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If you don't mind a small city and can find jobs, Ithaca NY and Burlington VT are a couple that came to mind.
Funny enough, I actually grew up in Ithaca, NY and I lived there for 19 years. I find it quite boring and dull, and the winters were HELL. I do like Burlington, but I think we are looking for a larger city.
You'll have to identify areas where astronomers are employed first. I don't imagine that's everywhere. School districts are all over.
Astronomers are employed in a limited number of states/countries... However, my husband has solid computer skills, and he could likely get a job in Computer Science or something related. He has technical skills, and he works with computers primarily, as opposed to being a professor or working only at an observatory. He may also go back to school when we move to get a formal Masters in Comp. Sci....
I know that school districts are all over, but not all are created equal. I have heard horror stories coming out of California about terrible school systems and high caseloads.
Thank you everyone for your input!!! It sounds like most are discouraging the Bay Area and Boston because they're too expensive... I think if we moved to the Boston area, we would live in a nearby suburb (eg, Malden, Quincy,) and then spend time in the city on the weekends. Same goes with the Bay Area. My husband is convinced that there are parts of Berkeley and Oakland that are "affordable", relatively speaking. A couple of people think Chicago is a good choice. I have three friends who live there now and they love it, aside from the harsh winters. No, it's not really close to either of our families, but at least it's not a terribly long flight and we both have friends there already,which helps. My friend also told me that it's a lot more affordable than cities like Boston and NYC.
What about the Pacific Northwest? Does anyone recommend Portland or Seattle? I've heard good things about both cities...Philadelphia and Asheville, NC are both new ideas.. We might look into those. We are trying to be flexible and explore our options at this point. I know for sure that I do NOT want to live in the DMV anymore.
Funny enough, I actually grew up in Ithaca, NY and I lived there for 19 years. I find it quite boring and dull, and the winters were HELL. I do like Burlington, but I think we are looking for a larger city.
If you haven't been there in a while, it is a totally different city from even 5-10 years due to the amount of construction currently going on or is in the works. With that said, what is the population range you are looking for in an area?
Thank you everyone for your input!!! It sounds like most are discouraging the Bay Area and Boston because they're too expensive... I think if we moved to the Boston area, we would live in a nearby suburb (eg, Malden, Quincy,) and then spend time in the city on the weekends. Same goes with the Bay Area. My husband is convinced that there are parts of Berkeley and Oakland that are "affordable", relatively speaking. A couple of people think Chicago is a good choice. I have three friends who live there now and they love it, aside from the harsh winters. No, it's not really close to either of our families, but at least it's not a terribly long flight and we both have friends there already,which helps. My friend also told me that it's a lot more affordable than cities like Boston and NYC.
What about the Pacific Northwest? Does anyone recommend Portland or Seattle? I've heard good things about both cities...Philadelphia and Asheville, NC are both new ideas.. We might look into those. We are trying to be flexible and explore our options at this point. I know for sure that I do NOT want to live in the DMV anymore.
I can only speak for Portland because I recently moved from there. My suggestion would be for you to go to the Portland forum and ask just exactly what courses your husband would need in order to be successful in the competitive computer industry there. Needs in that industry are very specific and there are those there who can steer him in the right direction and tell just the right courses to take.
Portland public schools system is not very good. It is not easy to get into teaching there and there is a very high competition for jobs from teachers already there who have been previously laid off due to school closures and consolidation. There might be better opportunities in the suburbs which have better schools. If you have second language skills like Spanish, you may have a leg up in both the city and the 'burbs. You'll have to qualify for Oregon certification. The best thing to do is look at the Oregon website for teaching criteria and take it from there.
Keep in mind that the COL in both Portland and Seattle are high in comparison to most salaries. That's because they have a lot to offer therefore a lot of people want to live there. They are becoming more and more crowded everyday and more and more competitive for jobs, housing etc. While Seattle is larger and there is definitely more opportunity, it's not easy to break into the job end of either city at a living wage if you want to live in an even remotely decent area.
What you need to do is go to the individual websites of those cities in which you have an interest and ask the people who actually live there about your specific wants and needs.
I will say if friends (existing and making them) are of high importance, Chicago would rise up the list a bit. For a big city, it's quite friendly, most have no trouble finding friends here.
And for that same reason, Seattle would be tough. By all accounts the Seattle Freeze is legit. Tough to break in and be accepted. And it's very expensive.
Honestly, Texas seems like a good place for you guys.
I will say if friends (existing and making them) are of high importance, Chicago would rise up the list a bit. For a big city, it's quite friendly, most have no trouble finding friends here.
And for that same reason, Seattle would be tough. By all accounts the Seattle Freeze is legit. Tough to break in and be accepted. And it's very expensive.
Honestly, Texas seems like a good place for you guys.
Portland also has this reputation and as a transplant of who lived there for nearly 40 years (before relocating to friendly Cleveland) I agree this is a PNW trait. It takes a lot of time to build friendships. People are more standoffish. They don't mean to be rude but often those who come from friendlier places take it to mean so. Not to say you can't find friends there, you just have to find "your people," those with whom you click.
Prior to moving to Portland, I was born and raised in Chicago. I always found it to be friendly and welcoming.
I don't know if I'd recommend Philadelphia--I know a few people have mentioned it. I think it's affordable, a nice city, and if you were able to get a job in the city, the housing is affordable. The "if" is if you can get a job in the city of Philadelphia. I'd do research if I were you on the job situation in Philadelphia. In January of 2016, according to Wallethub Philadelphia is not a good place to find a job: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-jobs/2173/. I have a friend who relocated here without a job and it has been difficult for her to find anything. Depending on your field, your experience level, and salary you'd be okay with--you could or could not have an easy time in this city finding a job.
In additional issue, is that there is a big tax for companies in the city, so a lot of companies are moving to the suburbs. This means that if you hate suburbs--you'd most likely have to commute from the city(if you chose to live in the city) to the suburbs. Traffic in philly is a nightmare, due to two lane highway system. I'd only recommend Philly if you are in a field that has a lot of job opportunities out here, if you can actually get a job in the city too. However if you CAN find a job in the city--the housing is affordable, there is a lot to do, it's diverse, friendly enough, and the public transportation system is good.
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Moving on, I think Chicago would be a good option. I loved Chicago--if not for the harsh winters. Traffic in Chicago is actually better IMO than traffic in Philly during peak hours. Chicago has more lanes LOL. Additionally my job experience in Chicago, even when the economy crashed actually was better, than when I moved to Philly years later. As in I never really took a long time to find a stable position when I lived in Chicago, but when I first moved to Philly it took a while--and I know of other people who had similar experiences.
The other options you mentioned seem like they'll be too expensive to really enjoy based on your income and what you've said thusfar. As someone else echoed I think Texas may be a good option, if you can stand the heat(it's affordable, job opportunity, stable, friendly enough), or even Nashville TN could work--though I'm not sure about the job situation in Nashville.
A potential sleeper location, if the OP is open to flying is Ann Arbor MI. It has the "liberal" college town vibe, it is within close proximity to the Detroit metro and its airport. I'm not sure about the job situation, but it may be another option to consider.
Albany-Schnectady-Troy may be another area to look into due to its proximity to MA, its tech sector and has neighborhoods that could fit what you are looking for.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-04-2016 at 11:36 AM..
Check out Cleveland with a very dynamic downtown, relatively low cost of living, and world-class cultural institutions (the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Orchestra, and PlayhouseSquare). Downtown, Ohio City or the Greater University Circle area would most likely fit your needs the best.
Check out Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Holden Arboretum, etc.
There are many great threads in the Cleveland forum.
Astronomy jobs likely are scarce, but perhaps check with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
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