how to research a city for relocation (job, renting, climate)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was just wondering about something because I'm planning a move to a new city in a few months. What is meant by doing "research" on the city before moving. Also how should someone go about researching a city. I'm just a little confused about this. Any insight would be appreciated, thank you.
We researched a lot of cities over the last few years looking for the right place to relocate. Below are most of the criteria we looked into. Basically it means considering all aspects of your daily life - how do you interact with the place you live now and how would the new city be the same or different.
Geography - I like to study maps to really be able to orient myself, not only in the city and surrounding area, but further out like day trips, etc.
Climate - at different times of the year
Housing - buying or renting; how much would it cost to live where we want
Transportation - public transportation, road congestion, airports, trains, etc.
Recreation - including entertainment and health
Socialization - where to meet people
Neighborhoods - which would meet your lifestyle needs; accessibility to shopping and work
Depends a bit on your wants and needs. There are sunshine maps, natural disaster maps, pollution and allergen stats. Ways to see how much rain, how much snow, school ratings, crime stats. Check out the local online parer or watch the local news stories online. Use the google 'search nearby' to see how many museums, gyms, or grocery stores are in the area. Does your favorite restaurant or bookstore have a presence? Do you have any special healthcare needs or other special needs you should consider? Look at COL charts, view a grocery ad to get an idea of local prices, how much is a ticket to the local movie theater? How far to the nearest zoo, arboretum, lake, best place to ski, etc?
Using various websites, research the Weather, Cost of Living, Job Market, Nightlife, Crime, Activities, etc. Meetup.com for things to do when you arrive. Craigslist for rooms for rent, to gauge the market. City-data for crime statistics, demographics, etc.
when we moved from WI to SC in 09 (our first major move) we did all the various internet research as others have posted; comparing new locations to where we lived at the time. We created a cheatsheet, listing pros and cons. But then did a physical visit, spent several days in the potential location to not only confirm it was the right spot for us, but to get a real hands-on feel for places we'd go to and things we'd do if in fact we lived there. Of course after 6 years we moved back, not due to unhappiness with the location we were in just family pull was too strong for us to remain that far away.
Anyhow not always an easy thing to do, see a place in person before moving, but speaking for myself i wouldn't do it any other way.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
