Salem Info Please (Boston, Peabody, Essex: apartments, job market, to live)

[indigorose]

Does anyone here live in Salem? I am wanting to move to Salem within the next two years (the sooner the better) and want to know what it is like to live there. How is the job market? What is the apartment scene like? Are there alot of things to do that don't cost alot? How do the established residents treat newcomers? How reliable is the public transportation system? I am hoping that this move will be my last for a long while and want to know everything that I can about the area. I have always wanted to go to Salem because of the history. This will be a big move for me and I will be doing it on my own. Any and all info would be welcomed, good or bad. Thank you.

[RMP059]

Your best bet is to investigate the apartments and job market yourself, you know what you're looking for. Check craigslist, monster, realtor, etc. dot.com

Salem is a nice little city. I like it a lot. The population treats newcomers fine, it's the way some long-time residents treat other long-time residents that gets frustrating. There are deep grudges that run in the city that go back all the way to the witch trials, and if one group of long-time residents approve of one thing, the other group will automatically disapprove of it. That makes it difficult to get much done in town, but it's getting better.

It is very touristy. Particularly in October. If you live downtown, plan on lots of traffic around Halloween. Lots and lots of traffic. As a whole you might find traffic sort of heavy. Public transportation is ok, I guess, you'd really be better off with a car, but you can get around with buses alright. There is a commuter rail into Boston. And it's pretty easy to live somewhere where you can walk to what you need.

Inexpensive stuff? Hmmmm....they have a very good library. There are a few free concerts in the summer. Define inexpensive I guess. It seems like there's always a way to find something to do for short money. Oh, the Essex-Peabody Museum is an amazing museum, world class, and they give Salem residents a huge break on admission.

There's a large pagan population in Salem, so if you're fundamentalist christian and/or biblical literalist, you might find it a little uncomfortable. But if you're non-judgemental about that sort of thing, you'll be fine.

[indigorose]

The large pagan population is mostly what draws me to Salem. I have always lived in areas that if they did have a pagan population then they tended to keep to themselves and rarely talked about their beliefs even if it was with someone of similar beliefs. I like how open everyone seems to be in that area judging by the number of pagan stores. I have also been tossing around the idea of getting rid of my car once I move. I am thinking of getting a bike for the warmer days and using the buses for the colder days. What I mean by cheap is under $20. Around here I have to consider the cost of gas into any event I want to do because everything is so spread out.