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After much debate between my wife, we are considering a move back to the USA.
I am from the Bahamas and she is from NJ. We met in college and she moved to the Bahamas to be with me 7 years ago.
Now that we have kids (one and another on the way), we are realizing that where we are at now may not be the best place to raise our family.
We are considering a move back to the USA, specifically into the Philadelphia area and are seeking some advices on what the job and housing marketplace is like.
I have seen the information provided many posters before me and I think that this forum is an excellent resource and place to get started.
Philly metro is right around the national average for unemployment - roughly 8.2% according to government figures. The city typically lags economically but for the most part through this nasty cycle starting in 2008, Philly has held its own nationally. This is mostly due to the diverse economy and higher concentration of heathcare jobs - drug companies and healthcare related industries - and education employment. There are many, many colleges in the metro area. This has provided some stability. That helps to offset a large manufacturing base that is more cyclical in nature which obviously has not fared as well in recent years.
Philly can be a great place to call home since it is large enough to offer some opportunity in just about any field. Plus the mid-atlantic/NE corridor location offers easy access to NYC and DC while maintaining its local flavor and unique historical character.
In terms of housing, Philly has held up somewhat better than the national declines experienced since the housing bust. This is due to the reasons cited above and the fact that there wasn't rampant overbuilding or excessive housing speculation in the region. Not surprisingly, the growth has been in the suburbs, both in PA and NJ. I am bias to NJ for countless reasons which I don't need to get into. NJ IMO has a better highway system than PA, including the NJ turnpike. It also offers quicker access to the shore, AC, etc. Finally many people are surprised to learn the quickest commute to center city is from the NJ towns on the Patco line. Residents of PA taking SEPTA have a longer average commute to CC. Good luck.
You guys picked a nice area to raise kids. The schools are excellent for the most part in the Philly burbs(stay out of the city), the people, friendly, the jobs, not too bad, the housing, excellent.. Fill us in on the budget you are looking at..
Without knowing what types of jobs that I would be able to get it's really tough to put a finger on a number for budget, so I guess I am working from the opposite direction.
I have never worked or lived in the USA apart from college and internships, so I am not familiar with how taxation and the like work. There are no taxes in the Bahamas aside from import duties, so I have nothing that can relate.
My main goal with this thread is to gain a greater understanding on job market, taxes, towns, quality public school education and advices on all the the aforementioned.
Currently, I have what I would consider a great job with some really good perks. I have been employed with this small (20-30 employee) retail appliance company that is family owned and operated.
We have a 2 year-old and another one on the way.
I am not completely unfamiliar with the area as my in-laws live in Camden County and we visit 2-3 times a year.
I'd love to offer some help, but the answer to some of your questions is very dependent on your personal situation and income level.
For instance, in terms of taxes it is a progressive system where your overall tax burden is based on how much you make, how many dependents you have, etc. You will pay several taxes both federal and state. You will pay income taxes to both, social security taxes, medicare/medicaid, unemployment insurance, etc. There are no local taxes on income, unless you work or live in Philadelphia, where they will take a little less then 4% of your wages. Overall, plan that around 20%-25% of your gross salary will go to taxes.
After that, health insurance is necessary and can be a major cost depending on your employer. Almost everyone is insured through their employer, unless they meet the low income requirements for state medical insurance. This cost for medical, dental, vision, etc. can range anywhere from $100 to $500+ a month depending on your employer, salary level and benefits you wish to purchase. On top of that, medical care will still require the payment of deductibles and/or copays. For instance, if you go to the doctor, you will pay $20 and your insurance then pays the balance.
If you are in the retail business on appliances, I honestly don't know what that job market is really like. Many appliances in the US are purchased through large chain stores like Home Depot, Best Buy, Sears, etc. The salesmen in those stores, may make anywhere from $8-$10 an hour plus commission on what they sell. The jobs also may or may not have health benefits as the company doesn't need to give them to you unless you work a certain number of hours each week.
Housing cost is highly variable based on the town. Figure at a minimum a 3BR, 1.5BA home in a decent suburb with good schools is going to run in the $180k-$220k range with property taxes between $4k-$7k+ a year depending on the town. The property taxes fund the local and county governments as well as the school system. On top of that you would then have to pay for utilities, water, sewer, etc. Figure the average homes utilities cost not including phone, TV and internet are going to run around $200 a month.
Apartments that would be large enough for your family (figure a 3 bedroom) in a good town are probably going to run into the $1,400 - $2,000+ range depending on the place you rent.
Public education in NJ is excellent, one of the best in the nation. However, since it is run locally, there are some towns with what are considered bad schools and other town with excellent schools. Some examples of towns with excellent schools are Haddonfield and Moorestown. Consequently in most cases, the better the schools, the more expensive the town is in terms of taxes and buying a house. So, what it all comes down to is finding the best match for your budget.
I'd love to offer some help, but the answer to some of your questions is very dependent on your personal situation and income level.
For instance, in terms of taxes it is a progressive system where your overall tax burden is based on how much you make, how many dependents you have, etc. You will pay several taxes both federal and state. You will pay income taxes to both, social security taxes, medicare/medicaid, unemployment insurance, etc. There are no local taxes on income, unless you work or live in Philadelphia, where they will take a little less then 4% of your wages. Overall, plan that around 20%-25% of your gross salary will go to taxes.
After that, health insurance is necessary and can be a major cost depending on your employer. Almost everyone is insured through their employer, unless they meet the low income requirements for state medical insurance. This cost for medical, dental, vision, etc. can range anywhere from $100 to $500+ a month depending on your employer, salary level and benefits you wish to purchase. On top of that, medical care will still require the payment of deductibles and/or copays. For instance, if you go to the doctor, you will pay $20 and your insurance then pays the balance.
If you are in the retail business on appliances, I honestly don't know what that job market is really like. Many appliances in the US are purchased through large chain stores like Home Depot, Best Buy, Sears, etc. The salesmen in those stores, may make anywhere from $8-$10 an hour plus commission on what they sell. The jobs also may or may not have health benefits as the company doesn't need to give them to you unless you work a certain number of hours each week.
Housing cost is highly variable based on the town. Figure at a minimum a 3BR, 1.5BA home in a decent suburb with good schools is going to run in the $180k-$220k range with property taxes between $4k-$7k+ a year depending on the town. The property taxes fund the local and county governments as well as the school system. On top of that you would then have to pay for utilities, water, sewer, etc. Figure the average homes utilities cost not including phone, TV and internet are going to run around $200 a month.
Apartments that would be large enough for your family (figure a 3 bedroom) in a good town are probably going to run into the $1,400 - $2,000+ range depending on the place you rent.
Public education in NJ is excellent, one of the best in the nation. However, since it is run locally, there are some towns with what are considered bad schools and other town with excellent schools. Some examples of towns with excellent schools are Haddonfield and Moorestown. Consequently in most cases, the better the schools, the more expensive the town is in terms of taxes and buying a house. So, what it all comes down to is finding the best match for your budget.
NJGOAT - 5.5 months later, I finally respond...
Thanks for the info. I think that you put it all together for me in as brief and precise of a way as I needed it.
Your information coupled with conversations with friends has given me a better picture of how it all works, for the most part.
Anyone have an idea of what type of income I could command.
I have been in management for 10 years. extensive background in retail appliance and electronics sales, operations, HR, distribution etc. and quite familiar with a number of systems, technologies, software that are used within the industry.
Over the holidays we drove through areas like Mantua, Sewell, Washington Township, Pitman and Sicklerville. I know that those areas are vast and cover a broad range of pricing, but I would like to hear a little (or a lot) from anyone that has experienced life in those areas.
NJGOAT - 5.5 months later, I finally respond...
Thanks for the info. I think that you put it all together for me in as brief and precise of a way as I needed it.
Your information coupled with conversations with friends has given me a better picture of how it all works, for the most part.
Your welcome, glad it helped.
Quote:
Anyone have an idea of what type of income I could command.
I have been in management for 10 years. extensive background in retail appliance and electronics sales, operations, HR, distribution etc. and quite familiar with a number of systems, technologies, software that are used within the industry.
I honestly have no idea. It all comes down to how well your existing knowledge and experience translates to the US. I think you said you have a college degree from the US, so that certainly helps. Most retail management is in the $35k-$55k range in terms of salary, unless you are talking about high level whole store managers in large retail establishments.
Quote:
Over the holidays we drove through areas like Mantua, Sewell, Washington Township, Pitman and Sicklerville. I know that those areas are vast and cover a broad range of pricing, but I would like to hear a little (or a lot) from anyone that has experienced life in those areas.
Those areas are pretty typical suburbia and all with the exception of Sicklerville are solid towns with good school systems. The only real demerit on those areas is if you needed to commute to Philly or the immediate Philly suburbs as traffic can be a real nightmare heading to and from those areas. If you had more direct questions, I could maybe give you some more info.
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