Where not to live in the US
- Thread starter Cliptin
- Start date
Great, I live in the second most expensive part of the country. That's no real surprise, since everything is so damn expensive. I actually live in Essex county, just bordering Passaic county, but it's still the same. The only reason my county isn't included is because of Newark, which is significantly cheaper to live in than any other city or town in the county. Property values have been soaring lately to the point where it's almost unaffordable. They're houses around here selling for above a half-million that never would have been anywhere near that a few years ago. My parents bought a town-house 2 1/2 years ago, and it's already more than doubled in value. Plus, we have by for the highest auto insurance rates, and property taxes that are unbelievable. However, according to the last census, NJ has the highest median income in the country.
With all the expenses, I'd still rather live in North Jersey than almost anywhere else in the country. It's within a short bus ride of NYC and an hour or two drive to the Jersey shore. Also, we actually have distinct seasons here, which is a must for me (it has to snow at least part of the year). I went to school in the South, and can't say I liked living there nearly as much as up here.
Steve
With all the expenses, I'd still rather live in North Jersey than almost anywhere else in the country. It's within a short bus ride of NYC and an hour or two drive to the Jersey shore. Also, we actually have distinct seasons here, which is a must for me (it has to snow at least part of the year). I went to school in the South, and can't say I liked living there nearly as much as up here.
Steve
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Isn't Newark the place where the mayor is trying to repopulate the city with Liberian immigrants? Or is that Patterson?
It could be. I generally don't follow the news in Newark as it's just too depressing. The population has been steadily declining there since the race riots in '68. It also has some of the worst schools in the country. In some, as few as 15% can even pass the basic skills tests. Patterson isn't much better, and I believe both cities have had their school boards taken over by the state.
jtr1962
Storage? I am Storage!
I thought it was interesting that Nassau County(i.e. Long Island) is included since I agree that for what it is(just another suburb) the price of houses on Long Island is outrageously expensive. In many areas the homes approach $300,000, which is only about $50,000 less than a home in Queens. When you factor in that real estate taxes run $7,000+ on L.I. versus about $2,500 in Queens, and you don't need to own a car in Queens, it's actually cheaper to live here, and there are more opportunities for jobs, culture, etc. To me Long Island looks no different than upstate New York, where you can buy a house for $50,000 and you don't have to deal with traffic on the L.I.E.
When looking at areas to live it is important to factor in the total cost of living. Consider that the real estate taxes for an average home in N.Y.C. are fairly low, and you can take the subway to work. Both these things probably save you over $10,000 annually, which is enough to cover another $125,000 in mortgage at today's interest rates. Or put another way, the cost of housing here isn't excessive. Thanks to competition, you can also buy nearly anything here cheaper than anyplace else in the country if you hunt around, so that's another factor to consider. And then there are the intangibles, such as the city's cultural environment and relative freedom from natural disasters. And anywhere I live has to have seasons, although I'd prefer a place without summers. The only main disadvantages of N.Y.C. in my opinion are the hot, humid summers, and the noise and pollution from cars and airplanes.
When looking at areas to live it is important to factor in the total cost of living. Consider that the real estate taxes for an average home in N.Y.C. are fairly low, and you can take the subway to work. Both these things probably save you over $10,000 annually, which is enough to cover another $125,000 in mortgage at today's interest rates. Or put another way, the cost of housing here isn't excessive. Thanks to competition, you can also buy nearly anything here cheaper than anyplace else in the country if you hunt around, so that's another factor to consider. And then there are the intangibles, such as the city's cultural environment and relative freedom from natural disasters. And anywhere I live has to have seasons, although I'd prefer a place without summers. The only main disadvantages of N.Y.C. in my opinion are the hot, humid summers, and the noise and pollution from cars and airplanes.