Employment and Cost of Living
-
11/14/2007
I relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina from Miami, Florida. I relocated based on the seemingly 36 percent lower cost of living than Miami, Florida. I find North Carolina to be a beautiful, safe place for married people raising children. However, as a college educated, professional, African American single woman who use to have an active social life, that has become null and void. North Carolina has ranked high over the past few years for employment, however what many writers do not share are the industries with employment growth. If you are not working in the field of science or technology finding employment that pays anything is definitely like looking for a needle in a haystack. I have been in this state for 17 months and regret each and everyday. I have bounced around from one low paying temporary job to another. I often ask myself how I left a 15 year career to end up living so poorly.
Further, what most folks don't tell you about the state of North Carolina is that you must pay state taxes and vehicle property taxes in addition to your basic homeowners taxes. I also find myself spending much more in groceries than I did in the sunshine state. Granted the housing is cheaper, but most days I feel as though I jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.
Moreover, if you plan to relocate to North Carolina my advice is to transfer with your company to ensure employment, bring your spouse or lover and be prepared to enjoy many backyard barbecues because that seems to be the way of life here.
Bp | Raleigh, NC