New England to Virginia relocation questions (Roanoke, Lynchburg: 2009, unemployment, colleges)

[michael49]

This is wonderful information; thanks so much. My wife and I lived in Florida (Tampa) for a few years so we are somewhat familiar with Southern "tendencies". I grew up in New England and I am ashamed to admit that I now find many Northerners to be simply rude. Although I don't miss the monotony of Florida life, I do miss many of the people; much nicer than most New Englanders.

What we hope to find in Virginia is friendly people in a place that has the outdoor activiites that we love.

Roanoke and Charlottesville sound like places we should definitely plan to visit at some point in the near future.

Originally Posted by dscans

I'm not sure where in New England you are from, but I grew up in Western Mass. So when I think of a liberal, funky, artsy town or city, I think of Northampton or Amherst, MA.
IMO, nothing in Roanoke remotely compares to these two college towns. I have lived here for 3 years, and it's not bad, but it definetly does not have that funky vibe that I think of.
I think Charlottesville would be perfect. It is a little expensive, but probably nothing compared to what you are used to. The area is more transient so you will probably meet other northerners. You still have plenty of outdoor activities around. Just be prepared for UVA football...

Its a small world.

I grew up in CT, but I now live in Hadley and work in Amherst. And I agree wtih you, it can't get much funkier than Northampton, which is definitely a cool place, but Western Mass continues to experience negative populaton growth!! Things seem to be slowly dying or stagnating here rather than growing. There are the 5 colleges to keep things alive, but nothing ever seems to change here. I don't like to see "big box stores" on every corner either, but the people around here are so "anti-growth" that nothing new ever goes in. I have to drive to Holyoke just to find a damn Lenscrafters!! And the taxes here are ridiculous! Not to mention the extremely limited housing options!! I love my job here, but this area is just so frustrating at times.

[BOSTONBABYGIRL617]

I am from Boston, Ma and am going relocate to Fredrickburg in the spring/ early summer 2008. Coming from a very congested, expensive, and multicultural city, i was wondering how i would adjust in Fredrickburg. Exactly how is the job market in Va, and what could be expected from this state?

[richmondpics]

Fredericksburg is congested, somewhat-expensive, and not very multi-cultural... I've had to frequent the area recently and aside from Old Town (very nice but a little too touristy), it's a suburban wasteland.

As far as the Virginia job market... it's very strong and the state unemployment rate is very low.

[DecayingAngel]

Originally Posted by BOSTONBABYGIRL617

I am from Boston, Ma and am going relocate to Fredrickburg in the spring/ early summer 2008. Coming from a very congested, expensive, and multicultural city, i was wondering how i would adjust in Fredrickburg. Exactly how is the job market in Va, and what could be expected from this state?

Good luck finding a job. We've found employers want nothing to do with anybody from out of state. They'll think of the most ludicrous reasons not to hire you. Maybe it's different in the northern part of the state, but as for the rest, forget it. We spent thousands of dollars and a huge chunk of time only to find this out. Of course this is just our experience. But be prepared, just in case. Sorry, I really wish I could tell you differently.

[droseflowers]

We are from NH and have a house we are restoring in Blackstone, VA. Richmond is currently building a Bio/Pharm business park and there are a number of large pharma companies already in Richmond. There are lots of fantastic restaurants in Richmond and it isn't snooty (well maybe a few are). It is also a short hop to many outdoor activities. Charlottesville is only about an hour away. Pay in Richmond is only slightly lower than the Boston area, but housing is much cheaper. If you are in the Pharma or Biotech industry, it is soon to become the next hotspot.

[Aerobars]

Charlottesville does have a funky little downtown area and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. I often would go on extended bike trips, hikes, motorcycle rides, etc while I was there. There are some things to keep in mind. Where will you work? If it's near the university and you plan on living near the university housing prices are very high. If you live further out the drive on 29 can be pretty ridiculous. Traffic is much worse than it should be for an area the size of C'ville because everything is built on/around 29. Most of the accessible suburbs are off Route 29. Becomes a headache (still not as bad as a major metro area however). Also, don't plan on going anywhere when there is a football game.

Roanoke does not have any traffic that is as bad as you will find on 29 in Charlottesville. The cost of living is much lower in Roanoke (especially the housing prices, but it filters down to groceries, everything). The public schools in Roanoke county are pretty good (esp in southwest Roanoke county), the city less so. I was never impressed with the downtown area in Roanoke, basically found almost no reason to go.

Roanoke does not have as much archictectural cohesion as Charlottesville. There's certainly nothing like the Lawn at UVa. The outdoors are just as close for both, I might give a slight edge to C'ville, but Roanoke is closer to Smith Mountain Lake. Hope this helps.

[ESQ2B]

My wife and I are in our mid 30's and live in New England. We are considering moving to Virginia for the milder winters and better housing; its 400k here for a 100+ year old house that needs work!!!

We love the outdoors and like to hike, bike, kayak, run, etc. We also like a somewhat liberal community with fun/funky (but not snooty) restaurants and shops. We both work in health care.

People have suggested Charlottesville and Roanoke to us in the past. Any other suggestions?

Please do NOT move to Roanoke!!!!! I lived there for about 8 years. While it is gorgeous there, there is NOTHING to do unless you like to hike 24/7. There is nowhere to shop and there are no cities close enough to drive to for decent shopping, or anything! If you like theater, plays, symphonies, etc. stay away!! I now live in New England and I love it!! I hate heat and humidity more than I dislike cold weather. So, if it's just for the weather move somewhere else. There are a lot of uneducated "rednecks" there. Even some educated "rednecks". Mostly there are elderly people everywhere and the good ole boy mentality. You want cheaper housing..you will find it there but you get what you pay for. You will live in a cheaper house but you'll be bored quick. Try Charlottesville if you insist on VA. Viginia Beach is also boring except during the summer...everything closes on Labor Day even while it's still HOT.
Go to Atlanta, or perhaps Raleigh, NC or FL for that matter.
Good Luck!
Thanks in advance for your help.[/quote]

[smithfield2]

Try Williamsburg. Plenty of outdoor activities. Not too far from the beach and Virginia's mountains. You have the culture of the north and the "southern" hospitality. I am from New York City. It's a tourist area with wonderful restaurants, great shopping, excellent golf, and the College of William and Mary. Health care jobs are numerous in nearby Newport News and Richmond. Two airports... Richmond and Newport News as well as an Amtrak station. Housing is affordable in your range..Lots of nice condos.

[DecayingAngel]

I can't tell you about the shopping, cultural life etc. in Roanoke, but I can tell you that there are a number of people from out of state who cannot get jobs in Virginia. My husband tried, and even went to the area for interviews. They will treat you decently but when it comes to hiring they will find the most ludicrous excuses why you didn't get the job. That's why their unemployment figures are decent; they prefer to hire people from that state.

I can understand it in a way but it also keeps things stagnant if newcomers are not brought in at least occasionally. We were so happy about moving to Virginia for the milder weather, the beauty of the area and the decent prices, but were blindedsided by this attitude regarding new hires. And I'm talking about the healthcare field! I could understand if it were not in an occupation where the demand is not growing, but of course with healthcare that is not the case.

Perhaps you will have better luck. As far as the other subjects mentioned, I think Roanoke has decent shopping and it's getting better. The cultural life is growing and I'm sure there are all kinds of events to attend. Plus the beauty of the area is breathtaking.

But if getting a job is really difficult, then everything else falls through. New England is beautiful and I wish we could afford to live there. However, Virginia would be first choice because of the weather. My doc has told me a milder climate will help me to feel better. Guess it just wasn't meant to be.

[seanpecor]

My experience differs from ESQ2B's entirely. While living in the Roanoke area just for the past 2 1/2 years, I've met some of the smartest people I've ever encountered. I've met software developers, internet entrepreneurs, major real estate players, professors, chemists, pathologists, surgeons, starving musicians, aspiring farmers, and on and on. This is beautiful country here and it attracts a very interesting mix of people. Down here, a dude with the dirty carhartt jacket could have an IQ of 175 and make $750k a year. It's not a terribly classist society down here. Down here the rich and poor intermingle more readily than in New England, at least in my experience. Down here folks enjoy an impressive array of public and social services, and the gov't can somehow provide those services without bending the public over the table and violating them with massive tax burdens.

If anyone lived in Roanoke for 8 years and was unable to find kindred spirits who were interesting and intelligent, then I'd wager they weren't very interesting or intelligent themselves. In fact I find the whole "redneck" generalization within Roanoke to be extremely insulting. The entire Roanoke economy is driven by the healthcare and financial services industries. There are a half dozen colleges in the greater Roanoke area. Roanoke's growth rate is curving upwards while every state in New England is curving downward. Look at the business section and Roanoke area firms are headhunting people from up North in droves. Every single weekend of every single year there are multiple cultural events taking place. We have a top notch Symphony that is incredibly well funded and supported by our community. We have dance troupes, we have professional plays rolling through, we have top cultural acts. Does it offer everything a Boston or a NYC or a Baltimore will offer? No, it won't. But Roanoke, to a great many intelligent and interesting people, has just the right balance for them.

Sean