What kind of work is there in Northampton? (Boston, Springfield: rent, how much)

[Hubcap_halo]

Hello,

I'm an ad writer who needs to get out of NYC for health reasons. I'd like to work part time still as an ad writer, but live in a quieter, healthier city like Northampton.

But I'm wondering---what kind of work is available there? Could someone rent a small studio and get by working part time at-----?

I would work on supplementing my income with virtual ad clients from New York and other places, but I'm just wondering how people make a living in this town.

Forgive my ignorance, I've never lived in a smaller town, but would like to.

[in_newengland]

Jobs are very scarce. I don't know what else to say but people get jobs working in restaurants. There are writers but they usually don't need the money. If you do find some kind of work, consider a studio in a cheaper place like Easthampton, which is right next door to Northampton. I think you'd be much better off in the Boston area -- loads of jobs for you and the air quality is much better than it is around Northampton so it's healthier in that way. Just my opinion.

[lprovo]

You can't really compare living in the Boston area with Western Mass. If you're looking for a quieter lifestyle, then the obvious choice is far from metropolitan areas like Boston. You can get an idea of the kind of jobs available in the area by checking out local Chambers of Commerce - Northampton, Easthampton, Amherst, to name a few.

Much of the area's economy is dependent on the Five College community (U-Mass, Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke and Smith). Rents are a bit steep in Northampton, but Easthampton is becoming very popular - and more affordable. There is not a lot of large industry in the area, so depending on how much you will need to supplement your income, it's hard to say if this will be a good fit.

The best way to approach a big move like this, in my mind, is to come up on an exploratory mission after looking at the local job boards. Here are some places to search: nohojobs.com (links to many of the larger area employers there too) masslive.com (Republican is the area's largest newspaper) Gazettenet.com (Northampton's community newspaper) and of course craigslist.org (look for Mass and Western Mass)

Good luck.

[theh]

I used to live near Boston and now I live here. I feel the air is so much cleaner and much more breathable here than out in Boston. Sure, occasionally it wreaks of cow everywhere you go, but that's still better than the smell of sewage, rotting fish and pollution. Boston air also always feels so thick and disgusting in the summer. I don't know which area technically has better air quality, so I apologize if I'm wrong.

Northampton is expensive for the area, but try looking for places in Florence or Leeds which are located on the outskirts of Northampton. The rents there are much lower than the rest of Northampton and they are also quiet sections of the town. I also agree that Easthampton is a good place to look as well.

Just a fair warning: Our economy is in the pits and western mass is getting beaten to death by it. Try to be flexible and apply for EVERY job you could possibly tolerate and apply as early as possible because it is so difficult to find a job out here, especially during these times. Definitely check out the colleges employment postings--Those are probably your best bets at finding something with reasonable pay. Each college posts them online on their human resources site.

[JiminCT]

Springfield and Hartford are down I-91. Hartford is only 40 miles...Springfield is 18 miles.

[VlyRoadKid]

The job scene around here is TERRIBLE, and many people work in human services, such as direct care or medical assistants, unless they're lawyers or health professionals like doctors and nurses. There's still a decent call for social workers, but that's not your field. Try the Words + Pictures Museum in N'ton, Channing L. Bete, in S.Deerfield (they publish pamphlets--but it's VERY hard to get in there), Chartpak in Leeds any of the small businesses that need ad writing or something similar. You could also work via the 'net. There are some freelance writers' sites online, such as elance.com, that offer services like ad-writing, among other things such as research and even creative writing. If you DO move here, your salary will probably take quite a cut, but then, so will your rent and other expenses!