Sacramento vs. Philadelphia (York, Indiana, Avalon: house, public schools, closing)

[bluevelo]

Thinking of applying for a promotion to a different agency in Philly; office is on Market Street near the Centre City. I'm a native Iowan, I've lived all over the US since getting out of grad school, including Minneapolis, Battle Creek, Indianapolis, Dayton, Northern VA/DC, Richmond, Jackson, MS and Sacramento.

I know the weather is going to be different and I think a comparison of the cities on that basis is meaningless; I'd make about 100K a year in Philly. I've been to Philly a lonnnng time ago and it wasn't for long, but I've heard good things about the burbs and that housing is affordable compared to most NE locations. Another attraction is that my small children, who are 10 and 8, live with their mother up in Cheshire, CT, south of Hartford, and I'd be what - a 3 to 4 hour drive away - so obviously I could see them a lot more than I do now.

I have friends in New York City and Providence so its not like I'd be moving out somewhere where I know "no one".

It does seem like you get more house for your dollar in Philly, and taxes don't seem as bad as they are out here. State and local gov't doesn't seem as dysfunctional, either, and I'm guessing that the suburban school systems are quite a bit better than what we have here in California (the public schools are simply horrible because of unchecked immigration and the state's overtly generous welfare programs has brought a huge underclass into California).

I'm interested in the music and dating scenes as I'm almost 50, 2x divorced, have my BA and MA and I'm very physically active and also play jazz guitar. It seems like between Philly and NYC I'd certainly be able to find people who share similar interests...

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[pistola916]

I'm a Sacramento native. But I suggest Philly. It's 3x the size of Sac. The economy is more diverse in Philly. Sac is an agricultural and government town. The cultural amenities are far superior in Philly than in Sac. Better transportation, better food; it has a better overall climate.

If your dream is to live in California then yes Sacramento is a good jumpstart for that. The weather is awesome. The cultural amenties are there and it keeps growing every year, but not like Philly.

[bluevelo]

pistol - I'm not a California native, this is more a matter of being closer to my kids - the weather in Cali is great but California has so many problems its really starting to wear on me to be out here so far away from my kids...

[JasmineFlower]

In terms of social scene, I think you'll be fine, there's plenty to do in Philadelphia, more than there is in Sacramento in my opinion. The local government in Philly is plenty dysfunctional, but it sounds like you will be living in the suburbs and usually its not as problematic as the City Council in Philadelphia. Even in Philly, its not enough to forgo living in the city.

I'm not familiar with Cheshire, but for what its worth, my parents were divorced when I was growing up with my dad living in Hartford for some of that time, and I'd see him about once a month. When I was a bit younger (about your kids age), he would usually drive down or we'd fly up, and you're right, the drive is less than 4 hours when you don't hit any major traffic issues (and you will learn to listen to traffic and take the alternate route up when 95 gets backed up), and when I was a bit older, more in my later teens, my sister and I would take Amtrak up, also pretty simple. It was fairly convenient, all things considered.

So, I'd recommend the move, you won't be next door to your kids, but you will be plenty close and see them more often, you also won't miss much in their lives, my dad missed very few of the events that I wanted him to attend, big and small.

[bluevelo]

Thanks everyone for the input so far. Jasmine, its good to hear that you were able to see your dad regularly. Right now, I have a good stretch of the summer, a couple of weeks during the year, and that's it. I mean, there's phonecalls and if their lazy mom and her husband would set up a webcam we could do Skype... but they're lazy.

[bluevelo]

One of my co-workers did part of his training rotation out in the Philly area and has remarked (he's from Montana originally) that he did not think the people were very friendly at all, but this was almost 30 years ago. I do have a little concern about "pushy northeasterners" but I suspect that pushy people are everywhere when you have a metro in the millions; I see them here all the time.

[Avalon08]

I am a Philly (suburb) native and lived in Southern CA (OC) for two years. I realize OC's a far stretch from Sacramento and a totally different vibe, BUT -- I did find CA people MUCH friendlier and more laid-back than they are here. But that doesn't mean Philly people or this area aren't great! You just have to be prepared for the "East Coast" mentality -- more reserved or aloof, more intense, but very "real" and hugely loyal to our city. With your interest in the music scene, I'd think you'd find our city a zillion times more interesting than Sacramento....just sayin'. LOL.

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

I am a Philly (suburb) native and lived in Southern CA (OC) for two years. I realize OC's a far stretch from Sacramento and a totally different vibe, BUT -- I did find CA people MUCH friendlier and more laid-back than they are here. But that doesn't mean Philly people or this area aren't great! You just have to be prepared for the "East Coast" mentality -- more reserved or aloof, more intense, but very "real" and hugely loyal to our city. With your interest in the music scene, I'd think you'd find our city a zillion times more interesting than Sacramento....just sayin'. LOL.

We have a small and nice music scene in Sacramento, there's actually a nice little pocket of jazz, but its like most other mid sized metros, most live music is blues and country with a few rock bars and an occasional jazz concert but that's it.

I lived in DC/NoVa for four years in the 90s, and Richmond for 3 after that, and I went to DC all the time, so I'm somewhat familiar with East coast pace and mentality although I also realize DC isn't as intense as Philly north is from that standpoint...

[pman]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

I am a Philly (suburb) native and lived in Southern CA (OC) for two years. I realize OC's a far stretch from Sacramento and a totally different vibe, BUT -- I did find CA people MUCH friendlier and more laid-back than they are here. But that doesn't mean Philly people or this area aren't great! You just have to be prepared for the "East Coast" mentality -- more reserved or aloof, more intense, but very "real" and hugely loyal to our city. With your interest in the music scene, I'd think you'd find our city a zillion times more interesting than Sacramento....just sayin'. LOL.

T-shirt explains Philadelphia's blunt speech | Reuters

definitely a cultural difference. sometimes people in philly come off angry when they aren't being that way at all. that said, sacramento compares favorably with harrisburg but Philly is a different animal entirely. it's a large city so there is always going to be a singles scene for all ages and even though the jazz scene suffered tremendously with the closing of ortlieb's,it's still alive.

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by pman

T-shirt explains Philadelphia's blunt speech | Reuters

definitely a cultural difference. sometimes people in philly come off angry when they aren't being that way at all. that said, sacramento compares favorably with harrisburg but Philly is a different animal entirely. it's a large city so there is always going to be a singles scene for all ages and even though the jazz scene suffered tremendously with the closing of ortlieb's,it's still alive.

I don't mind the "up in the face" stuff - people here in Cali are too politically correct and I've been told several times that "your opinion isn't important". People are WAY too sensitive out here.