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You know, when I first moved to New England, I was in Portland, ME. I lived on Munjoy hill, just north of downtown Portland. I just loved it. It was quiet, yet quaint. There was stuff going on, I could walk to the ocean. It had a chill vibe. It was also much more affordable than here in MA.
When I got the job in MA, I thought there would be more similarities between ME and MA than between Nebraska and ME....but really ME was more like Nebraska than it's like MA.
I'm hoping that maybe RI would be more like ME than MA.
Somerville is actually very nice, you have Davis Square, with Cambridge and Boston nearby. Truthfully, Comparing Somerville, or better yet, the Boston metro area with the Providence metro area is like comparing a brand new sparkling S-class Mercedes with a beat up, dented old rusty 1981 Ford Pinto. Yes, Boston is very expensive, in many ways, but its expensive for very good reason, you get what you pay for.
So now you're all for taxes and stuff? haha Cuz in Tex-ass you'll get what you pay for too.
Comparing Rhode Island to MA is like comparing two great places that have different attributes to attract different types of folks. I love MA, but Rhode Island is where I prefer to live. My Mother in Law from Mass is always saying the people down here are way more polite too.
Ya just never know how people are going to perceive things.
My Mother in Law from Mass is always saying the people down here are way more polite too.
Ya just never know how people are going to perceive things.
Polite goes a LONG way in my book. People often say midwesterns are polite, but shallow (they'll treat you kindly like a friend but it's just simple politeness). I'd prefer polite over the constant, consistent bad-a$$ attitude. I've tried to find it endearing, ...but it gets old.
Maybe I should find a place to rent in Warren or Bristol and see how it goes.
Truthfully, Comparing Somerville, or better yet, the Boston metro area with the Providence metro area is like comparing a brand new sparkling S-class Mercedes with a beat up, dented old rusty 1981 Ford Pinto. Yes, Boston is very expensive, in many ways, but its expensive for very good reason, you get what you pay for.
You can't possibly compare the overall infrastructure of Ma. with RI, Oh..."you get what you pay for" is the key idea here, the infrastructure in RI is a disaster and we pay like it isn't. What use to be called "Taxachussets" has come a long way in the eyes of the rest of the Country.
Whoever thinks Somerville is an s class Mercedes has never been there. Renting in MA is no better than renting in RI- you pay for what you get. Ma is just as loaded with out of date places, many rented to students for decades because of the colleges- as is RI. You want to rent an up to date condo with a new kitchen? You'll pay in both places.
To try out a location of course, renting first is a good idea. You will have rental competition in both Bristol and Warren from RWU students and some military who commute to the Newport Naval base.
Generally speaking RI'ers are friendlier and more courteous than people in MA, and less reserved than Mainers. RI has more people of southern European descent, tourism, and an ocean vibe, but also comes with issues. Mainers are probably less neurotic due to the lack of population and more open space, maybe even earthy as I've heard Nebraskan's described.
I have been reading through some posts here (Ro-Dialin's post for example) and am feeling a little scared of moving that way now. The poor performance of the schools scares me. I don't have kids, probably won't have kids, but education is important to me and good schools are so important. When I mentioned the thought of moving to RI to my landlord today (Somerville native), first thing he said was that it was a corrupt state. But a nice place.
I'm just wondering how this "corrupt" state status will affect me as a homeowner there and someone looking for a nice community to live in.
I also noticed MA schools are on top in the nation! I had no idea...I work in higher ed (public) and would've never guessed that! Hahaha
The corruption will affect you in every way; from roads to housing to shopping to taxes, to food, to the high stress level of RI'ers.
Read the Providence Journal, thoroughly. www.projo.com Sign up so you can read the "comments" on various subjects. There is an article on the motor vehicle taxes in the paper online this morning; that should give you a hint at what goes on in the state of corruption and high taxes. Yes, every state has its problems, RI is one of the highest on every list though. It's all about doing your homework. Southeastern Mass. would be my choice, if you want beaches and more "country feel". Somerset, Swansea, Westport, Dartmouth, South Dartmouth etc.. Almost any state is a better choice after you learn about RI.
By the way, for you Rhody-bashers moving to South Carolina: Just read their Unemployment rate is only .2% lower than ours.
Why don't we ever hear about that from the people espousing it as such a wonderful destination?
At least they like frying up innocents down there in "the chair." Yee-haw!
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