Help a young family find a great place to live (apartment, to rent)

[Tim131]

Hello everyone

Our situation, my wife and I are in our early to mid 20's and our daughter is 8 months. My wife is finishing up her degree online and raising our kid. I'm not college degree educated, I just work, I am an office administrator/manager for a small business and get paid, well a pittance.

We live in Vero Beach, FL, and whilst it's nice, its completely driven by snowbirds and service based industry and I just can't find a good paying job - as I say, I'm not college educated so I'm under no illusion I can walk into a great high paying job elsewhere, but surely I can find an office administrator/accounts receivable job that pays more than 12 bucks an hour.

Enough about our background, moving forward, we have a lump sum of about 6000 dollars to move us and settle us somewhere, where the plan is for myself to find a full time job, and my wife to perhaps get a retail/bar job until she graduates where she hopes to get a job being a paralegal, or some variant thereof.

I'm an immigrant from Ireland, so getting back there once a year is important to me, so I'd like to live somewhere near a good airport (like within 2 or so hours) - my parents and family will also want to visit too, probably once a year.

We tried the small town beach living here in FL and it's not for us, don't get us wrong we love Florida and the beach, but there is no jobs where we are and nothing to do - so we want a change.

We want to be able to find somewhere with a low cost of living and wages where we could live a relatively comfortable life - especially when we are both going to be working after my wife graduates in the summer time.

We don't mind a huge city or a smaller city, we don't care so much about the weather, but I'd prefer all round heat to all round cold, 4 seasons is great too, but not necessary, just not cold or mild all the time like Ireland lol.

Somewhere we can raise our little girls and have access to good schools.

Also, my wife is Latina, not too much or a deal breaker but anywhere with Spanish can be a plus, but not necessary at all - it's more about me liking taco trucks :P

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Tim

[PCALMike]

Perhaps Des Moines, Iowa could be something for you. Its safe and affordable and a decent size. Pronounced summer and winter seasons. Low unemployment. Good schools.

[Serious Conversation]

With that little to get started with, perhaps a lower cost Midwestern city like Cincinnati, Indianapolis, or Louisville?

[ckhthankgod]

Perhaps Omaha NE, which is a growing area that tends to have a solid economy and affordable cost of living.

[kyle19125]

I would look at cities in relative close proximity like Atlanta or Charlotte where you'll find the Hispanic diversity along with a wide variety of jobs and affordable, desirable neighborhoods with good schools.

[ckhthankgod]

Another possibility may be northern Delaware, which puts you close to Philadelphia and its airport. Affordable, close to a major city with an option to go to the beach and in a major metro that close yield good results for employment.

[Tim131]

Thanks all so much for the run down of different places, I'm going to do a bit of research on each of them - I guess what is most important is me being able to get a job that will at least afford us to be able to rent a 2 bed apartment somewhere!

THanks so much