How's the economy there? (foreclosure, health insurance, job market)

[AverageJane67]

I live downstate and if my husband finds a job up there, we'd like to move. I would be trying to do something part time, maybe in a school or office. How is the job market up there?

I'm looking for honest answers. If it stinks, tell me because I just moved back recently from a bad economic area and I am not stoked about being unemployed again.

Thanks very much.

[j12308]

Everybody I know that wants a job, has a job. So I guess it seems like a good economy to me. If your husband comes here to interview, maybe you could search for a job & interview as well?

[sarchivist98]

Economy is OK here - better than most of the state and many other states. However, be cautious. It may that we will have a delayed response to the poor economy. Several months ago, the first cut of many state workers was done, and, given the governor's proposed budget, there may soon be thousands more. As much as people like to badmouth state workers, they are a huge part of the economy here. They lose jobs, then they don't have money to spend, so stores and businesses lose jobs, and so on. If possible, I recommend you wait and see how this budget shakes out (which should be by April 1 - ha, ha, ha).

Doubtful that you could get a job in a school, except possibly a private school. Many districts laid off workers in the hundreds last year and expect to lay off more this year - probably no different than downstate since education funding is a statewide crisis right now. You would have more luck in an office. If you have experience in medical records, you might do pretty well. Besides the many hospitals here, headquarters of two major health insurance companies - CDPHP and MVP are in the region.

[Ellwood]

I don't believe we have been hit as hard as other areas in the US. Our foreclosure rate is extremely low and housing costs did not dive as low as the national average.

We just returned from a two month trip in RV and noticed many, many areas in the south that are depressed, vacant and have been hit hard with businesses closing. You don't see that here.