my being, and get really depressed and irritable as it approaches and during the time. Just seeing the trees bloom and the flowers makes me feel off and that shouldn't be the case because I love flowers.
I've got to get somewhere more balanced, for my mental wellbeing. This probably sounds silly.
Unfortunately the lack of ability to drive presents an incredible challenge to me. If I could convince my family to move with me, maybe, but I think they'll try to pick apart anything and everything about these affordable towns they can. My parents have long wanted to move to New England, too, but they're picky in different ways from me. (they want to be on the coast for one). OK isn't taking away their rights like it is mine, nor do they have reverse SAD like me. In fact they LIKE the climate of Oklahoma as far as I can tell. *sigh* But that's their right, they shouldn't have to move somewhere they don't like for me. I am a grown adult now and they are in their retirement years, they should have their own happiness.
There are no prospective partners for me at this time, and the only person I have a crush on is in Florida. LOL. Florida is such a big no for me. I'm be so depressed down there.
So I'll be going alone, most likely. Sadly.
My dream idea right now is moving into MA, maybe not the top of the line area, but just getting my foot in the door and being on their wages for a while and then maybe beginning to look at a better town like Northampton or on the east coast if I'm really lucky (not expecting that)
Not sure what you consider small, but the Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany Metro areas are each bigger than Tulsa Metro area, and certainly each have extensive suburbs. Buffalo is also adjacent to Canada, and just the local population there brings it close in size to OKC metro area. All of the NY cities were big when OKC was just a puppy, so NY (and MA) will seem much older in built structure, but the core cities and some older suburbs will be much much more walkable. I can't speak for transit in each, but in Buffalo unless you live in the city or immediate suburbs a car will be necessary. Albany also has frequent rail access to NYC, while Buffalo is right on the Canada border less than 2 hours fro Toronto.
Good luck in your search. Though there are other reasons, we are also climate refugees from Texas, as are some of my wife's Texas family who joined us a year later. They considered Boston, but came here for the lower costs and couldn't be happier. I am also aware of 2 other folks my wife knows that have talked about moving up here from Texas, and apparently they are serious about it (to my surprise, actually).
Not sure what you consider small, but the Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany Metro areas are each bigger than Tulsa Metro area, and certainly each have extensive suburbs. Buffalo is also adjacent to Canada, and just the local population there brings it close in size to OKC metro area. All of the NY cities were big when OKC was just a puppy, so NY (and MA) will seem much older in built structure, but the core cities and some older suburbs will be much much more walkable. I can't speak for transit in each, but in Buffalo unless you live in the city or immediate suburbs a car will be necessary. Albany also has frequent rail access to NYC, while Buffalo is right on the Canada border less than 2 hours fro Toronto.
Good luck in your search. Though there are other reasons, we are also climate refugees from Texas, as are some of my wife's Texas family who joined us a year later. They considered Boston, but came here for the lower costs and couldn't be happier. I am also aware of 2 other folks my wife knows that have talked about moving up here from Texas, and apparently they are serious about it (to my surprise, actually).
Buffalo would be a decent option for low wage earners trying to get out of the red state guns’n’jesus wasteland without paying the coastal bolshevik limousinia liberalia prices. https://www.redfin.com/NY/Buffalo/12...gn=share_sheet for example - I’m going to guess this is located in Buffalo’s equivalent of Boston’s Hyde Park or Roxbury, a lower income neighborhood where it’s not always fireworks and mandatory iPhone donation isn’t outside the realm of possibility. The only difference is, a house like that would cost at least $500K in Boston in a place where mandatory iPhone donation is highly likely and at least $750K in a place where iPhone carried in plain sight has a good chance to stay with the original owner.
Buffalo would be a decent option for low wage earners trying to get out of the red state guns’n’jesus wasteland without paying the coastal bolshevik limousinia liberalia prices. https://www.redfin.com/NY/Buffalo/12...gn=share_sheet for example - I’m going to guess this is located in Buffalo’s equivalent of Boston’s Hyde Park or Roxbury, a lower income neighborhood where it’s not always fireworks and mandatory iPhone donation isn’t outside the realm of possibility. The only difference is, a house like that would cost at least $500K in Boston in a place where mandatory iPhone donation is highly likely and at least $750K in a place where iPhone carried in plain sight has a good chance to stay with the original owner.
Not as you say, but not too far away. This is right on the edge of a sleepy black historic district that kept the homes and the neighborhood fully intact during the decline of other parts of the east side. That price looks too low for that area, actually, so there must be something wrong with the house as the previous bidder backed out.
That said, there are still many homes in safe and walkable neighborhoods in the city for under 200k, but usually need some updating. Also, almost half the homes for sale in the city are doubles, so one could collect enough rent to meet most of your mortgage.
Climate refugee! I'm glad I'm not the only one! So many people move to where it's warmer, but hey, there are those of us who can't deal with the heat and everything bad that comes with it (tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.).
Besides, as I said before, the balance of the seasons is so far off down here that it's put me out of balance. Seasons are such an important part of my mental health. I don't what the reasons is for that, but it has been that way since I was tiny. It's just that when I was tiny, Oklahoma had some resemblance of the four seasons. Now it has summer, more summer, a completely random time of the year that they call winter, and summer again.
Is Buffalo really a good place to live? Why is the cost of living estimated so low? There mustttt be some kinda catch. You know like how people are talking down about Chicopee and West Springfield here. How can Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs possibly be cheaper than Tulsa suburbs? Just, like, what. It blows my mind. This is NEW YORK we are talking about. I know that Buffalo is a long ways from NYC, but still.
It's an old manufacturing city with a not great economy for corporate jobs (rust belt) and the weather turns people off. I don't think public transit is that good, last I knew. That said, it has decent sections like Central Park and North Buffalo. It also has urban culture and amenities like museums, theater, music and great food. Buffalo has a lot of Greek diners as well as it was home to a large Greek immigrant population. It's been rated as one of the top 10 cheapest retirement cities. Short distance from Toronto.
Climate refugee! I'm glad I'm not the only one! So many people move to where it's warmer, but hey, there are those of us who can't deal with the heat and everything bad that comes with it (tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.).
Besides, as I said before, the balance of the seasons is so far off down here that it's put me out of balance. Seasons are such an important part of my mental health. I don't what the reasons is for that, but it has been that way since I was tiny. It's just that when I was tiny, Oklahoma had some resemblance of the four seasons. Now it has summer, more summer, a completely random time of the year that they call winter, and summer again.
Is Buffalo really a good place to live? Why is the cost of living estimated so low? There mustttt be some kinda catch. You know like how people are talking down about Chicopee and West Springfield here. How can Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs possibly be cheaper than Tulsa suburbs? Just, like, what. It blows my mind. This is NEW YORK we are talking about. I know that Buffalo is a long ways from NYC, but still.
I feel the same way about heat. I could never live in a hot state. At least here when it's very cold and uncomfortable, I don't feel any guilt about staying cozy inside. But on the days that are so miserably hot & humid, but it looks sunny and beautiful outside, I always feel terrible about staying inside, but I just can't handle it. Luckily here, while we have plenty of H&H days, it is not one long, unbroken slog of them for months. We'll have some bad days, it will break, we'll have some beautiful days and then it cycles again. Some Summers worse, some Summers better. Our Winters, while we have snow & ice, haven't been too bad in recent years. A few snow storms, most of the Winter it's 20-40* with a week here or there colder and usually a thaw or two mid-Winter too.
ETA: Buffalo Winters will be much more severe than MA, however. But it sounds like you might not mind that?
Last edited by bizcuit; 05-01-2022 at 07:05 PM..
Reason: adding an additional comment
Climate refugee! I'm glad I'm not the only one! So many people move to where it's warmer, but hey, there are those of us who can't deal with the heat and everything bad that comes with it (tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.).
Besides, as I said before, the balance of the seasons is so far off down here that it's put me out of balance. Seasons are such an important part of my mental health. I don't what the reasons is for that, but it has been that way since I was tiny. It's just that when I was tiny, Oklahoma had some resemblance of the four seasons. Now it has summer, more summer, a completely random time of the year that they call winter, and summer again.
Is Buffalo really a good place to live? Why is the cost of living estimated so low? There mustttt be some kinda catch. You know like how people are talking down about Chicopee and West Springfield here. How can Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs possibly be cheaper than Tulsa suburbs? Just, like, what. It blows my mind. This is NEW YORK we are talking about. I know that Buffalo is a long ways from NYC, but still.
Buffalo is slightly less expensive, but more or less comparable with other Great Lakes and Midwest cities, particularly those of the Rust Belt. It's just that in previous decades it, like other Rust Belt cities, lost a huge source of employment (mainly steel and supporting industries) that took decades to recover from, but during those years many people left to seek employment in places like TX and OK (I was one). So, while TX and OK grew, these cities lost population or at best were stagnant, with an oversupply of houses that drove prices and costs down. It's only in the last decade that many of these cities have seen any growth, and prices slowly catching up, but still cheaper than the boom towns in the south or the big coastal cities.
Also, Upstate NY has a different tax structure than NYC metro. NYC pays a city income tax, but downstate does not. Also, property taxes (at least in Buffalo) are relatively low as home assessments are also low compared to much of the US. Although I pay a state income tax, my property tax is 1/4 what I paid in Texas, even though it is a larger property, mainly because property values were so much inflated in TX. My insurance is much cheaper here too, since its not a windstorm or flood risk area.
Suburbs here, though, do have higher assessments and taxes than in the city, but also tend to have more universally better school districts and services. People complain, but don't want to give up the services the taxes provide.
Of course there are good and bad areas of Buffalo, but the area is on an upturn and nearly every part of the city and county is steadily improving. But to live here you have to like the old stuff, because Buffalo currently has the oldest (on average) housing stock in the country. Other cities may have more and older, like Boston, but other cities also have had a lot more newer construction and housing built than Buffalo built in the last 50 years. Some people don't like old and want new, but that's where costs are going to be much higher. For whatever reason, Cambridge and Somerville gave me some of the same vibe that much of Buffalo does, particularly the West Side, FWIW.
Last edited by RocketSci; 05-01-2022 at 07:24 PM..
Two corrections, again from a Northampton resident. Amherst is fine but hosts THREE, not five colleges. The other two are Smith, which is in Northampton, and Mt. Holyoke, which is in South Hadley. And as for Leftism around here...Yes, it's prevalent (some of us LIKE that), but it sure isn't Bolshevism, which really hasn't existed for a hundred years.
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