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Last year I started researching RI as a possible choice for relocation. Here's background on my situation: Currently living in West Texas--I'm a single mom, my kiddo (who's 10) has cerebral palsy--uses a wheelchair - enrolled in regular ed and special ed simultaneously. School system is so-so, I currently make roughly $42,000 as a mid level director for a non-profit- I have a BA and am hoping to start my masters next year. Our rent is $775 for a two bedroom house.
Why RI? Texas ranks as one of the worst if not THE worst states for people with disabilities. My son is guaranteed a spot in an institution when he completes high school. To keep him in the community or at home with me, we have been on a waiting list for nearly his short lifetime. I can only pray his name will eventually come up when he graduates high school. The CLASS program, which we're waiting for, provides attendant care for the individual. Otherwise I will have to institutionalize him--he is too smart for that. In addition - Texas institutions are notorious for the abuse inflicted upon their "consumers" as they call them.
RI is a very progressive state when it comes to providing community based services (people with disabilities stay at home and/or in the community). We visited last year and absolutely fell in love with it--the beauty, the people, the ocean, the Red Sox, the weather (yes I love snow--not sure how the wheelchair will handle it). It was a really nice experience. It was certainly a place we would like to call home. Having lived in the DC area when I was single - RI was a much nicer experience.
But I can't seem to find any jobs that pay more than $30 - 35,000. Why? How do people survive? I did one of those cost of living calculators - and to maintain the "lavish" (i.e. - live paycheck to paycheck) lifestyle I've grown accustom to living - I would need to take home $55,000 a year to live the exact same life I've lived in Texas.
Someone please help me do the math. How do people make it?
Sounds like you have it pretty tough. A single mother with a disabled child. Your perception of RI is right on, like most of the New England states we have pretty good welfare and health services, but the cost of living is high in New England and professional jobs are extremely competitive. I also think you will find very little housing that is wheelchair friendly- certainly no where close to what you can get in Texas, both amenity wise and price wise. Sorry I can't be more encouraging in your case. Have you looked into Virginia, Delaware, maybe Pennsylvania? Florida has a better job market... Good luck!
*** Florida has a better job market. *** Hmmm, I thought Florida's economy was having a terrible time right now?!
To the OP, I think you have done a good job researching RI and TX. You will need significantly more money here in RI but your pay might be even lower.
How do people make it? Good question. I think the main answer is that folks have been living here all their lives, they have connections to get jobs or work a family-related job, they inherited their house from their parents, etc. etc.
Right now many people in the urbanized Providence area are not making it. These are people who just managed to scrape by somehow over the last decade, now they are being pushed over the line into homelessness, living on the street, etc. It's really a shame and sad, too.
I would avoid places like Florida, Arizona, Nevada and especially California- all are in the the throes of a massive real estate bust. All states are in a deep recession. PA is also in a deep recession as is Delaware.
According to the Philly regional survey Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont are seeing slow to moderate growth, while Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine are in a recession.
To answer your question; New England does have a cost of living- no doubt about that. Real estate taxes are high- which tends to support the excellent public local services and schools.
I would check into Connecticut- where there are more jobs then RI currently- and living costs are slightly lower- especially away from Fairfield county. The greater New Haven and Hartford areas are wonderful places to live- lots of culture, history, closeness to the coast, NY, Boston- and there are more jobs for those in the non profits. Rents and real estate are slightly lower then greater Providence. Also check out New Hampshire.
The many things you describe about New England; The ocean, culture, sustainability on the environment, the progressive social attitude, high quality of life, the schools- are all great assets the region offers- but this all comes at a cost. Good things do not come cheap-- Good luck!
Last edited by skytrekker; 08-05-2008 at 04:13 AM..
One of the reason i relocated ehre 3 years ago from the south was the availability of help with my disabled husband who passed away in jan.
the school system is really hurting here for money but compared to the specail services my child got in tennessee to here.........he has done so well here.
The job market is tough I know several close friends with degrees out of work...example: ceo's. project managers, even know an lawyer who was laid off due to being less senior and less work.
In tenenssee I made 10 bucks an hour less as a nurse, the diffrence here is my rent eats the increase in pay which is just part of life.
I fell in love with rhode island when I crossed new port bridge........still amazes me.
Actually, RI ranks 17th highest in the country for reported income.
Salaries probably depend very much on the field you're in- school teacher's pay here, for example, is among the highest in the country and that's why a teaching job is so hard to come by.
We have an intellectually challenged young lady. While she was a student, the school system in Warwick was wonderful. R.I. indeed offers one of the highest benefit/service systems in the nation. That support is one of the reasons our taxes are so high they have damaged our state economy. I doubt if you could find a decent home to rent for $775 monthly. Rents have to be high, here, to pay high real estate taxes, water bills, heat, etc. Most landlords are not making a profit on their rental property since values have plummeted.
You may haave to consider a lower paying job in R.I. which will better compensate you over time. There are often of agency/service provider jobs advertised in our paper. The pays seem competitive for this area. You probably won't spend as much time behind the wheel in R.I. as in west Texas. 50 miles from central R.I. will get you well into the two neighboring states, and several cities including Boston. 50 miles in Texas sometimes won't get you across the county.
Sadly, I haven't seen a wheel chair that can get thru more than a very few inches of snow. God Bless!
Last edited by Hoxsie454; 07-20-2009 at 11:16 AM..
Reason: I had to correct a thoughtless sentence!
Hmmm, I thought Florida's economy was having a terrible time right now?!
The key part of this quote is "right now". Yes, Florida is deeply mired in this recession, as is most of the rest of the country. Florida's housing market has been hit particularly hard because of excess new homes built over the last 10-15 years. HOWEVER, when the recession ends and the economy begines to pick up again, expect Florida to revive to a more prosperous level that the perpetually depressed RI economy (New England economy, actually). Hoxie has it exactly right about why our cost of living is so high here - our tremendous public benefit system here is NOT free, and at the rate we are going, we are slowly pricing our state out of business. Rhode Island has a lot of good points, but honestly, your long term outlook would be better in many other states. Best of luck to you!
I made it. And I came from Tampa, FL. (Which drove me away.)
Funny, huh?
But in all seriousness, I would agree that job opportunities in RI are tough. However, I actually make way more money here than I did in FL. I'm not rich or anything, and maybe I just got lucky, but my experience in every department here has been better than in that swamp-hellhole also known as Florida.
Except for the Mexican food. Seriously, RI has NO good Mexican food.
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moving to RI
