Thinking about moving to Salt Lake need advice? (Salt Lake City, West Jordan: fit in, for sale)

[jalvn]

Hi Everyone,

I am considering moving to Salt Lake City with my family mostly because it seems more affordable and I lived there temporarily as a teenager (about 15 years ago) so I am somewhat familiar with how the weather is etc.

Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I have the following questions:

How is the job market? I work as an LVN/LPN and my husband is a merchandiser are there any jobs in these fields? I know I can search various job websites but it doesn't tell me if a lot of applicants are applying etc.

Also how is the pay compared to Southern California? We currently live in San Diego and the pay range for LVN/LPN is around 20-27 an hour. Merchandiser is about 10-13 an hour.

How safe is Salt Lake and are the more affordable areas still safe? By safe I mean not having shootings or armed robberies or car thefts on a daily basis. I know there is crime everywhere I am mostly concerned about violent crime.

How are the schools? Are they over crowded? Diverse? Do the teachers seem to care? What about special education? Do I have to fight for it? My youngest is in 2nd grade an is in a full inclusion class? Will they provide assistance for him? Anyone with information about how the special education is in Salt Lake it would be appreciated.

What about the charter schools my oldest is in 7th grade, do they have a lottery for these schools? Is there a long wait list? How are the high schools? Do most kids graduate?

How would my family fit in? Do most people stick to their own business? We are a Hispanic family but I am half white and I look white. My husband has dark skin so we look interracial and so do my kids. Will this be a problem?

Will anyone care if we are not Mormon? We are not very religious although we are Christian we don't usually have time to attend church because we have to both work 2 jobs just to afford living here. As far as we are concerned we have friends from all walks of life so it doesn't matter to us but we know not everyone thinks the same way.

How bad is the inversion I keep hearing about? Can my kids go outside? Do we have to keep them home that day? Will my baby die if she breathes the air too much on those days outside? Is it really any worse that the daily smog from Los Angeles?

Finally how is the childcare in Salt Lake is it affordable? I have a baby she is only a few months old she will need daycare at least half time? How much is the average home daycare?

Thank you for your help!

[Geo-Aggie]

I don't have kids, so I can't answer half of those, but as for the ones I can answer:

Expect about $20/hr as an LPN and $10/hr as a retail merchandiser. However, your husband can easily find other jobs that'll pay $12-$14 an hour without any specialized training or education.

I live in an affordable neighborhood (~$100/sq.ft). People from the south and east parts of the valley will tell you that I live in the ghetto, but they couldn't be further from wrong. My neighborhood is new, safe, clean and full of kids. Violent crime is low all over the valley. The only places you really find it with any abundance are the older neighborhoods right off of I-15 and near government subsidized apartments. Property crime is higher everywhere in the valley. The reason is Utahans like to have lots of kids. Kids do stupid stuff like kick over your solar lights and steal bicycles you left not locked up. They do this regardless of income, so that stuff happens in the $200k neighborhoods just as it does in the $500k neighborhoods.

The inversion is really only a problem in the Winter. It's nasty looking, but your kids can go to school and certainly won't die, even if they have respiratory problems you should be safe as long as you aren't out running marathons. Your kids may be kept in from recess sometimes, but like I said it only happens from like December-February and the worst days here are no worse than the worst days there (I used to live in LA County.)

Utah doesn't have quite the Hispanic population of So. Cal, but we one. My zip code is about 25% Hispanic. There are some zip codes that have a majority Hispanic. However just like any other city there are some zip codes that are primarily white and you might get some looks there. Racism exists, it's unfortunate and hopefully we fully get past that someday, but it's not bad here.

Not being Mormon again depends on your neighborhood. If you move some place like Bountiful or Lehi, expect some of your kid's friends to have parents who won't let your kids come over because they aren't Mormon, and stuff like that. If you move somewhere in northern or central Salt Lake County that kind of stuff is far less likely to happen.

I'd say check out Midvale, Murray, Taylorsville, West Jordan and West Valley. Homes are about 150-300k in those cities, they all have enough minority population that racism is mild, crime is fairly low if you stick to the newer parts of the cities and you won't get nearly as many religious judgmental types. If you can afford a little more (300-400k) east-central Salt Lake City and Millcreek have some great neighborhoods too, but they are older.

[Ankhharu]

Although the cost of living here is low, so are the wages. I worked as a merchandiser briefly when I first got here last year. It was $12.71, no exp, but it was Part Time. I still see the positions pop up from time to time.


In SLC city limits, people will not care you are not mormon. Most in SLC are not mormoms, despite still being on the books. I am an atheist and I have already acquired more friends than I had the first 10 years I lived in Texas. I haven't had any issues whatsoever making friends. My circle of friends is over 30 now and only 2 of them are LDS.

The inversion: It made my allergies flare up, but outside of that and it being really ugly, I didn't have any breathing issues myself. Of course, I've only experiened one winter here. That could change over time. IDK.

Can't really comment on the kids as I don't have any.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by jalvn

Hi Everyone,

I am considering moving to Salt Lake City with my family mostly because it seems more affordable and I lived there temporarily as a teenager (about 15 years ago) so I am somewhat familiar with how the weather is etc.

Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I have the following questions:

How is the job market? I work as an LVN/LPN and my husband is a merchandiser are there any jobs in these fields? I know I can search various job websites but it doesn't tell me if a lot of applicants are applying etc.

Also how is the pay compared to Southern California? We currently live in San Diego and the pay range for LVN/LPN is around 20-27 an hour. Merchandiser is about 10-13 an hour.

How safe is Salt Lake and are the more affordable areas still safe? By safe I mean not having shootings or armed robberies or car thefts on a daily basis. I know there is crime everywhere I am mostly concerned about violent crime.

How are the schools? Are they over crowded? Diverse? Do the teachers seem to care? What about special education? Do I have to fight for it? My youngest is in 2nd grade an is in a full inclusion class? Will they provide assistance for him? Anyone with information about how the special education is in Salt Lake it would be appreciated.

What about the charter schools my oldest is in 7th grade, do they have a lottery for these schools? Is there a long wait list? How are the high schools? Do most kids graduate?

How would my family fit in? Do most people stick to their own business? We are a Hispanic family but I am half white and I look white. My husband has dark skin so we look interracial and so do my kids. Will this be a problem?

Will anyone care if we are not Mormon? We are not very religious although we are Christian we don't usually have time to attend church because we have to both work 2 jobs just to afford living here. As far as we are concerned we have friends from all walks of life so it doesn't matter to us but we know not everyone thinks the same way.

How bad is the inversion I keep hearing about? Can my kids go outside? Do we have to keep them home that day? Will my baby die if she breathes the air too much on those days outside? Is it really any worse that the daily smog from Los Angeles?

Finally how is the childcare in Salt Lake is it affordable? I have a baby she is only a few months old she will need daycare at least half time? How much is the average home daycare?

Thank you for your help!

Jalvn,

A lot of questions as one should have when considering moving.

You've gotten some good answers so far. I wouldn't move without a job secured first. You didn't write about specialty certifications, populations with whom you have expertise.

While UT has a large population of Hispanics and you're correct about Salt Lake County not being even 50% LDS, good neighbors are welcomed in all neighborhoods.

I know you lived in SL County previously, but would strongly encourage your family to visit as soon as you can. The discount airlines and maybe even Alaska Airlines still have their discounts as they initiate So. CAL to SLC flights.

I'd encourage you to start communicating with the schools about your second grader. I believe the schools in West Jordan and Granite will have the most experience. I don't need to know about your child, but as YOU email and talk to districts, read the criteria for Hartvicksen in Granite. If appropriate for Hartvicksen, that is one of the best schools for the children .

I'd encourage you to start working on the schools now. Once you determine which schools you're most comfortable with, then you can look at housing options and neighborhoods.

Also, in 2014, most large employers use the very large search engines to load a resume, letters etc. That includes skilled nursing facilities and the 4 groups of hospitals.

I hope those tips help you get started. Good luck

MSR

[Kimbatsu]

So if you want a list of fun things to do in Utah, you can check out Things 2 Do in Utah | Exploring the unknown and well known in the Great State of Utah We have so many awesome places. You will love it here if you decide to come!!!!

[bdb5853]

You might want to check with hospitals here and see if they are hiring LPN's. Most of them are phasing them out and going to an all RN staff. Nursing homes probably still hire LPN's. Home health may as well.

[SusVelo]

Originally Posted by Kimbatsu

So if you want a list of fun things to do in Utah, you can check out Things 2 Do in Utah | Exploring the unknown and well known in the Great State of Utah We have so many awesome places. You will love it here if you decide to come!!!!

Is that your website? All 3 posts you've made reference it

[mlb]

Do not move without secured jobs.

I agree that hospitals may be not hiring LVNs/LPNs. AD-RNs have a much better chance.

There are nursing bridge programs tho if you are interested (SLCC and the U of Utah have one).

My spouse is a merchandiser. The market is flooded with people who will do that. The pay is about $10-14 an hour or worse. The jobs are contract only - and are limited hours per week and short-term contracts. Like weekends only. He has not been hired in months. The economy for sales and merchandisers is horrible.

[nycgirl1616]

RN pay for a new grad in Utah is around $22 an hour on top of a tight job market. Don't expect California salary, nowhere in the country pays that high. Can't give you any advice on any of the other questions, just the nursing stuff.

[jalvn]

Originally Posted by nycgirl1616

RN pay for a new grad in Utah is around $22 an hour on top of a tight job market. Don't expect California salary, nowhere in the country pays that high. Can't give you any advice on any of the other questions, just the nursing stuff.

The market here is San Diego is getting pretty tight too. The average pay for a new grad in a nursing home is about the same. I primarily have worked in hospice, and homecare, but I have also worked in nursing homes. How is the job market in those areas of nursing?