Which state has a reasonable cost of living and high in demand for helpdesk?

Hey guys my mom want me to move out of her place (no more leeching off with free rent) I'm planning to relocating to lower cost area to live. Currently I live in Orange County CA and I can't afford the living even if get a job as a helpdesk techncian Can you guys reccommend a state in the USA, with reasonable cost of living and a good tech area? Thank you.

Looks like alabama is a fast growing tech state. Hmmmm......

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kaiju

The better paying jobs require a security clearance but there are some of decent paying jobs in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Huntsville that only need a local area clearance (police check).

NiTech-5

+1 on the Huntsville area in Alabama. I've seen lots of helpdesk (or just general IT-related) positions for that area. Living standards are definitely much cheaper in the South (I speak as someone who once lived on the US East Coast). Feel free to check out major parts of Texas (eg: Houston; Dallas; etc) , Georgia, and maybe parts of Northern Florida as well.

faintingheart

How do one get security clearence?

Thanks for advice NiTec-5.

kaiju

Easiest way is to find a company that will sponsor your clearance. You submit the proper paperwork, get investigated and then get adjudicated. You will be given an interim clearance during the process.

EANx

I'll agree with the SE as a generally inexpensive area to live in. Stay out of Florida though, too many companies like to pay you in sunshine.

A company has to sponsor a clearance. Fastest way is probably to take a job overseas supporting the US Gov't. You make bank for a year or two and you come back with a clearance and a bunch of experience. There are threads in this forum on the topic.

odysseyelite

I second staying out of Florida. I struck gold moving to Dallas. There is more work than good tech people available to fill those spots. Cost of living is decent and theres lots of room to move up in the fields. I know someone that was on the helpdesk 5 years ago and now is a senior network guy. He just stayed the course, kept studying and making the right moves.

TechGromit

faintingheart wrote: »

Can you guys recommend a state in the USA, with reasonable cost of living and a good tech area?

I would look more at an area, than a state, the cost of living can very widely in States, in New York state where I live, New York city a 900 sq ft apart is anywhere from $2,700 to $3,500 a month. In Rochester, housing is 60% less (I've seen 1 bedrooms in nice areas for $650 a month) and over all 45% less expensive.

Panther

Wow, that much for 900 sq ft? That is paying someone else's mortgage.

Basic85

I went through a security clearance for a job but how do future employers verify that you got one?

Seems like lots of people are moving out of California due to high cost of living. I've heard a lot of people moving to Texas.

kaiju

If you have a clearance it can be verified in Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS) via your name and SSN.

Rent in Urban Bamalama is pretty nice so you can find a nice bachelor paid for $500~$750 almost anywhere in LA (lower Alabama .... actually all of 'Bama).

EANx

kaiju wrote: »

If you have a clearance it can be verified in Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS) via your name and SSN.

JPAS is for DoD, other agencies will have their own system.

biggene

I will add my vote to Alabama. I have been here for about 18 years now, and have had no issues finding a job at all. If you can get a clearance, then Huntsville is going to be your ticket to the good life, especially if you are willing to apply yourself and want to move forward in your career.

faintingheart

Thank you very much guys.

jeremywatts2005

Having lived in Alabama I can say the area they are talking about is good but if you want great then Texas is the place. Dallas, Austin, San Antonio(military) and Houston. No state income taxes either. Dallas TX is home to 10,000 yes 10,000 companies HQs. Austin is a huge tech center plus gov, Houston is oil and gas and gov. Look at TX for jobs, low cost of living and good wages.

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/business/2016/07/15/2016-list-dallas-fort-worths-150-largest-public-companies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companies_in_the_Dallas%E2%80%93Fort_Worth_metroplex

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/morning_call/2015/11/california-lost-9-000-business-hqs-and-expansions.html

https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/eco-dev/Texas_Largest_Companies.pdf

tedjames

Austin's full, but I hear that San Antonio has some extra space. Seriously, Texas is a good place for IT. I lived in Huntsville, AL, for a couple of years in the early '90s working for a software company. Lots of tech there including gubment-type stuff. Back then, Huntsville was kind of a dull place (We called it Dullsville). My friends and I were always going to Nashville, Birmingham, or Atlanta for something to do. It is a good family-friendly city, though.