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Yes Quilterchick, I meant there wouldn't be much point!
Some people think they are going to live well in the US with cultural opportunities, shopping, walkable amenities, good hospitals, schools, little to no crime, etc etc and a house about 75K. with $500 in taxes. Show me this place- it doesn't exist- why do you think the middle class is screaming all over the country???
Yes Quilterchick, I meant there wouldn't be much point!
Some people think they are going to live well in the US with cultural opportunities, shopping, walkable amenities, good hospitals, schools, little to no crime, etc etc and a house about 75K. with $500 in taxes. Show me this place- it doesn't exist- why do you think the middle class is screaming all over the country???
The same house you can buy in RI for approx. $200K plus the added expenses of property taxes, utilities, motor vehicle taxes etc. (the bottom line COL figure) can be bought in several areas of the country for a lower purchase price or the same $200K price, and lower bottom line COL... and better QOL = quality of life.
Very simple if one takes the time to go to most any cost of living calculator online and so some meaningful (unbiased) research on apples to apples.
The same house you can buy in RI for approx. $200K plus the added expenses of property taxes, utilities, motor vehicle taxes etc. (the bottom line COL figure) can be bought in several areas of the country for a lower purchase price or the same $200K price, and lower bottom line COL... and better QOL = quality of life.
Uuummm....except as already pointed out you would, on average, be making far more here as far as the median household income. We're ranked in the top 15 or 20. How many times does this have to be repeated?
If I took the same job I have here and transitioned to Tampa, FL; I would be making far less $$$$.
It must be difficult to retain these facts but please try so we don't have to keep re-arguing the same debates every five days or so.
Median average household income is fairly meaningless if you don't adjust it for the Cost of Living Index. Rhode Island has a fairly high CLI, higher even than Mass and much higher than Florida. At the end of the day, the buying power of the median household remains pretty much the same, regardless whether you live in Florida or RI.
But then, statistics are not everything and I'd rather be up here than down there.
MA actually has a slightly higher Cost of living than RI, but neither are in the top 5.
Whenever I go down to FL I am surprised about how the cost of groceries and gas, every-day living expenses are actually quite similar to up here. The only thing far worse in Rhode Island are housing costs, and property/vehicle taxes.
But the government there often says it will not raise taxes, and then hides it by appropriating fees elsewhere. I renewed my driver's license yesterday (only took an hour by the way, used to be way worse...that new facility in Cranston has greatly improved things already) and was surprised to find out it was twice as expensive to do so down in Dade City, FL.
It's a mixed bag, and I'll agree that value is often int he eye of the beholder - I feel I get enough bang for my buck here in terms of other offerings besides housing.
Let's put it this way: I'd much rather live in a 1600 sq. foot place here, than a 2500 sq. ft. place there. That's what it really boils down to.
I just find often times huge blanket warnings are laid out on this board often based on subjective perceptions more than objective facts.
By the way it's good to see you posting again, German Spy.
Quality of life is completely subjective. I will not have the same quality of life in a southern state or a western state. I know this for a fact even having never lived there. I would not have the same quality of life living in a city in MA (I refuse to live in a suburb), because they don't compare to Providence. The only place nearby that might compare is New Haven, but prices are MUCH higher there.
Uuummm....except as already pointed out you would, on average, be making far more here as far as the median household income. We're ranked in the top 15 or 20. How many times does this have to be repeated?
If I took the same job I have here and transitioned to Tampa, FL; I would be making far less $$$$.
It must be difficult to retain these facts but please try so we don't have to keep re-arguing the same debates every five days or so.
Uuuuuuuummmmm....except...this is a gross over generalization and not necessarily accurate. At all.
We moved to upstate, western NY. We're buying a 3500 sq ft home with 3 acres. Our property taxes are just over 2k. There is not an additional fire tax. Nor additional car tax.
COL is MUCH less expensive here.
And my husband is making $1/hr less than he made in RI.
Housing prices here will be much lower than Canada- also not every town has fire tax. Today, you can find a decent house in a decent community in RI in the 200K range- this is very reasonable compared to anywhere in the country.
More desirable areas in RI cost more obviously. If you don't have kids, it's an added plus since you don't need to worry about the school district.
Affordable is subjective. 200k is NOT affordable in my opinion. Our RI home has a monthly PITI of 2100k. The house was purchased for just over 250k.
Our new house here in NY will have a PITI of around $850. Now THAT'S reasonable.
Moreover, the houses in RI in the 200k range aren't generally in areas we were interested in living in.
Rnr is correct, Rhode Island is listed between 15 and 20th in median income. But he fails to state how high the expenses are in this state, nullifying that position as a positive.
It's very difficult to visit a different state, investigate property taxes in that peculiar state, and see how expensive property taxes are in Rhode Island, can't help but feel ripped off.
Why is it everyone compares RI to "down there" meaning Florida. There are other states that are beautiful, clean, fairly taxed, safe, (with weather you either like or dislike), out there to investigate.
If you enjoy RI, by all means, stay. Just don't battle everyone who disagrees with you.
I hear women who are abused by there husbands, think it's actually normal to be abused. They think that's what married life is like for everyone.
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