If you're moving out of the DMV area because of the HCOL

[Anonymous]

1) Where are you going?
2) What is your HHI in the DMV (and what will it be where you are going)?

By HCOL I really mean real estate. That is truly the only think here that I think is ridiculous here. Food is honestly the same here as back home in a relatively lower COL area.

[Anonymous]

1. Smaller city in the Midwest, e.g Kansas City

2. Current is $340K; new would be $320K (1 permanent WFH, 1 military retirement, 1 GS-14 hopefully taking a lateral position— hasn’t come through yet so we’re still here)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Smaller city in the Midwest, e.g Kansas City

2. Current is $340K; new would be $320K (1 permanent WFH, 1 military retirement, 1 GS-14 hopefully taking a lateral position— hasn’t come through yet so we’re still here)

Congratulations! That sounds awesome.

[Anonymous]

Was $300K. Moved to LCOL and now making $196K. Housing is less, but everything else seems the same.

[Anonymous]

Daycare in the DMV is insane.

Hhi in dc was about 200k

Hhi in new city is about 300k

South west

Taxes are lower and we live in a great house with a 15 minute commute. Being in a newer house where things are breaking or falling apart is a huge stress reliever. Our daycare bill is half of what it was in dc. Our friends from our 20s in DC all left or like turned into anxious aholes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Daycare in the DMV is insane.

Hhi in dc was about 200k

Hhi in new city is about 300k

South west

Taxes are lower and we live in a great house with a 15 minute commute. Being in a newer house where things are breaking or falling apart is a huge stress reliever. Our daycare bill is half of what it was in dc. Our friends from our 20s in DC all left or like turned into anxious aholes.

Can I ask what city? I’m from the SW and traffic in my hometown is almost always awful and everything is sprawled with no public transportation.

[Anonymous]

We're moving to Montana, but it's not cheaper because the land is crazy expensive. So it is cheaper, but you can't find much for where we are looking for under 1M. We are headed out there doe a better quality of life. The things to do there are more like line with out lifestyle than what's available in the DC metro area.

No change in income.

[Anonymous]

People aren't going to tell you *exactly* where they are moving. Why? Because plenty of people on this forum are snobs and will try to rip any place listed to shred. I *love* my home (i.e. the LCOL I left the DMV for) and I don't want to see it criticized by the angry, bitter people who think the DMV, New York and San Francisco are the only place to live. I will NEVER mention it by name on this forum. And, yes, my home has
1. Great school district (highly rated by all objective measures).
2. LCOL
3. Better traffic.
4. Better weather.
5. I make significantly more here than I did in the DMV.
6. Laid back attitude

These places are out there. You just have to look. Some people will never "see" them because they only want to live in places considered desirable by their social circle.

[Anonymous]

Delaware

Taxes are super low.

Fantastic location on the eastern seaboard.

Low property costs

Access to my jobs in PA, NJ, and MD.

It has its drawbacks such as low quality schools and less amenities like food etc...but do the calculation. You'll still come out massively ahead even if you pay for private school. It's crazy how cheap DE is compared to MD, NJ, and PA for basically the same location.

[Anonymous]

We are moving in the next few months to the Chapel Hill/Durham area.

HHI $230,000, we're taking our jobs with us (i.e. they will be remote). We own a condo here, but even with an almost $200,000 down payment we feel priced out of real estate around here and don't want to end up in a far out suburb. We are definitely conservative in terms of not wanting to be house-poor, so don't want to take on a huge mortgage that something good around here would require (and by good, I mean an old house that probably needs tons of updates).

I'll miss living in DC for sure, but, we need a bit more space.

[Anonymous]

Chicago. Bought a SFH in 2017, 5bd 2ba with a 1/2 acre corner lot for $335k. Great school district and 30 min train to downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People aren't going to tell you *exactly* where they are moving. Why? Because plenty of people on this forum are snobs and will try to rip any place listed to shred. I *love* my home (i.e. the LCOL I left the DMV for) and I don't want to see it criticized by the angry, bitter people who think the DMV, New York and San Francisco are the only place to live. I will NEVER mention it by name on this forum. And, yes, my home has
1. Great school district (highly rated by all objective measures).
2. LCOL
3. Better traffic.
4. Better weather.
5. I make significantly more here than I did in the DMV.
6. Laid back attitude

These places are out there. You just have to look. Some people will never "see" them because they only want to live in places considered desirable by their social circle.

What field are you in that you swing higher salary in a LCOL? Medicine?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daycare in the DMV is insane.

Hhi in dc was about 200k

Hhi in new city is about 300k

South west

Taxes are lower and we live in a great house with a 15 minute commute. Being in a newer house where things are breaking or falling apart is a huge stress reliever. Our daycare bill is half of what it was in dc. Our friends from our 20s in DC all left or like turned into anxious aholes.

Can I ask what city? I’m from the SW and traffic in my hometown is almost always awful and everything is sprawled with no public transportation.

City of about 100k... not Phoenix

[Anonymous]

We move to Orlando. HHI in DC was $85k. New HHI is $125k. I was a rare professional in the DC area that actually makes less and has a HCOL! We are flush with cash now that my income increased and cost of living is so low (mainly housing) compared to DC! We love our lifestyle now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People aren't going to tell you *exactly* where they are moving. Why? Because plenty of people on this forum are snobs and will try to rip any place listed to shred. I *love* my home (i.e. the LCOL I left the DMV for) and I don't want to see it criticized by the angry, bitter people who think the DMV, New York and San Francisco are the only place to live. I will NEVER mention it by name on this forum. And, yes, my home has
1. Great school district (highly rated by all objective measures).
2. LCOL
3. Better traffic.
4. Better weather.
5. I make significantly more here than I did in the DMV.
6. Laid back attitude

These places are out there. You just have to look. Some people will never "see" them because they only want to live in places considered desirable by their social circle.

What field are you in that you swing higher salary in a LCOL? Medicine?

A STEM field, not medicine.