Worst towns in NJ (Newark, Camden: property taxes, home, rent)

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by Blue717

I was born and raised in Roselle NJ. IN 1986 I finally got my family out! I'm not trying to trash my hometown, but lets be honest, its a dump and a ghetto! I was back there this past year and would be embarassed to say I was from there! When I was a kid ( mid 50's) it was a tree lined street, with well kept homes and kids playing in the streets. Just like the American Dream! When visiting my parents when I was in my 20's I told my Dad I would take the dog for a walk. He told me not to go off the block! That hit me like a ton of bricks! The last time I had been told not to go off the block I was 7 years old! From my recent visit I can see it has only gotten worse.
I remember shopping on Thursday evenings in Elizabeth with my Mom. Walking down Broad Street with absolutely no fear! Enjoyable night going to Teppers and Georkes. (Department stores) Asbury Park used to be a family beach, also now a dump! My opinion..if Jersey has a bad reputation...its because they earned it! And thats sad!

Nah, I think bad reputations stay alive and inline because of people with your type of views. One or two towns do NOT characterize an entire state. If that was the case, California would be awful because of Compton, Michigan for Flint, Missouri for St. Louis, etc

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by jerseygirlInTN

Overall, if you look at the 371 most dangerous metropolitan areas (with #1 being the most dangerous), there IS NOT ONE NJ CITY IN THE TOP 25! There are however 11 SOUTHEASTERN CITIES IN THE TOP 25! That's almost 50%!

Here's the link for more information:
http://www.morganquitno.com/cit07pop.htm#25

So be thankful that you live in a reasonably safe state. Luckily, where we live, it's in the nicer part of town, but we still will be moving back to NJ this year. I don't think NJ has EARNED a bad reputation, its own people have PERPETUATED that notion. It's time to spread some GOOD CHEER ABOUT NJ! I say, If one doesn't like it here, then maybe the South will be a better fit.

Oh, for all those moving to NC---Charlotte/Gastonia is ranked #12 in 371 metro areas and #8 in 32 cities population of 500,000+.

Those are some great numbers for people to work with. I've been on the Charlotte board trying to get that sort of crime stat through to people. You try to provide some good information, yet they see only what they want to see and then accuse me of scaring people.

Some of New Jersey's rep is true, but most of it is an exaggerated myth. I think moving back home to New Jersey will be the best gift in 2007 in back of simply making it through another year. It truly can't happen soon enough.

[deja8318]

I have lived in Jersey my whole life besides my year in NYC. There is certain things I love about this state such as the diversity, salary's, tons of shopping, and always something to do. However I have lived in some of the worse neighborhoods as well as good areas. I currently live in Bloomfield near the borderline of East Orange and Newark. You do not even see the cops here anymore and the crime is skyrocketing. There is bad parts of many towns even towns like West Orange which I have personally lived. The Valley and Watchung areas are horrible. The murder rates are jumping and there has been a lot of innocent bystanders. I lived in Newark, East Orange, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Montclair, Verona, Caldwell, Belleville, Livingston, Essex Fells, Hacketstown,Patterson, Jersey City,Passaic, and Bloomfield. So I have experienced the good areas and the bad. What I could say is that the good areas have become unfordable and the bad areas are still crime ridden. I really have to move just so my child will have a safer life. They keep making promises that they are going to clean up the state but I have only seen it get worse. There are so many towns in NJ that are falling apart I can not even list them all.

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by deja8318

I have lived in Jersey my whole life besides my year in NYC. There is certain things I love about this state such as the diversity, salary's, tons of shopping, and always something to do. However I have lived in some of the worse neighborhoods as well as good areas. I currently live in Bloomfield near the borderline of East Orange and Newark. You do not even see the cops here anymore and the crime is skyrocketing. There is bad parts of many towns even towns like West Orange which I have personally lived. The Valley and Watchung areas are horrible. The murder rates are jumping and there has been a lot of innocent bystanders. I lived in Newark, East Orange, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Montclair, Verona, Caldwell, Belleville, Livingston, Essex Fells, Hacketstown,Patterson, Jersey City,Passaic, and Bloomfield. So I have experienced the good areas and the bad. What I could say is that the good areas have become unfordable and the bad areas are still crime ridden. I really have to move just so my child will have a safer life. They keep making promises that they are going to clean up the state but I have only seen it get worse. There are so many towns in NJ that are falling apart I can not even list them all.

Completely understood, and no one can knock you for wanting a safe-crime free life for your child. But I don't know if you know this: the crime-rate rise is not limited to Jersey, there is a significant rise in crime across the United States. Some law enforcement experts suggest that it may have to do with the fact that dangerous criminals that were put away some 10-15 years ago are at the end of their sentences and getting out. Is this true, I don't know, I'm no expert. But...I lived in a lot of those towns you mentioned including Newark and Irvington(Headley/Franklin Terrace) and sure...there's better towns out there. I must reiterate, however, that few towns do not characterize an entire state (even though people may want them to). There are many towns falling apart, but there are many towns coming up. Edison and Woodbridge both have populations just now on the verge of 100,000. But hey, no one can make you stay lol, if it's too expensive then it's too expensive. Who am I to tell you otherwise?

[EastwordHo]

Now this just sounds like doom and gloom. I popped into this forum to see if there is a good place to live if you work in Manhattan. I have a line on a job in what I think is Lower Manhattan (near Lincoln Tunnel). Looking on the map I was pleased to see that it's just a stones through from New Jersey. At first I thought that it was a very good thing. Checking on home prices in the NJ towns near there and found that the house prices aren't all that good and you only get a cracker box for the price range I am looking at. Then I stumbled onto this forum. Lol could it get worse? Now what I am looking at is taking quite a cut in pay to work in Manhattan and knowing that actually living in New York City is kind of out of the question price wise. Now here is the kicker.... I am moving from the Los Angeles Area. By reading this thread now it sounds like if I got the job in Manhattan and lived in NJ I would be moving into the same kind of problems we have here (crime, ghettos). But then again the local government isn't corrupt here...;-). But there could be some differences I haven't accounted for. Like I have a 40 minute commute to work and I live in a town that has a consistent record for having the rating of safest city in the US year after year(crime wise) I live in Ventura County)). I also don't work in the worse area of LA (Westwood) which is surrounded by Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Bel Air (not exactly crime ridden neighborhoods). So I guess I have to decide..... should I take the job in Manhattan and live in NJ?

[BrianH1970]

If you're job is next to the Lincoln Tunnel then you're almost around mid-town Manhattan (it would let you off between Madison Square Garden and Times Square). You might do well looking at a place around north Bergen county which isn't at all far from the Lincoln Tunnel. I know Weehawken is right next to the helix that takes you into the tunnel, but I'm really not sure what kind of an area it is these days.

[66nexus]

Plus...there are some suburbs like South Orange, Maplewood, etc in North Jersey and a lot of good towns in Central Jersey where you can take Metropark that goes to New York. It all really depends what you're pockets can handle. Lol I hope the job you have in NY is a well-paying one. Not saying it's impossible to live in NJ w/o a well-paying job it would be in your favor. The further away from NY the lower housing is (though I'm not sure how it gets once you're close to Phily). People want to work in NY but not live there, and the housing demand in Jersey is high so are the prices.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by 66nexus

Plus...there are some suburbs like South Orange, Maplewood, etc in North Jersey and a lot of good towns in Central Jersey where you can take Metropark that goes to New York. It all really depends what you're pockets can handle. Lol I hope the job you have in NY is a well-paying one. Not saying it's impossible to live in NJ w/o a well-paying job it would be in your favor. The further away from NY the lower housing is (though I'm not sure how it gets once you're close to Phily). People want to work in NY but not live there, and the housing demand in Jersey is high so are the prices.

If it's just him he could even get something around Sayreville. The property taxes aren't that high (I don't think the schooling is that great there) and the houses are fairly affordable in comparison. The GSP is pretty much right there to take over to Metropark.

[cyntmac]

Originally Posted by EastwordHo

Lol could it get worse? Now what I am looking at is taking quite a cut in pay to work in Manhattan and knowing that actually living in New York City is kind of out of the question price wise. Now here is the kicker.... I am moving from the Los Angeles Area. By reading this thread now it sounds like if I got the job in Manhattan and lived in NJ I would be moving into the same kind of problems we have here (crime, ghettos). But then again the local government isn't corrupt here...;-). But there could be some differences I haven't accounted for. Like I have a 40 minute commute to work and I live in a town that has a consistent record for having the rating of safest city in the US year after year(crime wise) I live in Ventura County)). I also don't work in the worse area of LA (Westwood) which is surrounded by Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Bel Air (not exactly crime ridden neighborhoods). So I guess I have to decide..... should I take the job in Manhattan and live in NJ?

This is the first time I have ever heard someone say that the local government in LA doesn't have corruption issues. Maybe not in Ventura? People don't speak about corruption in public like they do in the NY area for sure.

If you live outside of the urban areas of NJ(where most of the population actually lives by the way) crime is very low to almost nill. This has always been true. People on this forum like to discuss a few choice areas for some reason. I guess the burbs are not interesting enough. Crime and ghettos will not be your issue-money will likely be. You will probably take transit to work if you decide to live in NJ. If you want more of an urban environment you can find something decent-but you have to be willing to pay.

Most people do live in the burbs though and if you have never lived in the NY area or are a native Californian you may have a culture shock or at least an intense adjustment period. If you come out with a family it may be easier for you. People who come alone have a different set of issues. But then on city-data sometimes the reverse seems to be more true. One thing is for sure-the cost of living will be a very familiar issue for you. You have an advantage there coming from CA. If it's a career move then you might find it worth giving up what you have now.

Shouldn't this be a new thread?

[krazyme]

eastwardho, you have nothing to worry about. NJ is not the godforsaken hellhole it has been painted in popular culture. although there are compromises to be made...embrace the good bits and you will be fine.

I moved here from Texas, where I was born and raised. The first place I moved here was Cliffside Park, up on the palisades close to lincoln tunnel. it's a nice little town with older immigrants (italians) mixed with the new (salvadorenos, south americans). There is a deli on the corner I would always get a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella sandwich from. The produce stand sold whole bunches of basil for a buck (i love pesto) and the people who worked there speak to each other in italian. japanese and greek food within walking distance. all without getting in my car...try that in houston tx, the land of the big box and the sprawling faceless suburbia.

not to mention easy access to NYC, either by the GW bridge or bus through the lincoln tunnel, PATH at hoboken.

as a fresh immigrant to NJ, I would suggest that you get an apt on river road in west NY, edgewater, weehawken, etc. River Bend or Landings at port imperial are good choices. That's the easiest way to transition to this area...the developments there are more along the lines of complexes in the rest of the country (i.e. they are new). Expensive, but the bus to manhattan is 2 bucks and takes 10-15 minutes. After that, explore and see what you like. I ride motorcycles and I cant get enough of sussex county, warren county, hunterdon. sussex is just gorgeous and unspoiled, when I ride there it feels like rural england in many ways. I like to ski, and this winter I went every weekend to vt, NY, PA, NJ. back in TX I would have to plan a special trip to Utah or CO...here I just jump in my car and drive.

I do a job that requires me to travel locally & nationally, and although I hate the way some of the people drive here, I like it better living in hudson county than if I had chosen to live in the 5 boroughs of NYC...and forget about long island and the nightmare that is the L.I.E. or any of the appropriately named "parkways".

ppl will drive you nuts on driving, and there are a lot of rude folk about. but to be honest, I see a lot less wrecks here than in houston or dallas. I think that in TX the roads are so humongous that people get lulled to sleep, here you always have to stay alert or you WILL have an accident. The rudeness I believe comes from the fact that people are always under pressure here to get ahead in order to make their mortgage, promotion, etc.. combined with the population density. most ppl are amiable at their core, there's just a callous of rudeness on the surface born from past experience that you have to cut through first.

so it's do-able. getting back to the thread, my pick for worst in NJ is irvington crimewise, and as far as looks...that would have to be downtown paterson, maybe greenville section of jersey city. For all you paterson folks, no disrespect b/c I enjoy parts of paterson like the middle eastern food and the best grocery store around CORRADO'S. I dont mind newark at all, in fact I'm glad the NJ Devils are moving out of the swamp to Newark, I will definitely be going to more games. and JC has good places too. Basic idea is: take the job for the salary, and find out for yourself. If you dont like it, there are 49 other states to move to. Ain't the USA just grand?