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I've lived in Chicago, Denver, LA, Seattle, NYC, Boston and Austin among others. I find the crime rate and drug problems here to be lower than in any of those other places, And Honolulu, which is worse than the Hilo area in my estimation, was just named the 7th safest city in the country.
I think the big issue is that it is worse than it used to be, which is why all the talky talk about it.
Cost of living? I spend less on food and housing here than I did in Austin. I buy as little in packages as I can, because yes, it's all more expensive than the mainland, but who cares what Froot Loops cost when papayas are 5/$1 at the Farmer's market? Hamburger is $4 a pound, but fresh whole mahi mahi is $3/lb and fresh whole Ahi is $2 a pound. Gas is $3.60 and up, but I do what most people do and drive a more fuel efficient vehicle and drive it less. Good planning = less driving = lower cost.
I've seen a number of 2-3BR places around here (Volcano) recently renting for $800/mo, half what they would be in Austin. And electricty rates are double here what they are in Texas, but my overall bill is less because I'm more conscious of the expense and thus more careful of my use. I have a switch on the water heater so i can turn it off at night or when I am away, yet it only takes 3 minutes to get hot water when I want it. Little things like that add up.
Perception often does not match reality here in Hawai'i. Sometimes that is good, sometimes not so much.
Wow, you make some quick decisions based on little info. First you are seriously considering moving to HI and a few days later you definitely are not moving to HI. Hopefully, you will take more consideration before making a final destination decision.
I am in a similar situation as you in trying to decide where to move in a year and a half for a nice climate and interesting city. I have it narrowed down to somewhere in HI, San Diego, Albuquerque or Portland. Perhaps check out Albuquerque -- nice weather and inexpensive cost of living. I assume the schools are half decent, but I have no kids so I don't have a clue.
Good luck.
I thought you didn't like US real estate?
All 4 of your choices sound like nice places to live
CA sounds the riskiest to me because of the irresponsible government spending.
Have any of you heard of the book "So you want to live in Hawaii"? It's a pretty good reality check about what one can expect when moving to any of the islands. The other posters are right, you can't decide on a whim Hawaii would be fun and move on over. There is so much more to consider, and if you have kids, the decision about schooling is at the top of the list. Anyway, the book is a good one and worth a full read before moving.
why is the public school system so bad in your opinion? Thank you!
You have a state infested with Democrats and people so inept to elect them over and over again. What did you expect? Excellence? Standards? Not going to happen. Every major city in America that is infested with Poverty and Violence have a long history of Democrat mayors. Many, with zerio Republican Mayors in the last 50 years.
OTOH, look what Rudi did to help NYC out of the dung-hole it once was.
When you sum total of your measure in life is abdicating standards and not judging anything or anyone, quality is the last thing you are likely to have.
I've lived in Chicago, Denver, LA, Seattle, NYC, Boston and Austin among others. I find the crime rate and drug problems here to be lower than in any of those other places, And Honolulu, which is worse than the Hilo area in my estimation, was just named the 7th safest city in the country.
I think the big issue is that it is worse than it used to be, which is why all the talky talk about it.
Cost of living? I spend less on food and housing here than I did in Austin. I buy as little in packages as I can, because yes, it's all more expensive than the mainland, but who cares what Froot Loops cost when papayas are 5/$1 at the Farmer's market? Hamburger is $4 a pound, but fresh whole mahi mahi is $3/lb and fresh whole Ahi is $2 a pound. Gas is $3.60 and up, but I do what most people do and drive a more fuel efficient vehicle and drive it less. Good planning = less driving = lower cost.
I've seen a number of 2-3BR places around here (Volcano) recently renting for $800/mo, half what they would be in Austin. And electricty rates are double here what they are in Texas, but my overall bill is less because I'm more conscious of the expense and thus more careful of my use. I have a switch on the water heater so i can turn it off at night or when I am away, yet it only takes 3 minutes to get hot water when I want it. Little things like that add up.
Perception often does not match reality here in Hawai'i. Sometimes that is good, sometimes not so much.
OpenD
The following comment is from Ainakeeper:
Aloha, everyone...
Although I don't have much knowledge about too many other places, I'm somewhat familiar with southeast Texas (having lived there from 1956 to 1995) before moving to northeast Big Island (South Hilo and Puna districts) in April 1996.
In addressing crime and illicit drug use on the Big Island, I think one's perspective is hopelessly influenced by his/her quality (type) and quantity (frequency) of exposure to both of them. And of course, that would most certainly depend upon whether or not one is a criminal or not, and a drug addict or not.
Being neither did not protect my wife and I from becoming victims of a drug addict who broke into our home on December 18, 2008 and stole $50,000 in jewelry and family heirlooms. Coincidentally, today's Hawaii Tribune Herald newspaper (Sunday, 2/20/11) declared Big Island crime rates are down. That's statistics for you. As far as we are concerned (with the memory of our loss still etched deep in our hearts), that news provides us with no consolation. Could this same crime have happened to us in Texas? Yes. Did it? No, not at anytime during the 40 years lived there. Does this one blemish on the 15-year portion of our lives here in Hawaii motivate us to pack up and move elsewhere? Absolutely not. But it sure as hell woke us up to the "reality" of drug-driven crime that continues to plague our community, and catapulted our awareness to the extent that we are now much more cautious and diligent with home security, as well as more protective of what little we have left to steal.
As I sit here typing this, our convicted burglar is sitting or lying in his cell at HCCC a mere six miles away until April 2014, unless the Parole Board decides to let him out early. Thanks to Vinelink, a service of the State Judiciary, I know his name, age, and mugshot. But what I'd really like to have instead is our jewelry back, much of which had tremendous sentimental value as well, having been passed down from previous generations. Sadly, we won't be able to continue that tradition.
Has the entire world (including Texas) become significantly more lawless in the 15 years since we moved to Hawaii? Or did we just move from a relatively law-abiding part of the country to a lot less law-abiding part? Is it time or space which is the differentiating factor? You see, it really is a matter of perspective, isn't it?
Ainakeeper
Has the entire world (including Texas) become significantly more lawless in the 15 years since we moved to Hawaii? Or did we just move from a relatively law-abiding part of the country to a lot less law-abiding part?
I'd say neither. You simply experienced a binary phenomenon. You've either been robbed or not. Sorry to say, recently your status was changed from "no" to "yes." So for you it's a 100% occurrence.
But on average, people are safer in Hawai'i than they are in Texas. The crime RATE is lower. And in Texas, you are more likely to have been shot in the process of the robbery.
You have a state infested with Democrats and people so inept to elect them over and over again. What did you expect? Excellence? Standards? Not going to happen. Every major city in America that is infested with Poverty and Violence have a long history of Democrat mayors. Many, with zerio Republican Mayors in the last 50 years.
OTOH, look what Rudi did to help NYC out of the dung-hole it once was.
When you sum total of your measure in life is abdicating standards and not judging anything or anyone, quality is the last thing you are likely to have.
So Democrats = poor education? That's laughable, considering the machete Republicans take to any education budget.
So Democrats = poor education? That's laughable, considering the machete Republicans take to any education budget.
Your reasoning is faulty on several levels.
Chicago Public Schools?
Money does not equate to quality education, when the money is simply allocated to more admins and higher union pay. Look at the deplorable condition of most of Hawaii's school buildings and facilities. Where did the money go?
Money does not equate to quality education, when the money is simply allocated to more admins and higher union pay. Look at the deplorable condition of most of Hawaii's school buildings and facilities. Where did the money go?
So that proves Democrats = poor education?
Where did the money go? Tax breaks for wealthy and businesses. That is where the backlash should be. The current animosity against public employees and teachers is ridiculous. They didn't cause the budget crises in the various states. Why are they being blamed? Because politicians are cutting taxes during a recession and scapegoating public employees for their failures as leaders.
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Mmmmm.... interesting...
