Moving south - town advice?

[daralex]

We are moving AGAIN next spring. We lived in Myrtle Beach, SC a little while ago, but moved for difficult child reasons and the pay scale. We would like to be near beach and were thinking of Wilmington, NC. Anyone lived there before? We're not locked into it but it looked like it might be ok. We're just trying to get some feedback as this will be a big move. We are wondering about the pay scale, benefits, and neighborhoods. Any input would be appreciated!!

Dara

 

[mstang67chic]

I've never been there but City-Data.com gives you all sorts of information on a city. Population, income, housing, schools, pretty much everything. Here's the link for Wilmington.


http://www.city-data.com/city/Wilmington-North-Carolina.html

 

[DammitJanet]

Wilmington will be much like Myrtle just without the vacation crowds. I live about an hour and a half from both Wilmington and Myrtle. I have lived in N.Myrtle. You arent going to find much difference in pay scales from Myrtle to Wilmington. Pretty much anything in the Carolina's is the same. You get a bit of difference in rent in rural and cities but food and pay is about the same. I dont know what your income source is but Wilmington is a very pretty place. You can go slightly outside of it and get into much more rural areas and find much lower rent. Of course, if you head towards the beach, that is another story but there are really small places that are adorable.

 

[everywoman]

Dara, I live south of Myrtle. I couldn't do MB everyday--but love the southern portion of the grand strand. Rent in my area is very reasonable. The job market is not great here, but there are jobs available with certain skill sets. Wilmington is nice. One of my boyfriend's lives in Emerald Isle, NC and she loves it there.

 

[klmno]

The cost of everything is very high around the Difficult Child area, but pay scales are higher, too. The Richmond area is supposed to be one of the better places to "start over". Many people are finding more work opportunity in the Virginia tidewater area though (not a good place for male difficult child's- very high in teenage drugs, gangs, and crimes) or moving to NC. Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham have typically been good areas to find jobs, but they might be slow now, too.

 

[DammitJanet]

I hate Charlotte! God awful traffic and the road system hoovers! Now Raleigh and Cary and Chapel Hill are wonderful. I would stay away from Durham itself because its crime rate is pretty high. Greensboro is a nice place too. If you want a small, sleepy little beach town Morehead City is wonderful. Fayetteville is a bustling mid-sized city. Pretty good employment there because of the base. Same with Jacksonville on the coast. Fayetteville and Jacksonville both have the large military bases.

I have to laugh about everything being high around Difficult Child...yeah...I get my 2 liter Diet Cokes at here at home in NC on sale for either 89 cents or 1.25...never more than that. I got to Jamies right outside of Difficult Child...and they are always no less than 1.79. I always try to take my drinks with me. But on the other hand, Jamie has a pretty good job for a boy with no college education only military experience and he makes about 50plusK a year with 2 years on the job. He owns a condo he paid 130 for. 30 miles from Difficult Child...I dont think that is too bad. It has 3 stories, 3 bedrooms, a finished basement, and a ton of work that he has put into it.

 

[totoro]

OK one day I am going to MAKE it over to those parts, dagnabit!
Maybe we can do our next get together over yonder?

I want to explore the east coast so bad!

 

[DammitJanet]

Totoro...come on over. Im cleaning ya know and would love to have you and the girls! I can take you on an excursion to see EW and Fran. They are within an hour and a half of me in either direction...lol. Maybe we can convince star to come out of her shell and tell me directions to her place too. LOL.

 

[Star*]

At this point (see Dammit Janets post on SC) I think Stubbenville is TOO far South for me. lol

I'm dearly wanting to get back to Cleveland area

 

[DammitJanet]

Star...if you wanted to get back to cleveland so bad, then why arent you going with us to the get together? Huh?

 

[daralex]

Thanks for the advice/input - It sounds really pretty near Wilmington. We're doing ok where we are - but me and the boyfriend are both used to being in small towns with a simple way of life and friebdly people. I grew up where I am now and I just can't take it. We need a slower pace.

Neither one of us have incredible income potential but not horrible either. It's just that the job market is so slim and even though everything will be cheaper down South, we're both worried about being able to keep us afloat.

We figured if we gave ourselves this much time that we would be ok for jobs. I'm just really looking for a slower paced (slow - not dead!) friendly area where we can still make a living and be near a nice beach.

I'm just so afraid of making a big leap and hating where we land.

Dara

 

[totoro]

I would love it Janet! Rent and RV and cruise on out.