Anonymous
Post 12/10/2024 06:05     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Lots of great places in the Midwest!
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2024 06:03     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Pittsburg burbs are a good suggestion. Also parts of upstate NY- for example, my friend is a single mom in the Rochester burbs and I'm pretty sure has a similar salary to OP. Housing is much cheaper than here and schools are good overall (again, in the burbs, not the city of Rochester). One nice thing about NY is that they've kept state university costs relatively reasonable, particularly when you compare to UVA and UMD CP.

But moving that far from family as a single parent can be hard, so I can understand why you'd want to stay closer.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2024 01:02     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look at some suburbs of Pittsburgh - Bethel Park or Dormont in Allegheny County. Canonsburg or further south in Washington County (Washington County property taxes are lower). These areas are south of the city. I am not as familiar with areas north of the city but I’m sure there are places. I am not mentioning any city neighborhoods bc of Pittsburgh Public Schools. There are some good schools but they tend to be in pricey neighborhoods. There are also some very good charters but I do not know the logistics of how to enroll - could be worth looking into if the actual city interests you.


This is a great suggestion. You might even be able to swing a rental in one of the better school districts if you only need a two bedroom and don't mind an apartment. You would have to hunt and be flexible but could be worth it for the schools. Like here is a two-bedroom apartment in Upper St. Claire for under $1400 a month:

https://www.zillow.com/apartments/pittsburgh-pa/st.-clair-woods-apartments/BdcNjp/

Area has great access to amenities as well -- good parks and pools, great grocery stores, etc. Zoned for Fort Couch middle and USC high school, some of the best schools in Pennsylvania.

Agree I would stay out of Pittsburgh proper if schools are important -- yes there are charters but as in DC you aren't guaranteed admission to any of them and the topography of Pittsburgh can make commutes to charters miserable. They don't have as many public transit options and if you don't know where your kid is going to go to high school you could wind up with a really annoying commute. I'd stick to the close in suburbs that have great schools, of which there are several.


My friend was an elementary school teacher in Upper St. Clair. His school had a mix of really poor kids and fairly rich kids. What I don't know is if there was much in-between, for that particular school.

I agree that the Pittsburgh area is a good possibility. I went to high school and college there. Still miss it.

I think there are good schools to the north, south, and east of Pittsburgh. Mine were in the eastern suburbs. I had college friends from all over the metro area who seemed well prepared.

Pittsburgh houses are affordable, but I hear real estate taxes are high.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2024 00:32     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Rural VA should have lots of options. Zillow lists 3 small houses in Manassas under $2K. There's a super cute place in Woodbridge that just listed for $1600. As you move further from DC it will just get cheaper.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 22:04     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anne Arundel, St. Mary's, some parts of Prince George's and Prince William. Outside Boston around Worcester. Central New York. Charlotte. Parts of Virginia Beach.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 20:58     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Here. We're a family of 4 with a mortgage on 100K, but my kids are teens and we pay for expensive activities and tutors, and shop at Whole Foods. Once upon a time, we lived on 60K in a one bedroom rental - all four of us when the kids were young - and shopped at Giant, food on sale, no expensive entertainment.

If you live frugally, you can absolutely live on 70K in the DC area. One bedroom, one bathroom. It's how many families live in Europe and Asia. Public school.

The question would be retirement and college. You cannot save for those on that income. If you need to do that too, then you have to move much further away, to a low cost of living state.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 20:52     Subject: Re:Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is the child the same sex as the parent? Or will you need two bedrooms?


Seriously? You don't need to be the same sex to use the same bathroom in a family, SMH.
I did not mention bathrooms- I was assuming one. Some places won’t rent a one bedroom if the child is opposite sex.

That's crazy. I know plenty of parents who slept in the living room at some point. Also, it's crazy to think that sharing a bedroom would increase the risk of abuse.


It’s a liability issue. I’m sure some landlord has been sued for renting a 1 BR to an abuser.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 20:50     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
I made this amount a few years ago. My DC and I live in Baltimore County. I rented a one bedroom plus den for maybe $1500 incl. utilities in the Towson area. Pretty good schools.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 13:12     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Calvert County
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 11:43     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look at some suburbs of Pittsburgh - Bethel Park or Dormont in Allegheny County. Canonsburg or further south in Washington County (Washington County property taxes are lower). These areas are south of the city. I am not as familiar with areas north of the city but I’m sure there are places. I am not mentioning any city neighborhoods bc of Pittsburgh Public Schools. There are some good schools but they tend to be in pricey neighborhoods. There are also some very good charters but I do not know the logistics of how to enroll - could be worth looking into if the actual city interests you.


This is a great suggestion. You might even be able to swing a rental in one of the better school districts if you only need a two bedroom and don't mind an apartment. You would have to hunt and be flexible but could be worth it for the schools. Like here is a two-bedroom apartment in Upper St. Claire for under $1400 a month:

https://www.zillow.com/apartments/pittsburgh-pa/st.-clair-woods-apartments/BdcNjp/

Area has great access to amenities as well -- good parks and pools, great grocery stores, etc. Zoned for Fort Couch middle and USC high school, some of the best schools in Pennsylvania.

Agree I would stay out of Pittsburgh proper if schools are important -- yes there are charters but as in DC you aren't guaranteed admission to any of them and the topography of Pittsburgh can make commutes to charters miserable. They don't have as many public transit options and if you don't know where your kid is going to go to high school you could wind up with a really annoying commute. I'd stick to the close in suburbs that have great schools, of which there are several.

Look into Palcs or other charter schools, just contact them and they handle enroll. Brick and click.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 11:04     Subject: Re:Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is the child the same sex as the parent? Or will you need two bedrooms?


Seriously? You don't need to be the same sex to use the same bathroom in a family, SMH.
I did not mention bathrooms- I was assuming one. Some places won’t rent a one bedroom if the child is opposite sex.

That's crazy. I know plenty of parents who slept in the living room at some point. Also, it's crazy to think that sharing a bedroom would increase the risk of abuse.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 11:02     Subject: Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:Look at some suburbs of Pittsburgh - Bethel Park or Dormont in Allegheny County. Canonsburg or further south in Washington County (Washington County property taxes are lower). These areas are south of the city. I am not as familiar with areas north of the city but I’m sure there are places. I am not mentioning any city neighborhoods bc of Pittsburgh Public Schools. There are some good schools but they tend to be in pricey neighborhoods. There are also some very good charters but I do not know the logistics of how to enroll - could be worth looking into if the actual city interests you.


This is a great suggestion. You might even be able to swing a rental in one of the better school districts if you only need a two bedroom and don't mind an apartment. You would have to hunt and be flexible but could be worth it for the schools. Like here is a two-bedroom apartment in Upper St. Claire for under $1400 a month:

https://www.zillow.com/apartments/pittsburgh-pa/st.-clair-woods-apartments/BdcNjp/

Area has great access to amenities as well -- good parks and pools, great grocery stores, etc. Zoned for Fort Couch middle and USC high school, some of the best schools in Pennsylvania.

Agree I would stay out of Pittsburgh proper if schools are important -- yes there are charters but as in DC you aren't guaranteed admission to any of them and the topography of Pittsburgh can make commutes to charters miserable. They don't have as many public transit options and if you don't know where your kid is going to go to high school you could wind up with a really annoying commute. I'd stick to the close in suburbs that have great schools, of which there are several.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 10:57     Subject: Re:Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is the child the same sex as the parent? Or will you need two bedrooms?


Seriously? You don't need to be the same sex to use the same bathroom in a family, SMH.


OP said BEDROOM, not bathroom. Quick to judge, are we?
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 10:56     Subject: Re:Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is the child the same sex as the parent? Or will you need two bedrooms?


Seriously? You don't need to be the same sex to use the same bathroom in a family, SMH.

There are many places that won’t rent a one bedroom to a parent if their child is the opposite sex. This has nothing to do with bathrooms. 🤦
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2024 10:55     Subject: Re:Where in the country can a family live comfortably on $70k?
Rents are relatively cheap in the Ashby in downtown McLean. You should be able to qualify for rent assistance in Fairfax county and then it should be inexpensive enough for you.
https://www.theashby.com/