Can a middle-aged single mother with two teen survive, and thrive in New York State? (Syracuse: fit in, for sale)

[montanamom]

I will be posting this in several state's forums. We are presently in North Carolina, where we have lived before, because the cost of living is so low, and we have some family here. But we are just surviving, NOT thriving, and there is a difference. Cheap living is just not everything.

We followed my ex out to Montana so that my children could have both parents around, but he ultimately lost his job and left me holding the "bag" so to speak, and I just didn't want to live my life in a mobile home, all I could afford out there in Montana, near Missoula. Plus, the East Coast is where I was born and raised (suburbs of D.C.), and where we belong. The West was just not "home".

I have a friend who is in North Carolina, but originally from Upstate New York. She speaks fondly of how beautiful the area is, but other New Yorkers that have re-located down here have told me they had to leave the state because of the high taxes. They, like myself, moved here to purchase cheap houses/land. But they seem to truly miss the "vibe" up there.

North Carolina, and the whole "Southern" small town Mayberry thing can be comforting at times, but in the long run, it can also be soul searingly BORING and unstimulating.

Could I, as a Retail Manager whose present salary is under $25,000, survive with my kids in New York State? How are the opportunities for an attractive, well educated, 40 'ish single mother, and two intelligent, outlet starved teens?

Sorry this is so rambling. If anyones "gets" what I'm looking for, please feel free to reply!

Thanks!

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by montanamom

I will be posting this in several state's forums. We are presently in North Carolina, where we have lived before, because the cost of living is so low, and we have some family here. But we are just surviving, NOT thriving, and there is a difference. Cheap living is just not everything.

We followed my ex out to Montana so that my children could have both parents around, but he ultimately lost his job and left me holding the "bag" so to speak, and I just didn't want to live my life in a mobile home, all I could afford out there in Montana, near Missoula. Plus, the East Coast is where I was born and raised (suburbs of D.C.), and where we belong. The West was just not "home".

I have a friend who is in North Carolina, but originally from Upstate New York. She speaks fondly of how beautiful the area is, but other New Yorkers that have re-located down here have told me they had to leave the state because of the high taxes. They, like myself, moved here to purchase cheap houses/land. But they seem to truly miss the "vibe" up there.

North Carolina, and the whole "Southern" small town Mayberry thing can be comforting at times, but in the long run, it can also be soul searingly BORING and unstimulating.

Could I, as a Retail Manager whose present salary is under $25,000, survive with my kids in New York State? How are the opportunities for an attractive, well educated, 40 'ish single mother, and two intelligent, outlet starved teens?

Sorry this is so rambling. If anyones "gets" what I'm looking for, please feel free to reply!

Thanks!

Perhaps...Upstate NY isn't as expensive as Downstate Ny. So, you might be fine. It all comes down to the job situation. Schools are good up here. So, that is a plus to moving up here.

Here's some information you might be interested in for the area I live in: Central New York Jobs in Retail

Central New York Jobs in Managerial/Supervisory--All

Central New York Jobs

https://www.sujobopps.com/applicants...=1242430316647

http://www.cnyworks.com/job-seekers/

Syracuse Apartments for rent in NEW YORK | ApartmentFinder.com

CNYREALTOR.COM | #1 in Syracuse real estate and homes for sale. Search over 6,000 listings.

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Co...ounty=Onondaga

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Home.do?year=2008

City of Syracuse

Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau

Syracuse, New York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Downtown Syracuse

Welcome to Onondaga County, New York

and much more.......

[montanamom]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! I will check out the helpful links you provided. I may take a trip up there the next time my friend from there who is in North Carolina right now takes a trip up. Again, I appreciate your response!

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by montanamom

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! I will check out the helpful links you provided. I may take a trip up there the next time my friend from there who is in North Carolina right now takes a trip up. Again, I appreciate your response!

No problem.....

[gea12345]

Everything is in the research.

Based on what I have read, Upstate NY loses its college graduates every year! Why?
Because there are no jobs, and some other quality of life stuff.

This is what the governor was saying recently. They are trying to reach out to businesses, and schools to try to stop the brain drain.

What does this mean to you, in my opinon, is that New York may not be the state for you!

You might want to figure a way out to do an apprenticeship in a field that it is better paying. If you have decent math skills you should not have a problem. And a sticktoitness!

Every state has apprenticeship programs. You can find out about them at your careerlink/onestop. They also have some school funding for retraining!!

Then once you have this, then move to Virginia or Maryland or anywhere, since you will have a skill that people are willing to pay at least 20 bucks an hour for!!

I live in Philadelphia, and there are plenty of rental housing outside of downtown that are affordable if you can earn at least 40,000!!

Some people say they live on less!! Which I don't understand how they do it, especially with children!!

good luck!

Originally Posted by montanamom

I will be posting this in several state's forums. We are presently in North Carolina, where we have lived before, because the cost of living is so low, and we have some family here. But we are just surviving, NOT thriving, and there is a difference. Cheap living is just not everything.

We followed my ex out to Montana so that my children could have both parents around, but he ultimately lost his job and left me holding the "bag" so to speak, and I just didn't want to live my life in a mobile home, all I could afford out there in Montana, near Missoula. Plus, the East Coast is where I was born and raised (suburbs of D.C.), and where we belong. The West was just not "home".

I have a friend who is in North Carolina, but originally from Upstate New York. She speaks fondly of how beautiful the area is, but other New Yorkers that have re-located down here have told me they had to leave the state because of the high taxes. They, like myself, moved here to purchase cheap houses/land. But they seem to truly miss the "vibe" up there.

North Carolina, and the whole "Southern" small town Mayberry thing can be comforting at times, but in the long run, it can also be soul searingly BORING and unstimulating.

Could I, as a Retail Manager whose present salary is under $25,000, survive with my kids in New York State? How are the opportunities for an attractive, well educated, 40 'ish single mother, and two intelligent, outlet starved teens?

Sorry this is so rambling. If anyones "gets" what I'm looking for, please feel free to reply!

Thanks!

[Sgoldie]

Here's the thing about New York State that most people don't understand. It has to be the most diverse state going and I'm not talking about race. Few are aware of the mountains, the Adirondack park being as large as many national ones, and the fact that almost the whole state is bordered by water large and small except the PA line. We even have Indian reservations and like the south the state is steeped in history.

Say you took London and tossed in Annapolis, LA, Baltimore, Montana, Nebraska, Maine, Rhode Island, South Carolina, lower Alaska, and Napa Valley for example you'd have an indication of the variety of topography, weather, different styles of living in different locales, and the differences in types of people who live in these distinctly different areas. Much research would have to be done as to specific area of the state if you're considering moving.

From an economic standpoint the vastness in divergence is the same. From multimillion dollar jobs and homes (as well as what you might consider ghettos) around the NYC area you have dirt poor people living hand to mouth in other parts of the state where the only jobs might be civil service at best but where people stay because of family and natural beauty and cheap homes. I can't think of another state like it. You'll find the most sophisticated to the most superficial to the most independent to the backwoods to the most down home generous. People here not only commute by car, bus, and train but by helicopter and boat.

The problem with the young leaving has to do with a natural tendancy of the young to explore, as well as the fact that the entire state is more highly packed with colleges than most any other so that the amount of grads outweigh the jobs available, those being rather slim in many areas. The educational system is good however taxes drive out business. Then there is the maddening circumstance of the entirety of the state being run by NYC which is not even the capital nor indicative of the sentiment of the other half of the state's citizens (and 90% of the land value).

All in all it's not a bad place if you want four distinct seasons ranging to occasional extremes along with the distinct plusses afforded by what I've described above. Each area can have it's advantages as a place to live depending on what you're looking for and the easy proximity of each makes for a definiate and convenient uniqueness not in the least unpleasant.

[Jeromeville]

Sgoldie is quite right. I never realized how unique NYS is until I traveled around the country to other places. Whatever your background, social class, educational level, or political views - you will probably find a place to fit in. (You may not find a JOB, unfortunately...)

The tragedy indeed is the high taxes... which is ultimately what is killing off the jobs. Possibly the richest man in upstate NY, Tom Golisano, just announced he was moving his personal residence to Florida to escape the taxes. I haven't heard anyone do anything but cheer him and wish they could do the same. Fortunately he is keeping his business empire based here, but for how long?

[gea12345]

No, He is Wrong! Why? I think I will believe the Governor of New York, over Sgoldie and a recitaiton of seasons.

The governor said that the brain drain was due to a lack of jobs in upstate New York! So the question, is Whether or not the brain drain is due to college students finding jobs elsewhere because they look elsewhere or because there are no jobs in Upstate New York! The governor says it is due to lack of jobs!!

Holy Mackeral! Do you eat bread and pretend it is salmon, too??

[Sgoldie]

Did I say that the only reason for the brain drain was students moving away - no! What I said was that because of the proliferation of colleges there weren't enough jobs for graduating students. What I also said was that high taxes caused employers to close down here and others not to locate here in the first place,ie, drive out business.

You may not be aware of the fact that the majority of NYS legislators and others in charge of the government (those being from downstate and who live in the NYC metropolitan area) have never even been upstate for more than a couple of hours, probably including the governor. Trips to Albany where the actual capital is don't count as they're required to show up there from time to time.

[Aylalou]

Can a middle-aged single mother with two teens survive, and thrive anywhere?