Unemployment rates are very deceiving
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2/18/2018
The posted unemployment rate is 3.5%, but that is very deceiving. Asheville and the surrounding area is in fact, a poverty pocket where 90% of the populace hustles badly for coin. Unless you have a post grad degree and can demand a high salary, your time in the Asheville area will be rather dismal. My wife works two part-time jobs because employers do not like to pay benefits. Rents and housing prices are extremely high for people of modest means. $1,500-2,000 a month is not uncommon for a rental. GROCERIES: For those coming from NY or NJ, groceries will be about the same. If you're from Arizona like myself, groceries will average 15 to 25% percent higher. TAXES: North Carolina itself is a very tax-happy state, even though they're broke. They even tax groceries, except for medications (big deal-what other state does?). Property taxes are high (city and county). NC also collects an income tax, as well. Gas at this writing is $2.60 a gallon. MEDICAL INSURANCE: Extremely high and most plans have a 6 to 8 thousand dollar deductible. ACA has only one insurer- BCBS of NC. It's essentially a monopoly. Get ready to pay 1k a month for that. UTILITIES: Since Duke Energy is a monopoly, get ready to pay $300-400 a month during the winter to stay warm. I am not pulling these figures from thin air, these are from actual bills in my household. SUNDRY EXPENDITURES: Mens haircut-$14. Dinner for two: 50-75 dollars (unless you opt for fast food). SERVICES: It has been my experience that home repair service providers tend to be somewhat to outrageously unscrupulous. HVAC, septic, remodeling, etc. Do yourself a favor and either do it yourself or use a home repair advisory website where as you can cull bids together and select from there. If it's something you need repaired immediately, you are going to get gouged to near death. That's just the way people are in western North Carolina. If they smell blood, they just can't help themselves...they will rip every last penny they can from you. Don't look for any morality....because there isn't any. The louder the locals scream "Jesus"...the faster you need to lunge for your wallet. I'm in the process of transferring with the company, hopefully back to AZ, but at this rate....I'd even take southern California. If Asheville is your notion of that "Shining City on the Hill," think again. Better yet, find a new city and a new hill. Peace out.
Mitchy | Fletcher, NC