Rochester vs. Buffalo (Irondequoit: college, to live in, move)

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by notasmoker

Lack of traffic jams/easy commutes, which answers both of your questions. I recall several years ago when Rochester & Buffalo both had the 716 area code & a decision had to be made to change it for one of the cities. Someone on the Rochester PBS radio station made the statement that because Buffalo is more "blue collar" and Rochester is more "white collar," they had better let Buffalo keep 716 & let the Rochester people learn the new one. The implication was that the people in Rochester were smarter/more adaptable. Don't know if that gives you any insight or not.

I think the comment from your PBS is insulting. For the record, most of the 585 area code runs into farmland both north and south of Rochester; in Arcade, it splits the town! Your commutes are a lot worse than ours are. Most of your big businesses have left just like Buffalo has. OTOH, what has come in here (or stayed) are big businesses w/engineering as: Moog, Greatbach and many other small firms. Getting an engineering job in many areas is the same here.

[NYMD67]

I don't want to be discouraging to anyone looking for a job.. but saw that the op was an engineer and I can tell you from many years of looking.... the jobs in Roch in that field (depending on what type of Engineer you are or the work you are able/willing to do) are few and far between.
My family & I are originally from Rochester and really want to come home, I have interviewed with the "big guys" in Roch and they can't come close to my salary or my comp pkg at all.
Even had a few that said they would'nt be able to pay a relo package?
Sad but true.
I do hope that if you are looking, and you have your heart set on being in Rochester, that you find something.
We have all but given up on coming back.

[garmin239]

NYMD, what field are you in and who did you interview with?. I know of a few places that were looking for people.
I know a couple people that came in here from places like Boston and DC and are able to afford a lot more here, even with very large pay cuts. You aren't going to get the big city salaries here since the cost of living is not big city.

[friedzone]

I have been checking out Rochester on Google Maps Streetview. Rochester is a really lovely place! Even the "bad" areas are not that bad. So many nice homes in pleasant neighborhoods. Is there ever a traffic jam in Rochester? Lovely and clean too. Nice waterfront areas also and the bay. My kind of place!

[NYMD67]

Originally Posted by garmin239

NYMD, what field are you in and who did you interview with?. I know of a few places that were looking for people.
I know a couple people that came in here from places like Boston and DC and are able to afford a lot more here, even with very large pay cuts. You aren't going to get the big city salaries here since the cost of living is not big city.

Thanks for the info garmin, I do appreciate it. I realize I am not going to get the same salary that I am receiving at this time, although, I work in Baltimore, not DC and even still, the salaries were sometimes as much as $40K less! That is to much, even with the cost of homes and living in general being less in Roch. Not willing to take that much of a pay cut.

I am in Engineering, have a Masters, worked for Pharm companies for about 18 years and find the jobs in Rochester to be very few and again, even the exisiting ones don't want to pay a full relo package and some are contract positions which do not offer ft benefits,etc....

[garmin239]

ah, I can't help you with Pharm companies.
If you were in EE or ME I may have had some places. Or if you worked with govt contractors.

[rochacha]

Originally Posted by NYMD67

Thanks for the info garmin, I do appreciate it. I realize I am not going to get the same salary that I am receiving at this time, although, I work in Baltimore, not DC and even still, the salaries were sometimes as much as $40K less! That is to much, even with the cost of homes and living in general being less in Roch. Not willing to take that much of a pay cut.

I am in Engineering, have a Masters, worked for Pharm companies for about 18 years and find the jobs in Rochester to be very few and again, even the exisiting ones don't want to pay a full relo package and some are contract positions which do not offer ft benefits,etc....

I'm not surprised with this info. Most of the Pharm companies around here are still in startup mode and mostly funded with venture capital and the University of Rochester. I wonder if you would have better luck in Buffalo if you were interested, at least temporarily until these startups gain traction.

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by garmin239

ah, I can't help you with Pharm companies.
If you were in EE or ME I may have had some places. Or if you worked with govt contractors.

are the property taxes the same in both cities? taxes in Rochester seem higher

[Buffalonian4life]

Buffalo. period. no questions asked.

[rochacha]

Originally Posted by Buffalonian4life

Buffalo. period. no questions asked.

I agree...wait, I forgot the topic...was it "Where should I move if I want to be miserable and have good reason to complain all the time...not the least of which is because the city is frigid until mid-July because the wind is always blowing off the lake and population trends show our metro area is going to fall to 3rd largest in NY soon?"