Best wages and local

[surenuff]

If anyone has been doing the research lately, where would I want to move to expect the highest wages. In other words, what part of the country pays the best and has the lowest cost of living. I know that some places pay high wages, but it cost too much to live there. On top of the wages, what are your thoughts if any on the best place in the county to work? I know that this question is going to be very subjective, but I would like to hear your thoughts anyway.

[akelesis]

Some People always think about pay going into a company, its always the wrong approach. experience is higher on my scale then my pay grade. of course i am expecting to be pay decent. Doesnt help if you get paid well, but the hours suck. Gotta think about that too. When switching companies always get as much info as possible to better yourself.

[timebuilder]

If anyone has been doing the research lately, where would I want to move to expect the highest wages. In other words, what part of the country pays the best and has the lowest cost of living. I know that some places pay high wages, but it cost too much to live there. On top of the wages, what are your thoughts if any on the best place in the county to work? I know that this question is going to be very subjective, but I would like to hear your thoughts anyway.

Objectively, the "best pay" is usually found in the areas with the HIGHEST cost of living. Now, consider that the IRS does NOT apply a sliding scale for areas with a higher cost of living, so folks in those areas PAY MORE in taxes on the fed level, and likely, on the state and local level, too.

Your best lifestyle, lowest taxes, etc, is usually found with lower pay in lower cost areas. Some items you will want are priced on a national scale now, thanks to the internet, such as cars and electronics. But, houses and food are often lower in local areas.

That's what you have to think about: earn more and have more taken away, or earn less in a lower cost area, keep more of what you earn, and prosper?

[zw17]

I would be more concerned about finding a shop that you can get 40hrs every week.

Cost of living will go hand in hand with your pay scale, I highly doubt you will find one better than the other.

[MechanicallyInclined]

El Paso has the highest Union HVACR scale wage in TX. It's above prevailing wage for El Paso. Why? El Paso is part of the NM Local, based in Albuquerque. Carrier, Honeywell and Johnson Controls (which replaced York) are the only signatory companies. These are under their own individual MES national agreements. There's not one Local signatory company!