Job offer in wilmington but concerned (Newark, Bear: real estate, condo, home)

[Dittybitty]

Hello everyone !!! I just got a job offer in wilmington. From what I've seen on this forum it's pretty sketchy ? What are some zip codes that aren't too bad in wilmington ? And New Castle As well

[Freesia Breeze]

Here's a map of where NOT to live:
Zoom in. Keep zooming...

Shootings Map

[newmassphd]

Originally Posted by Freesia Breeze

Here's a map of where NOT to live:
Zoom in. Keep zooming...

Shootings Map

Thank you for posting the map. It was sobering and saddening to keep zooming in
and see all of those numbered circles expand out into stick figure markers for
people who were shot or killed.

It reminds me of a few years ago when my wife and I went to try Mikimotos for sushi
and on the return trip home made two turns in the wrong direction from the highway, were a little
bit lost and happened upon a stressful situation involving a number (ahem) of open air street
corner "merchants" transacting pharmaceuticals commerce. Sadly because of the experience, we never returned to Mikimotos.

Another time while visiting St. Francis Hospital, I found a parking space on the
street nearby. As I walked to my car a group of local youths started following
me. I didn't wait to see what they wanted, but one tried to run after my car
as I quickly started it and drove away.

Another time, while trying to catch a very early morning Amtrak train, laptop case in hand,
I used the parking garage. A guy on a park bench yelled something as I kept walking and
started to follow me. I walked into the station and sat on a bench just across from
where the police officer was standing and the guy wouldn't enter the station.

[Dittybitty]

Originally Posted by Freesia Breeze

Here's a map of where NOT to live:
Zoom in. Keep zooming...

Shootings Map

sorry for the late reply.. but geesh!! thats crazy. thanks for the info.

[Freesia Breeze]

Working in the city during normal business hours is fine. Depending on where you work and park, you could probably get an escort to your car if you work late at night. If you're asking about housing, most of the suburbs around Wilmington are fine. If you want to live in the city and public schools are not a concern, Trolley Square is the place to be.

[Pocopsonite]

And also, is your potential place of employment actually within Wilmington city limits? That's where the sketchy areas are. You might work and live in suburban Wilmington and never go downtown at all. Or at least your trips downtown would be limited to safe areas.

There are huge communities, covering dozens of square miles, in the Wilmington ZIP code but not part of the City of Wilmington. And there are lots of office campuses in those ZIP codes.

Historic Old New Castle is charming and pricey. The rest of New Castle is not where I'd want to live.

Depending on work location, you can also consider living in Chester County, PA, just across the state line. Real estate taxes are higher (they support better schools), but income tax is lower. You can drive down to Delaware for tax-free shopping, but in PA clothes, shoes, and many groceries are tax-free anyway.

[pman]

have friends who live in trolley sq and they love it. while they wish the rest of the city were nicer they can have a little bit of the urban lifestyle and still be very close to work. the brandywine river is extremely attractive

[PreLives]

I own a home in the Triangle neighborhood. It's a very nice area.

I agree that areas in the city are really grim, but areas improve dramatically in Wilmington.

Areas around the museum and Brandywine river are amazing. You can also find cool condo buildings around there as well.

[sjdemak]

I would work in Wilmington but not live there. I'd suggest getting an ez-pass, and living in NJ right over the bridge the quality of life is by far that of what Delaware has too offer. If you decide to stay in DE id suggest Bear, Newark, and some parts of New castle. Maybe even Claymont if you can afford a decent place.

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by sjdemak

I would work in Wilmington but not live there. I'd suggest getting an ez-pass, and living in NJ right over the bridge the quality of life is by far that of what Delaware has too offer. If you decide to stay in DE id suggest Bear, Newark, and some parts of New castle. Maybe even Claymont if you can afford a decent place.

Very bad advice, to put it mildly. No need to pay the costs of tolls and fuel to live so far away from Wilmington. The City of Wilmington is a very small area and is surrounded by quite safe suburbs that are generically called "Wilmington" even though these are not within the small area within the city limits. Moreover, there are decent neighborhoods within the City itself. Claymont is sketchy, as is much of New Castle. I don't know why this poster is providing such bad input. Likewise, the adjacent areas of New Jersey are not particularly desirable.