[GMAN65]

Greetings to all!! I've been searching this forum recently in anticipation of
relocating to VT. I currently work for the U.S. Gov. and have been offered a promotional position just outside of Burlington. I've been living in Western NY for the last 10 years. Both my wife and I are originally from the Rochester area. I will be eligible to retire in 9 years.

My wife and I actually lived in St. Albans from 1995-1998 while I was working for another one of my agency's offices. This was prior to our children being in the picture (9 year old and 19 month). While living in St. Albans my wife worked as a Teacher at a local school. Both my wife and I really liked living in VT at the time. We ultimately left because I wasn't happy with my job there and we both wanted to be closer to our family in Western NY.

Times have changed and we have been considering returning to VT. We have been looking at houses on line in Fairfax. After some research it seems like an area that would be a good fit for us.

After reading the many comments on this forum regarding issues related to high taxes in VT, the general lack of decent paying jobs and housing, what seems to be the drain of young people from the State, and the apparent perils of retirement in VT I'm honestly afraid to come back.

I'm certainly not blaming anyone for posting about their experiences and/or opinions about these issues. To be forewarned is to be forearmed for sure. If the current and future picture of VT is what has been portrayed by many on this forum, I can't see how anyone but the extremely affluent would be attracted to living in VT.

Please tell me that things are not so bad in VT. I thought NY was bad enough with respect to many of these issues. Could VT really be worse?! I don't want to short change my family by relocating back to VT if things are so bad.

Sign me in disbelief and disappointed....

[vter]

If you are coming with good paying secure jobs then you can do well here.
Many kids do leave after high school and/or college....I left because I wanted to try city living-the allure of better jobs was part of the reason too, but mostly wanting to try something other than rural living. Many of us who defected have come back and have had/are having successful careers here.
Because Vermont is small (we only have 600,000 people in the whole state), and mostly rural, we don't have a lot of industry here. Meaning...there are good jobs (well, maybe not right now in this economy) but are few and far between. If you have a good job and end up losing it for whatever reason it most likely will be difficult to find a similar position. Wages have not kept pace with housing costs for many.
Vermont is a very popular vacation/retirement state. The state does a very good job of marketing itself to that demographic. Although most realize that when they get here, living here is nothing like what they thought it would be aka the "Vermont Life Magazine" syndrome LOL.
Bottom line...if you can make it work for you and your family this is a great place to live. If you worry about the economy and the lack of jobs should you lose your current job, you may want to think about other options. Luckily for me and my family we have made it work and plan to stay here pretty much forever (except probably winters down south or in the SW somewhere ).
Again, small rural state=less opportunities available out there.

[flu189]

If you have a guaranteed government postion here and have the seniority then I would say you really have an advantage. It's just like when you are in the military getting assigned somewhere. If you like the location it's great when you know have a steady paycheck with benefits. Then again, if you find that the place is not for you you do your time and get transferred. Folks that seem to be getting jammed up here now are in jobs where security, pay, and benefits are shakey or just lacking for the economy. As far as expenses go the impact they will have on your choices and lifestyle depends on how much you earn and what your personal spending habits are.

[veggieck]

I am also considering a move to Vermont to escape the rat race of NJ and the taxes. I am surprised to see comments regarding high taxes in Vermont.... didn't think anyone's taxes were higher than those in NJ! Being retired USMC, I have lived in many areas throughout the US and abroad. I have found locals friendly to newcomers and not so friendly. How do the locals in Vermont feel about newcomers?

[Ellwood]

Daughter moved to VT right out of college, never to return to NJ. She has lived there 15+ years and loves the life that VT has to offer. Their real estate taxes can in no way compare to NJ, the salaries are the issue, so everything is relative. Her children and their friends are in no way spoiled. They enjoy the simple things in life, like sleigh riding, building snow forts, and ice skating. My granddaughter was 7 when she went to a mall, was amazed when we took her to a Toys R Us. She was never treated like a newcomer and people are always friendly. When they bought their first house and were late coming home from work, she would find a dinner in her kitchen, which the neighbor left. How can you beat that?

[68vette]

Originally Posted by veggieck

I am also considering a move to Vermont to escape the rat race of NJ and the taxes. I am surprised to see comments regarding high taxes in Vermont.... didn't think anyone's taxes were higher than those in NJ! Being retired USMC, I have lived in many areas throughout the US and abroad. I have found locals friendly to newcomers and not so friendly. How do the locals in Vermont feel about newcomers?

As far as taxes the problem is a very complex one in the state, but to simplify it look at it this way. I will just use property tax as an example. If in NJ you are paying $$5500 per year in property tax and your hourly income is $35/hr and then you look at Vermont and see that the property tax for the same house is $4500/yr. It looks cheaper, but the issue is with income. The same job in Vermont may only pay $15-20/hr. Then there are the other variables thrown in like spending more to heat your home because it's a colder climate, etc, etc. Vermont is in the top ten highest taxed states as well as NJ, but you need to look at income.

I moved to Vt many years ago and found that in more rural areas people were more private and kept to themselves, but once they got to know you it was fine. In more populated areas like Burlington there is no issue at all. I don't know this as a fact, but once heard that more than 50% of areas like Burlington were people from other states.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by veggieck

didn't think anyone's taxes were higher than those in NJ! Being retired USMC, I have lived in many areas throughout the US and abroad. I have found locals friendly to newcomers and not so friendly. How do the locals in Vermont feel about newcomers?

NJ does have extraordinarily high property taxes. I don't think Vermont's will faze you. Finding good and reliable income in VT is another issue.

As far as how locals feel about newcomers, it depends A LOT on where in Vermont you live. I'm in Rutland, a small city, and if anyone ever thought less of me because I'm "from away," then I never noticed it. It's very friendly and neighborly here. In cities like Burlington, Montpelier, and Brattleboro, I doubt newcomers would have an issue. I've heard that smaller and more remote towns, for example in the Northeast Kingdom, can be much more insular and suspicious of newcomers.

Also, a lot of people mistake the characteristic Northern New England taciturn for unfriendly, and they let it stop them from reaching out to folks here. I don't believe that is the case. The more I interact with folks in Vermont the more I believe it's the friendliest place I've ever lived. It's just a different style of interaction than I was used to in the south or in NY. Some people are friendly and others are downright nasty wherever you go, including Vermont.

[veggieck]

Thanx everyone for your input, suggestions, and information..... I greatly appreciate it

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by veggieck

Thanx everyone for your input, suggestions, and information..... I greatly appreciate it

Does your user name indicate you're vegetarian or vegan? I find Vermont extremely vegan-friendly. Even our little Co-op in Rutland has riches of vegan ingredients and prepared foods. Restaurants have been extremely willing to talk through ingredients, adapt dishes, and let me order stuff not explicitly on the menu. And people here know what vegan means!!! I was in some fancy little resort town in SW Colorado with fancy coffees and all, and the twentysomething behind the counter had not a clue what vegan meant. That almost never happens to me in Vermont.

[edkop]

Originally Posted by veggieck

I am also considering a move to Vermont to escape the rat race of NJ and the taxes.

And I though I was the only one ..