| A new city could mean a higher salary or
| |
| | than how much you pay for rent in those
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| the career you've always dreamed of, but
| |
| | areas. Contact a city's tourism board or
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| things like cost of living, quality of
| |
| | research online with a list of things
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| life, and your specific needs need to be
| |
| | that matter to you.
|
| taken into account. Whether you're
| |
| | Your Future Home: Things to Consider
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| heading to a new place alone, or you're
| |
| | Healthcare. Does a loved one need special
|
| taking a big family, you can find a city
| |
| | care nearby--a heart hospital, for
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| that fits your life.
| |
| | example, or a children's medical center?
|
| Salary: Only Half the Story
| |
| | Keep your family's future health in mind,
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| Your job prospects may be the biggest
| |
| | as well.
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| part of a new move. You need to land on
| |
| | Environment. Are parks and hiking trails
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| your feet in a new city, with enough
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| | an afterthought of a city, or does the
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| savings to last you three months' rent if
| |
| | environment bring the community together?
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| you don't have a job lined up already.
| |
| | If you're thinking of moving into a big
|
| Think of your career possibilities, and
| |
| | city, consider the importance of nature
|
| compare the details of a new city to your
| |
| | in your life.
|
| current situation.
| |
| | Crime. Crime rates are easily available
|
| Some areas that seem like obvious choices
| |
| | on many city police websites. Often, you
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| for a career could actually be dead ends.
| |
| | can search within a certain neighborhood
|
| One big example is technology and the Bay
| |
| | or area.
|
| Area. According to an article in eWeek,
| |
| | Climate. From monsoons to snow drifts,
|
| the high cost of living and the rise of
| |
| | U.S. weather can vary drastically from
|
| telecommuting are decreasing the Silicon
| |
| | state to state. Make sure you can
|
| Valley's power as a technological hub. "A
| |
| | tolerate both the year-round seasons and
|
| $70,000 salary in the San Francisco
| |
| | the allergies in the area.
|
| valley doesn't even ensure that an
| |
| | Education. Distance learning may be an
|
| individual will break even," according to
| |
| | option for college if there are no nearby
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| the article. While that kind of money
| |
| | schools. If you have children, be sure to
|
| might allow you to live comfortably in a
| |
| | research graduation rates, class sizes,
|
| city like Miami or Phoenix, everything
| |
| | and the school system's budget.
|
| from homes to gas to food costs more in
| |
| | Employment. Large companies in the area
|
| the Bay Area, and you don't want your
| |
| | may mean more traffic on the freeway, but
|
| entire paycheck going to rent or a house
| |
| | they can also mean more jobs and a
|
| payment.
| |
| | stronger economy.
|
| Keep in mind that workers in large
| |
| | Experts who study quality of life
|
| metropolitan cities make more money then
| |
| | statistics try to take every aspect of
|
| those in small towns. The Bureau of Labor
| |
| | the average American life into account.
|
| Statistics reports that workers in cities
| |
| | Aspects like education for all ages and
|
| made an average of $19.37 an hour,
| |
| | big business might take priority over a
|
| compared to the $14.63 hourly wage in
| |
| | city's amount of nightlife or tourism.
|
| smaller towns. Workers in the
| |
| | Here are the top ten places to live in
|
| Mid-Atlantic region including New York,
| |
| | the U.S., according to CNNMoney:
|
| New Jersey, and Pennsylvania made the
| |
| | Top Ten Cities in the U.S.
|
| most money at $21.19 an hour, and the
| |
| | 1. Fort Collins, CO
|
| East South Central region (including
| |
| | 2. Naperville, IL
|
| Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and
| |
| | 3. Sugar Land, TX
|
| Mississippi) made an average of $14.66 an
| |
| | 4. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD
|
| hour. Wages can vary drastically based on
| |
| | 5. Cary, NC
|
| region and city size, and you always have
| |
| | 6. Overland Park, KS
|
| to take cost of living into account.
| |
| | 7. Scottsdale, AZ
|
| Lowest Rent in the U.S.
| |
| | 8. Boise, ID
|
| The following states had the lowest
| |
| | 9. Fairfield, CT
|
| average housing costs for renters in
| |
| | 10. Eden Prairie, MN
|
| 2004, according to a report by the U.S.
| |
| | Making the Choice
|
| Census:
| |
| | From schools to weather, healthcare to
|
| • Alabama
| |
| | housing, you have a lot to think about
|
| • Arkansas
| |
| | when it comes to a move. When your list
|
| • Iowa
| |
| | of possibilities is narrowed down, look
|
| • Kentucky
| |
| | at the list in terms of your education
|
| • Oklahoma
| |
| | and career options. Keeping your
|
| • Mississippi
| |
| | education and training in mind, use
|
| • Montana
| |
| | employment Web sites and city statistics
|
| • North Dakota
| |
| | to estimate the demand for your work.
|
| • South Dakota
| |
| | Moving to a city with a higher demand for
|
| • West Virginia
| |
| | your field will make it easier to move if
|
| • Wyoming
| |
| | you don't already have an employment
|
| Rent may be dramatically higher near
| |
| | plan. If technology is your field, for
|
| universities, but it will be nowhere near
| |
| | example, consider cities like New Jersey,
|
| the cost of living in the most expensive
| |
| | Philadelphia, and Boston, where tech jobs
|
| places to live in the U.S.: A house in
| |
| | are booming. If you want to continue your
|
| Newport Beach, CA costs an average of
| |
| | education but you don't want to live in a
|
| $1,362,500. Homes in Greenwich, CT cost
| |
| | college town, consider taking courses
|
| $1,129,000, and Santa Barbara, CA homes
| |
| | online, where you'll have the freedom to
|
| average in at $979,500.
| |
| | work on your degree from anywhere in the
|
| Quality of Life
| |
| | world.
|
| Keeping costs low isn't the only way to
| |
| | Moving to a new city is an exciting time
|
| be happy in a new city. The quality of
| |
| | and should involve a lot of planning and
|
| life in a city is hard to measure, and is
| |
| | research before you even start packing.
|
| different for every person. If you love
| |
| | Spend some quality time researching your
|
| to lose yourself in art galleries, the
| |
| | new home, and you'll be able to make your
|
| museum districts in Houston or San
| |
| | move with confidence.
|
| Francisco might be more important to you
| |
| |
|
