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For $600 rent close to NYC your best bet would be Jersey City.. just research its "parts" - for example JSQ area is safe so is majority of heights, and you MIGHT be able to rent studio in heights for $600 or find a rent share on Craigslist to split with a roommate
Or even share or get a smaller room of a 2 to 3 bedroom in Newport area of Jersey City. The same in Hoboken. Try getting a job first before you get here though if that is at all possible because unless you have the reserve to wait it out or can live with a friend/family temporarily, the expenses is going to kill you faster you can realize. $600 is definitely possible if you look hard enough and with the right people. Don't plan to drive if you live closer to the city as the public transportation will take care of itself and parking is a pain in the rear. Insurance up here is not a joke by any definition (mine is 3x here than my previous state and had to get rid of one of our cars).
I am the same age as you, and very few of my friends are involved in an actual career. The economy is not good up here.
I dont know a single person within a couple years of me who lives on their own. The college grads/people who didnt go to college are either living in a party house with 3+ roommates or living at home with their parents.
And many of my friends have left the area.
If you are set on living in/near a big city in the Jersey area, look at the Philly area.
This is the post of the year. You've really summed up perfectly the current state of being in your 20s in NJ. This describes my circle of friends exactly. I went to college out of state (Florida, ironically) and it's funny to hear about classmates who came from or moved to various parts of the country buying houses and getting settled in life while in New Jersey, it seems like you're a college freshman into your 30s.
Don't get me wrong, I love partying and going out and having a good time, but it would be nice to know there's some kind of light at the end of the tunnel. Most of my friends have either gone back to school to get a masters or other grad degree or are just kind of "in limbo" with bartending or other part-time jobs until the economy (hopefully) turns around in this state. Personally, I went back to start my masters degree last fall at Monmouth Univ. and I have a part-time job working for a newspaper while I also started my own small business locally. I actually make more money than a good number of my friends, surprisingly. But it's not stable, which is the problem.
FL has one of the worst unemployment rates in the country right now. Ours is a very service based economy, and with less people visiting, more people leaving and now this oil spill...who knows how long it will take for us to get out of this rut. Although I'm not discounting your experience up there, I know everyone has been affected.
Can I ask what kind of job you'll be looking for up here? Because really, outside of NYC itself the state of New Jersey is pretty much a service-based economy, too. There really aren't many manufacturing jobs left, and the professional/finance industries have really been decimated by the recession. My cousin is an HR director at an NYC advertising firm and they're still laying people off left and right.
I understand that Florida's unemployment rate is a couple points higher than ours, but the trade-off is that the cost of living is significantly lower in Florida. Rents and housing are insanely expensive and as someone mentioned, definitely don't discount the prospect of crushing car insurance rates. I'm not saying you shouldn't move here, but what I'm saying is that a lot of people who are from New Jersey are moving out because nobody (especially young people) can afford the cost of living here anymore. Unless you have prospects at a job where know you'll have a high salary and stable income, I would think twice before coming here.
Can I ask what kind of job you'll be looking for up here? Because really, outside of NYC itself the state of New Jersey is pretty much a service-based economy, too. There really aren't many manufacturing jobs left, and the professional/finance industries have really been decimated by the recession. My cousin is an HR director at an NYC advertising firm and they're still laying people off left and right.
I understand that Florida's unemployment rate is a couple points higher than ours, but the trade-off is that the cost of living is significantly lower in Florida. Rents and housing are insanely expensive and as someone mentioned, definitely don't discount the prospect of crushing car insurance rates. I'm not saying you shouldn't move here, but what I'm saying is that a lot of people who are from New Jersey are moving out because nobody (especially young people) can afford the cost of living here anymore. Unless you have prospects at a job where know you'll have a high salary and stable income, I would think twice before coming here.
Well, I'm still not entirely sure what I want to do with my life, to be honest. I'm still trying to figure that out, lol. I was hoping to find a job as an administrative assistant or secretarial for the time being. I have a BA in Communication, but I have also completed prereqs to begin a BS or AS in Nursing if I have to return to school in the next couple of years. Where did you go to college in Florida?
Try Middlesex county... (depending on what town) 40-50 min turnpike ride into the city, or easy train ride... Def cheaper than anything in Hudson/Bergen/Essex counties, and a bit safer.
In terms of areas near the city, that would be affordable, and safe (in the right sections) would be North Bergen, Bayonne, Jersey City, Union City. For that price I doubt you'll find anything in Hoboken, but you can try.
For Union City and Jersey City, please visit the area before you sign a lease. There are beautiful areas and then there are real dicey areas. JC - Downtown and Heights and UC - Palisade and New York Ave. The further West you go, could get sketchier.
Any of the above is within 10 min to NYC, safe, and affordable. I'm renting 2 rooms out for $600 each and I think its honestly a bargain. There are other deals to be had. Even look for a sublet for a month or 2 until you find hte place you really want.
Well, I'm still not entirely sure what I want to do with my life, to be honest. I'm still trying to figure that out, lol. I was hoping to find a job as an administrative assistant or secretarial for the time being. I have a BA in Communication, but I have also completed prereqs to begin a BS or AS in Nursing if I have to return to school in the next couple of years. Where did you go to college in Florida?
I went to Univ of Tampa and graduated in '07. Also lived in Martin County (east coast) for a couple of years growing up. Personally, I think Florida is an excellent place to live (the hotter and more humid, the better, honestly). A lot of Jersey people seem to think that when you leave this area it's nothing but hicks and HS dropouts, which is pretty snobby in my opinion.
The biggest thing to remember is that a lot of people our age who live here and trying to figure out how to move out because the cost of living is simply insane. This area is excellent if you have a high-paying job and don't need to worry about money or setting up a life and career. If you're young and starting out, it's awful in my opinion - especially now. It's like you can never totally get ahead because of the cost of everything. With my current income, I could buy a condo in the parts of Florida where I used to live. Here, luckily my family owns a few houses and I live in one and just pay the utilities, bills, etc., or else I'd be living at home. I know it's a matter of taste, but personally I wouldn't want to live in the northern part of the state which is more densely populated and nowhere near the beach. I'm a beach/boating guy my whole life and would never move anywhere where I couldn't do that on a daily basis.
If you want to talk more, send me a PM. I'd be happy to talk more and introduce myself...
It is most certainly doable. Almost all of Hudson county is a possibility for that price with roommate/s. The only exception may be Hoboken and maybe Downtown Jersey City. Union City, Weehawken, and West New York are all close to NYC and Hoboken and have good transportation. Like someone else said Bayonne is in that range too. I live in Bayonne now and it is okay. It is not the best if you want to go out in the city at night because we don't have 24hr transportation here like some of the other cities/towns in the county, but it is relatively cheap for the area and isn't dangerous and you could always drive to a path station. I see a lot of people were saying that insurance is expensive here, but my car insurance is actually a little bit cheaper here than what I was paying in the state I am from.
Here are my thoughts, whatever that is worth. I am 32 and lived in Hoboken in my 20s.
If you are single and like restaurants, bars, sports, art, festivals, movies, parks etc and like to be around others in their 20s/30s while being close to the city with out being in it then Hoboken is your place. You will meet a lot of people and there is always some type of activity going on.
Your budget will be difficult, but it can be done if you have 2 or 3 roommates and aren't expecting a super nice place. If you extend your budget a little then it will become easier. Check craigslist under room & shares for examples.
Good Luck.
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