moving to Virginia

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by working hard

Thanks everyone!! I am coming from Rochester Ny. I am use to shorter commute times but accepting the fact that commutes are probably much further in Virginia. I am also wondering about diversity. As I said before I have a young daughter, we are African American and I am concerned with us moving to a new city and most of her day being spent in school.

If diversity is a concern, I suggest concentrating your job search efforts on the Richmond area and the Hampton Roads area. They are most likely to have a demographic mix which is comfortable for an African American professional. Northern Virginia is also possible, but the cost of living will make life more difficult. The Shenandoah Valley cities have a larger white majority for historic reasons.

Some cities like Hampton and Richmond have a plurality of black people, others have substantial minorities of blacks. (You can the check the demographics, income levels and cost of housing in the City-Data detailed profiles.) I think that in both Richmond and Hampton Roads you will find good working relationships between people of different races.

TN-Lily has described the commuting "challenges" in Hampton Roads very well. I think it is best to live in the same city where the work location is.

[TN Lily]

Here's the link to employment opportunities on the website of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Judicial Branch Recruitment Register (Employment Opportunities)

GoldenAge is correct about diversity in Hampton Roads area. As long as you can live very close to where you work, the traffic would be bearable on most days. But the better schools are in in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & York County. My child attends high school in Newport News and I would give it a C- at best. It is not a good school system.

My recommendation would be to look in Richmond.
Good luck!!!

[violamr]

TN-Lily has described the commuting "challenges" in Hampton Roads very well. I think it is best to live in the same city where the work location is.[/quote]

I can attest to the traffic in the Hampton Roads area. I was there over the weekend (June 19-21). I stayed with friends in the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake . . . We went to a mall in Norfolk on Military Highway. We must have crossed 3 bridges. On top of that, travel in the area is a 95% highway to get from one point to another.

I was also considering moving to the HR area in 2016. Not a chance, unless my job is either in Hampton or Norfolk. And, public transportation is conducive for my son to get to and from Tidewater Community College . . . I will have to look elsewhere for relocation. I drive but, I don't want to be caught in that crap! Philly traffic is bad enough! OMG! I don't want to spend the second half of my life sitting in traffic!

Yes, NoVA is quite expensive. I work for the federal government, I have two Master's so, I can pretty much transfer anywhere. I was looking at Maryland, I don't know which is more expensive, Maryland or NoVA! My paycheck will go 90% toward housing!

So, piggybacking off or your post, I'm also in a stupor on deciding where to live. I hate city life, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. I would love to live in VA or MD, but I can't find anyplace to fit my criteria:
1) Reliable public transportation to work
2) Reliable public transportation for my son - Tidewater Community College (VA)
PG Community College (MD)
Montgomery Community College (MD)
3) I could do a park n ride - but, what about my son?
4) Suburban life (MD or VA) - no city or rural - renting house or apartment minimum (1,300 to 1,900)

[TN Lily]

Violamr, have you considered Charlottesville and Piedmont Virginia Community College:
Piedmont Virginia Community College | Opportunity. Access. Excellence
Here is the map of the bus route that serves PVCC:
Charlottesville : Route 1

Public transportation in Newport News is a joke. From comments on the Hampton Roads subforum, I think that is true for all of Hampton Roads. You need a car in Hampton Roads.

[Blackjava]

Virginia is a great place to live, just make sure you don't go more than 80 mph or 20 mph above the speed limit. You'll be surprised if you find out the penalty for that. Other than that, I love Virginia.

[mzjanice12]

I think Northern Virginia is comparable to Rochester. The area is known as "DMV" (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia). Many northern VA residents commute into DC and Maryland /vice versa for work. Metro (subway) stations and buses are located through the area. The Silver Line has expanded out to Reston, VA and many residents have adopted to using subway to commute into DC.

There are a number of professions that you can entered into with Criminal Justice Degree. I would seek out opportunities with Federal government (ie DHS, ICE, DEA), CIA, FBI, etc. It can be difficult and frustrating to navigate through completing federal applications. I would also look into local and state governments for employment opportunities if working in courts is of interest.

Fairfax and Loudoun County schools are the best in the state. The area is very diverse in workplace, neighborhoods and schools. There are a number of malls and various outlets for shopping, festivals, and other activities in close vicinity in Maryland or DC.

[LynchburgLover]

Originally Posted by mzjanice12

I think Northern Virginia is comparable to Rochester. The area is known as "DMV" (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia). Many northern VA residents commute into DC and Maryland /vice versa for work. Metro (subway) stations and buses are located through the area. The Silver Line has expanded out to Reston, VA and many residents have adopted to using subway to commute into DC.

There are a number of professions that you can entered into with Criminal Justice Degree. I would seek out opportunities with Federal government (ie DHS, ICE, DEA), CIA, FBI, etc. It can be difficult and frustrating to navigate through completing federal applications. I would also look into local and state governments for employment opportunities if working in courts is of interest.

Fairfax and Loudoun County schools are the best in the state. The area is very diverse in workplace, neighborhoods and schools. There are a number of malls and various outlets for shopping, festivals, and other activities in close vicinity in Maryland or DC.

I really don't know anything about Rochester. In what ways do you think it compares to NoVa or the DMV area?

[Watchful]

Originally Posted by mzjanice12

I think Northern Virginia is comparable to Rochester.

I obviously don't know much about Rochester, but I would think the experience of living in the two would be radically different. Just my guess.

Rochester - metro area of about a million. Three largest employers are U. of Rochester, Wegmans, and Rochester General Health System.

Northern Virginia - part of a metro area of nearly 6 million, the 7th largest in the country, and one that is hard to compare to anywhere else in the country IMHO. In addition to a large number of federal employees, the area is home to 17 Fortune 500 companies, six of which are in the "defense" industry.