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Since you say you want somewhere more laid back, personally I'd stay out of the Philadelphia metro area. Not to mention it's also the most expensive area of PA. **Edit, and I just re-read your initial post, yes DEFINITELY stay out of the Philly area.
I'd suggest looking to the Pittsburgh area, or if you want somewhere even more laidback, honestly I'd suggest Erie, PA. It does have it's drawbacks (RustBelt = economically depressed) but since your husband won't be working in manufacturing, I don't consider it an obstacle. Land/housing will also be cheaper up here than almost anywhere else in PA (except north-central PA near Kane, PA). You'd certainly get your snow (90-inches normally! more if you're in the snowbelt). Plus you'd be right by Lake Erie & the Peninsula, which is a common vacation spot for many from the Pittsburgh area
So, I'd say it mostly depends on what you're looking for. Based on what you said, Pittsburgh might even be too large for you. If that's the case, check into the smaller cities & towns. Erie of course, but then also places like Ebensburg is very nice, so is Indiana, PA, so is Punxsutawney. Brookville is another cute little town. But these are small (especially Brookville).
I just want to say that I think this sounds like an exciting opportunity for your family. I knew Australia was expensive, but I had no idea it was that expensive. You could definitely become home owners here and find financial security.
I highly recommend the Pittsburgh area. The cost of living is lower than Philadelphia and most of eastern PA, but Pittsburgh still a large enough population for vets to have many clients.
Im seeing now even the terminology here is different. We have 3 and 4 year old kindergarten (preschool for you) then children start school in grade prep (your kindergarten) then ours go into grade 1 (prep is part of the school). Ours are in primary school prep to grade 6 then high/secondary school is grade 7-12.
I see everyone really seems to recommend the western side of PA (other than Erie, which is north west by my maps) Is there something thats particularly undesirable over the eastern side? Also Many of the cites, towns, counties I have looked into seem to have rain all year around, even a third of the summer months. Is that right, or is wikipedia trying to mess with me? I would love to be somewhere where I could head to New York city by car for a night, but again, that probably just the Aussie in me again! Your all being so helpful, Im very grateful
I see everyone really seems to recommend the western side of PA (other than Erie, which is north west by my maps) Is there something thats particularly undesirable over the eastern side? Also Many of the cites, towns, counties I have looked into seem to have rain all year around, even a third of the summer months. Is that right, or is wikipedia trying to mess with me? I would love to be somewhere where I could head to New York city by car for a night, but again, that probably just the Aussie in me again! Your all being so helpful, Im very grateful
One area you can take a look at is the north central part of the state. State College, Williamsport and up to Tioga County. This part of the state misses a lot of the east coast storms and a lot of the lake effect snow and it tends to be a drier part of the state as well as having really nice countryside.
Still, Pennsylvania in my opinion, is more wet than country Victoria or at least has more consistent precipitation across the seasons. It will rain or snow every season and sometimes there will be a few days in a row of rain or snow. It depends, sometimes there will be a month in summer or winter where it is dry with little precipitation but most of the time in PA, it is probably going to rain at least once a week at some time.
Once a week I can handle some rain, I am from Melbourne, I just hadnt factored in rain through a third of Summer, but as long as it isnt bucketing down all the time I'll cope.
I have looked into property in the Williamsport area, beautiful and affordable! I guess it will all depend on where the jobs are going at the end of the year.
Generally speaking are the locals welcoming to new people, or is it hard to get in? I've read very mixed comments on that topic, and as Im guessing at least most of you are from there you'll know how you'd feel about a family of Aussies living down the road...
I see everyone really seems to recommend the western side of PA (other than Erie, which is north west by my maps) Is there something thats particularly undesirable over the eastern side?
Cost of living is more expensive on the eastern side of the state.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
Also Many of the cites, towns, counties I have looked into seem to have rain all year around, even a third of the summer months. Is that right, or is wikipedia trying to mess with me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
Once a week I can handle some rain, I am from Melbourne, I just hadnt factored in rain through a third of Summer, but as long as it isnt bucketing down all the time I'll cope.
While it rains often in the Pittsburgh area, it rarely rains all day. When it does rain all day, it rarely rains like that for multiple days. In other words, there isn't a "rainy season" or a "dry season" but constant precipitation that could come as early morning mist or an hour long rain shower in the late afternoon, with dry weather for the rest of the day. Weather changes quickly here. Within the same day, you can be wearing winter coat and shorts. The day can start out super cold and by the afternoon it's hot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
I would love to be somewhere where I could head to New York city by car for a night, but again, that probably just the Aussie in me again! Your all being so helpful, Im very grateful
You won't be able to do NYC for the evening from NYC, but there are plenty of things you can do in Pittsburgh that you can't do easily from NYC. For example, you can be at a ski resort in an hour from Pittsburgh. There's white water rafting is within an hour too. If being near a big city that's open 24/7 is your thing, the eastern side of PA is better for you but the cost of living will be much higher.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
I have looked into property in the Williamsport area, beautiful and affordable! I guess it will all depend on where the jobs are going at the end of the year.
I think central PA will be too rural, not enough population to command higher salary as a vet. I'm assuming your husband wants to be a pet vet, not a livestock vet. Willaimsport is still over 3-1/2 hours to NYC too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
Generally speaking are the locals welcoming to new people, or is it hard to get in? I've read very mixed comments on that topic, and as Im guessing at least most of you are from there you'll know how you'd feel about a family of Aussies living down the road...
Pittburghers are very friendly and tollerant people. Their mindset embraces personal freedoms as long as it doesn't interfere with the freedoms of others. You can be or believe whatever you want. People won't care. I do think Aussies have a good reputation of being interesting, resilient people. Just make sure you let people know your an Aussie and not a Brit.
The rural areas of the state are fairly closed minded and conservative.
OK, so the rain question is now not important, we get weather like that here, and so far Ive managed to survive. I wouldnt be trotting off to NYC for night outs as in to go see a movie or anything, Im sure there are facilities like that, just more meant Id like the option when friends or family come over to drive there rather than fly, and for it not to be a whole week getting there, seeing things, then getting back. Knowing me, It will be a year or so before I actually got around to going anyway. Yes, my husband isnt a huge fan of mixed practice, so he will be wanting small animal work, and he does like the emergency work (although Im not a fan of the whole day and night shift thing).
Maybe Im just drawn to the eastern side because Ive been there. Will keep googling, but in the end where the jobs are now isnt where they will likely be in 8 or so months time, so really, Im just window shopping right now. I guess it is likely that there will be more job prospects near Pittsburgh and its bigger, so I could take some of the earlier advice and look 20 miles out (which I keep having to use my phone to convert to kms)...
I must say all Ive read and seen on here makes me want to take a leap and go for it. It looks beautiful, and Im sure the ski resorts are cheaper there too! Over here you can go, but its a long drive, and its (again) so costly. Two nights for 2 adults will easily set you back $1200-$1500
The fun continues.
**EDIT** Ok, so that was 20 miles out out Philly, not Pittsburgh. I think Im getting a bit confused!
Last edited by ImagesbyKateElizabeth; 03-06-2012 at 11:46 PM..
OK, so the rain question is now not important, we get weather like that here, and so far Ive managed to survive. I wouldnt be trotting off to NYC for night outs as in to go see a movie or anything, Im sure there are facilities like that, just more meant Id like the option when friends or family come over to drive there rather than fly, and for it not to be a whole week getting there, seeing things, then getting back. Knowing me, It will be a year or so before I actually got around to going anyway.
You can easily do NYC in a weekend and not be exhausted. It's 7 hours away by car. There are tour buses that do it in 24 hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
I guess it is likely that there will be more job prospects near Pittsburgh and its bigger, so I could take some of the earlier advice and look 20 miles out (which I keep having to use my phone to convert to kms)...
20 to 30 miles out equates to a 20 to 30 minute drive to the center of downtown.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
It looks beautiful, and Im sure the ski resorts are cheaper there too! Over here you can go, but its a long drive, and its (again) so costly. Two nights for 2 adults will easily set you back $1200-$1500
The ski resorts here are cheaper by US standards because it's not the Rockies. A two day weekend for two would be around $500 here, weekdays even less. But you don't even have to stay there with it being only an hour away. We've left at 5pm right after work and skied for the night and were home before midnight. Season passes are as low as $300/year if you buy early enough. If you would only go a couple times each winter, dont' bother buying the season passes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagesbyKateElizabeth
**EDIT** Ok, so that was 20 miles out out Philly, not Pittsburgh. I think Im getting a bit confused!
20 miles from anywhere. And you wouldn't necessarily be living downtown anyways. Some of the suburbs are farther out than 20 miles. Think of miles as minutes and that will be fairly close to your commute time for Pittsburgh. For Philadelphia the commute time would be longer because traffic is more congested due to a higher, denser population.
Thanks so much. I like the miles to minutes tip (just need to remember which city to apply it to, and knowing me, I'll get it wrong)
In Aus (and Im talking the little closer cheaper mountains, not the good ones) $500 would get you 2 days lift passes, and maybe mountain entry if your lucky.
Im not keen on 7 hours drive, but I guess if you were showing off your new home to visitors, you may as well take them on a scenic trip right...
Will just keep googling. Thanks, your all giving me so much info that I wouldnt have otherwise worked out
Im seeing now even the terminology here is different. We have 3 and 4 year old kindergarten (preschool for you) then children start school in grade prep (your kindergarten) then ours go into grade 1 (prep is part of the school). Ours are in primary school prep to grade 6 then high/secondary school is grade 7-12.
I see everyone really seems to recommend the western side of PA (other than Erie, which is north west by my maps) Is there something thats particularly undesirable over the eastern side? Also Many of the cites, towns, counties I have looked into seem to have rain all year around, even a third of the summer months. Is that right, or is wikipedia trying to mess with me? I would love to be somewhere where I could head to New York city by car for a night, but again, that probably just the Aussie in me again! Your all being so helpful, Im very grateful
Like I mentioned earlier, I'm in south-central right near the Mason Dixon line, and I really like it here. Granted we're quite a bit away from NY, but otherwise we're situated nicely right by the I-81 corridor, not far from DC, Baltimore, and a hop over the border to Maryland, and not far from WV. There's lots of smaller towns around here. We're also right on Route 30 going east-west
Oh and we're not far from White Tail for skiing. And I know they're always having some sort discount on something available (1/2 price lift tickets and the like)
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