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Hello, all. I'd welcome thoughts from anyone about locations to move to with my young son.
I'm in my mid forties, and I'm an attorney. I have a 9-year-old son who I am the sole caretaker of (his mother died recently). I've been living in Boston for more than fifteen years. No offense to Boston itself, but we've had a lot of heartache here and I've recently learned my job will be ending near the end of the year.
So, I'm interested in making a fresh start elsewhere. Important factors to me include friendly people, good schools, a lower cost of living than in Boston (I currently rent a 3 BR apartment here for $2,600 / mo.) a slower pace of life than on the East Coast, family friendly (big yards, plenty of parks and outdoor activity, etc.). I would like to have a fresh start and am not really interested in the East Coast or Deep South (although the Carolinas to have some appeal to me), so Midwest, Mountain and West appeal to me. A different sort of landscape has great appeal to me. Places I have been considering include Madison, WI (where I lived for six years), Santa Fe, NM and Portland, OR. California has a lot of appeal to me, but also seems to be perhaps too expensive. So if anyone has ideas about affordable areas of CA (Sacramento?) I'd be interested in that. Part of my thinking there is that following my ex-wife's death, we have fixed sums of money from insurance and her SSI that might go substantially farther in other places. Also, now that I am his sole caretaker, I am concerned about finding work here that will keep us afloat and also let me be available to/for him. I plan to let location drive the decision rather than conducting a job search ahead of time, so I'd be interested in people's impressions of the local economies. I am open to practicing law in the new destination, but it is not mandatory (firm work and billing hours may be difficult as a single parent).
I welcome any thoughts and advice. Thanks so much.
What about Interior Northeast locations? I ask because of the cost of living being around the national average and it fits in terms of what you are looking for.
I think I would really benefit psychologically from leaving the Northeast in my rearview mirror. But what sorts of places do you have in mind? Something like Pittsburgh? I also should have mentioned that I grew up in Buffalo, NY, and so that whole corridor of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany which might otherwise fit would also not feel like a fresh start.
I think I would really benefit psychologically from leaving the Northeast in my rearview mirror. But what sorts of places do you have in mind? Something like Pittsburgh? I also should have mentioned that I grew up in Buffalo, NY, and so that whole corridor of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany which might otherwise fit would also not feel like a fresh start.
I thought about Pittsburgh and it could be a good fit. Maybe even the Harrisburg area as well. In the Harrisburg area, you may like Hershey, Central Dauphin SD, Cumberland Valley and Mechanicsburg Area, among others.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 06-22-2013 at 02:01 PM..
I would recommend North Carolina and a city such as Greensboro which is beautifully tree-filled and green with lots of parks and places to be outdoors. It's very affordable, largely safe and family-friendly, and was recently picked #8 as most affordable place to buy a home among major cities, with the avg price sitting around 135K. The climate is mild for the most part with a couple of hot months in summer like most everywhere else. There are some very good school districts and would point you specifically toward the very desirable NW quadrant neighborhoods around Guilford College, The Friendly Center (upscale shopping area), Wesley Long Hospital and Starmount Forest.
What about Texas? I know you said not the "deep south" but Texas is really friendly and the economy is doing better there than anywhere else, so I've read. Cost of living is good. If you want a more progressive or liberal area, there's Austin or Houston. I'm democrat, but have always had a great time and made friends easily in TX. The culture there makes time for barbecues on a regular basis :-)
I love CA but you're right, the cost of living is high, and to get into good school districts, safe areas, etc., it will be more expensive.
What about Texas? I know you said not the "deep south" but Texas is really friendly and the economy is doing better there than anywhere else, so I've read. Cost of living is good. If you want a more progressive or liberal area, there's Austin or Houston. I'm democrat, but have always had a great time and made friends easily in TX. The culture there makes time for barbecues on a regular basis :-)
I love CA but you're right, the cost of living is high, and to get into good school districts, safe areas, etc., it will be more expensive.
Yes, I am open to TX, and Austin and San Antonio have been mentioned a few times. I am thinking of a trip to check out both. Where are you?
Do you think I should repost a version of this in likely cities' forums?
What about a place like Columbus OH? It is a growing city and has some similarities to Madison(Big 10 school presence, state capital, etc).
yes, state capitals have appeal to me because of possible government legal work. Thanks, Columbus has also been suggested to me before, I think I will explore that board.
Yes, I am open to TX, and Austin and San Antonio have been mentioned a few times. I am thinking of a trip to check out both. Where are you?
Do you think I should repost a version of this in likely cities' forums?
I'm in Silicon Valley, CA. I've lived in CA, WA and TN and visited a lot in TX. TN and TX are eons apart even though both are in the "south." TX is it's own culture, more easy going, laid back by far than TN and my experience of TN was that there was a lot of bible thumpin goin on.
I love the west coast, but I'm thinking you'll get more bang for your buck in TX.
Yes, go ahead and post in other cities. You'll get more specific info on schools, jobs, housing, etc.
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