[arel]

If I move to Brattleboro, I'll be within commuting distance of Massachustetts, New Hampshire (30 mnutes to Keene), and New York State (around the Bennington area).

Does anyone have information about salary comparisons among the four states of VT, MA, NH and NY? I know that if I would have to pay income tax to two states unless I worked in Vermont or New Hampshire, but it might be worth it if the salaries are substantially better. I don't think I'd want to commute an hour to New York, but it might be worth it for the money.

Also, there is a VA hospital in White River Junction, about an hour from Brattleboro. Does anyone know if federal salaries are standardized, or if federal salaries in Vermont are lower to fit in with lower Vermont salaries overall?

I'd really rather not spend too much time commuting, if possible. I love the scenery on I-91, and pretty commutes can be relaxing, but I do have a diabetic cat I worry about. I like to check on him in the middle of the day, when his insulin is at peak and his blood sugar is lowest. He seems to be doing well now, so he should be with us for many years. But there will be times when he is not doing well, and I will want to be with him mid-day.

Thanks.

[vter]

Don't really know the answers, but a comment. You will not want to commute to NY state from the Brattleboro area. Route 9 is a very mountainous road and is slow going and can be treacherous in the winter.

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Arel, from my experience the NH salaries are pitiful, as I've posted before. They are way below Arkansas, which is hardly a cutting edge state salary-wise. From what I hear, VT pays are similar to NH.
I've worked the various salary comparators online and found them to be interesting exercises in theory but IMO not reality-based or oriented.
When working in NH I was told Mass. salaries are at least 10 grand higher than NH pay. They would have to be, just to stay in the poorhouse given the taxachusetts nature of the Peoples Democratic Republic.
I was offered a job somewhere in CT, they said they'd help with licensing and moving expenses, and the pay there was good but I wasn't into a two+ hour commute (?) or a geographic bachelor situation.
VA salaries are very good. I knew a gal who graduated several years after I did and ended up in a temp supervisor position @ about 67 grand only a few years after graduation, perhaps about year 2000. She was young and cute and perky and I'm suspicious that that may have helped her rapid climb.
I'm not sure if VA pay gets a regional adjustment vis-a-vis COLA or similar, I doubt it.
VA is an entirely separate entity from the military, which does make COLA housing pay allowance adjustments.

I would say the VA or Dartmouth-Hitchcock, or working south of the border in MA, are your best bets in making any sort of decent bucks.
Or write a book and make the talking heads circuit.

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Originally Posted by vter

Don't really know the answers, but a comment. You will not want to commute to NY state from the Brattleboro area. Route 9 is a very mountainous road and is slow going and can be treacherous in the winter.

And in summer you get to follow motor homes and tourists for miles. Looking at a 2-hour commute?

[flu189]

Economic and labor data is maintained both by the feds, states, and also many local geographic subdivisions such as cities and counties. Google or use any other favorite search engine to look up the sources of this data. There is a gold mine of info out there.

[68vette]

The drive from Brattleboro is 1 hr to both the VA in White River and about ten min further to Dartmouth. The only thing you need to worry about is the winter weather with that type of drive. The commute will be about a half hour or more longer with bad weather. The worst thing to deal with belive it or not isn't the snow but rain in the winter. The roads tourn to ice as does your windshield. Pay wise Dartmouth will offer the better salary, but you may be better off going to Springfield Mass. It's only 45 min south of Brattleboro and the pay may be better. also the weather will be better in the winter for driving.

[arel]

Thanks for the heads-up about icy roads. I can handle snow but not ice.

If I end up working in White River Junction or Hanover I will have to make arrangements to spend the night there in the event of ice. And I will have to hire a vet tech to give Sammy his insulin. No way will I drive on an icy interstate unless the government salts it or something. And even then, maybe not.

I will research the VA, Dartmouth and Springfield. Thanks.

What about the Northampton area? Smith College School of Social Work is there, so there are probably social workers coming out of the woodwork. There are a lot of agencies around Amherst. But I wonder what the pay is.

What about the branch of Dartmouth Hitchcock in Keene? I'd much rather drive to Keene than to Springfield. Well, maybe. I posted on another thread about my concerns about that road between Brattleboro and Keene, which has lakes coming up practically to the side of the road. I would not want to hit an icy patch and go skidding into a lake. I would hope the lake would be frozen solid, so I could back up, or turn around, and get back on the road.

[arel]

Thanks for the heads-up about icy roads. I can handle snow but not ice.

If I end up working in White River Junction or Hanover I will have to make arrangements to spend the night there in the event of ice. And I will have to hire a vet tech to give Sammy his insulin. No way will I drive on an icy interstate unless the government salts it or something. And even then, maybe not.

I will research the VA, Dartmouth and Springfield. I will also look into hospitals and community agencies elsewhere on the I-91 corridor of Massachusetts. Thanks.

What about the branch of Dartmouth Hitchcock in Keene? I'd much rather drive to Keene than to Springfield. Well, maybe. I posted on another thread about that road between Brattleboro and Keene, which has lakes coming up practically to the pavement. I would not want to hit an icy patch and go skidding into a lake. I would hope the lake would be frozen solid, so I could back up, or turn around, and get back on the road.

Of course, the ideal in Brattleboro would be to work at the Retreat. But I don't know how stable the jobs are there. I have heard there are frequent job cuts. I did meet with someone there long time ago, and I contacted them again about a year ago. I understand they have restaffed a lot of administrative positions recently. I've also heard that they pay well. Generally, hospitals pay much better than community agencies.

I've also heard that working at the Retreat is like a rite of passage for therapists who move into the area.

If I drive an hour south in I-91, I would be in Connecticut. Anyone know about northern Connecticut?

[flu189]

The NHDOT and VTrans maintains the state highways and the Interstate well. Actually many times they over salt the roads which causes a slushy brine which is worse than just plain snow. This concern of landing into lakes off the highway is something that I cannot recall hearing about. The majority of areas with curves, inclines, bodies of water have guardrails. Slow down and keep your car in good working order and you will be fine. I personally fear the other drivers who cross the centerline on an undivided highway, hence the term of defensive driving becomes relevant. In the event of a major storm most people just stay put and actually last winter here in the Chittenden County area many employers let people stay home or leave early during a snowfall which in my opinion was not that serious.

[68vette]

I drive between 35-45,000 miles every year for the past 10 years and most of that is on Vt roads and Highways. The majority of the roads are fine during the winter, but there are many areas where the interstate is poorly maintained. Much of this isn't the states fault, but due to the fact that there are large elevation changes and not being able to keep up with salting and plowing. I find that the best roads are in areas where they deal with alot of snow. They are used to dealing with large amounts of snow. I don't want you to think that you can't get places, but you have to drive much slower, sometimes 25-35 miles per hr on the interstate. I also want to say that this only happens when we have a storm. The majority of the snow falls in the mountains and at higher elevations. My home in Brookfield could have 4-6 feet of snow on the ground and you come to Burlington or southern Vt and there would only be 1 foot. As flu189 stated you need to be defensive not only on the back roads but on the interstate. Many cars and trucks drive as if there wasn't a flake of snow on the ground.