[littlepotato]

We are seriously contemplating a move to Burlington from north central Massachusetts within the next year or 2. We are a family with 2 elementary aged boys. My husband is in the high tech field. My questions are:

1. How family friendly is Burlington? Are there a significant amount of families within the city? Anything else I should know regarding this?

I would really like to live in an area with a lot of families as i would like my kids to grow up being able to play with other kids without having to constantly "schedule" playdates. Any comments on particular areas within Burlington that would be good for this kind of thing?

2. My husband would be able to work remotely from his current job, BUT if something did happen with that job, is there any high tech opportunity in the Burlington area?

3. We have only lived in Massachusetts--within Boston or as currently, an hour outside the city in a semi-rural suburban town. Does anyone have any comments or insights on cost of living differences between these two areas, Boston area and Burlington? I keep reading on this forum how high the cost of living is in Vermont, but is it higher than even Massachusetts or any other area in the northeast? I am unfortunately already quite familiar with high heating bills and expensive food costs.

Thanks so much for any information or insights!

[vter]

One of the big reasons why you read about the high cost of living here is that salaries have not kept up with housing costs. Housing has soared over the past few years.
As far as high tech, there are a few large companies here, and lots of small businesses (not necessarily high-tech). Not a lot of job openings, and when they do happen, the competition is fierce. GE Healthcare & IBM are the biggest in the area.
The City of Burlington definately has "family friendly" areas. The New North End comes to mind - it's got a suburban feel, with lots of families around.
The City of South Burlington also has lots of family friendly neighborhoods and has good schools. I hear from a lot of people in the Dorset Farms subdivision that they moved there 'cause there are lots of kids in the neighborhood.
If possible, come up for a couple days and just drive around to get a feel for all the different towns/neighborhoods in the area.

[MassVt]

...in the Bulrington, VT area are high as compared with the rest of VT, and also when compared to small cities across the US, but are very reasonable when compared with the greater Boston metro area.

If you husband's job disappeared, then I would look into IBM, GE healthcare, Fletcher Allen Healthcare (the main hospital, and the University of Vermont, including the medical school.

As for family-friendly communities, look into Burlington's NEW North End, the South End (Caroline Street area, and Birchclif, both of which border South Park, a huge expanse of baseball/soccor fields with basketball and tennis courts); also consider South Burlington and Essex, both of whom have excellent school districts.

If you decide to come, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Burlington is one of the most pleasant small cities in the nation.

[sonnydgoodnoe]

Originally Posted by littlepotato

We are seriously contemplating a move to Burlington from north central Massachusetts within the next year or 2. We are a family with 2 elementary aged boys. My husband is in the high tech field. My questions are:

1. How family friendly is Burlington? Are there a significant amount of families within the city? Anything else I should know regarding this?

I would really like to live in an area with a lot of families as i would like my kids to grow up being able to play with other kids without having to constantly "schedule" playdates. Any comments on particular areas within Burlington that would be good for this kind of thing?

2. My husband would be able to work remotely from his current job, BUT if something did happen with that job, is there any high tech opportunity in the Burlington area?

3. We have only lived in Massachusetts--within Boston or as currently, an hour outside the city in a semi-rural suburban town. Does anyone have any comments or insights on cost of living differences between these two areas, Boston area and Burlington? I keep reading on this forum how high the cost of living is in Vermont, but is it higher than even Massachusetts or any other area in the northeast? I am unfortunately already quite familiar with high heating bills and expensive food costs.

Thanks so much for any information or insights!

In response to your questions about Burlington. Maybe you should re-consider that area. If you are looking for more of a family oriented enviroment then you might want to consider a smaller town called Mebane. It is quite an excellent place to live or work. It has a lot to offer anyone who is considering the move from up north. I speak from experience. I moved to N.C. about 16 years ago and I would never go back. Mebane is not that far from Greensboro, Burlington, Chapel Hill or Durham. This town is peaceful, quaint and just all around a great place to live. You would never regret moving to this town, the schools are great, the people are super nice, shopping is close by, there are several decent restaurants and lots of things to do and see.

[littlepotato]

Thank you for the responses! I will probably have more questions in the coming months.
Sonnydgoodnoe, I was referring to a move to Burlington in Vermont, not North Carolina, but thanks for the info on that

It's funny that one of the particular employers mentioned is my husband's current employer, just in a different state.

We will definitely be visiting the city again to get more of a feel of the neighborhoods. I have read that the South end and the 5 Sisters and Birchcliff area are good family areas. As much as I did not want to venture outside of the city, I may consider South Burlington. It depends on what is on the market at the time we move. I do know that is a completely different feel though.

I just really feel like I belong up there. When we were in Burlington last summer, it struck me that I belong there. So we'll see what happens in the next year.

[sishel]

We're also planning to move to Burlington (for my husband's job) with 3 kids. Assuming that the northern schools are generally better than those down south (based on my own experiences), I'm wondering if there is a huge discrepancy among public schools in the area.

We're looking at rental homes in Stowe and some other outlying areas in driving distance of Burlington. Any areas to avoid or aim for? Our budget may not allow us to live in Burlington itself. Our kids are all elementary age.

Thanks!

[mustmove]

Beware the cost of living. Everything adds up snow tires, heating, snow removal, highest taxes in the country, expensive housing and substandard wages. And if you do have a good job here and it ends it'll be hard to find another one. Also hard for spouses to find reasonable work.

[tkln]

If your budget doesn't allow you to live in Burlington, it most likely will not allow you to live in Stowe either...as a high end tourist town, Stowe is ridiculously expensive. Plus the commute from Stowe to Burlington in winter would not be fun. I would imagine looking into the outlying burbs of Burlington would be better - perhaps Jericho, Underhill, Hinesburg, etc...

[vter]

I agree-Stowe rents will most likely be high. In addition to the towns tkln mentioned, check out Waterbury, Richmond, Bristol, Vergennes, Milton. St. Albans could also be an option as it's a straight shot down the highway to Burlington.