[68vette]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Diane, you may find that getting re-acclimatized to cold weather difficult. You could be going from one extreme to another. I know that after a few near-frostbite experiences I had as a kid in Vermont, and my reaction to extended cold and dark, that I can't live permanently anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line. Going from Daytona to Vermont, you'll wonder what ever happened to cloudless days and sunlight.

The insurance, cost of living, threat of hurricanes, downturn in real estate, and other factors are creating a huge migration out of Florida, and a lot of people aren't happy with the decisions they made when moving out. You'll find a lot of issues anywhere you go, and I'd advise you to spend time in an area prior to moving, and then renting before buying. North Geogia and Eastern Tennessee seem to be soaking up a lot of the Florida diaspora.

You are dead on. After living down south and coming back north it is a huge transition. I have been here over fifteen years and I still can't tolerate the winters. I grew up in Ct and there is a big difference between winter there and winter here. If only we could only have a few more months of Vermont summers.

[coilany]

Hi We owned an Inn in Sunderland, Vermont for 10 years. Sunderland is 5 miles from Manchester, VT which is a tourist town with many so called outlets, Inns, covered bridges, and the Battenkill River famous for it's Trout,etc. It is also the home of Orvis, Vermont Country Store, etc.

Vermont is beautiful but winters are very very cold. You can get 4 seasons in other states without the extreme temperatures you will get in Vermont. I currently live across the border in Cambridge, NY and we are considering moving to Tennessee for the less extreme temperatures. You still have your 4 seasons but not the extreme cold.

I currently work at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, VT. Nice 99 bed hospital. Insurance sucks. write to the chamber of commerce for the areas you are interested in in Vermont. Pay is pretty good for this area.

[quickdraw]

She's originally from Western Massachusetts so she knows what cold is.

Your location will depend on what you're looking for. Before I moved here, to the Burlington area, I thought I'd want to live in a small town in the middle of
nowhere. Now I'm glad to be near Burlington. The advice to check out Fletcher Allen is good. I constantly hear advertisements on the radio for the hospital at Dartmouth University in NH (just across the river from Vermont) looking for healthcare professionals. Nice area, but pricey. A ten mile ride cuts down on the housing cost dramatically.

DHMC

[vtgardener]

You asked where in Vermont is good to live and I'd say the northern part of the state rather than the southern (snow-belt) section. Chittenden County (incl. Burlington) is the most expensive county in the state but it's also the most progressive, most populated, and where you'll find the most culture. Of course this is all just my opinion based on 30 years here. And I'll be moving South in the next six months and darned happy about it!

[Mary77]

Originally Posted by vtgardener

You asked where in Vermont is good to live and I'd say the northern part of the state rather than the southern (snow-belt) section. Chittenden County (incl. Burlington) is the most expensive county in the state but it's also the most progressive, most populated, and where you'll find the most culture. Of course this is all just my opinion based on 30 years here. And I'll be moving South in the next six months and darned happy about it!

What part of the South are you moving to? We moved here from Florida six years ago. It has been very hard to adjust to a place that is completely different in so many ways. We have considered moving back to the South, but we don't want to go back to Florida. It's way too hot & humid. We considered Tennessee, maybe Chattanooga but when I saw how little snow they get, I started to change my mind. I'd like to find a place that has four seasons and enough snow to go skiing. It's not the snow that bothers me about Vermont. It's the number of days that we go without sunshine and the fact that it takes forever for summer to get here and then it only lasts a few months.