Cost of living as related to housing
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7/23/2006
St. Marys, Georgia is a quaint little town just 3 miles north of the Florida border by Jacksonville. Until 3 years ago housing prices were actually below the national norm with prices betweeen $70,000 and $130,000 for most houses. The reason for that is there is virtually nothing here. The 2 biggest employers are the Navy, which has a submarine base; and which recently had 5 of the 10 submarines transfer out of area, and the board of education for the county. Now the county is experiencing "real estate madness" as housing prices have now doubled or more in the last 3 years without any apparent huge influx of people to justify the prices. Some people do live here and work in Jacksonville, Florida and supposedly we are experiencing an influx of retirees although why you would retire here and pay full taxes on your income (Georgia is not tax friendly) vice living down the road 5 miles in Florida which has no income taxes is beyond me. Anyhow, if you plan on living here good luck on getting a job paying more that $40,000 unless you get an engineering job or a production job on the base. It would be hard to live here with that salary in light of current housing prices. If you plan on retiring here, I would seriously look at the wisdom of living here vice moving down the road several miles to Florida which has no income tax. St. Marys is a small community with only a walmart and the associated shopping center to accomodate your shopping needs. There is no mall here. Also, bugs are especially bad here due to the heat and swamp. On the up side traffic is not an issue, crime is low, and the public schools are phenomenal.
Bob | St. Marys, GA