NYC to Bloomington? social work jobs (Indianapolis, Greenwood: 2013, apartment, rent)

[carmynj]

My husband and I(3 year old daughter) want to move OUT of NYC. We have family in Bloomington area. Im a social worker, husband can do anything. The idea of a quiet, clean, civilized and MORE AFFORDABLE area to raise our kid in is wonderful.

Any thoughts about social work, therapist jobs in the area?

[rrah]

Jobs in Social Work are few are far between. It's not that they don't exist, but it is that the Bloomington job market is extremely competitive in any kind of social service field. I know someone that recently was hired for a social work job in Bloomington. She'd been looking and applying for about 3 years. You'd have better opportunities in Indianapolis and still be closer to your family.

[carmynj]

thanks

[summer22]

Honestly you might find Chicago or its suburbs more to your liking. It's more affordable than NYC and you can live (again, affordably) in some very nice, clean, orderly neighborhoods that feel more suburban in nature. Plus you wouldn't have the tremendous culture shock of going from urban, liberal New York, to the much smaller communities and conservative nature of Indiana.

Your family in Bloomington would be just 3 or so hours away from Chicagoland.

I'm suggesting Chicago because of the job market. Chicago and its surrounding counties (Will, DuPage, Lake, Kane) are going to have a much greater number of job openings in the social services because of the sheer number of potential employers in the area.

Indianapolis is not that big. The State of Indiana does not prioritize social services, so government jobs are going to be few and far between, and government employment is a large portion of the social work job market.

[urbanologist]

Originally Posted by summer22

Honestly you might find Chicago or its suburbs more to your liking. It's more affordable than NYC and you can live (again, affordably) in some very nice, clean, orderly neighborhoods that feel more suburban in nature. Plus you wouldn't have the tremendous culture shock of going from urban, liberal New York, to the much smaller communities and conservative nature of Indiana.

Your family in Bloomington would be just 3 or so hours away from Chicagoland.

I'm suggesting Chicago because of the job market. Chicago and its surrounding counties (Will, DuPage, Lake, Kane) are going to have a much greater number of job openings in the social services because of the sheer number of potential employers in the area.

Indianapolis is not that big. The State of Indiana does not prioritize social services, so government jobs are going to be few and far between, and government employment is a large portion of the social work job market.

Chicago is not a quiet place and I've been to both cities.

Originally Posted by carmynj

My husband and I(3 year old daughter) want to move OUT of NYC. We have family in Bloomington area. Im a social worker, husband can do anything. The idea of a quiet, clean, civilized and MORE AFFORDABLE area to raise our kid in is wonderful.

Any thoughts about social work, therapist jobs in the area?

[summer22]

Chicago is a very quiet place if you pick a quiet neighborhood. Sauganash, Mount Greenwood, Beverly, Ravenswood, others. If you decide on the suburbs, you probably have over 100 quiet communities to choose from.

Check these threads:

//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...northwest.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...ouse-yard.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...afe-quiet.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...s-chicago.html

I'm just not convinced you'll find the OP will find job market she's looking for in Bloomington or Indianapolis. There's just so many more schools, hospitals, government agencies, universities, and non-profits in Chicago Metro that would have the need for a social worker. Bloomington, IN is a one horse town: Indiana University and that's about it. Indianapolis doesn't have that many more horses, and Chicago's neighborhoods and suburbs aren't any more or less quiet than Indy's.

[TamiamiTrailBlues]

Chicago. The place to live if you have a death wish.

[urbanologist]

Originally Posted by summer22

Chicago is a very quiet place if you pick a quiet neighborhood. Sauganash, Mount Greenwood, Beverly, Ravenswood, others. If you decide on the suburbs, you probably have over 100 quiet communities to choose from.

Check these threads:

//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...northwest.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...ouse-yard.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...afe-quiet.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/chica...s-chicago.html

I'm just not convinced you'll find the OP will find job market she's looking for in Bloomington or Indianapolis. There's just so many more schools, hospitals, government agencies, universities, and non-profits in Chicago Metro that would have the need for a social worker. Bloomington, IN is a one horse town: Indiana University and that's about it. Indianapolis doesn't have that many more horses, and Chicago's neighborhoods and suburbs aren't any more or less quiet than Indy's.

Large cities with millions of people is not ideal for a quiet place. The more population you have the more congestion there will be. If you're claiming the burbs then people in NYC can live out in Westchester County where it's more quiet but near more options.

[luckycat2013]

I would advise NOT moving to Bloomington esp if you plan on non profit or govt related work, such as social work. The job market is very competitive due to IU cranking out tons of grads with sociology degrees, who happen to stay here. There are many over educated, under employed people here. Cost of living not as high as NY but the salaries are so low in your field, you'll be as poor as the people you're attempting to help. And thanks to some new large apartment buildings in the "trendy" downtown area, rent costs are moving toward the NYC level. So brace yourself. Bloomington rests in Monroe county and is in fact the POOREST county in the state of IN. Strange really, when you think of Lake county (south of Chicago area). The poor ranking is due to a higher cost of living vs wages. But if you happen to be the football or basketball coach at IU well, your salary will be through the roof and you won't give a flying fig about the cost of living.
It is a blue oasis in a mostly red state, but the whiny liberal gang who cluster downtown each Sat to spend $50 on a burger and fries to discuss useless junk, will gradually make you feel like your in an hysterical fish bowl. BUT if you are 18-25, you'll enjoy the college meat market dating scene. Hundreds of students hitting the bars till 3am, 7 days a week.
If you move here, within 12 months you'll be wanting to move out.
As far as Chicago goes, the winters are brutal, and I mean that. Cold as hell and the snow doesn't stop. Plus there's the cluster fudge called the region that you somehow must navigate, winding twists of unending highways.
IF you had to pick a city in IN, and I encourage you to look else where, I would go with INDY. Is easier to navigate than Chicago, and has a much better job market compared to Bloomington.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by luckycat2013

I would advise NOT moving to Bloomington esp if you plan on non profit or govt related work, such as social work. The job market is very competitive due to IU cranking out tons of grads with sociology degrees, who happen to stay here. There are many over educated, under employed people here. Cost of living not as high as NY but the salaries are so low in your field, you'll be as poor as the people you're attempting to help. And thanks to some new large apartment buildings in the "trendy" downtown area, rent costs are moving toward the NYC level. So brace yourself. Bloomington rests in Monroe county and is in fact the POOREST county in the state of IN. Strange really, when you think of Lake county (south of Chicago area). The poor ranking is due to a higher cost of living vs wages. But if you happen to be the football or basketball coach at IU well, your salary will be through the roof and you won't give a flying fig about the cost of living.
It is a blue oasis in a mostly red state, but the whiny liberal gang who cluster downtown each Sat to spend $50 on a burger and fries to discuss useless junk, will gradually make you feel like your in an hysterical fish bowl. BUT if you are 18-25, you'll enjoy the college meat market dating scene. Hundreds of students hitting the bars till 3am, 7 days a week.
If you move here, within 12 months you'll be wanting to move out.
As far as Chicago goes, the winters are brutal, and I mean that. Cold as hell and the snow doesn't stop. Plus there's the cluster fudge called the region that you somehow must navigate, winding twists of unending highways.
IF you had to pick a city in IN, and I encourage you to look else where, I would go with INDY. Is easier to navigate than Chicago, and has a much better job market compared to Bloomington.

I enjoyed reading your post - it sounds pretty realistic and I think you made some good points. I'm not from Indiana but have close relatives there, I think the suggestion of Indy is a good one, and I would tend to agree with that for the OP.