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I spent my formative years in East Providence in the 1950's when Ringling Brothers actually had their elephants set up the Circus in from of our house (which is now an industrial complex.) So I have great memories about it. Lived in San Diego, Manhattan, NC and now searching and thinking about coming home. Don't know where you live Ritarff, but it sounds pretty much like everywhere else now. But it does sound like your area is particularly bad.
so we have one poster saying that the cost of living is dirt cheap, then another is saying how expensive it is..so which is it! i feel like you can always fine an affordable place to live if you look hard enough. be it rhode island, california, NYC, wherever. im tired of people saying "dont move there, you'll never be able to afford it".
My area is great! I live in Exeter. My community is relatively affluent compared to many other areas of the state. Most of of my down and out friends and relatives live in Warwick, Coventry, and Providence, West Warwick. I have several friends who got laid off from good jobs as a result of their companies' downsizing. Some of them are still unemployed, a few are underemployed or working a few part-time jobs to stay afloat. I have friends that lost businesses due to the sluggish economy. I have other friends whose formerly thriving businesses are struggling to make a profit. I don't understand how anyone can characterize the cost of living in RI as "dirt cheap". I must be missing something! I find it very expensive to live here. A quick search of the highest cost of living states in the U.S. - RI universally ranks in the top 10 most expensive places to live. Couple that with the high unemployment, and you have a situation that is rather discouraging. I still maintain that RI is fabulous for those who have money. Those who have thriving careers are very fortunate indeed.
I never said "don't move there, you'll never be able to afford it", but I did say that RI is a great place to live for those who have money.
The people that I know that don't have money and/or jobs are not doing so well. But my experience may just be anecdotal to my own personal circle of friends. I love RI and am proud to be a RI'er, but events in recent years have turned me rather jaded about certain aspects of life in this state.
What I mean living in providence being dirt cheap is compared to other urban centers. You can purchase a nice home, live within walking distance to downtown, and all classic city-centric amenities for a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere. I lived in Chicago, have many friends in Boston, NYC, San Diego, and Portland and providence is easily the most affordable.
My comments are based solely on urban center living.
Well, that might be true, but I don't know if Providence can or should be compared to Chicago, Boston, NYC, San Diego, and Portland. Providence is pretty nice, but, in my opinion, those cities are in a different league.
Good point- Providence should be compared to other mid sized cities. But comparisons are all subjective anyway since there are no equal peers in terms of all criteria. Questions of climate are always big for example. The OP's question is what keeps "you" here.
I hear you on the city-to-city comparisons but that gets much more subjective. i would pit Providence against them personally in many areas (cuisine, arts scene, neighborhoods) but completely agree that some of the classic large cities in the country are another thing and getting into all that other stuff gets too subjective.
My larger point was cost of living for an urban environment, particularly for an urban environment in New England. Given that criteria, along with comparisons of other urban settings in the US, Providence is very affordable.
Well, that might be true, but I don't know if Providence can or should be compared to Chicago, Boston, NYC, San Diego, and Portland. Providence is pretty nice, but, in my opinion, those cities are in a different league.
Yeah, I like Providence way better! (Except for Portland....never been. But ironically that is the one city you named that is similar in size.)
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