St. Thomas vs St. Croix?

This is a great place to start researching a move. Have you been to either STT or STX yet?

There are a lot of threads on this site that discuss the differences between the islands, definitly read through them. However, it all boils down to personal preference. I live on STX and I'm glad I do, I would not consider living on STT. But, I'm retired, no kids, all play. Different strokes for different folks, do your research. A job, if you have to have one, may be the driving criteria. Good Luck!

Thank you for the responses. We have only visited STT and that was 8 years ago. We enjoyed it as vacationers - but we may want something a little more laid back to live (but not too laid back). We enjoy new adventures and meeting others - are both islands friendly to newcomers?

Thanks again!!!

You really should read the hundreds of threads on this site that spell out the difference between the islands. Much has changed since you visited STT 8 years ago and besides living in the islands is far different than visiting them on vacation. After you do your research you'd be wise to make a Pre-Move Visit (PMV) to both islands to find out which one works best for you and your situation. While your doing the PMV don't stay at a resort but rather stay in a housekeeping unit, do everyday chores like laundy, grocey shopping, clean house, etc. After all you are going to be doing those if you move permanantly. Remember, just because there are palm trees, sandy beaches and blue water doesn't mean life is all sitting under a palm tree drinking pina colodas. You have to contend with every day life like cooking, paying bills, yardwork, repairing the car, doing laundry, etc.

If your economic situation dictates check out job opportunities. Remember wages here are probably going to be lower than for comparable jobs "back home". Check out housing to see if what fits your budget suits your needs. Here again, housing is probably going to be higher than where you are now (Lower Wages/Higher Living Costs - that's the Catch-22 of island life). Check out schools and tuition (most people moving to the islands send their children to private school).

Hint - figure out why you are making the move. A lot of people who move to the islands are "running away' from something or they are seeking a utopia which doesn't exist. Moving to the islands is no different than moving to another city or state "back home". Take the same steps and precautions you would if you were moving to another city - take off the rose colored glasses and check everything out carefully to be sure it's right for you.

Regarding the "friendliness to newcomers" - a lot depends on you and your attitude town island life. Some people make the move easily others have difficulty adjusting. First hand research is the key to a successful transition.

Remember living on an island is not better or worse than where you live know it's just different. How you adjust to that difference is the key to success.

The type of job(s) you would seek will likely have some bearing on which island would suit your family's situation better. STX is less crowded, but that also means there are less tourism industry jobs. For some of us, that's a double plus, but it's not as great for people in service industries. You're likely to want to put your child into a private school or homeschool program. Private schools are expensive (about $10K per year for the top schools). If your career fields or bank account can absorb that easily, then it's not as big a deal.

The main employer on STX is the oil refinery. They have all kinds of jobs, not only working with oil and machinery. Some people don't think of applying there who probably could get hired. They pay pretty well and have a variety of benefits available depending upon the position someone is hired to fill. Sometimes they pay moving expenses, a housing stipend, and private school tuition, so it's worth the time to see if there's a fit.

There are lots of outdoor activities available for kids on either island. Some of the things kids do on the mainland aren't readily available here (tackle football, e.g.), but if your child is into water sports of all kinds, there's lots to stay busy with. Some kids moving here at 12 are all for it and others resent moving away from family and friends. Hopefully yours is in the first category or you will have some tough times during the settling in process.

STX is a bit cheaper to live on than STT, housing and gasoline especially. Expect to live more simply and for the grocery bill to increase. The good news is that nobody cares what kind of car you drive and you don't need designer labels in your clothing to fit in. That can save you $$ to deal with some of the other new expenses.

Whichever island you choose, good luck!

Hello,

Above, you have some of the best advice i have ever seen written here and I couldn't support their views more. I would like to add a couple of points of interest, first, take a good hard look at your belongings, make three piles, what to throw away, what you absolutely want to keep and an undecided pile. Plan on traveling as lite as possible, put everything in storage, in the states, I have a storage unit in new york, costs 39.00 a month, I have a storage unit on STT cost 100.00 a month. Once you know your here to stay you can arrange shipment of your goods, another reason you should store in the states is climate, I've had certain items ruined by this climate while in storage, pictures, paper products, leather etc, mainly from mold and bugs.

The second point I would like to touch on came to me after a in depth demographic study of people I met relocating to the USVI, particularly what was a major factor of failure. You will read such factors a "rock fever" living on a small island, lack of modern amenities, restaurants, stores , poor infrastructure, high cost of living to name a few. One of the most prevalent factors I found was debt, folks coming with too much personal debt, finding themselves working way to hard and long to meet their obligations. Shed any short term debt such as credit cards. The less you have to work and the more time you have to enjoy everyday life the better off you will be. What I typically see is people trying to escape and their troubles surely follow.

And last, I cannot support the PMV idea more! Visit as many times as you can to do your research, remember on STT our tourism season starts in November and is a whole lot different than the summer so try and visit during the heat of the summer and the bustle of tourist season if your considering Saint Thomas. I wish you the best of luck and success where ever you choose.

Peter