[organick]

I just want to hear from people who have lived or live in the area. Whats life really like on a day to day basis? DO you like it? why or why not? Thanks

[brattpowered]

I lived outside of Brattleboro for a few years, and it's really not that different from life in any other place. People go to work, raise their families and have fun with their friends just like any everywhere else. Are you looking to move there? It would help to know where you are right now to really point out the differences and let you know what to expect.

[organick]

Thanks Brattpoereed, I am considering a move, I posted a topic on it a while ago. I live in asheville nc right now, lived in missoula mt., we are looking for a good town like that, for lack of better terms an alternative/ bohemian town if you will. A conscious community, we live a "organic" lifestyle, alternative medicine etc. But the one issue is my wife is a psychologist and we are a little worried that it may be a little too small, even with surrounding areas, to have alot of work in this field? Thanks again and I can give you more info if it would help.

[brattpowered]

Yes, Brattleboro is small but there may be a large demand for psychologists relative to its size due to the Retreat (Mental Health Care and Addiction Treatment | Brattleboro Retreat) being nearby.

Regarding day to day life: Since you are in Asheville, I think Brattleboro would be a lateral move for you ideologically. As a matter of fact, if you were to ask me to compare Brattleboro's spirit to that of any other city or town in the US it would be Asheville. With that said, what are you looking for in your move? You really may not get that much out of it except a smaller version of where you are already. Among the few differences between the two are that Brattleboro is smaller, colder and within a day's drive to major cities like Boston, NYC and Montreal. Also, the countryside around Brattleboro is home to a much higher proportion of artists, former communards and writer/theatre types from larger cities as opposed to the hardcore Appalachian mix surrounding Asheville. Sprawl seems to be less of a threat to Brattleboro's character when compared to Asheville. Vermont's state government is also undoubtedly more progressive than North Carolina's but this may not enter your consciousness on a regular basis.

[organick]

Thanks brattpowered. The main goal of moving is to be closer to family, which brattleboro does. We like asheville, except for the sprawl. We are considering bratt. and ithaca ny. Do you think there is a need for psychologists in a private setting? Thanks again.

[arel]

I moved to Brattleboro from Brooklyn, NY almost 6 months ago.

Brattleboro is about 4-5 hours from NYC and, I'm told, 2 1/2 hours from Boston. Keene, NH, is bout 30 minutes away and Northampton, MA, is about 45 minutes away.

I've never been to Asheville, NC, but, from what you describe, Brattleboro seems to have what you are looking for. Ithaca, NY, may have a similar vibe, but I've never been there and can only go by what I ave heard.

Ithaca has Cornell University and some other coleges. Brattleboro has Marlboro College Graduate Center, the School for International Training ,the Union Institute and a community college. Keene has Keene State College and Antioch University New England.

Brattleboro also has the Brattleboro Retreat, a large regional private psychiatric center. I believe they are having a clinical job fair in early April. The area is very therapist friendly (I'm a therapist - a clinical social worker) and there are lots of therapists in private practice in the area. There are also places on the I-91 corridor between Northampton and White River Junction that hire therapists. There is a VA hospital in White River Junction (an hour north of Brattleboro on the Interstate and I believe there is also a VA hospital in Massachusetts within commuting distance. But they are long commutes. If your wife wants to work at the VA in White River Junction, there are several towns between Brattleboro and there.

But I'm a newbie Vermonter, so any informtaion I can offer is limited.

Do I like living in Brattleboro? So far, yes. I like the vibe, the people, the sense of community, the downtown, the local culture and ambience, the arts focus, the outdoors focus and the convienience of local shopping. The downside is that there is no shoe repair place in town. You have to send your shoes to a place in Keene, which, I'm told is very good but which takes weeks to get the work done. Maybe you can still take your shoes to a local cleaners, who then sends the shoes to Keene, but last time I inquired, I was told they were looking for a new place.

The scenery here is pretty, but it lacks the breathtaking beaury of locations farther north. The mountains are smaller. On the plus side, that means the roads are on less of a grade. And I am told it snows less here than further north. Also, it is not as cold, although there is still snow on the ground three days before spring arrives.

But, to use a phrase I read once (but, unfortunately, whose author I do not know), the treasury of Brattleboro is its people.

[arel]

I forgot to mention that there are lots of high-caliber colleges in the Northampton area. Smith, Amherst, UMass, Hampshire College, and others.

BTW, there are several threads on this Forum that are specifically about Brattleboro, and there is a lot of information on them. I initiated a lot of threads when I was researching Brattleboro, and I got a lot of informative and thoughtful replies.

[pabear]

Becareful with Ithaca, NY. I believe you would find the crime rate to be much higher than Brattleboro. Something to check on if this is a concern. If it isn't higher I would be totally shocked.

[mustmove]

Don't know about crime rates. I'm guessing economic opportunity is greater in Ithaca. Don't kid yourself that area of NY has a lot of rust belt in it. However there is more there than in Brattleboro, Corning, Schweizer(owned by Sikorski) are in/near Ithaca. I think the biggest employers are state prisons and sleepaway early adult care for 18-22 year old Long Islander's. Cost of living will be less in Ithaca and state jobs/teachers pay significantly more in NY.

[organick]

Originally Posted by mustmove

Don't know about crime rates. I'm guessing economic opportunity is greater in Ithaca. Don't kid yourself that area of NY has a lot of rust belt in it. However there is more there than in Brattleboro, Corning, Schweizer(owned by Sikorski) are in/near Ithaca. I think the biggest employers are state prisons and sleepaway early adult care for 18-22 year old Long Islander's. Cost of living will be less in Ithaca and state jobs/teachers pay significantly more in NY.

mustmove, at the risk of sounding ignorant, can you explain rust belt? Also not sure what corning, schweizer are? Thanks