Would Like Information on Watertown (Sioux Falls, Aberdeen: apartment, rental, employment)

[UP Michigan]

Hello,My husband and I presently live in Northern MI.We are both middle aged and without small children. My husband worked as a lumber inspector for over 14 years and was laid off from his job. I worked at an elementary school for many years(aide) and was also laid off. It's almost impossible to find work of any kind in our area and it doesn't seem like Michigan's economy will turn around any time soon. The only job my husband has been able to find is at Wal Mart. Don't get me wrong, at least it's a job. We are both willing to take ANY jobs.I searched the internet on a state by state basis and SD seems like a good place to live. I've received some info from the Chamber of Commerce on different towns in SD and Watertown seems to be the one we like the best. I'd like to know from someone who lives there, what the job situation is like, also apartment rental costs, gas prices, and any other information that anyone can share. We plan on making a trip to Watertown in June to check things out. Can anyone give me some info?

[Chris19]

Watertown, SD is a town in the 21,000 people range and has some different employment opportunities. There is a call center there and the city has several elementary schools along with a sizable middle and high school. The city has manufacturing and other employment opportunities. Check the Watertown Public Opinion (newspaper) site for possible job opportunities at The Public Opinion . The city is growing and the unemployment rate is certainly lower than many places across the country, especially Michigan. I have been there a few times and find the people from there to be very friendly as in many places in the Upper Midwest.

The city is an hour and half from Sioux Falls (100 miles to the South with 150,000+ people and 220,000+ metro) and a tad more to Fargo, ND for additional shopping and medical care. Watertown has a regional hospital and it has a Penney's, several supermarkets, Herberger's (department store), Wal-Mart, Shopko, Target, Menard's (home improvement store), and other retailers (local and national). It is a progressive community and I forsee it to have a strong future with its access to the interstate.

With your husband working in the lumber, he could check with being a manager at Menard's or a career there. Menard's would be worth checking into. Your husband would have opportunities to move within the company's Midwest operations and they treat their employees well from my understanding.

The city has a 2-year college.

You may want to also check out Aberdeen. The city is an hour and a half northwest of Watertown and is a little bigger (25,000) and will have 2,000 new jobs with the opening of a beef plant, wind plant, and other employers expanding and moving there. The city has several schools and will need teachers with the influx of new residents into the city and your husband can find work at a number of places. The city has similar retail options in Aberdeen. The hospital in Aberdeen is bigger and offers more services. The city has a 4-year state university and a 4-year private college.

In both places and places in South Dakota are looking for workers. With a good work ethic, you should do fine here.

[UP Michigan]

Thank you for responding.....We are looking forward to visiting Sd this summer. I checked out the Public Opinion newspaper and it looks promising. I think my husband could transfer from the Wal Mart here to the one there....At least that would be a starting point. From everything that I've read about SD, it seems like a very nice place to live. Not as much snow either.
Thank You for the information

[MJ1986]

I think Watertown or Aberdeen would be excellent places to live for you... and having worked at Wal-Mart myself, it isn't too difficult to transfer to a different location...