Pulaski

There are good reasons why some areas inside the city limits are cheap, so you will need to check out the areas and decide whether they are agreeable to you. City-data.com often has good information on specific areas within a city, and you should look specifically for the crime data as that can be highly variable across a city - it can mean the difference between gunfire being heard frequently and rarely if ever, and as little as a couple of blocks distance can make a world of difference.

halfhalf1

I went to a university in Richmond for a year and lived in downtown in an area called the Fan. I'm hoping to stay in about the same area as before. Did get too drunk a few times and stagger off into neighbo(u)rhoods that reminded me of a war zone. Won't be doing that again!

Pulaski

The Pulaskis went out for dinner a few years ago (not in Virginia) and on the way home I took a shortcut through a "low income" part of the nearby town, and inadvertently drove into an armed police persuit/standoff!

By the time I had realised that police cars were parked across the road, the police were already behind us (off to one side) surrounding their target, with guns drawn, so I couldn't drive forwards and certainly didn't want to turn around and go back! Luckily I was able to drive over the sidewalk and escape down a side road. Mrs P has prohibited me from driving that way again after dark!

tom169

Google Maps doesn't have a route income filter

md95065

yellowroom

I earned around $95k when I lived in Richmond, VA. I lived in Glen Allen rather than the Fan, but you'll find money will go a lot further than it would in London. I had a great quality of life, paid rent and still had enough left over to continue to pay my mortgage on my UK house.

It's a great job offer, but not so outlandish as to be unbelievable.

halfhalf1

Pay for rent and pay for a mortgage? I can barely pay for my rent here in London! But my job offer is in Glen Allen, never went out there when I lived here but on google maps seems to be a business area.

yellowroom

not just a business area. Housing tends to be suburban and family orientated though, the Fan is the area for young professionals/graduates with a much more vibrant social buzz.

Rete

But will they be wealthy, which is what the OP is really questioning if you re-read her post. Claims there aren't any wealthy areas of Richmond and is questioning if the cost of living is so far out of line with the UK that those in the US making a decent wage are living in near poverty.

md95065

Actually the OP has already lived in that area and appears to understand what it would cost to live in various areas. Their concern was primarily whether the salary which they had been offered, which appeared to them to be very high compared to what they were earning in the UK was likely to be genuine, and the answer to that is that, yes, it is not out of line for that type of job in the US.

I still have no idea what johnwoo was really going on about apart from the fact that he apparently took exception to the fact it was pointed out to him that the extent to which $93k can be considered to be a "very good" salary varies depending on what part of the country you are talking about.

petitefrancaise

To the OP $93k sounds about right from what I've seen here in Austin - you'd probably get a bit more here but IT peeps are in high demand.

Healthcare "included" - that doesn't necessarily mean it's free. Find out if they subsidise all or part of the healthcare premiums and what plans they offer. Negotiate like mad for holiday equivalent to what you have in the UK or it might take you years to get back to the amount you have now and you will want to go home to see the folks. Car insurance is more expensive over here in the US too.

Have you looked up your company's profile on glassdoor? You will get a bit of feedback on whether this company pays well or not.

johnwoo

I don't know what you're talking about. Whatever you may think I said, I'm and have been fully aware of what is and what is not a good a good salary in various parts of the country, and $93000 is a good salary in Richmond VA.
May be you Tecchies are out of touch with the communities you live in.


Poverty in Richmond highest in the state – The MMJ Post

petitefrancaise

Why have you got such a bee in your bonnet?

Techies can earn huge salaries right now - a CS graduate at 21 years old can be earning $125k+ , the top ones even more. The OP's salary is a good one but it's by no means exceptional.

johnwoo

Techies don't live in a techie bubble, well perhaps they do. Don't you get it, most people no matter were they live don't make anywhere near that amount.
No bee in my bonnet, but I do have a social conscious. I'm seeing where I live the house prices going up and up, the house opposite me sold for well above the asking price, guess who moved in. Nice young couple from India, I benefit from it my house is going up all the time. I don't like the fact that lower income people may never own a home. Well yes I guess I do have a bee in my bonnet.

petitefrancaise

Lower income people have always had a problem being able to afford a home. Apart from in the 2000's and we all know how that ended up.

I live in Austin, there are plenty of places where people on lower salaries can afford housing. Just not in the "nicer" areas. Isn't that always the case though? I have a lovely house in a nice suburb which I most definitely could not have afforded when we were just starting out. It has taken 20 years of working and paying mortgages and saving.

And that nice young couple from India? Why don't you ask them about their journey to that nice house? The struggle all through school years to get good results to have a shot at a good university where there are approximately 600 applicants for each place? The working in India for not great wages so that they have a shot at a US visa? Did they hit a jackpot? No, they worked their arses off. Just like the rest of us.

Get over yourself and do some volunteer work with underserved communities.