east coast, Va. to Nebraska best cities (Omaha, Lincoln: fit in, transplants)

[sayloth]

Hey everyone,
I'm looking to move around the 1st of Oct. And would like to know what are the best cities based on rental rates and jobs and I'm 28. Won't know any one and just like some choices.

[SCGranny]

Sayloth, why are you moving? Have you ever been to Nebraska?

There are lots of jobs - for qualified people; Nebraska has low unemployment by comparison to the rest of the country. But moving for moving's sake - in other words, if you don't already have a job offer, or even an idea of what job you want or where you will live - will only make you poorer. The job situation is pretty bad everywhere; there are lots of unspoken reasons for lower unemployment rates here. The main one is that Nebraska wasn't caught up in the whole "everyone DESERVES a home" hysteria of sudden and mass buildouts; people here are so frugal you can hear the nickels screaming in their pockets to be let out . But there are lots of other ones, too - lower population, more insular population, more cows than people in the western counties, many people work two and three jobs, ranch and farm families have moms and teens who work in the towns and go back home and work the property and animals, there are many jobs without benefits, the college educated kids work while they are in school and have jobs as soon as they graduate, a declining population that is moving away from the farms and ranches, the weather and climate (trust me, you only THINK you've seen snow in VA!! -and the violent spring storms will totally amaze you!) - coming here blind is NOT a good idea.

So the question is - what are you looking for?

We were looking for a very very quiet place to get away from the rushing hysteria of the East Coast. First my daughter and I flew out and drove around and looked at properties. When we found what we wanted we made an offer, and then we flew back, her father and I packed up, sold out, and moved. We moved out here with money in our pockets and a definite destination, as well as a definite idea of what the weather (we had snow over that Easter weekend and the two weeks following) and area and people were like. While I got a job fairly quickly, had my finances been dependent on getting that job, I would have been homeless by the time I got it, if I had moved here without a definite plan and residence. This is not a sympathetic area to the poor and friendless; the people are for the most part the type that mind their own business and work hard, don't depend on handouts or expect anyone else to. They may seem very cold to someone from VA. (They aren't, BTW - they are BUSY and take time to know people before they offer their friendship.)

Nebraska is not a job mecca, there aren't job applications laying on the streets, waiting for people to come and pick them up. If you don't have a plan or a definite destination in mind, or any savings in your pockets to establish yourself, you will think that Nebraska is a cold-hearted, mean state. It isn't - the people I have met here and on City-Data are warm, wonderful, funny, and very intelligent with a lot of common sense; most of my rancher friends are college-educated. One of my favorite new Nebraska sayings is "We drag our own saddle" - which means that if they are out riding the range and their horse goes down, they carry their own saddle back to the ranch - i.e., drag their own burdens - without expecting or asking for help. Which pretty much describes Nebraskans as a whole - tough, intelligent, blunt, honest, hardworking, and independent, and they expect the same from others.

If that appeals to you, it's time to do your research; search job listings online and in the local papers (Omaha Herald, Lincoln Star, North Platte Telegraph, even the Kearney Hub and Chadron Record) as well as available rentals. Read also the news stories about what new businesses are moving in - and what businesses are cutting back, laying off, or closing. These will give you an idea of what's available and what skills are required as well as local trends of both jobs and housing. Remember that these larger towns also have universities and colleges, so those jobs that have minimal qualifications will be snapped up quickly by students. If you have a college degree, those jobs go quickly to local graduates, so you need to have a firm idea of the month to month trends of mobility in your chosen field. Omaha is growing at a prodigious rate as is Lincoln; they have been/are attracting several national corporations; their medical care is second to none, so if that is your field you might want to look into not only hospitals but local clinics, and even nursing homes. If you are thinking that construction might be a good field to get into - I have a friend in construction who travels 5 hours from home, stays in Lincoln or Omaha during the 'building months' then comes home during the worst part of winter. Plumbers and electricians are in demand - but don't expect East Coast salaries.

But please, please don't just pack your car and come out, hoping for better without a real plan. The streets are not paved with gold here, and nothing will just fall into your lap, or stroll across your path with its hands out.

[summersolstice]

SCGranny - I've read a few of your posts and find them to be full of good advice and common sense. You're a perfect fit for Nebraska. I'm from Kearney, via Hemingford, Alliance, and Scottsbluff, and can testify to your assertions. We Nebraskans take pride in our independence and self reliance and expect it from others as well. All in all I find Nebraska to be a friendly place where people are willing to chat with total strangers and lend a hand - but not provide a handout.

[datacity12]

SCGranny - I hear so much about how Nebraskans are friendly, yet you paint a picture of a place where I wouldn't want to drive through, much less live. Is there a reason you're trying to be discouraging to the OP? I think you've made some assumptions about this person based on how they worded their question. I'm not sure why you and summersolstice are pointing out the fact that Nebraskans are self-reliant and that one shouldn't look for handouts.


I am curious about Nebraska myself, which is why I visited this site.

[SCGranny]

Originally Posted by datacity12

SCGranny - I hear so much about how Nebraskans are friendly, yet you paint a picture of a place where I wouldn't want to drive through, much less live. Is there a reason you're trying to be discouraging to the OP? I think you've made some assumptions about this person based on how they worded their question. I'm not sure why you and summersolstice are pointing out the fact that Nebraskans are self-reliant and that one shouldn't look for handouts.


I am curious about Nebraska myself, which is why I visited this site.

The OP stated in his post (assuming 'he' is a 'he') that he was 28, looking for a job and looking for a good town to live in, and knew no one. He gave no other information -which is why I asked why he was coming here at all. You'll note that he has not responded.

What I have seen on this board and on a lot of states' forums recently is that people read that there are good jobs 'somewhere else' and make up their minds to move to that 'somewhere else' without doing their own research. They pack up and just go. Then they get to their chosen mecca - and suddenly they don't have a home, a job, or any future at all, much less a support system of family or friends. Then - they blame the locals for their lack of opportunity, and get on the boards and disrespect the place because it wasn't 'just like home'. It isn't fair to the locals, who happen to love where they are. It isn't fair to the people who move to the place after doing their planning and research, because they HAVE jobs, they HAVE homes, they ARE making friends and making their way in their new world, with planning and aforethought. And they aren't even being fair to themselves (or, in some cases, the spouse or family that they uprooted on a dream or a perceived promise) because they didn't do their research, they didn't know clearly what they wanted or how they were going to go about getting it. They just decided to uproot themselves and move because any place will be better than where they are. "The Grass is always greener" theory doesn't always, in fact rarely, works.

If there is anything that I admire most about the Nebraskans I've met is that - they are like me. They know what they want, they have set practical goals and practical paths to achieve those goals. They are blunt and honest, with the expectation that everyone else will be the same. Most have purpose and think things through, weigh pros and cons, and act, don't REact. The countryside is not a forgiving, peaceful idyllic dreamscape where you can picnic and party (unless you are a tourist). It is demanding, it demands hard work and physical labor to produce whatever lifestyle you have decided to achieve; whether that is raising cattle, working the soil for corn or vegetables or even grapes (they have wineries here). The cities are full of hardworking people who are solid citizens and who work long hours to make their dreams happen.

With all that, they know how to have fun - tubing or fishing the rivers, hunting, having festivals and rodeos where everyone can find something that appeals. They play as hard as they work; and rarely have I seen a falling-down or abusive drunk ruining the play for anyone else; or any evidence of a gang mentality that insists on enforcing their mindless violence on others. Not to say such things don't exist, but they are not common; certainly not as common, even as accepted as normal, in the East.

You could say that the reason Nebraska has jobs and opportunities is because of the lower population. You could say that it is because they didn't buy into the whole "Everyone DESERVES a home!" hysterical building phase and ultimate collapse; they are for the most part frugal and have common sense. You could say that it is because of the lower cost of living, or the lower wages, or the fact that it is a 'right to work' state. You could even say it is the weather; it is freaking cold here in the winter, and in the East (where most of the cities are) it is hot and humid in the summer, in the West it is hot and dry, with stunningly violent summer storms and the occasional tornado that can whip up suddenly. Not the idyllic gentle rains and occasional evening thunder-rumbles found for the most part in the east. Probably all of these things factor in.

On other threads I have praised Nebraska; I love it, it is perfect for me and for what I want to do, what I have planned and worked for. But for someone who writes a three-line entry, wanting to move to Nebraska and to be told where the best places to live and jobs are, without any stated purpose, job inclination or training, or any given direction as to lifestyle or housing needs, Nebraska will seem like a very cold place. It isn't - it's just that people for the most part are BUSY, have their own lives, and mind their own business. Folks here are warm, funny, smart, educated, and friendly - but won't bend over backwards to take care of your needs.

If you are thinking of looking in to Nebraska for a move, you should be aware of what is here - and what isn't. And you should do your own research, make your own plans, determine your own path - without solely depending on others for advice or succor. A general "I want to move, tell me where I should live and where I can work" will only be a recipe for disaster. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.

[datacity12]

Again, a lot of assumptions being made about this person. Even the fact that he (I'll say "he" - easier than writing "he or she" all the time) hasn't been back to respond to your questions made you decide he was dubious. Maybe he just hasn't had time. Or maybe he saw your rant and decided it wasn't the place for him afterall.

Your post is paragraph after paragraph of lecturing on how he should not arrive in Nebraska expecting everyting handed to him. Where on earth are you getting this from??? For all you know, this person may have money saved, but is looking for a new start somewhere, and Nebraska simply appealed to him so he's looking for opinions on where the best place to live is. Where's the harm? You also repeat a lot of what you said ("everyone DESERVES a home") in the earlier post, so it sounds like you get going on these topics often!

I'm not quite as adventurous - I would have to have all my ducks in a row, and researched every detail to death, before I ever thought of making a move to another state - but I love the idea that someone can just decide to make a new life for themselves in a brand new place. To me it's very American and it comes from a pioneering spirit. I don't see the problem.

I'm still looking at Nebraska, because I hoped it was a place where people are decent and non-judgemental, but I'm not getting that impression right now.

[AK-Cathy]

Excellent advice SCGranny.

I give similar advice to people thinking about Alaska without a clue or a plan when I'm up to it but there are so many that write the kind of messages that the OP wrote nowadays and plenty fail to heed any kind of warnings, even the most accurate and sincere.

I believe that people are thinking that the job situation in this country is just regional (where they are) and that a road map and a dart and a few tanks of gas will bring them to something better, the modern day version of the dust bowl refugees heading to California. But instead of one area, the migration is more diffuse, all across the country. The belief is that a move will cure what ails them and sometimes it does, but most times it won't, especially if the person moving has no skills, a limited or unserviceable education, no money, no plan.

Back in the 1970s up to the early 80s, Alaska used to provide airline tickets back "home" for people that came up the road without a job, sufficient money (way more than most people thought they needed) family/friends to help them or any kind of plan and then got stuck here. Canada used to turn Alaskan migrants back at the border if they didn't have a credit card or enough cash to pass through because too many were breaking down along the road without enough resources to keep moving, putting a burden on Canadian social services. The ones that got here, that ended up broke and homeless, that couldn't immediately get on their feet, were sent home because it was cheaper for the state to ship them back out than put them on public assistance.

The thread caught my attention because we had looked at a few towns in western Nebraska as a place to settle in for our retirement. We too fit the profile of packing our own saddles and would like at least a longer growing season than we have here. After 30+ years in Alaska, the winters seem to be getting longer. We are still looking for the right spot in the western US.

[AK-Cathy]

..I love the idea that someone can just decide to make a new life for themselves in a brand new place. To me it's very American and it comes from a pioneering spirit. I don't see the problem.

Yes, datacity, it is an American notion and because I moved to Alaska sight unseen (but with a job) in the 70s from the plains states, I am one of those "pioneering" people. It worked for me but it just as well might not have even with a job already lined up and decent cash reserves.

In my many years on this planet, I've seen that people that just pack their belongings in their vehicle and move without having at least some of their ducks in a line, fail to launch far more often than someone that actually has contacts, a job, etc. The way the OP stated the question sounded like (might not be, but definitely sounded like) their mind was made up to move but they had no other information than this, thus the question to city-data and thus the fair warning that you have taken offense to.

Over the past year or so I've posted in various forums looking for inside information about areas that we've already visited and might be interested in relocating to. We have enough money and resources to move anywhere in the USA, we won't need jobs and though I've made that abundantly clear, along with what we are looking for, yet I've received the occasional snippy response because people are simply tired of having people move into their area without knowing what they are getting into.

Clueless transplants, even if they manage to find work and get on their feet are often enough a source of misery to those around them. They tend to vent and complain about the area, the weather, the lack of amenities, the people, the cost of living. They often can't wait to move back "home". I worked with more than a few of those people and I'd rather do the job of two than listen to someone moan about the consequences of their ill considered move. And these are people that are working and productive. The consequences are even worse for those that move without resources, jobs, social networks that fail financially in their new location. The community becomes a tiny bit less stable with each move in and out of either discontented or disenfranchised settlers. As a resident of a transient community, I find that it becomes exhausting to figure out which newbie will actually stick around for any length of time and might be worth an emotional investment, so the tendency is to leave the newcomers to themselves without any other outstanding merit to recommend them. It's a cold world, as Granny said.

I think you've taken umbrage to a well meaning post. SCGranny is telling it like she sees it. FWIW, I give similar warnings to people that post about coming to Alaska without a job, without having visited the state before. It's a bad idea, destined to fail in the majority of cases and it matters very little who these people are in the end. If people really want something, (the OP included) they can do some of the leg work and find information that they seek without it being hand fed to them from this forum. It's the appearance of having made no effort on their own behalf, and coming to the table without information to work with that is problematic and garners the type of response that you find offensive. That's my take on it.

[SCGranny]

Thank you for your understanding, AK-Cathy. If you have any more questions about western Nebraska, I'll try to help - or others on here will. ItsMeFred is a lot more familiar with the western part of the state; she is a great resource.

What datacity failed to notice or mention is that I also gave resources and information on where and what was available, and how the poster could look them up for himself.

The "Pioneering spirit" is and was a wonderful thing. However, most of the pioneers had knowledge, experience, and commitment - some were farmers, some were cattlemen, others were storekeepers, doctors, dentists, and even dance-hall performers. They all had a dream of accomplishing something in a bigger venue, or of challenging a new world on their own terms, achieving with their own merits. (We won't go into those folks whose families paid them a stipend to "Go West!", or who left in the middle of the night to avoid prosecution.) Most of them brought the tools of their trade - or at least their knowledge and disciplines -with them. The truth is that, while thousands DID, some didn't. Some starved to death on their barren farms, taken advantage of by folks who sold them unprofitable or unwatered land, or died in the snows because they didn't have heat or fuel, or left when their crops and cattle died. NOT knowing the land, the people, or the climate either killed them or caused them to move elsewhere, considerably poorer but hopefully wiser - if they survived. Like AK-Cathy says, of course, nowadays those folks just become a drain on the social services - or get flown back home so that they won't. (That's pretty smart of Alaska, BTW - a lot of folks don't realize how rough AK can really be. We researched the state but decided it wasn't for us.)

We planned for 3 years before we moved to NE; we looked at AK, ID, ND, SD, MN, TX. We read online newspapers; not just the front pages but everything, including the want ads and obituaries, looking for trends and lifestyles and attitudes. We looked at property for sale. We asked people specific questions about areas where farms were for sale; what the area was like, what the people were like, what taxes, cost of living were, what amenities were nearby or present. We gathered information based on what we wanted, what we could afford, and what we could grow (or, not grow). We asked about local ordinances and State laws. We asked about schools (even though our children were grown). We also planned our expenses for 2 years AFTER we moved, including double payments if our first house didn't sell right away. (It didn't.) When we moved, we did not plan to be a drain on our new community, but an asset to it. We also wanted to fit in politically and socially.

I encouraged the OP to do his research, gave him some tools and research ideas, and asked him not to pack up and move without a plan. If that sounded discouraging, or assuming too much on very limited information, then the poster should have posted more specifically to get more specific answers. S/He did not. datacity, if you feel the need to continue to pick apart what I've said, feel free. But the fact remains that the OP posted a three-line post about looking for, in general, places to rent and jobs, and not knowing anyone. Nebraska is a big state, with towns with a population of 1 - yes, just 1! - to hundreds of thousands; college towns, university towns, towns with just a bar and grill surrounded by cattle ranches or grain farms. Without any more specific information than the OP gave, the responses he will get from me or others will point that out.

[barney_rubble]

OP asked about rental rates and jobs. The most logical conclusions we can reach are: a) he doesn't have a job lined up, b) he is at least somewhat concerned about costs, and c) he doesn't have a clear picture of what he wants from Nebraska - besides a job and a home - given that he provided no other details about what might make one city more desirable than another.

So, I'd say SCGranny's post was pretty reasonable. The first task is to request further information, which she did. We can hardly provide good city recommendations without more information about the OP's needs. Beyond that, I don't see a little reality check as remotely unreasonable. Discussions of welfare and support networks are extremely relevant in this situation because should the OP fail to find a job he needs to be aware of the safety nets - or lack thereof - in place.

But I do wonder what your agenda is, datacity12. You are the one who has chosen to take one part of SCGranny's post and blow it up into the primary topic of discussion in this thread. For what purpose? I don't know.