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I'm offended we grew up without alot of money my mom did the best on her own raising 6 kids and we received free lunches...so what
I'm sorry if you felt offended, mystree66. I think she was just trying to point out that the area seems to be struggling right now due to lack of jobs. Perhaps not the best place for a young man trying to start an Internet business.
I'm not really worried about crime in my area (though I am concerned that violent crime has risen all across the US.) The stats are much higher here than anywhere else I've lived, but it's been the small towns with the low stats where I've had to deal with crime. You can never rely completely on stats.
I'm sorry if you felt offended, mystree66. I think she was just trying to point out that the area seems to be struggling right now due to lack of jobs. Perhaps not the best place for a young man trying to start an Internet business.
I'm not really worried about crime in my area (though I am concerned that violent crime has risen all across the US.) The stats are much higher here than anywhere else I've lived, but it's been the small towns with the low stats where I've had to deal with crime. You can never rely completely on stats.
Exactly. That in the fact that he repeatedly mentions that if he does not like the area he'll just sell the house and move somewhere else. Gonna be hard to do if the market is in such a decline and the houses he is looking at are in need of LOTS of TLC. He'll never recoup any of his money and he'll be lucky to sell. He needs to look to see how long some of those places have been on the market. I'm betting for a long time. Just trying to help the guy out based on what he has said and buying in a very depressed area economically is not going to get him ahead or give him much of an out if he does not like it or can not make a go of it. People like your mother are not the reason to not move to an area. It's great that she was able to do such and it is to be admired. But I'm betting most of the people in the area he is looking in are unemployed and not looking for work. Big difference.
NeedAffordable, well if you're checking out Ia., you'll be my neighbor. At least for the moment anyhow.
Rdbeard, you may want to ask your question on the section of this site where the monitors find the questions and answer them quite promptly, actually. Sorry your post was deleted, but don't take offense. It happens every once in a while.
The problem really isn't that people aren't working but the lack of good paying jobs...alot of people working for $7-$8 hour which doesn't add up to alot.
Am I worried about crime here in Scranton? Yes. While Scranton has one of the lowest crime rates per capita in the nation, it is also seeing a noticeable increase in gang pressures from NYC, NJ, and Philadelphia, all of which are just 90 minutes to two hours away. In the recent "Operation Smackdown", local law enforcement officials nabbed two dozen lowlifes who were responsible for smuggling 75% of the region's heroin supply into Scranton from the cities. What scared me the most is the fact that the names "Bloods" and "Crips" are starting to creep up now from time to time---We're not the sleepy little former mining town that we've always been known as.
Then again, I've quite frequently walked around the Hill Section of Scranton (which is supposedly a "bad neighborhood" in the eyes of many locals), and never once did I feel threatened or observe illicit activites. What did I see? I saw contractors from NJ working to renovate and "flip" multi-family homes here. I saw newer luxury sedans and SUVs dotting the streets with American flags draped from porch overhangs and children playing in side yards. I saw a woman jogging, a man walking his dog, and a few college kids "hanging out", as the neighborhood sits very near to the University of Scranton. I saw the backdrop of a true neighborhood---Not those artificial cookie-cutter ones that are popping up left and right, unchecked, all over the metro.
In Scranton, if you don't bother the criminals, then they generally won't bother you. 90% of the time, those who are stabbed, robbed, beaten, shot, etc. are victims of a drug deal gone South or longtime grudges. I don't care if one drug dealer or gang member guns down another---That's "progress" in my eyes. As the city continues to turn a new leaf in attracting young, "hip" professionals and empty-nesters into its city limits, Scranton must keep a keen eye on just who is moving here from the cities to the SE. It's nice to see intellectuals flocking to town and opening up art galleries, dog bakeries, designer clothing stores, coffeehouses, etc.---It's not good to see the Bloods or Crips coming here to recruit, as they've apparently begun to do in parts of the nearby Poconos.
Also, I'll throw my hat into the ring to tell you that Oil City is not at all a desirable area in which to reside. The crime may be low, but keep in mind that the city only has 11,000 residents and is not located near to any "big-city" influences. There isn't much in the way of economic opportunity in the town, and I'm not even sure if the town would have any sort of WiFi or high-speed internet access to help you launch your web-based business due to its geographic isolation. Homes in Oil City are cheap for a reason---people are moving out, not in! When homeowners are desperate to sell, they'll lower their prices significantly in hopes of attracting a buyer in a saturated market (Which Oil City IS---What other community with just 11,000 residents has so many listings?)
The one thing I admire about Oil City is that it's certainly not materialistic by any means---The blatant consumerism and "keeping up with the Jones's" that has crept into the Scranton 'burbs has my stomach turning! Then again, keep those school statistics in mind---1/3 of the schoolchildren need free or reduced lunches for a reason: Their families are STRUGGLING!
If you're looking for a nice, safe, quiet, affordable town up North, then why not try some of the towns in my area? A few suggestions would be Nanticoke, Carbondale, or Pittston, all of which are struggling former mining towns with housing gluts and reasonable prices, and all are within an easy commute to Scranton or Wilkes-Barre for nightlife, shopping, dining, etc. I'll post some examples below for you to browse through. Be weary---those homes in Oil City are $20,000 because they're all in dire need of repairs, updating, etc.
Great post! We talked on instant message about Scantron and theres pros and cons. I will definately look into Scantron. Im also looking into Knoxville and especially Cedar Rapids. Im worried about Scantron getting urban sprawl and increase in crime and ill be priced out.
Regarding fixing up your own house- have you checked out Habitat for Humanity? By volunteering you could learn to fix your house while building someone else's. That's what I want to do next spring. http://www.habitat.org/
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Out of curiosity, what's the best place to live for a criminal? A low crime area or a high crime area? Does it matter what kind of crime the criminal does or the kind of crime in the area?
Last edited by CandyApple; 12-23-2006 at 10:40 PM..
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At least for the moment anyhow.
As the city continues to turn a new leaf in attracting young, "hip" professionals and empty-nesters into its city limits, Scranton must keep a keen eye on just who is moving here from the cities to the SE. It's nice to see intellectuals flocking to town and opening up art galleries, dog bakeries, designer clothing stores, coffeehouses, etc.---It's not good to see the Bloods or Crips coming here to recruit, as they've apparently begun to do in parts of the nearby Poconos.
Then again, keep those school statistics in mind---1/3 of the schoolchildren need free or reduced lunches for a reason: Their families are STRUGGLING! 
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