Thinking about Upstate NY: Potential migrants want opinions

[politicat]

The Love of my Life and I have decided that we really can't take too many more Colorado summers - hot, dry and fiery. So we have shortlisted several states as potential new homes while I get another master's in either Spanish or Slovak languages and he gets his DPhil in robotics. Upstate is on the short list.

So the questions we have are:
1. Would out-of-staters be welcome? (In Colorado, they're not really welcome.)
2. Would we be able to find work? (He, senior level programmer/architect; me medieval historian or psychologist.)
3. Are the state universities good for post-grad work?
4. Is housing available for less than the $350,000 average house price in this area?
5. What would you, as a resident of your state, warn us to be careful about?

Thanks!

[Autumn Colors]

1. "Upstate NY" is pretty vague

You realize that this includes anything north of the Bronx, right? I live in CT now, but grew up in Newburgh, NY. The summers are very hot AND humid. I've also lived in Colorado and I found the summers much more tolerable in Colorado.

As for being able to find work and the availability and cost of housing, you're going to have to be a little more specific about which PART of "upstate NY" you're talking about. This could be anything from Buffalo to Westchester County.

The attitudes are going to vary as well. The closer you get to NYC, the more liberal (or maybe I should say "tolerant" or "accepting") you'll find the people to newcomers just because there's more diversity. In the smaller, rural towns up north, I'm not sure if that's also the case.

SUNY schools are good, but different campuses are better for different fields. Again, depends on what area of the state you're talking about and which school.

Sorry to not really answer, but NY is a big state.

[politicat]

2. I understand it is a big state...

I'm doing the basic due diligence right now because my spouse really wants to go West, and I... don't. (There are no medieval sites on the West coast. There are at least a few late Renaissance sites on the East Coast and getting to true medieval sites in Iceland and Greenland is much easier from say, JFK than SeaTac.)

We're probably thinking Rochester environs. We're kind of flexible as long as it's on a train route. Buffalo has come up once or twice; Lake Erie region is top of the list.

Humidity is actually something we both need. We both have difficulties with the dry climate and forest fires can put me in the hospital with allergic reactions. (I'm allergic to several types of pine trees.)

Actually, your answer does help - it makes me think and create priority lists.

[Ignacio Upton]

5. Please don't include Westchester or Rockland as "Upstate"

I live in Westchester and everyone I know from the city keeps telling me I'm from "Upstate" when I get NYC media, Metro North is in my town, and the fact that most people I know commute into the city. My definition of Upstate is anything north of where the Metro North lines stop, which is in Poughkeepsie or Wassaic (which is also in Dutchess County) because the transportation factor makes the area cohesive. BTW, do you live in Fairfield County?

Anyway, Upstate is not a bad place. SUNY schools are good to look at, but depending on your field, Upstate has Syracuse, Cornell, Hamilton, Colgate, Ithaca, and Union as good colleges. Weather in Upstate is generally the same during the summer, but in the winter, watch out. Lake Ontario and Lake Erie make the region (especially Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Oswego) really cold. Since you're from Colorado I am sure you are used to the weather and would not mind.

[phylny]

6. I'm from Orange County,

and people "upstate" don't consider US to be upstate.

[Autumn Colors]

8. because you're downstate from them : )

I'm originally from Newburgh, btw.

[phylny]

9. Heh, good point ;) n/t

[Ignacio Upton]

10. Here's my definition of NY geographically

NYC, LI, Northern Suburbs (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess below Poughkeepsie according to Metro North's last stop on Hudson Line, and eastern Orange County, because the western part is the Poconos.) and Upstate, which can be split into: Upper Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, Central New York/Finger Lakes/Wine Country (yes there is one) and far Western New York/Buffalo.

[Autumn Colors]

7. LOL

"Upstate" is generally North of wherever you happen to live. But you ARE "upstate" from someone living in NYC.

Yes, I'm in Fairfield County now. I'm originally from Orange County, NY. I spent much of my twenties living like a gypsy and lived in 7 states. I went to Iran as an AFS student in high school and have lived in France as well.

[lcordero2]

16. North of the Bronx?

My definition of "upstate" in anything north of Fordham Road:evilgrin:

[LosinIt]

3. Come on Over, We'd Love to Have Ya!

I can recommend the Greater Rochester area for several excellent universities and state colleges:
The University of Rochester
Rochester Institute of Technology
Saint John Fisher
Nazareth College
Geneseo State
Brockport State
Oswego State
Hobart and William Smith


Ithaca is also an even better choice, the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, and eternal liberal hotspot.

To answer your questions;

1) Definitely
2) Probably, although I would think the programmer would probably have more luck in Rochester, but that is just a guess.
3) Can't answer that one
4) Housing is Much, Much cheaper than that in this area (with the exception of some of the pricier neighborhoods in Ithaca)
5)Lake Effect snow

Edited to add a link:
http://www.visitithaca.com/

or two:
http://www.ci.rochester.ny.us/

[Habibi]

13. I'm in Ra-cha-cha too

And we have Louise Slaughter, god bless her.

Rochester proper home prices are very reasonable, and we have some great neighborhoods.

I moved here from Mpls/St. Paul in 2000. Got an IT contract job at Kodak that went away in 2002, am picking myself up with contract tech writing work I was lucky to get. The employment sitch here is pretty dicey, as it is most everywhere, IMO. And the winters, ah, the winters. I never thought I'd miss Minnesota winters until I moved here.

Still, it's a fairly liberal town. And in the summer, you can look forward to at least one street festival per weekend!

[OneBlueSky]

4. the Finger Lakes region is nice, and not far from Rochester . . .

Ithaca has a vibrant community of liberals and progressives, and some great colleges (Cornell, Ithaca) . . . just up the road is Geneva, with Hobart and William Smith Colleges . . .

personally, I'd stay away from Buffalo . . . sitting right on the lake, the winters there can be absolutely brutal . . .

might also want to take a look at the Binghampton area . . . large state university there . . . but the city isn't all that much . . .

personally, I'd opt for the upper Hudson Valley . . . one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, and lots of interesting towns and villages . . . check out New Paltz, for example . . . also a state university town, with a liberal reputation (the mayor got in trouble for marrying gay couples) . . .

[HockeyMom]

11. Agree on the Hudson Valley

My daughter and I took Amtrak a few times from NYC to both Syracuse and Rochester (Fall and Summer). The train follows the Hudson River. Absolutely beautiful route, especially in the Hudson Valley Region. Lovely little towns. In all my travels in this state, it never ceases to amaze me how really "diverse" New York State really is; from the 21st Century metropolis to the really quaint rural town. Just depends on what lifestyle you choose.

My family originally settled in Cold Spring (across the river from West Point) and I have taken a few trips to that area to do genealogy research. Very nice, although from what I understand, home prices in that area are not cheap.

Good luck with the search.

[tomg]

12. I'm from the Hudson Valley, specifically

Rosendale, which is close to New Paltz, Kingston, Woodstock, Poughkeepsie. The area is, politically, quite interesting. Our Rep is Maurice Hinchey who is very progressive and who wins by fairly large margins. The county, and the congressional district itself, are split between real progressives and decent conservatives ( you know, the kind that you disagree with but who are honest and not Bushbots), and the Green Party is fairly healthy here. If people come up to live here and be part of the area, they tend to be welcomed openly and warmly.
Work can be dicey, particularly in IT and Comp Sci. The region used to be a major IBM area, at least in Poughkeepsie and Kingston, but there was major downsizing in, I think the 80s, professionals moved out, and it caused some economic havoc in places like Hyde Park ( school budgets etc.), but it has comeback. There are still job opportunities in the region, but I don't know how much hiring is going on right now. Medieval historians in our region are like medieval historians in any region. Opportunities for psychologists are more abundant ( social services, education, private practice). Depends on the standard of living to which you are - or want to be - accustomed.
I am a SUNY, New Paltz and NYU graduate, and it depends on the specialization and level. SUNY New Paltz is very good if you are going for secondary ed, MA in psychology, MFA in art ( great metals program). If you are thinking of going on for Ph.d ( and Medieval historian seems doctorate), SUNY has a great track record for placing people after the MA in top city Ph.D programs ( NYU, Columbia, etc), and the commute isn't bad ( did it). There are also good adjuncting possibilities. If you are in business or Psych Special Ed., Marist is also good for graduate work. Vassar has no grad programs. Albany is about 50 minutes up the throughway and is a very solid regional research institution offering Ph.d in history. I teach at one of the colleges in the area - a private - and we provide benefits to same-sex partnerships.
Housing is steep, like most places, and after 911 prices went up as people from NYC came up. Orange county is prohibitive; Ulster is still very reasonable. The bubble will burst soon and then come back and then burst.
It is a good area. Little humid right now. Winters can be tough ( we are in the valley so winds come whipping down out of Canada) but not really too bad. The Fall is beautiful and we have wonderful hiking trails. Active environmentalists. I wouldn't live anywhere else. Oh, and there is a Medieval Festival every year in, I think, Sterling Forest.

edit: typo

[Nite Owl]

14. I haven't been upstate

for very long but I'll give it a try.

1. yes, being from downstate I am an 'outsider' and have been very welcomed. People are very nice even my republican neighbors.

2.no idea on this one but I am in the capital region and colleges are big. SUNY Albany, Sienna, Skidmore, maybe giving them a call. I know a few professors at Skidmore if I see them at a get together I'll try to remember to ask.

3.yes

4.yes, should be able to find something more than decent for under 350k if you keep it at 3bdrms definitely.

5. winter, but I guess you are used to that.

[djg21]

15. Niteowl and I are neighbors.

She forgot to mention that we here in the 20th Congressional District have as our charming representative John Sweeney, the ringleader of the Brooks Brother Riot. He is a drunk, a thug and a bully, married to an ex-stripper, whom he met while he was previously married to a women he allegedly abused. He supposedly graduated from the bottom of his class at New England Law School, in Springfield, Mass. He has maintained a seat in Congress only because the congressional districts here are perversely gerrymandered, and because rural upstate New York is wildly liberatarian-republican.

Swiney has some problems this year -- his son is presently being tried on gang assault charges after he and number of his friends attacked a youth with a baseball bat (the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree?).

Also, we appear to have a strong candidate to run against him next November. Specifically, Kirsten Gillibrand, a partner at the Albany, NY Office of Boies, Schiller has recently announced her candidacy. I think that we can send Swiney packing -- finally!