Cities, Salaries, and the Quality of Life
Ad by GoogleA new city could mean a higher salary or the career you’ve always dreamedof, but things like cost of living, quality of life, and your specific needsneed to be taken into account. Whether you’re heading to a new place alone, oryou’re taking a big family, you can find a city that fits your life.
Salary: Only Half the Story
Your job prospects may be the biggest part of a new move. You need to landon your feet in a new city, with enough savings to last you three months’ rentif you don’t have a job lined up already. Think of your career possibilities,and compare the details of a new city to your current situation.
Some areas that seem like obvious choices for a career could actually bedead ends. One big example is technology and the Bay Area. According to anarticle in eWeek, the high cost of living and the rise of telecommuting aredecreasing the Silicon Valley’s power as a technological hub. “A $70,000 salaryin the San Francisco valley doesn’t even ensure that an individual will breakeven,” according to the article. While that kind of money might allow you tolive comfortably in a city like Miami or Phoenix, everything from homes to gasto food costs more in the Bay Area, and you don’t want your entire paycheckgoing to rent or a house payment.
Keep in mind that workers in large metropolitan cities make more money thenthose in small towns. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers incities made an average of $19.37 an hour, compared to the $14.63 hourly wage insmaller towns. Workers in the Mid-Atlantic region including New York, NewJersey, and Pennsylvania made the most money at $21.19 an hour, and the EastSouth Central region (including Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi)made an average of $14.66 an hour. Wages can vary drastically based on regionand city size, and you always have to take cost of living into account.
Lowest Rent in the U.S.
The following states had the lowest average housing costs for renters in2004, according to a report by the U.S. Census:
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Oklahoma
• Mississippi
• Montana
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• Wyoming
Rent may be dramatically higher near universities, but it will be nowherenear the cost of living in the most expensive places to live in the U.S.: Ahouse in Newport Beach, CA costs an average of $1,362,500. Homes in Greenwich,CT cost $1,129,000, and Santa Barbara, CA homes average in at $979,500.
Quality of Life
Keeping costs low isn’t the only way to be happy in a new city. The qualityof life in a city is hard to measure, and is different for every person. If youlove to lose yourself in art galleries, the museum districts in Houston or SanFrancisco might be more important to you than how much you pay for rent inthose areas. Contact a city’s tourism board or research online with a list ofthings that matter to you.
Your Future Home: Things to Consider
Healthcare. Does a loved one need special care nearby–a heart hospital, forexample, or a children’s medical center? Keep your family’s future health inmind, as well.
Environment. Are parks and hiking trails an afterthought of a city, or doesthe environment bring the community together? If you’re thinking of moving intoa big city, consider the importance of nature in your life.
Crime. Crime rates are easily available on many city police websites. Often,you can search within a certain neighborhood or area.
Climate. From monsoons to snow drifts, U.S. weather can vary drasticallyfrom state to state. Make sure you can tolerate both the year-round seasons andthe allergies in the area.
Education. Distance learning may be an option for college if there are nonearby schools. If you have children, be sure to research graduation rates,class sizes, and the school system’s budget.
Employment. Large companies in the area may mean more traffic on thefreeway, but they can also mean more jobs and a stronger economy.
Experts who study quality of life statistics try to take every aspect of theaverage American life into account. Aspects like education for all ages and bigbusiness might take priority over a city’s amount of nightlife or tourism. Hereare the top ten places to live in the U.S., according to CNNMoney:
Top Ten Cities in the U.S.
1. Fort Collins, CO
2. Naperville, IL
3. Sugar Land, TX
4. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD
5. Cary, NC
6. Overland Park, KS
7. Scottsdale, AZ
8. Boise, ID
9. Fairfield, CT
10. Eden Prairie, MN
Making the Choice
From schools to weather, healthcare to housing, you have a lot to thinkabout when it comes to a move. When your list of possibilities is narroweddown, look at the list in terms of your education and career options. Keepingyour education and training in mind, use employment Web sites and citystatistics to estimate the demand for your work.
Moving to a city with a higher demand for your field will make it easier tomove if you don’t already have an employment plan. If technology is your field,for example, consider cities like New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Boston, wheretech jobs are booming. If you want to continue your education but you don’twant to live in a college town, consider taking courses online, where you’llhave the freedom to work on your degree from anywhere in the world.
Moving to a new city is an exciting time and should involve a lot ofplanning and research before you even start packing. Spend some quality timeresearching your new home, and you’ll be able to make your move withconfidence.
Edu411.org is a career education directory for finding colleges anduniversities, training schools, and technical institutes. For more informationabout careers, online education andcampus based career programs, please visit us at www.Edu411.org.