Shifting to the Midwest? Watch Out for These Three Issues

When looking for a place to plant roots, you might have the Midwest in mind. The advantage of moving to the Midwest is that you often benefit from a lower cost of living than the more expensive East or West coasts. That means you may be able to find a cheaper home too – one that you can take out a smaller mortgage to finance it.

But while there are plenty of good reasons to settle in the Midwest, there are also some pitfalls you might encounter. Here are some to put on your radar before deciding on a particular city or making an offer on a home.

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1. Rough weather

If you’re not a fan of freezing temperatures and snow then the Midwest might not be for you. The Midwest often experiences extreme temperatures that exceed those of the Northeast, and while many homes in the area are fortunately equipped with good insulation and heating systems, November through April will deal with the effects of inclement weather. Make sure you are ready to deal with this, especially as a homeowner. For example, if it snows every day in January and you move to the Chicago suburbs, you will be responsible for cleaning your driveway and sidewalks.

2. A weaker labor market

There’s a reason so many people flock to the east and west coasts. Cities like New York; Washington, DC; San Francisco; and Seattle are known for their numerous job opportunities. Many well-known companies tend to set up shop in these cities, which can open the door for lots of career growth. You may not find the same options in the Midwest, where cities tend to be smaller. In fact, before you actually move out to the Midwest, you may want to get a job – either that or making sure you have a decent chunk of cash in your savings account in case it takes you a while to find work.

3. Lower wages

Most of the time, you won’t find the same wages in the Midwest as in parts of the country with big cities (and the big employers that tend to flock there). Well, the good news is that as mentioned earlier, the cost of living in the Midwest is generally more affordable, so things might even outweigh each other in that regard. But it’s still something to be aware of, especially if you have to pay more than expected for a home in the Midwest (which may be the case today as home prices are inflated nationally).

Before moving to the Midwest, spend some time exploring different cities. In fact, it’s a good idea to ask people you know to connect you with their friends and family members who actually live there. Talking to people about their experiences can help you decide whether the Midwest is right for you or which areas in the region to target.