Office Job (admin assist, office mgr, etc) Markets in southern VA (Virginia Beach: apartment, rent)

[ellen1159]

Thinking about relocating from the Gold Coast of Connecticut to somewhere slightly warmer and cheaper (Delaware to Carolinas) that isn't more than a day's drive from family in Greater NYC area.

I have family in northern VA (DC suburbs) so I know the job market there is healthy but the cost of housing is high relative to the rest of the state. I'm in my late 50's but years away from being able to retire so I need to find work (non-managerial office: administrative assistant, office manager) that pays enough to cover the cost of a modest studio or one bedroom apartment.

Any opinions on the job market in Richmond or further south/closer to coast, Roanoke, Norfolk/VB/Hampton Roads? I'm clueless about the state other than Fairfax County. Thanks for your help.

[Old Dominionite]

Originally Posted by ellen1159

Thinking about relocating from the Gold Coast of Connecticut to somewhere slightly warmer and cheaper (Delaware to Carolinas) that isn't more than a day's drive from family in Greater NYC area.

I have family in northern VA (DC suburbs) so I know the job market there is healthy but the cost of housing is high relative to the rest of the state. I'm in my late 50's but years away from being able to retire so I need to find work (non-managerial office: administrative assistant, office manager) that pays enough to cover the cost of a modest studio or one bedroom apartment.

Any opinions on the job market in Richmond or further south/closer to coast, Roanoke, Norfolk/VB/Hampton Roads? I'm clueless about the state other than Fairfax County. Thanks for your help.

Based on your post (and not knowing your budget), I would first look at Richmond and then at Hampton Roads. Richmond's job market is currently strong, and it probably has a suitable number of employment opportunities in the field you've identified. Hampton Roads is a larger metropolitan area than Richmond, but it's rather notorious for having high housing and living costs relative to wages and job opportunities.

Roanoke is another possibility. However, it's a smaller city/metro area in a mountainous region that's known for colder weather than the tidewater and piedmont areas of Virginia. With that said, Roanoke would be cheaper than either Richmond or Hampton Roads.

[Oduengineer88]

I am from metro NYC with plenty of family still there and my daughter worked in Fairfax County for a few years, so I have some perspective. I live in Va Beach and, it isn't cheap but it is very nice. You can rent a beautiful one BR in a top notch location for $1300+, or for as little as $800 or so in a safe/decent place.

I worked as an engineer and then a physics teacher after a corporate buyout, and both of these positions pay well relative to housing costs. Virginia Beach alone is larger than the entire Roanoke area, or Lynchburg or Charlottesville (uncle lives there and I went to UVA), so you need to want to live in a larger place.

Everything here is so much cheaper than NYC metro, and there are so many more amenities to include awesome recreation centers, beaches and parks. My moms house in Sparta NJ is 1100 sq ft with $11,000 in taxes. I live in a 2500 sq ft all brick place in a beautiful neighborhood backing up to wetlands/water and pay $3500 including car tax on our cars. No comparison.

NOVA is unlivable unless you have a great job or have roommates. Trust me.

Good luck

[Serious Conversation]

Basically everything south and west of Roanoke on I-81 are tiny towns without a lot going on. I'd definitely check into Richmond or the Tidewater area.