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OP: Please, check with www.ncesc.com The NC Employment Security Commission and do a search by the county that you are interested in. When it calls for "type of job", just go with "all", don't narrow it down. That way you will get a very good idea of wages and opportunities in that particular county. You can also go to the www.citizens-times.com classifieds section which has a career finder link.
Wages here may be your first culture shock. Seriously. NY to Lenoir are two extremes.
Why did you choose that area? Why not get closer to a large city. May I suggest Greenville SC? that is where all the growth is, low cost of living and higher paying jobs. Just the opposite from Lenoir etc. BMW, Boeing, Michelin, etc. are in or nearby Greenville. Much "younger" area, and plenty of things to do.
My brother lives 30 mins from Greenville and I have considered it, but there is no way I would let my son take 1 step into a school in SC. Education there is a joke (compared to NY). Lenoir appeared to be very similar to the area I live in now minus the underground Toxic Plume and Lenoir/Hickory is only 1 area I'm looking at. I'm also looking into Lexington NC (which will put me near a bigger city) and a couple other places, but I'm really looking hard at the Blue ridge mountain areas in western NC and Eastern TN. I've been to Asheville before and would love to move there, but the cost of living there is just too high.
@ Quilterchick I know when ppl think NY they think 2k/mo rent etc. Lemme throw out a few specific numbers so you know where I'm comin from. I live in endicott ny, if you go and do the cost of living comparison you can see that the cost of living where I'm from is not much more than it is there. Right now I make $10/hr. My last apt was very small (didn't even have a hallway...lol) 2 bdrm 1 ba. and the rent was $550/mo. the problem w/ upstate NY is all the other costs. My avg electric bill was around $150/mo. slightly less in summer/more in winter, cable is about $90/mo (no hbo, cinemax etc.) Gas prices are 20 cents a gallon higher than the national average (last time I filled up was $3.30/gal), Car insurance is about $90/mo for full coverage, cigarettes are $10/pack in NY (I'm 15 mins from the PA border so I pay $7/pack) and healthcare costs are through the roof. I may be wrong, but from what I have seen in my research apartments are comparable maybe slightly cheaper in Lenoir, utilites are cheaper, I know cigs are ALOT cheaper...lol, gas is cheaper, health care is much cheaper, not sure about cable and car ins. and according to the cost of living calculator food is slightly more there. So I figure If I can find a job that'll pay me about the same as I make right now (according to my research there's at least 5 alarm companies in the Lenoir/Hickory area) I can move down there and be much better off financially not to mention emotionally due to nicer weather (I get the winter Blues BAD!!!).
@ Quilterchick I know when ppl think NY they think 2k/mo rent etc. Lemme throw out a few specific numbers so you know where I'm comin from. I live in endicott ny, if you go * and do the cost of living comparison you can see that the cost of living where I'm from is not much more than it is there. Right now I make $10/hr. My last apt was very small (didn't even have a hallway...lol) 2 bdrm 1 ba. and the rent was $550/mo. IF you can find an apt. near Lenoir, you are looking at more than that. the problem w/ upstate NY is all the other costs. My avg electric bill was around $150/mo. Will be about the same here including a/c, heat etc. slightly less in summer/more in winter, cable is about $90/mo $130 here for phone/cable/internet pkg., no movie channels (no hbo, cinemax etc.) Gas prices are 20 cents a gallon higher than the national average (last time I filled up was $3.30/gal), Gas here is running $3.09/gal. Car insurance is about $90/mo for full coverage, Full coverage on a 2006 car (avg.) will run you the same $ or more; cigarettes are $10/pack in NY (I'm 15 mins from the PA border so I pay $7/pack) quit smoking and healthcare costs are through the roof. I may be wrong, but from what I have seen in my research apartments are comparable maybe slightly cheaper in Lenoir, utilites are cheaper, I know cigs are ALOT cheaper...lol, gas is cheaper, health care is much cheaper, not sure about cable and car ins. and according to the cost of living calculator* food is slightly more there. So I figure If I can find a job that'll pay me about the same as I make right now (according to my research there's at least 5 alarm companies in the Lenoir/Hickory area) I can move down there and be much better off If you relocate anywhere without a job, you need a minimum of one year's expenses in the bank. Going anywhere w/o a job is financial suicide. financially not to mention emotionally due to nicer weather (I get the winter Blues BAD!!!).
I've highlighted your incorrect information and replied in red above. First of all, "BestPlaces", "Sperling" and those COLiving calculators do not have reliable information; do not take it for gospel. Food etc. is the same in most parts of the country btw. The fact that cigarettes are "cheap" here is a foolish comparison. Why should you be concerned with health costs if you are a smoker? Get the patch and you will save thousands per year.
If you have done all the research, then the locals cannot help you. If you think you have the winter blues now, you will need serious meds if you don't have economic stability here. Realistically, you may need to be in an area closer to the coast for better weather and more sun. Do you really want to be in snow here? I doubt it. We are all on here to be honest and simply attempt to help.
Last edited by Yac; 11-17-2020 at 12:57 AM..
Reason: spelling
My brother lives 30 mins from Greenville and I have considered it, but there is no way I would let my son take 1 step into a school in SC. Education there is a joke (compared to NY). Lenoir appeared to be very similar to the area I live in now minus the underground Toxic Plume and Lenoir/Hickory is only 1 area I'm looking at. I'm also looking into Lexington NC (which will put me near a bigger city) and a couple other places, but I'm really looking hard at the Blue ridge mountain areas in western NC and Eastern TN. I've been to Asheville before and would love to move there, but the cost of living there is just too high.
Johnny, is your assessment of the SC public school system based on first hand observations or second hand information from your brother or the "internet"?
I live very close to downtown Greenville. It's quite a progressive area (well for SC) with numerous multinational corporations with residents from a number of foreign countries (lots of Germans and French here - with BMW and Michelin North American headquarters here). Please note that the Upstate of SC has 1.3 million residents and is the largest metro area between Atlanta and Charlotte (much, MUCH larger than the Hickory/Lenoir area).
I urge you to visit downtown Greenville - it's walkable with numerous local shops, restaurants, and attractions (of course, Falls Park is the pinnacle of the Upstate). There's a vibrancy here that Western NC cannot match. Please also note that Greenville is less than a hour from Asheville/Hendersonville (if one needs a mountain fix) - even better: elevations above 3000 feet less than 30 minutes away.
I'm a strong supporter of the local public school system here. All public schools in SC are county based with the Greenville County School District being the largest in the state. All local schools in this county (and I mean all of them) have been restored/rebuilt/or are new within the last 8 years - this is part of the Greenville County Public Schools Capital Reconstruction Program (http://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/gcsd/docs/fac_plan.pdf - broken link) with 1 Billion dollars allocated.
I wanna find a place where I can make a little more money than I am right now, and pay a little less for rent/utilities than I do right now
Not trying to be nosy or in your business but would you mind telling me how much money you earn now & how much rent/utilities you pay now?
I can almost guarantee you that you will never earn anywhere near what you earn now. The area you are talking about wanting to live, actually all of western NC has the lowest pay scale in the state & one of the lowest in the south east. If that is not bad enough ALL of WNC has the highest cost of living in the state. In Charlotte you can expect to earn almost double the money you could make in WNC & cost of living is MUCH lower than here.
WNC has always been a low paying area, well before there was all the issues we have now with the economy. The cost of living in WNC began to sky rocket about 15 years ago when all the "yankees" started flooding the area to get away from the winter & snow.
Jobs are tough here because so many business have closed, factories moved overseas & with so many people moving to the area every year willing to take major pay cut, just because they want to live here so bad. In WNC for every job opening there is an average of 350 people applying for the same job, all of them having the same if not better qualifications as you. I have heard in some parts of the country that there are nursing shortages. In WNC that is the complete opposite. Nursing positions do not stay vacant long. Several of the colleges in the area have nursing programs, but they all have huge wait lists to get in. I am currently going to Asheville Buncombe Tech, the nursing program there accepts 200 students a year into their RN & LPN program. Each year they have over 1000 students applying to get one of the 200 spots.
Too many people here are willing to accept work at a much lower pay just because they want to live here so desperately and as long as there are 350 people applying to every job posting & all 350 are willing to accept what ever pay the company is willing to pay then companies will never raise their salaries.
I know the cost of living calculators are not the most reliable but they do give you a good idea what to expect. This is the one I use & it seems to be accurate for the most part. If you click on the link it should take you straight to a comparison to where you live now to Lenoir.
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You mentioned that maybe you would want to live in TN & that you prefer to live in the mtns. Have you looked into Johnson City TN. About an hour or so from Asheville, right off I-26, still in the same mtn range as WNC. Quiet Little town but has a lot going for it. Open minded people. better job opportunities, cheaper housing, good schools, low crime. Close to Knoxville which is a major city with tons of job opportunities. The link is a comparison to Johnson City to where you live now.
Moderator cut: Links to competing sites are NOT allowed.
Also look into Knoxville,it is a big city but can have the feel of a smaller town, housing is much cheaper than WNC, the pay is almost triple what you can make in WNC, great schools, lots of new growth so lots of new job opportunities, the people are awesome. Right on the edge of the mtns. Cheaper taxes & insurance than anywhere in NC. Below is the link to com pair Knoxville to where you live now
Moderator cut: Links to competing sites are NOT allowed.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 02-03-2011 at 10:39 AM..
Reason: Links to competing sites are NOT allowed.
@drfranklin, my sister went to school in SC, she tried movin back up here when she was going into 10th grade, they made her take 9th grade again up here and she still had to study her ass off to catch up to NY standards. Other than the public school systems, I like greenville. Just don't wanna live in a "bigger" city. @ quilterchick, Thanks for the input (and I actually am working on cutting back smoking) the health care costs aren't just for me though. As far as apts go, I have seen many different houses and apts for rent on the areas CraigsList for less than 550 and many jobs that pay very similar to what a job like that would pay here. I've also done car ins quotes on my car and it'd be about $15/mo cheaper. As far as doing research and talking to locals goes, I had done an extensive amount of research on the lenoir/hickory areas and thought it seemed like a decent place, but the way ya'll talk about it sounds worse than upstate NY so I think there is info to be learned from locals. @wncbadwolf, Johnson City TN is another area I've been looking at extensively. Specifically housing in Jonesborough/Greeneville/Elizabethton and working in JC. If you don't mind me asking is your knowledge of Johnson City First hand, or word of mouth? I've also been looking at Lexington NC and Athens, Alabama (but they are both near larger cities and the only reason they are being considered is because I have friends/family in those areas). I have been in Knoxville several times and really like the area, but l'm trying to avoid bigger cities (if possible) and on a more personal note, it's rough being a Florida Gator in Knoxville...lol. @ all, I know the weather may not be perfect in WNC, but I guarantee you it's ALOT better than it is in upstate NY in general. I know ya'll got killed with snow this year, but we get 5 - 6 months of sub 40 degree temps, Gray skys (for weeks at a time) and normally double to triple the amount of snow (except the higher elevations like Boone NC) according to weather records I checked out. and being that My Gf won't even consider Florida (plus florida's cost of living is even more ridiculous) I'm lookin for places in NC, TN, GA and AL. If ya'll dislike the WNC area that much, I strongly suggest you take a trip to Binghamton/Endicott NY right around this time of year, I guarantee you will leave with a new found appreciation for the areas you live in. Just don't drink the water in endicott, and ya might wanna do it soon, because gas companies may be starting hydraulic fracturing in NY soon so there will be a few million more gallons of chemicals in the ground.
Last edited by johnnyp0913; 02-03-2011 at 11:46 AM..
I have no doubt that the winters in NY are horrible. I have no desire to ever live or visit anywhere north of where I am now because I HATE cold & snow. However what I think you fail to realize is in NY the city, county, state are much more equip to deal with it, more funding for things like plows, salt, ice removals, sand, etc...
Here in WNC there is very little funding going into road maintenance during the winter months. Smaller towns like Lenoir will most likely only have 2 maybe 3 snow plows for the entire town, then maybe 1 or 2 that will take care of the county roads (all the roads for the entire county that Lenoir is in) then state trucks will only take care of the interstate. That is how things work here in the mtns.
We get 1 inch of snow & schools close, business shut down, public services stop. Everything comes to a complete halt until the snow is almost completely gone. Power outages are very common during snow fall, ice storms happen often which will almost always guarantee power outages. I myself have been without power for up to 5 days from a small 2 or 3 inch snow storm.
Also depending on where you live, you may not have city water, you may have a private well, in which case if the power goes out then that also means you loose water. If you have central head or electric heat then no heat when the power goes out, cell phone service is hit & miss because of the mtns. I have no phone service at all withing 50 feet of my house. Anyone who comes to my house also looses service. So for me when the power goes out I have no way to call anyone, I have to have a house phone because of no service here & I have the cable/Internet/phone package, so when the power goes out, the phone goes out with it.
Another thing to think about is during hurricane season, we can get major storms, flooding, wind damage, power outages, down trees. at least you are not stuck at home with no power & no way to get out of the house like in the winter. But if there is flooding & major power outages then most business will not be open so there is nowhere to go & nothing to do.
Don't think just because we are further south than NY that we have much better winters & life will be great. Being further south is meaningless when you live at an elevation of 3500 feet above sea level. Just to give you an idea of the temp differences there is in the mtns. I just checked on weather channels website. currently in Asheville the temp is 40, Greenville SC, 45, Lenoir 43, Johnson City TN 33, Knoxville TN 35, Endicott NY 23.
Now about your sister, how long ago was it that she was going to school in SC? I do know that each state controls the level of education each student should have for any particular grade & that for some states what they learn in the 12th grade is what another state learns in the 10th grade. I went to school in WNC. There was a girl I was friends with that was a year ahead of me. She took the SATs & made a perfect score & was allowed to graduate a year early, she wanted to go to Harvard Medical, but they rejected her, not because of test scores or anything like that but because they felt that she would not make it there due to the fact that NC schools were 3 years behind most other schools. Meaning since she was only in the 11th grade, her education was equivalent to 8th grade in most other schools in the country. She was told that if she went to a 4 year college & graduated with a 4.0 then they would accept her.
I don't know if that is still true or not for NC, but I do hear people bad mouthing the school system in NC all the time. I have no children, so I have no personal experience other than when I went to school here. I do know that the drop out rate in WNC is quite high, teen pregnancy is also quite high, teen drug & alcohol use is also high.
For most teens WNC is a very boring place, so they find other ways to amuse themselves, hence the pregnancy & drugs
For most teens WNC is a very boring place, so they find other ways to amuse themselves, hence the pregnancy & drugs
I wonder where you get this from. teen pregnancy (and so are drugs) is a huge problem everywhere in the US, I wonder, why the numbers should be significantly higher in WNC. I doubt it - but would appreciate some facts on this.
do you have kids youself or do you know tons of teenagers ?
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