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I absolutely love Vermont, but I wouldn't consider it resplendently cultural (museums, art venues, etc). And definitely not strong art communities. Shattered art shoppes, and centres but no real central hub or hub(s).
And the reason I left VT was its high cost of living.
Ok I am originally from Oklahoma...I just moved back here to save money. I have been living the last year in Colorado. Colorado is VERY expensive but managable if you look and take your time.
Everyone says the high cost of living. Let's break this down for us people who want to know specifially what you mean by HIGH cost of living. Heat...well propane prices are the same everywhere pretty much. If you plan accordingly you should be ok. Here in Oklahoma...people aren't paid nearly an average of what people are paid in VT. How do they pay for it?? Many ways, planning, some get help if they qualify, or budget billing you pay one price every month...etc etc. Oil, we don't use a lot here but I do know it's expensive as well. Why don't people have all electric if it's too much for oil or propane? No one ever talks about what they spend on food. Here a gallon of milk is about $3.50...plus or minus. In Colorado it's $4.00 or a little more...depending on where you shop. Again you can save money in this area too. Electricity, how much does that usually run? I want to rent at first, rent is pretty much the same as the nicer places here in Oklahoma and pretty much the same as Colorado. Wages, I have looked at wages and I don't see what is "low" can you please explain to me what you mean by this. I have looked at many job sites or ads for jobs and it seems like there are abundant jobs or at least jobs I could do until I am finished with my degree. From what I see as averages...etc etc....Oklahoma has LOW LOW wages. Gas prices in Colorado were more than they are here but it is just something we just have to deal with this day and age. My point is I feel if you plan accordingly that anywhere you live (within reason) can happen.
I want a safe place to raise my family. I go to school for Architecture and Interior Design....some place closer to NY, Montreal...etc etc is obviously appealing to me so I can tap into the business markets...but I don't like big city living...I live out in the country now and Tulsa is about 35 minutes from me. I am used to having to drive to work so if I lived in a smaller town and commuted say to Burlington area it in no way bothers me...my last job in Tulsa was 61 miles one way and I won't even tell you the "LOW" wage I was making...lol. My boyfriend is from Italy and wants to teach in the US. He is coming here the end of Feb. In Oklahoma he can come in with the degree he has now and teach under a certain way, which is good...so, by the time we plan to move to VT he should have met all the requirements...(we are hoping) We want a simple life...eventually build a nice home, with lots of snow and a place to raise a family. We are looking for long term. Something that when we vacation at his home in Italy we can come back to "HOME"
I know I have ask a lot of questions but I am wanting to make the best decision for us and not jump into anything. We plan on visiting sometime in the Spring I believe and then again in the summer when the kids are out of school.
So, if you don't mind being more specific on what the whole "HIGH" cost of living means....versus pay and other things....
I am artistic, he plays music and sings and records...culture, museums, etc etc don't concern us, we can always visit the "CITY" when we want to. Simple home family life like it sounds some of you enjoy very much.
I have lived all over the U.S., and am now in Vermont. I am considering leaving vermont as well. I am 29, married and have three children. There are not a lot of opportunities here to purchase homes at true starter/fixer/upper prices. My first home in Oklahoma cost $32,000, this was a great place to start. In Vermont starter homes begin at around $100,000. So yes economics is a part of it, but for me the bigger issue is the weather. If you enjoy snow and cold temps. for seven months out of the year come to Vermont, The scenery here is fantastic, and you can lead a more rural, less materialistic way of life. When I moved here I felt as though I had gone through a time warp(back 20 years).
When did you buy your home in Oklahoma for $32,000?? Because I know if you paid that now it would almost be impossible to live in until you fixed it unless you got a good deal on something foreclosed. Oklahoma's wages are awful....Drive 61 miles for $9.00. WOW...what a waste if you ask me. Even with degrees or experience(which I have a lot in certain fields) you get paid nothing. I am interested in cost of food, school lunches, school supplies etc etc versus everything else. Not sure where you lived in Oklahoma but things are growing rapidly taxes keep rising because they are building new things...etc etc...and housing is going through the roof. Unless you want a double-wide on some land, which I am not knocking by no means but those are the more affordable things that you might be talking about...Not houses...just curious...
I love Oklahoma don't get me wrong but it's not an easy place to live either...it's hard to make a living here...
Hi...what do you teach? do you know who, what or where I might find teaching credentials needed to teach in VT. Specifically someone with a degree Linguistic Mediation from another country(he wants to Teach Italian and Spanish here(US)). More specifically...what are the requirements for public vs. private or university. If you might know or might be able to point me in the right direction. Also, if there are some schools that I wouldn't want my kids at that you might know...We are looking to move eventually to the Burlington...to HydePark areas...somewhere in between there....Thank you....Michelle
I'm actually moving back to the town next to Hyde Park in 3 weeks. The closer you go toward Burlington, the more expensive you will find that everything is. The housing prices have risen quite a bit in just the last 4 years, when I moved away. Now we have sold our house in MA, and are going to rent for a few months up there while we scope things out, and most likely build. My husband is fortunate to have a well-paying job, so we will be ok, I think. I taught 2nd grade in VT and MA, and the requirements for certification are different even between these two states. The first thing I would do if I were you would be to go on the Vermont Department of Education website and look into the requirements- see if you have already met some of them (the Praxis, etc..). You can send a message to someone in the department through that site. They are really good at getting back to you with helpful information, from my experience. If you had to take some tests, you could probably do them now where you are, and be that much more prepared for your move. I had let my certification lapse, and now I need to look into renewing it (hopefully!). I'm staying home with my baby, and am not planning on using it, but want to have it ready in case.
How expensive is Vermont? I have lived in NYC my entire life, and I don't think the cost of living in Vermont is much cheaper than New York, which says A LOT.
[quote=myItalianlovesSnow;2167961]Ok I am originally from Oklahoma...I just moved back here to save money. I have been living the last year in Colorado. Colorado is VERY expensive but managable if you look and take your time.
Everyone says the high cost of living. Let's break this down for us people who want to know specifially what you mean by HIGH cost of living. Heat...well propane prices are the same everywhere pretty much. If you plan accordingly you should be ok. Here in Oklahoma...people aren't paid nearly an average of what people are paid in VT. How do they pay for it?? Many ways, planning, some get help if they qualify, or budget billing you pay one price every month...etc etc. Oil, we don't use a lot here but I do know it's expensive as well.
I don't know if Propane prices are the same everywhere or not. I would imagine the local prices depend on supply and demand in the area. I think you are not considering how much colder it gets in Vermont and how much longer the Winter lasts. Even if prices were the same, we still use a lot more than someone in Oklahoma. The type of heat you use depends on what your house is set up for. Housing is very expensive in Vermont. Most people don't have the luxury of choosing a house because of the type of heating system it has. Our house uses heating oil, so that's what we're stuck with. We will probably end up paying at least $2,500 for heating oil this year.
Why don't people have all electric if it's too much for oil or propane? Electricity, how much does that usually run?
Electricity rates are very high here. In 2006 Vermont rates were ranked 11th highest in the nation. Compare that to Oklahoma ranked 29th. I doubt very many people in Vermont use electricity to heat their homes unless they don't have another option.
I know I have ask a lot of questions but I am wanting to make the best decision for us and not jump into anything. We plan on visiting sometime in the Spring I believe and then again in the summer when the kids are out of school.
The best time to visit is in December or January. Then you will see what you're getting yourself into with Vermont winters. They are not for everyone.
So, if you don't mind being more specific on what the whole "HIGH" cost of living means....versus pay and other things....
Housing is very expensive. We live in a 30 year old, 1200 sf ranch, 25 minutes north of Burlington with about a 1/2 acre lot and our house is probably worth about $220,000. If you were to move to Tennesse, for example, you could buy a 2700 sf home, band new and in a very nice develpment for that price. You also have to consider property taxes here. I pay just under $3,000/yr for this dinky little house. Vermont was ranked FOURTH in the nation in 2006 for the highest property taxes in the nation. FOURTH out of fifty states! (Oklahoma was 31) Then to add insult to injury Vermont has an income tax.
So in a nutshell, the reason the cost of living is so high here is because you have to give away so much of your income to taxes and utilities. And you don't get very much for your money when you buy a house. Then there is all the smaller expenses that add up like snow boots, snow pants and winter coats for the kids, not to mention the hats and gloves that they constantly lose at school. If you live somewhere else where the cost of living is reasonable and housing costs are under control (like Tennessee) than you don't have to struggle just to make ends meet.
As stated, the younger crowed leave after school to get better paying jobs. However, many return when they start a family to get the quality of life they didn't find elsewhere. Other students that come to Vermont to attend university stay because of this quality of life. I moved here from a large urban area at the age of 30; I'm 50 and I still love it here.
They are pros and cons in liveing anywhere, it all depends on your priorities.
I would move to Vermont as soon as I could pack if my husband found a job there, and if we could be sure that our son with special needs would get the services he needs. But it would have to be the Burlington area because of the proximity to Montreal, and to other cultural attractions, and to a community that has something of the city about it. Also there are personal reasons, such as that my sister lives there and is chronically ill, so it would be convenient to assisting her, and so on. Really, the reasons that people live anywhere are myriad, often highly personal or specific, and cannot be reduced to just three or four things. As to the expense of Vermont, I guess I feel that, in a few words, it's worth it. To those who think that the property taxes are too high, I have two things to say: 1, live in New York City for a while and then almost anywhere else seems cheaper, and 2, sure, Tennessee is cheaper but it's not Vermont. If you feel connected to a place, if you love it, if you have relatives and friends there, that will outweigh how expensive a place is to live unless it is out of your price range altogether or absolutely exorbitant. There are some areas that are exorbitant so my husband and I will not be moving there (for example the Woodstock area, parts of the area around Burlington such as Shelburne and Charlotte) but even there there are some good buys. I think the schools in many cases could be better, but when I compare the house prices to what is available in Westchester county, Connecticut, much of Massachusetts, it's considerably cheaper. For what we can sell our apartment in Brooklyn, New York, we can buy a house (and probably a little land) in Vermont and the taxes would be less than our yearly maintenance bill. The problems are making a living and making sure our son gets a quality education. And we pay a tax just for living in New York City.
Sally, while it is true that housing and many taxes in several of the other northeastern states and locales is higher do keep focused not to arrive here and over extend yourself. It is very tempting to sell eleswhere and pocket a nice profit, but we found it amazing on how fast expenses over time will require you to chip away at that nest egg. Good luck with your relocation plans.
How expensive is Vermont? I have lived in NYC my entire life, and I don't think the cost of living in Vermont is much cheaper than New York, which says A LOT.
I lived on Long Island, NY most of my life, except for a year in PA and a year in England and my college years upstate in NY.
I agree, Vermont is not much cheaper than downstate NY. I am lucky, though to be near NH which IS cheaper in some respects. How it is smack dab in the middle of the state, I can't say.
"but we found it amazing on how fast expenses over time will require you to chip away at that nest egg. Good luck with your relocation plans."
Very true, as I told another poster asking for info.
However, the car insurance is CHEAPER than in my old part of NY...amazing...!
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We want a simple life...eventually build a nice home, with lots of snow and a place to raise a family. We are looking for long term. Something that when we vacation at his home in Italy we can come back to "HOME" 
