DV2014 Undecided on which US city to move to.

[c1984]

Simon nicely summed up pretty much everything I was going to say.

I was going to mention politics, which he did as well. If you come from Australia or Europe, chances are your preferred political views (as apolitical as you might be) better line up with what in the US is known as being a liberal.

The SE and SW are the driving force behind conservatism and small government politics. One thing that you might find surprising is the abundance of conservative youngsters. Working in the finance sector, I don't particularly have a problem with financial conservatism and in a way sympathize with libertarian views. Still I felt uncomfortable that some of my coworkers were single-issue voters against what they perceived as the "baby-killer" (pro-choice) candidate, while being completely oblivious to the kids that lost their lives due to the hawkish foreign policies.

If you are more of a "caring" government type of person, you may find more like-minded people in the NE and the west coast.

That being said, I believe Atlanta is pretty diverse compared to Charlotte. The biggest city in the SE, it became a monster after the Olympics and you can find all sorts of people there. The traffic is one of the worst in the US though.

Florida is even more diverse, being a tourism hub and having a large Hispanic population, particularly Cuban (one of the most educated Hispanic minorities in the US).

 

[c1984]

One thing you might want to consider is your line of work. Certain parts of the country provide more of certain types of work. For instance, if you are in finance, NE has a larger job market, whereas California is best for the tech type of jobs.

 

[c1984]

Another thing to consider is the air traffic. Atlanta serves as the Delta Airlines' hub. Hartsfield-Jackson airport is the busiest in the world.

Charlotte is the US Airways' hub.

It's always nice to have a major Airline hosted in your local airport with direct flights to many other destinations.

 

[Vichel]

I have heard San Francisco (and California in general) is expensive but very cool. To be honest though, Sydney is a downright rip-off to live in so it won't be too much of a shock i don't think. I'm not sure how much you know about cost of living in Australia, specifically Sydney but prices are bordering on extortionate.

The whole country is very expensive, and not just housing. Sure, Sydney's house prices are ridiculous but at least it's Sydney. Try Perth, in the arse end of nowhere and you'll pay at least half a million for a very ordinary 30-year old house, in need of updating, in an ordinary suburb not too far from the CBD. A little less if you don't mind living further out. And it'll be your typical WA house - a shell, with single-paned windows, no wall insulation, so an oven in summer and a drafty box in winter. Oh, and the one powerpoint per room used to drive me crazy! Perth rents are ridiculous. Great beaches though

You'll find the US cheaper for a lot of everyday things - clothing, appliances, cars, food, entertainment, petrol, electricity, travel, 2nd-hand goods, etc.

Housing will depend on where you choose to live. You're obviously aware of the one downside to California being its housing prices and property taxes which are based on purchase price (1% or more), which seems totally unfair. Also watch out for Mello Roos in California - which is an additional property tax on top of your property tax, found in a lot of newer communities.

Some states tax your income on top of federal income tax, unlike Oz which only has federal income tax. Here, it's federal plus state in most states. And sales tax varies.

Where you move to will likely depend on where you'll find work so you might not have as much choice, at least at first. We're loving it here more and more. We find people are much friendlier than in Oz, and genuinely so, and there's none of that aggressive bogan element. I'd rather put up with a redneck any day over a drunken bogan, thanks.

Religion is more evident here but it doesn't bother me. I'll see people in restaurants pray before their meal, or someone might say "May God bless your day" to me, but I'm fine with it. Amongst our new American friends here, some are religious, some aren't, and the ones who are religious keep it to themselves. It does rankle hearing some politicians get all religious but that's likely because it's not something I was exposed to as much in Australia and Canada. It's just one of those cultural differences here.

 

[SusieQQQ]

I've just skimmed the above but I was under the impression Charlotte was not 'typical' Southern?

I don't think I could go live somewhere that re-elected Dubya....!

Why oh why are the states with the best weather red or prone to earthquakes?!!

 

[SusieQQQ]

One thing you might want to consider is your line of work. Certain parts of the country provide more of certain types of work. For instance, if you are in finance, NE has a larger job market, whereas California is best for the tech type of jobs.

Still plenty of finance jobs in California though, but depending exactly what you do - trading for example - you might find yourself with very wacky working hours because of the time zone, so I'm told!

 

[c1984]

Why oh why are the states with the best weather red or prone to earthquakes?!!

Well, the red states get most of the hurricanes and tornadoes!

 

[Hexa]

Thanks for your input Hexa. It's funny because those were the other states i was also seriously considering but not having been there or known anyone who has i was a bit nervous about where my partner and i might end up!

I think to start with i am definitely only really considering the larger cities in any state as i've grown up in a big city so i figure the adjustment won't be as severe. However i am not sure i how i feel about those areas given what people have said in this thread thus far. I've heard racism is still rife in some areas of the U.S. so that is a concern. But i'd like to think there are many open-minded people in the cities who have moved passed this issue and which hopefully is not something we would feel prevalent around us. In saying that though i am reminded of how prevalent racial intolerance is right here at home in Sydney. Just recently i have been involved in a number of conversations with people i have known for a very long time which have come out with some really racially offensive and small-minded comments that have taken me by surpise. In any event, would you describe the people in places like Charlotte and Atlanta as mostly open-minded and tolerant?

Also I don't ideally want to be somewhere overly religious as i am someone who unless asked directly (and even then), likes to keep my beliefs respectfully to myself and i appreciate it when others do the same... Now that i think about, the types of people in an area is really a rather large factor as my partner and i don't really know anyone in the states and it is probably smarter to choose somewhere with like-minded people!

I lived in Atlanta for several years, and it was great. Atlanta, like most urban areas in America, leans toward the liberal and inclusive attitude. The mayors of the city had been black persons for decades. The city has also been home to an annual gay pride parade for decades. If you live in the right neighborhood (Midtown, Buckhead, Virginia Highland, and the like) then the people are mostly tolerant. It's unfortunate that the state is dominated by rednecks from the rural areas, who outvote Atlanta residents. By the way, that's what they call themselves (rednecks) as they even have a Redneck Games in the city of East Dublin.

Since the movie Deliverance was mentioned, the setting was in Georgia.

If climate is a big deal, you owe yourself a try in Atlanta. It does get cold in winter, but it snows only a day every other year. If you have lived in Chicago and had to deal with shoveling snow just to park your car or to get your car out, every day during winter, you'll appreciate Atlanta. Rent an apartment in Buckhead or anywhere near Piedmont Park for six months and see how you like it. Elton John has a house there, IIRC.