Working in Newardk NJ Area? Would you do it?

[independent1019]

An opportunity came up in the Newark NJ area recently and I need some advise!

I am currently in the mid-west area and this will be a big move for me. I am not familiar with the east coast and what should I expect. I am interested to hear your thoughts on the following:

1. How much pay raise should I expect for a level move?
2. Cost of living is certainly more expensive, what about life style, what should I expect?
3. The general area, where do people live? I imagine it would be suburb? Any recommendations?

Thank you!!

[Colonel Smoothie]

1. A lot
2. Not a lot
3. Yeah

[Transitive Tangerine]

newark is easy to get to from NYC via path/nj transit

[This is my Alt]

Newark sucks

[ao fan]

i didn't realize there was anything in Newark other than an airport

[Anxiousele]

Originally Posted by ao fan

i didn't realize there was anything in Newark other than an airport

They call that dump an airport?

[PeppermintPatty]

Well, it used to be a bus station...

[ChuckJ]

Newark is NE NJ. It is very densely populated. Have you ever seen The Sopranos-the opening scene while the theme song is playing. That is what the Newark area looks like. Lots of factories, refineries, etc. NJ in general is very expensive to live in. We are in the top 3? for highest property taxes in the country. I live about 1 hour west of Newark in the less populated part of the state. We have lots of farms and small towns (5000-10,000 population). I am also in one of the less expensive counties. My house is 2500 sq. ft. and my property taxes are about $11,000/ year. The further east you go, the more expensive it gets. NJ has high taxes on everything. We have tolls on roads, especially near Newark. There are some nice areas not too far from Newark, but they will not be cheap. Don't know what level you are or what kind of pay you are earning now. Entry level actuary jobs start around $60,000 in NJ. Before even considering a move I would visit the new workplace to see it for yourself. Not trying to scare you away. just trying to give you some info to think about.

[Westley]

Originally Posted by ChuckJ

Lots of factories, refineries, etc.

This was my takeaway.

I don't know how realistic it is to live some reasonable distance away in a nice town, but Newark seems like an awful place to live.

As for the rest of Chuck's post, yes NJ is expensive, although given how many actuarial jobs are in Manhattan, Boston, Connecticut, and Chicago, NJ isn't really horribly expensive. If you're in non-Chicago MW, then it will seem expensive, but so will jobs in most other places you might interview, so depends on your expectations.

[Maximally Qualified]

Having been to the business district of Newark a few times, I'd have no issue working there. No white collar workers really live in Newark, so you would commute from any number of places, there's almost an exhaustive set of permutations of living conditions in the surrounding area. You can live in NYC with a short commute if you're a true cosmopolitan who commands the bright lights, Jersey City if you prefer a more Brooklyn-y vibe and less absurd living expenses, and there are some expensive (high values, medium taxes) but very nice suburbs full of NYC employees maybe a half hour west of Newark. If you want to take on a long commute for a (relatively) less expensive and (absolutely) less crowded home life, live where ChuckJ lives, in one of the counties bordering PA. You could even live in PA itself and make a long drive from the Lehigh Valley or Poconos, or a long train ride from NJ after driving in from Bucks County. There are a lot of options for any type of lifestyle but at the end of the day (or, rather, the beginning of the day) you have to spend a few dozen hours a week in an old city that has seen better days. The higher expenses should be mostly offset by a higher salary.

It's not for everyone. Generally dirty, ugly, and crowded, and sometimes smelly, but that describes NYC as well.