Advise about relocating from San Diego to the following East Coast cities (crime)
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Couple in early 30's wanting to relocate to the East Coast from San Diego, CA. As long as we stay within 45 min commute from big cities we are good. Working on Medical and Admin (buyer) field. Looking for Suburban quaint town, ok semi-rural as long as the commute to the city does not exceed 45 mins (by car or public transport). Also not more 1.30 hrs from the coast.
We are considering the following cities (the suburbs of them):
- New Haven, CT (ok if Hartford)
- Providence, RI
- Boston, MA
- Portland, ME
- Philadelphia, PA << I know not New England but love its rich history..
We'd like to stay in 250-300k max property budget. We definitely want to own a house with a big yard (BIG!). We have no kids now, but planning on it... so schools is part of the package. We are not looking for upscale neighborhoods, but down to earth, safe and diverse.
We like the arts very much along with rich cultural activities and historical places, that is part of the lifestyle we want to have and that we currently lack in SoCal. Also, we love love trees and greenery so having a forest close would be a huge plus (backyard would be rad!)
In terms of weather we know about humidity in the East Coast - not much we can do. We like the snow, cold is ok as long as it does not rain 8 months of the year and have at least 200 days of sunshine (ok if not warm but at least see some sun!)
Not sure if I am missing anything, but any insight will be highly appreciated and thanks in advance!
You may have a difficult time finding a home in your price range that is in a quaint town that is 45 minutes from Boston. Check out the towns outside of Portland ME. Gorham is nice as is Windham and Freeport and Brunswick. Also the Portland area is a good distance from Boston if you want to see professional sports or take in a live play etc. Portland itself has great cultural activities. Merrill Auditorium and much live theater and a great Art Museum. Also has tons of terrific restaurants. Southern Maine has lots of great beaches too. One of my favorite is south of Portland in Ogunquit.
Last edited by Newdaawn; 10-16-2012 at 03:40 PM..
Reason: Addition
For an area with good schools, that's artsy, historical and cultural, safe and diverse, and with quaint neighborhoods in the 250K-300K range I'd recommend Bergen County, NJ which is close to NYC but doesn't feel it all. Check out towns like Closter, Demarest, Cresskill and Tenafly.
I'd try the Philly suburbs. A place like Chester County would seem to fit exactly what you want. West Chester or Kennett Square are both towns you should check out. There about an hour and half from the Jersey shore and about 2 hours from the Delaware beaches. Theres about a 30 -45 minute drive to the city (depending on what time of day you go) but there still semi rural suburban towns. Theres also a ton of history, parks and activities close by. The Brandywine battlefield is right down the road. Basically everywhere you look theres a historical landmark (I have a friend who lived in a house once owned by William Penn and another friend who lives in a house that was once a major part of the underground railroad). Longwood gardens in Kennett Sq and is one of the premier botanical gardens in the United States, also as I said before these towns are semi rural so there are plenty of forests, woodlands and parks around. There are many outdoor activities around, Kennett Sq is known as a festival town and has a Mushroom Festival, Latin Festival, and Brewfest every year that are all very popular with people comming from all over the US to attend. Also Kennett Sq is very diverse. The town of Kennett Square is about 50% hispanic, 40% white and 10% black and the surrounding area itself is probably 60% white, 35% hispanic and 5% black. Crime is low and schools are very good. Also, the economy of the town and the surrounding area are doing great. Finding a house in the 250 - 300K range with a lot of land and woods or a forrest in the back yard should not be too hard. Also being close to Philly your right in the middle of the BosWash corridor, you can take a day trip to NYC, DC, or Baltimore if you want. Oh yeah the weather is good too, we have the perfect combination of the four seasons.
You may have a difficult time finding a home in your price range that is in a quaint town that is 45 minutes from Boston. Check out the towns outside of Portland ME. Gorham is nice as is Windham and Freeport and Brunswick. Also the Portland area is a good distance from Boston if you want to see professional sports or take in a live play etc. Portland itself has great cultural activities. Merrill Auditorium and much live theater and a great Art Museum. Also has tons of terrific restaurants. Southern Maine has lots of great beaches too. One of my favorite is south of Portland in Ogunquit.
Yes, I figured from Boston would be nearly impossible :|
I went to the Portland website and gosh.. those cobblestone streets look gorgeous. I really need to pay a visit to the East Coast
For an area with good schools, that's artsy, historical and cultural, safe and diverse, and with quaint neighborhoods in the 250K-300K range I'd recommend Bergen County, NJ which is close to NYC but doesn't feel it all. Check out towns like Closter, Demarest, Cresskill and Tenafly.
Thanks Kyle19121, my only concern is that I heard NJ is one (if not the most?) of the most tax burdened states in the US. Not quite sure how much more than California.
Thanks Kyle19121, my only concern is that I heard NJ is one (if not the most?) of the most tax burdened states in the US. Not quite sure how much more than California.
New Jersey is the most taxed at 12% of income. The least taxed is New Mexico at around 8% of income. If one takes a one dimensional look it appears to be not a good choice. However the average income in New Mexico is around $43,000 while in New Jersey it's around $70,000. The salary levels are far more disproportionate than the tax rates. Maine and Pennsylvania which you appear to perceive to be much lower are at 10.1% of income with average household incomes at $47,000 and $50,000 respectively. For the quality of life measures you're looking for....good schools, diversity, history and cultural amenities being just outside of NYC is pretty hard to beat as well as economically viable. Do the math.
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