[marma]

Hi Y'all,

What do you call people from vermont?

I am a white American and my husband is from India and he is an engineer (shocker). And we both lived in Georgia then moved to MI a few years ago.

I want to get out of MI due to the unstable economy and high property taxes here and he has an interview next week for a company that is based in Barre, Vermont and Cambridge, MA.

At least MI has a large brown population. I am concerned about vermont because it's not very diverse, and while people usually mean well, I just see a lot of ignorance and/or laziness about non-white culture from my own people regardless of what state I'm in:-0

I was disappointed to find the cost of living is MUCH higher in both areas than where we are now.

WHat is the cost of living difference in Barre, VT and Boston areas compared to detroit (we actually live in Auburn Hills)?

Anyone lived in more than one of these states?

In any case, I love the outdoors but find the Michigan winters too long.

[Summerz]

Winters are long here too.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by marma

Hi Y'all,

What do you call people from vermont?

I am a white American and my husband is from India and he is an engineer (shocker). And we both lived in Georgia then moved to MI a few years ago.

I want to get out of MI due to the unstable economy and high property taxes here and he has an interview next week for a company that is based in Barre, Vermont and Cambridge, MA.

At least MI has a large brown population. I am concerned about vermont because it's not very diverse, and while people usually mean well, I just see a lot of ignorance and/or laziness about non-white culture from my own people regardless of what state I'm in:-0

I was disappointed to find the cost of living is MUCH higher in both areas than where we are now.

WHat is the cost of living difference in Barre, VT and Boston areas compared to detroit (we actually live in Auburn Hills)?

Anyone lived in more than one of these states?

In any case, I love the outdoors but find the Michigan winters too long.

People from Vermont can be referred to as Vermonters. Some claim that only those who have been here for several generations can claim that title. I reject that limiting idea in a free state. I'm a Vermonter of 13 years and counting.

I've lived near Cambridge, MA, as well as Southern NH and now mid/southern Vermont (Rutland). I'm originally from South Florida so I wasn't born to long winters but I do prefer them.

My guess is that you'll find Vermont winters as long as Michigan winters, but only experience will tell. I actually find Boston winters more uncomfortable than Vermont winters

You're right about the cost of living being higher than where you are now -- much. Most of New England has significantly higher COL than most of the Midwest. Cambridge, MA, is way more expensive than Barre, VT, but both are very pricey compared to the Detroit area.

Barre is a historic and lovely small city with very hip Montpelier (my favorite small city ever) about 6 miles up the road. The entire population of Washington County, VT, is about 60,000 people. I love Washington County and it has everything I'd want and need, but others may miss things like shopping, major airport, more culture, etc.

Cambridge, MA, is a densely-populated city amid other densely-populated cities and towns, including Boston. The area has every imaginable cultural and other amenity -- and some negatives that go along with bigger cities, too. To give you an idea, the population of Boston alone is about the same as the population of the entire state of Vermont. If I was going to live in a population center again, I could imagine it being Cambridge or a nearby town.

Not sure what to tell you about the lack of racial diversity. Different parts of VT & MA will vary, as will each family's experiences within those areas. Certainly, Cambridge, MA & environs are infinitely more diverse than anywhere in Vermont.

As for VT, just read an interesting article about this:

Minority Rule | Seven Days

[mustmove]

Cambridge- winter is shorter, people of every color, shape, size, all three genders. Plus better job opportunities if the Barre job doesn't work out for any reason chance of finding another good one around there is slim.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by mustmove

Cambridge- winter is shorter, people of every color, shape, size, all three genders. Plus better job opportunities if the Barre job doesn't work out for any reason chance of finding another good one around there is slim.

Cost of living in Cambridge, however, is astronomical.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

People from Vermont can be referred to as Vermonters. Some claim that only those who have been here for several generations can claim that title.

It's true. Unless you can trace your family back to the earliest settlers (1700's or at the latest, early 1800's) you're not a VT'er. There must be a law about that somewhere around here...

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by marma

Hi Y'all,

What do you call people from vermont?

I am a white American and my husband is from India and he is an engineer (shocker). And we both lived in Georgia then moved to MI a few years ago.

I want to get out of MI due to the unstable economy and high property taxes here and he has an interview next week for a company that is based in Barre, Vermont and Cambridge, MA.

At least MI has a large brown population. I am concerned about vermont because it's not very diverse, and while people usually mean well, I just see a lot of ignorance and/or laziness about non-white culture from my own people regardless of what state I'm in:-0

I was disappointed to find the cost of living is MUCH higher in both areas than where we are now.

WHat is the cost of living difference in Barre, VT and Boston areas compared to detroit (we actually live in Auburn Hills)?

Anyone lived in more than one of these states?

In any case, I love the outdoors but find the Michigan winters too long.

Vermont has a weak economy but in comparison to MI it would actually be an improvement...

Everything in the NE is much more expensive than Detroit. But, even in VT, there's more jobs. And VT has much less crime too. MA will be more expensive than VT, but both have high taxes. Winters in MA and VT are both long and cold. VT is colder, but MA, especially near the coastal areas, has a damp cold that some find even worse...

VT is quite "White" but for the most part not really racist or anything. A non-White might catch a few brief looks in the smaller towns (because they'll stand out in a mostly White town) but few people will mean anything in a negative way...in the Barre/Montpelier area you'd likely have very few issues with a non-White husband...

MA may have more diversity so to speak but there's a lot more crime, gangs, etc., associated with more of the non-White areas. Don't interpret this as racism, it isn't, it's just the stats on it. Some of them come up to VT and cause issues, but VT is really hostile to that sort of crime, and a well armed state at that.

[mustmove]

Unless you like being a beacon of diversity suck up the COL and live in Cambridge. The COL isn't too bad, you will only need one car(or none). Commute is less, heating is less, taxes less. Job opportunities - just go to your favorite large job search engine pick an industry search all of VT, then search zip 02138 which is one of Cambridge's several zipcodes note how many results in each search. Enjoy Cambridge a multiracial family there is normal not an exception.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

. Some claim that only those who have been here for several generations can claim that title.

Those people usually have four teeth.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Those people usually have four teeth.

Luckily, saying so (with or without teeth) doesn't make a thing so. Don't people just wish!