Changing Locations

Currently the fiance and I are having the where do we want to live discussion. We are both really sick of NY, but like DC (and the surrounding area), Boston, and North Carolina. I was wondering what IT is like in some of these areas (if anyone feels like sharing). I feel like if we don't move now while we are young we are going to get stuck in NY forever

I feel like DC would be a great place to work considering I'm into security and all. Opinions anyone?

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Comments

Warsh1p

I would say go DC, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington State or Texas.
Pick out of a hat

Devilsbane

DC is good especially if you can get into the security side of IT.

networker050184

I loved the Triangle are of NC when I was there. Great IT market and a great place to live.

NightShade03

networker050184 wrote: »

I loved the Triangle are of NC when I was there. Great IT market and a great place to live.

Forgive me for being an idiot, but where in NC is this?

blargoe

We got enough of ya'll down here.... it's what puts the "North" in North Cackalacky...

vCole

I live in RI - however I work in MA right now.

Boston has a great IT jobs, and companies to work for. Plus, they have an amazing metro system! (I

the MBTA!)

I guess being from New England I'd choose Boston any day.

phantasm

My wife and I are in the process of planning a move to MD. She works in Infectious Disease research and MD has jobs in her field. I've been applying left and right for jobs in MD, but being a government market it takes forever to hear back on anything.

Boston is nice, I grew up outside of it. I hear the market is good but I wouldn't move back to MA. Now if the IT field in ME was better I'd go back in a heartbeat.

networker050184

NightShade03 wrote: »

Forgive me for being an idiot, but where in NC is this?

Raleigh, Durham, Cary area.

Research Triangle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Really great area if you are into college sports.

veritas_libertas

networker050184 wrote: »

Raleigh, Durham, Cary area.

Research Triangle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Really great area if you are into college sports.

@Nightshade03: The Carolinas are beautiful, and if you are tired of cold you will love it down this way.

NightShade03

veritas_libertas wrote: »

@Nightshade03: The Carolinas are beautiful, and if you are tired of cold you will love it down this way.

I actually love the cold (which is why I think Boston would be a nice area), but the girl is against all things cold. I hear the Carolin's is such a nice area and I feel like the style of living would be so much nicer than NY.

@networker050184: Thanks, maybe we will need to take a road trip and see what it's like.

rogue2shadow

I'm living in MD/DC. If you like the nightlife and walking everywhere DC is your bet. MD, at least for me, is very chill; it can be the same thing different day kind of deal from time to time but for now I like living in MD and visiting DC rather than the flip. The market is heavily government influenced as stated before but things are definitely changing (ever so slowly lol). For security, the Defense Intelligence Security Agency's HQ is getting moved from VA to Fort Meade, MD next July. This should open up tons of jobs!

NightShade03

rogue2shadow wrote: »

Defense Intelligence Security Agency's HQ

That just sounds like a cool place to work

rogue2shadow

I went to their job fair at the army base recently. It was a good experience and the overall message was "Jobs are coming". The second edge of the sword is "will people have enough exp by then?" lol

Devilsbane

rogue2shadow wrote: »

I went to their job fair at the army base recently. It was a good experience and the overall message was "Jobs are coming". The second edge of the sword is "will people have enough exp by then?" lol

I've never had any luck at any job fair I've been to. Nobody really shows up for IT. Bestbuy is always there, but they just want cashiers. Banks are there looking for tellers. There are usually some local non profits looking for volunteers. Overall a waste of time.

wastedtime

Don't forget that they have said USCYBERCOM is going to be Headquartered at Ft. Meade, and ARFORCYBER will be in the area too.

I also will be moving up there early next month. I am dreading traffic though and the largest place I have lived had about 250,000 people in it.

NightShade03

wastedtime wrote: »

Don't forget that they have said USCYBERCOM is going to be Headquartered at Ft. Meade, and ARFORCYBER will be in the area too.

I also will be moving up there early next month. I am dreading traffic though and the largest place I have lived had about 250,000 people in it.

DC and the area has the Metro which is pretty good...I like that they throw people off if they can't behave and get their @$$ in the door.

SrSysAdmin

I'm in the DC area (northern Virginia) and my new job is in Baltimore...never been so excited to be escaping an area.

If you don't mind paying $500k for a 1,500 sq. ft. townhome and driving an hour or more each way to work, the area is great. But if you want to have any quality of life I would recommend staying away from this area.

There are jobs here, yes...but there is no quality of life whatsoever. DC needs a better public transportation system but in the meantime I would stay far away.

NightShade03

SrSysAdmin wrote: »

I'm in the DC area (northern Virginia) and my new job is in Baltimore...never been so excited to be escaping an area.

If you don't mind paying $500k for a 1,500 sq. ft. townhome and driving an hour or more each way to work, the area is great. But if you want to have any quality of life I would recommend staying away from this area.

There are jobs here, yes...but there is no quality of life whatsoever. DC needs a better public transportation system but in the meantime I would stay far away.

Commuting we both don't mind. My current commute is between 2-3 hrs each way every day (gotta love NY) so sitting in traffic is my specialty....

I'm looking at apartments in NC currently...and I have to say 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath, Kitchen, and Garage for $1000 a month?! Why do I live in NY?!

SrSysAdmin

NightShade03 wrote: »

Commuting we both don't mind. My current commute is between 2-3 hrs each way every day (gotta love NY) so sitting in traffic is my specialty....

I'm looking at apartments in NC currently...and I have to say 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath, Kitchen, and Garage for $1000 a month?! Why do I live in NY?!

Comparatively speaking...the house I have been renting in Falls Church, VA (7 miles from DC) is a 2 BR, 2 1/2 BA, Kitchen, and Garage for $2,650 a month.

I realize NYC is more than DC, but not many other areas in the US are.

NightShade03

SrSysAdmin wrote: »

Comparatively speaking...the house I have been renting in Falls Church, VA (7 miles from DC) is a 2 BR, 2 1/2 BA, Kitchen, and Garage for $2,650 a month.

I realize NYC is more than DC, but not many other areas in the US are.

See that is exactly my point....I understand that places outside of DC and NYC pay less, but I've seen jobs for places like NC and Boston which pay in the 80k range...which is more than enough for a $1000/month apt. I just think the stress of living outside a city and commuting inward would be less.

IE. Living in the northern part of VA somewhere and commuting into DC an hour or so everyday.

networker050184

NightShade03 wrote: »

Commuting we both don't mind. My current commute is between 2-3 hrs each way every day (gotta love NY) so sitting in traffic is my specialty....

I'm looking at apartments in NC currently...and I have to say 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath, Kitchen, and Garage for $1000 a month?! Why do I live in NY?!

I lived in Cary (which is one of the nicer areas in the Triangle IMO) and I paid a little over $1000 a month for a three bedroom town home. It was in a nice area, plenty of shopping and great schools for the kids. I'd move back there in a minute if I wasn't enjoying my current job.

veritas_libertas

I'm honestly amazed by the cost of living down here. Living in Michigan was much more expensive for me.

NightShade03

networker050184 wrote: »

I lived in Cary (which is one of the nicer areas in the Triangle IMO) and I paid a little over $1000 a month for a three bedroom town home. It was in a nice area, plenty of shopping and great schools for the kids. I'd move back there in a minute if I wasn't enjoying my current job.

Is the income significantly less because the cost of living is lower? I mean economies of scale would say yes...however I have seen good IT jobs in this area on Dice and the like that pay pretty well...

networker050184

NightShade03 wrote: »

Is the income significantly less because the cost of living is lower? I mean economies of scale would say yes...however I have seen good IT jobs in this area on Dice and the like that pay pretty well...

When I was moving there I did some research and the Triangle area actually had one of the top income to cost of living ratios in the country. I don't have the link right ow, but I'll see if I can dig it up. I had an engineering job at an ISP and made decent money. I wasn't struggling that's for sure.

You can check out one of these.

City of Raleigh-Durham Cost of Living Calculator. North Carolina--Raleigh-Durham Relocation Calculat

zerglings

SrSysAdmin wrote: »

Comparatively speaking...the house I have been renting in Falls Church, VA (7 miles from DC) is a 2 BR, 2 1/2 BA, Kitchen, and Garage for $2,650 a month.

I realize NYC is more than DC, but not many other areas in the US are.

My friends and I stayed in my friend's friend apartment in East Falls Church area and we were given a ridiculously high amount for their rent for the size of the apartment. Whew, I am glad I am not living in that area.

sidsanders

SrSysAdmin wrote: »

I'm in the DC area (northern Virginia) and my new job is in Baltimore...never been so excited to be escaping an area.

If you don't mind paying $500k for a 1,500 sq. ft. townhome and driving an hour or more each way to work, the area is great. But if you want to have any quality of life I would recommend staying away from this area.

There are jobs here, yes...but there is no quality of life whatsoever. DC needs a better public transportation system but in the meantime I would stay far away.

the metro is quite good for the size of dc. decent bus routes as well. marc/vre/amtrak can get you into balty and other areas outside of dc via rail.

you must have hit the 495 ride to bmore by now... that is some awfulness any direction you go. whats the escape?