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I think you should concentrate more on getting a job offer and less on the state you want to live in- especially when it comes to New England. I'd live in any of the NE states (although I happen to like RI very much and it's great place for the arts) and would move within these states if there was a great job offer.
Good teaching jobs are hard to come by.
I'm quite realistic with what I need to do, and ultimately, the deciding factor is where I could line up a job. I'm currently applying many different districts in different region. New England area is a significantly different job attainment atmosphere than Arizona. Still, I like to prioritize certain cities over others depend on the attributes that I listed, so I may start applying to those schools districts and work my way out from that city.
That being said, I haven't been looking as hard as I could in Rhode Island. Is there any particular city that you enjoy, and think it fit well with my list?
Two days ago, I packed up everything and left Glendale/Phoenix for El Paso, TX. I like city feel, it's prettier than Phoenix, but it doesn't have a strong job market, there's mostly entry level jobs here which is great because Arizona had none.
Despite the job market, there are 5x-8x more jobs here than the entirety of Arizona which is awesome. However, this city is not for raising a family, it's mostly a military city that has cheap labor and a strong entry level. It's a great place to start over in a new field, gain some experience, and then leave for other states. I'm staying here two years maximum, then I'm heading to Minnesota or wherever life takes me, because like you OP, I miss the four seasons and green.
Absolutely. That's something to consider as well. Good luck to you my friend, and I hope it all works out for the better!
I'm being a bit of a homer here, but I'd also consider Michigan as a possible state. Teacher salaries are amongst the highest in the nation in comparison to cost of living, and if you stay within the southern third of the state, there are so many cities within a 1-1.5 hour drive to be involved with music teaching. The only one I'm not sure about is the nightlife, but that depends on where you live. Awesome camping and trails are about 2 hours away depending on where you live.
Sharks With Lasers,
I appreciate input regardless. It may very well hit a homer with me. I'll take a look into that state. Didn't consider it before, but I'll check it out. Any particular cities you think I might enjoy?
How about:
Oberlin, OH - on the small side, but walkable, and has pretty much everything on the list.
Grand Rapids, MI - larger than you like, but should meet a lot of the criteria.
Bowling Green, OH - Toledo is 20 minutes away, and Detroit is just over an hour.
Ann Arbor, MI - if the housing prices are in your budget.
Westerville, OH - walkable downtown.
Maybes:
Columbia, MO - bigger than most college towns.
Danville KY and Bardstown, KY - these are just plain cool towns.
Ithaca, NY
Concord, NH
15 years. Way too long, I wanted to move out after 3 years, but I was a minor then.
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