Places to live close to Allentown (Bethlehem, Easton: houses, buyers, new construction)

[mrsk]

I should have phrased the title different, I think.
We are looking to buy a home in the valley (where we currently reside) but working in Allentown would like to stay within a reasonable distance from there to commute each day (no more then 30 mins. each way)

After spending some years in the city we would like something more quiet and family friendly.

I have started to look in area's like Bath and Nazareth but those are pretty much the only towns I know outside of Bethlehem/Allentown and Coopersburg/Center Valley.

Thanks for any help!

[toobusytoday]

Perhaps this will help us figure out a place that would fit: http://www.city-data.com/forum/lehig...residents.html

Quick answer though, the best big schools (by the numbers) are Parkland and East Penn. Emmaus (East Penn) has a nice downtown and is not a bad commute at all to Allentown. Lot's of housing in Macungie and Lower Macungie- also East Penn.

[BearSwamped]

I live in Lower Macungie near where they are building the new elementary school and I work near the west end of Allentown. My commute is at most 15 minutes (even during rush hour) and I can get there four different ways that all take close to the same amount of time give or take 2-3 minutes.

The schools are good in East Penn and you can get good sized single family homes and town homes (new construction or resale) for a decent price. In this buyers market lots of houses have been on the market for a while. You could probably get a good deal. Good luck!

I haven't been to Bath or Nazareth in a while. They seem more like suburbs of Bethlehem and Easton to me.

[Flatulence]

I live in Southside Easton. For all the talk you hear about it, My area is very very quiet. All good neighbors, beautiful swimming pool, parks close by. Home values are very good here. I love a nice peaceful evening on my porch enjoying a cigar, chatting with my neighbors and watching the children play. About the loudest crazy thing I deal with here is the song on the Ice Cream Truck. If that is the worst thing where I live, I'd say I got it pretty good.

[bgwangel]

I think Macungie Borough is wonderful. Not Upper or Lower but the borough itself. I can walk to Weis, CVS, Turkey Hill, the Post Office and all kinds of other shops.
As far as schools go, Macungie Elem. is awful but Shoemaker is great!