Just out of curiosity, can anyone tell me what a livable wage would be for a single income family in the New York or New Jersey area? Wife wants to think about moving back up north. I want to be sure I would be able to afford it.

I suggest that NY and (shudder) NJ are poor choices when PA is right next door.

I wouldn't go any further north than georgia!!!

[beer]

EXCELLENT Point !


In my neighborhood in suburban Morris County NJ, a "nice" (average) home (5 bedrooms / 1/3 acre of land) averages $600-650k.  

The property taxes here are a killer too.
($9,500 - $10,500 / year)


We were looking to relocate to Livingston, NJ to live near my folks (where I grew up).
(My wife and I want to have a kid this year and I wanted to be near our families for the whole "free babysitting" thing....) [:D]

It's located in Essex County so most of the property taxes go straight to the ghettos of Newark and the Oranges (and "other colors").

We found a house about 3 doors away from my parents house (built about a year ago - a little bit larger than our current house @5800 sqft).
We balked at moving when we found out that the property taxes on the house are $28,000 per year !


Sussex County, while far away from most of the industrial and metropolitan areas, is still relatively underdeveloped.  The houses are very affordable too.

But -- My advice is ------->

Stay FAR AWAY from NJ.  We are pretty much stuck here because both of our families are from NJ and it's close to NY (for the neuro-docs for my back).

I'd LOVE to live in Free America.   [V]

Don't forget that we have the highest car insurance rates , plan on paying over $1000 a year.

Hey Snerdley,

Who's gonna break the bad news about "our" firearm laws and purchase permit system to this poor guy...?  [;)]

Yeah! What he said!

NY =
[img]web-comm.com/ar15/hitlary.jpg[/img]



and...  Please help us welcome our new Governor - The Sleazy Jim McGreevy!

NJ =
[img]web-comm.com/ar15/demotrash.jpg[/img]

28000.00 for taxes Holy shit that is more then I make a year!!!!!!!!! Damn You all ned to move to Mn Land of the free hell 160 acres and a 5 bedroom 2 story house with a 50x75 Garage is only 160000.00 here. Wages where i live are around 15.00 and  hell no traffic jams.
 

I'm very aware of the pain in the genitalia that the laws in NY and NJ pose as far as bringing my toys with me.  Philidelphia might be an option, but I'm not sure yet.  I just need to know if I would be able to support my wife and daughter on a salary of $55,000 to $60,000, without having to live in some dirt hole. I'd like to live in a neighborhood rather than "Da 'Hood".

I can leave my toys behind here with my folks until I could figure out wether or not I could bring them with me.

There is a little town called Media just outside Philadelphia that is a nice community and from what I could see, your salary range would do nicely.  They are very gun friendly.  That is where I went to get my non-res license to carry while I was in Philly for six months.  That would be a nice option if you MUST move back up north, but I really can't see anything that would be worth moving any further north than Georgia or even staying put in Florida.  If it has to do with wanting a change of seasons, move just north of Atlanta in the Appalachian foothills.

The move is not carved in stone yet, and it may never happen. It all depends on a job offer. THe reason for the move would be to get the wife closer to her family who lives in Brooklyn.  The job, if it is offered, would keep me away from home for a few days at a time and she wants to be closer to family for a support system.

I support a wife and daughter quite nicely in a big single home in the Philly suburbs on a salary right in that range. You certainly wouldn't have to be in a bad neighborhood with those wages. If you'd like to be closer to Brooklyn, the NE corner of PA isn't that far away. Cost of living is lower up there as well.

I live in an upper middle class sort of town and I think the median income is about 70,000 50,000 is considered middle class. Upstate NY (north of westchester) is alot cheaper. And why are you even thinking about moving to NJ? That's definitly the worst state in the NE as far as gun laws go. no concealed carry, waiting periods, no mail order ammo, FOID cards...hell, it makes NY look like a paradise. And you can bring all your toys to NY and you can live well for 50-60 grand. If I was in your situation i'd probably move to PA or VT instead.

The wife is being a pain in the testicles about location. She is resistant to living in PA and would prefer NY or NJ.  My biggest concern is "will I be able to bring my toys with me?" What do I have to do to bring them into the state. I own about 13 or 14 rifles and 6 handguns. Of the rifles, 5 fit NJ's definition of and Assault Rifle.

I was born and raised in NY and yes its has a lot going for it but...
Very expensive home prices
High Taxes
Restrictive gun laws
Hillary and Chuck
Good luck with your choice but I would avoid NY & NJ.



"What is Right shall always Triumph"

As far as NY goes, you can bring in any rifle you want as long as it's not class 3. You must obtain a NY pistol permit before you bring your handguns in the state. Don't know about NJ.

I you are considering moving to NJ I suggest getting a copy of Evan Nappen's book Nappen 2. He is a NJ lawyer that explains the complex firearms laws in NJ.

Let's put it simply:

In NJ, you are guilty until proven innocent.

Whatever you have, whatever you do, in the realm of firearms, One LEO will not bat an eye at what the next LEO will lock you up for.  If you can live with that, then you're fine...

Seriously, somebody suggested Nappen's book and that's probably your best place to start.  What it won't tell you is that its really a coin toss as to what your local PD's attitude is toward guns.  Some towns are no problem, follow the rules and everybody's happy.  Some towns are unbelievable pricks and you will be forever fighting the system.

$60,000 to support a family of 3 here is not impossible.  You can't live in the nicest areas but you will definately be out of the shithole areas.  You could comfortably live in a middle class neighborhood if your fiscally responsible.  I also am a family of 3 (me, wife, infant son) so I can draw some comparisons to what we live on if you'd like more info...

Taxes can be a bitch depending on what town and county you are in.  Insurance is an absolute nightmare so, like somebody else said, be prepared for a whopper of a bill. (hope you have clean driving record!)

Maybe you could give an idea as to what part of NJ?  (Town/North/Central/South)

I give thanks to the higher powers that I am not married and this is a very good reason to never get married.

You live where I should never have left and you are actually considering moving to a state that makes where I live, Rhode Island, Seem like heaven on earth.

I would never give up my rights and cease being free just to please my wife or anyone else. And there is no job regardless of how much I will make that will cause me to give up my freedom and become a slave.

By the way have you read the posts about what happened and is continuing to happen to 1-shot-1-kill, if you have read them then I really don’t know why you would even consider moving to the Peoples Republics of New York or New Jersey.  

Live free or die

The move would not be all by choice. If it happens it will be for a career change and that whole area would be the assignment. And at that it's a maybe.  I'm still have to find out if I can influence the assignment, provided I get the job. The move is more to get the 'lil woman closer to her family as a support system.  I would prefer to stay put where I am, but I don't think it will happen.

I'm just checking my options out. I could also end up someplace else along the east coast like DC or Boston.  GAWD, I hate the anxiety of waiting to find out if I even get a chance at the job, much less thinking about this garbage.

Thanks for the input guys. Wish me luck.

Is Connecticut any better than NY and NJ?