Cities, Salaries, and the Quality of Life

A new city could mean a higher salary or the careerhow much you pay for rent in those areas. Contact a
you've always dreamed of, but things like cost of living,city's tourism board or research online with a list of
quality of life, and your specific needs need to bethings that matter to you.
taken into account. Whether you're heading to a newYour Future Home: Things to Consider
place alone, or you're taking a big family, you can find aHealthcare. Does a loved one need special care
city that fits your life.nearby--a heart hospital, for example, or a children's
Salary: Only Half the Storymedical center? Keep your family's future health in
Your job prospects may be the biggest part of a newmind, as well.
move. You need to land on your feet in a new city,Environment. Are parks and hiking trails an afterthought
with enough savings to last you three months' rent ifof a city, or does the environment bring the community
you don't have a job lined up already. Think of yourtogether? If you're thinking of moving into a big city,
career possibilities, and compare the details of a newconsider the importance of nature in your life.
city to your current situation.Crime. Crime rates are easily available on many city
Some areas that seem like obvious choices for apolice websites. Often, you can search within a certain
career could actually be dead ends. One big exampleneighborhood or area.
is technology and the Bay Area. According to anClimate. From monsoons to snow drifts, U.S. weather
article in eWeek, the high cost of living and the rise ofcan vary drastically from state to state. Make sure
telecommuting are decreasing the Silicon Valley'syou can tolerate both the year-round seasons and the
power as a technological hub. "A $70,000 salary in theallergies in the area.
San Francisco valley doesn't even ensure that anEducation. Distance learning may be an option for
individual will break even," according to the article. Whilecollege if there are no nearby schools. If you have
that kind of money might allow you to live comfortablychildren, be sure to research graduation rates, class
in a city like Miami or Phoenix, everything from homessizes, and the school system's budget.
to gas to food costs more in the Bay Area, and youEmployment. Large companies in the area may mean
don't want your entire paycheck going to rent or amore traffic on the freeway, but they can also mean
house payment.more jobs and a stronger economy.
Keep in mind that workers in large metropolitan citiesExperts who study quality of life statistics try to take
make more money then those in small towns. Theevery aspect of the average American life into
Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers inaccount. Aspects like education for all ages and big
cities made an average of $19.37 an hour, comparedbusiness might take priority over a city's amount of
to the $14.63 hourly wage in smaller towns. Workers innightlife or tourism. Here are the top ten places to live
the Mid-Atlantic region including New York, Newin the U.S., according to CNNMoney:
Jersey, and Pennsylvania made the most money atTop Ten Cities in the U.S.
$21.19 an hour, and the East South Central region1. Fort Collins, CO
(including Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and2. Naperville, IL
Mississippi) made an average of $14.66 an hour.3. Sugar Land, TX
Wages can vary drastically based on region and city4. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD
size, and you always have to take cost of living into5. Cary, NC
account.6. Overland Park, KS
Lowest Rent in the U.S.7. Scottsdale, AZ
The following states had the lowest average housing8. Boise, ID
costs for renters in 2004, according to a report by the9. Fairfield, CT
U.S. Census:10. Eden Prairie, MN
• AlabamaMaking the Choice
• ArkansasFrom schools to weather, healthcare to housing, you
• Iowahave a lot to think about when it comes to a move.
• KentuckyWhen your list of possibilities is narrowed down, look at
• Oklahomathe list in terms of your education and career options.
• MississippiKeeping your education and training in mind, use
• Montanaemployment Web sites and city statistics to estimate
• North Dakotathe demand for your work.
• South DakotaMoving to a city with a higher demand for your field will
• West Virginiamake it easier to move if you don't already have an
• Wyomingemployment plan. If technology is your field, for
Rent may be dramatically higher near universities, but itexample, consider cities like New Jersey, Philadelphia,
will be nowhere near the cost of living in the mostand Boston, where tech jobs are booming. If you want
expensive places to live in the U.S.: A house into continue your education but you don't want to live in
Newport Beach, CA costs an average of $1,362,500.a college town, consider taking courses online, where
Homes in Greenwich, CT cost $1,129,000, and Santayou'll have the freedom to work on your degree from
Barbara, CA homes average in at $979,500.anywhere in the world.
Quality of LifeMoving to a new city is an exciting time and should
Keeping costs low isn't the only way to be happy in ainvolve a lot of planning and research before you even
new city. The quality of life in a city is hard to measure,start packing. Spend some quality time researching
and is different for every person. If you love to loseyour new home, and you'll be able to make your move
yourself in art galleries, the museum districts in Houstonwith confidence.
or San Francisco might be more important to you than