Thinking about moving, but have some concerns. Thoughts?

STX and STT are dead even at this point. (pun intended)
http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/police/2013/07/08/homicides-2013

The only stateside city which rivals us is metro New Orleans LA.

Sent you a pm.

i am glad someone pointed out that crime is pretty even on both islands.
rotor, i liked your pun

I always thought my home town St. Louis was more dangerous than the virgin islands. More specific I worked in east st. louis and I always thought it was number one in FBI and city-data for crime. So I am moving to a safer part of the world in my opinion but someone correct me if I am wrong?

I had a drive by in north st. Louis shot my gas tank lid mid afternoon. I think he wanted to explode the car not sure, I had a gun in my face with a robbery across the river. I started carrying a decoy wallet just in case.

There is more to crime than murder.

I always thought my home town St. Louis was more dangerous than the virgin islands. More specific I worked in east st. louis and I always thought it was number one in FBI and city-data for crime. So I am moving to a safer part of the world in my opinion but someone correct me if I am wrong?

I had a drive by in north st. Louis shot my gas tank lid mid afternoon. I think he wanted to explode the car not sure, I had a gun in my face with a robbery across the river. I started carrying a decoy wallet just in case.

The VI has been averaging about 58 per 100000 for the past several years.

New Orleans. 57.6 per 100000.
Detroit. 48.2 per 100000.
St Louis. 35.3 per 100000.

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/real_estate/2013/01/23/dangerous-cities/index.html

STX and STT are dead even at this point. (pun intended)
http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/police/2013/07/08/homicides-2013

The only stateside city which rivals us is metro New Orleans LA.

Both islands are even in homicides and I'd like to also point out that right now homicides are down almost 50%, compared to last year.

http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/police/2012/12/12/homicide-data-2012

Again, thank you to everyone. I am getting the impression that STX has the most crime, STT is the most well-rounded island in regards to something for everyone, and STJ, albeit lower crime rates, it by and far the most expensive. It is safe to say that STX is out. The next step is housing. Rent vs. Own. Renting has its perks for sure. However, owning allows the flexibility to do what you want. Tough choice really. I guess a lot of it would have to do with work more than anything. However, any advice on the housing area would be greatly appreciated. What are some of the things to look out for? What, if any, scams are prominent on the islands?

Thanks again.

Can you explain exactly what gave you the impression that STX has the most crime? I'm just curious.

The VI has been averaging about 58 per 100000 for the past several years.

New Orleans. 57.6 per 100000.
Detroit. 48.2 per 100000.
St Louis. 35.3 per 100000.

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/real_estate/2013/01/23/dangerous-cities/index.html

I was mostly trying to refer to East St. Louis. St. Louis is different from East St. Louis. Different States, different cities. The CNN link used data from 2011 and that year East st Louis was 92 per 100000. The place I worked was robbed constantly in that city.

Im new to the board been trying to get on here & ask some questions sorry if they have already been answered! Been wanting to move somewhere tropical since I went to st maarten in 2006 & back multiple times since & i have not yet been to st thomas where i would chose to go by all the research ive invested so far. My girlfriend, a buddy of mine, & me will be planning to relocate around spring/summer 2014.. I am a book keeper for my families gas stations not too sure if I could find a job like that but I would gladly work whatever I can. My girlfriend & I will be 25 for the move & my buddy will be 27. We each should have about $5,000 each would that be sufficient enough in order to live off while we find jobs & a place to stay in the meantime!? & how hard is it to get a job like at the marriott or a restaurant/bar!? Im sick of the cold & just the attitude of people around here anymore I love the island scene always has been in my destiny & i intend on making that happen any help would be much appreciated!!

Thanks!

Welcome crackadelic. $5,000 x 3 should be enough to start, assuming you live together and share one car. Otherwise, it will be tight.

Thanks for the fast response! & we would live together & prob get one car shipped @ some point soon after & see what is down there that we could budget in! How hard is to get a job there that is my main concern but since this island isn't like st Maarten where you have to apply for residency I assume it would probably be like trying to find a job in the states!?

I'd move to St. Maarten if I were you. It has an economy.

I'd move to St. Maarten if I were you. It has an economy.

A US citizen can't work on St Maarten without a visa. Don't know how lately you checked but their economy isn't in any great shape either!!!

crackadelic, the economy in the USVI is very low with the unemployment on STT over 10% and on STX over 14%. The majority of people in the tourist sector who cater to visitors (tour guides, restaurant waitstaff, bartenders, etc.) aren't able to get by on one job and often have two or three to make ends meet. Your budget of $5000 per person will be tight as you need to plan on paying first, last and one month security for an apartment; deposits for utilities, internet, TV, etc.; and money to live on until you can find employment.

I'll warn you too that it's very difficult to get around without a car and with three people involved it's going to be a bit of a nightmare. You'll need to live and work close to public transportation which really limits you (and public transportation is totally unreliable, doesn't run into the night), while taxis charge per person and you'll be spending a fortune using them.

I'm assuming you've been to the top of this page and read everything from left to right on the drop-down menus?

Good luck with your plans!

I was thinking at the least we would all have $5,000 I will probably have more but only time will tell. & yeah that's why I have decided st Maarten would have to be something I get into once on the island & living island life for awhile. I will deff start looking into if we can get 2 cars down for a deal or something then which my buddy might want to ship his anyway we have just put together all the plans so now is the time to start preparing & I've been trying to get on this site for awhile just got approved though. I was thinking with 3 of us working and paying together it wouldn't be as hard.

If you have multiple jobs are the places willing to work with each others schedules because here it's like part time is full time so your pretty much going to work night & day 24 hours with two jobs here. Duno how it would be down there.

Have you looked at all the general information available (top of this page, drop down menus)? I only ask again as you say you only just registered on this site. The information right at your fingertips is the reason this site exists so all of you should thoroughly absorb it. It'll answer a lot of your questions.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you ask, "If you have multiple jobs are the places willing to work with each others schedules?" If you mean what I think you mean I'd have to say basically no. The tour guide contractors and the dive operators have certain shifts they need covered and the restaurants and bars likewise. None of them is interested in your scheduling problems, simply expect that if they hire you you'll be on time to do the job and do it well. If you don't there's always someone to take your place! Shifts can vary anywhere from 4-8+ hours and it's your responsibility to juggle whatever you have to juggle. 😀

I have read alot of stuff from each menu @ the top now that the thoughts & plans are starting I will take your advise & go through each of them thoroughly until the day comes to make the move! I'm sure I will have lots of questions always do I like to know as much as possible & get advice from people who are there or have made that journey in their lifetime! I'm willing to do what it takes to be there & enjoy that weather & water!

Just out of curiosity. When hurricanes come how bad are they & how safe are the housing apartments that one would most likely live in? I'm assuming they hold up pretty well?

When hurricanes come how bad are they & how safe are the housing apartments that one would most likely live in? I'm assuming they hold up pretty well?

Usually they're a non-event. We go through about one "drill" every year, when a storm is heading our way and we have to put up shutters, move patio furniture inside, and otherwise prepare to get walloped. Every 5 or 10 years, one actually hits hard enough to do significant damage, and the power could be out for a week or more. Hugo in 1989 destroyed or damaged most buildings on STX, and power was out for up to 9 months. After Hugo, stronger building codes went into effect, so buildings should hold up better now, but you should ride out a strong storm in a "safe" room. You can search this forum for lots more info on hurricanes.

Last major hurricane was 1995 which totally devastated St Thomas. Because of the mountainous terrain, mini tornados whirl around and after Marilyn you could see two houses aside a road left completely unscathed while the house which was between the two was completely demolished. Likewise huge ancient mahogany trees ripped right out of the ground while others around it remained standing solidly. A supermarket built of steel totally crumpled while the less rigid buildings on either side of it still stood firm.

You just never know. You take the necessary precautions, hunker down and hope for the best. But, again, that was in 1995 and the major hurricane preceding that was in 1989. Since then the hurricanes have taken a trajectory mainly tracking way northeast of us so we've got relatively minor little blows, and rain from the tail ends.

Thanks for all the input I look forward to all the research & hopefully meeting you all if you still reside there!! Gotta take the good with the bad & to live there have to expect some tropical storms & hurricanes!

I moved from NJ to STX in 2005, and in those 8 years, my old neighbors in NJ have had up to 5 storm-related power outages of 1 week or more (depends on exact location). I've had just one on STX, after Hurricane Omar in 2008. So oddly enough, the storms have been much kinder to STX than to NJ in the past 8 years.

Also, our islands are a very small target. A storm's eye rarely passes directly over us, whereas the states are much larger and a storm is more likely to hit them directly somewhere.

Yeah I live 3 - 4 hours from nj & this past fall they got hit real hard! Even my area did also had bout a week power outage it was crazy!! But that's deff a good sign and just to live in warm weather all year round is u beatable!

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/police/2013/07/11/homicides-2013

11 STX

19 Territory

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/police/2013/07/11/homicides-2013

11 STX

19 Territory

And???? What is your point? Is this a competition?

Less than a month ago, STT was ahead by 2, and now STX is ahead by 3. Fives months into the year STT was ahead by 4.

It's pretty silly to draw any conclusions from these stats.

just know that if you loose power here in the vi's it is usually out for much longer times than in the states. Sandy was the exception to that for the states. it will also vary depending on where you live on island. for omar, our power was back on the next day. other people were without power for over a month. also, there are power outages almost daily on some part of the islands, so always have battery back up on things you dont want to replace frequently as wapa has been known to fry electronics