Is Montclair a good place.... (Newark, Clifton: rental, crime, mortgage)

[Blondie621]

It depends on what you are looking for. If you can afford to live in Montclair there are other choices out there too. I grew up right next to Ridgewood....that was my hangout. Ridgewood is a great town..people always out and about like Montclair. There is lots of culture in Ridgewood....tons of great restaurants and nice shops. The downtown is so flavorful. There is a nice little park right in the middle of the downtown where you can relax. Ridgewood is close to all the malls and othe major shopping. A hop, skip and a jump to Rt. 17 and 4. I really do miss New Jersey and going out to some of those great restaurants in Ridgewood. The people are nice and friendly..Oh! There is a train station too! Around that circle there are more shops and restaurants. There is a Homemade Ice Cream place I used to frequent...forget the name. They made coconut, watermelon, and all different flavored Ice Creams.....toooooo die for. They are still there.

[ahkeer]

Originally Posted by pwoz51

your question...what i am looking for in a city...first of all the reason for my move from st. louis is this...i have family and friends in western ny...but i cannot bring myself to move back to buffalo because of the atrocious winters and general lack of "things to do"...i have friends in NYC and NJ, more specifically north bergen and thought it would be a compromise area to relocate to...i also love the beach...

i am looking for a "small town" feel with an urbane attitude...i love trees, parks, and spaces...walking cities and good mass transit...close proximity to major airports...love what nyc has to offer, but would not want to live in the middle of it...from what i have heard and read about montclair it seemed to fit the bill, even though i now know there are "pockets of crime areas"...but do you not find that in any city? i lived in a rural illinois city...pop. 15,000 and there were those same pockets of crime...

i do not "hang" in bars, but love to hear great music, esp blues and jazz, so going to a bar is something i would do...because i work in nursing, i need a place to relax a nice apartment, without spending an arm and leg...after all RN salaries are not 6 figure...so, with that in mind, would montclair be a good choice or should i be looking elsewhere?

thanks so much

Montclair really is a great choice..IF you can afford it.
Expect to pay $1000 for a 1 bedroom, and $1500 for a two bedroom. These will be decent apts. For really nice..or condo style add $500 to each.

[CannonballRun]

*Montclair - some ok jazz at Trumpets, beautiful town, walkable/bikeable, you can forgo the car and put the extra $$ into a nice place if needed, great restaurants, public transportation, rail services, needs a Trader Joes but has Whole Foods. Has good sushi, cuban, soul, african, french, bagels, breads, cafes, italian, thai, vegitarian, health foods... great selections! Not a bad place to call home. You can walk to Mountainside Hospital as well.

*Middletown, NJ/ Atlantic Highlands - Not so quaint with some ugly areas, but there are real nice areas with historic victorian homes around Hartschorn Woods. Kings Hwy is one of the more scenic stretches of road in Jersey. Proximity to beach towns and the beach, but with a rural feel. Has rail and boat access to NYC.

*Morristown, NJ - Nice downtown area. Has good rail access to NYC. Good restaurants and some real history as a town. Has some bad sections, but over all a nice community. Morristown General is a good hospital.

*Summit - expensive little town with some real unique homes and great rail access. Has an ok main street and a decent hospital called Overlook.

*Madison - has a good jazz bar but NYC prices. Great rail access and a very cute town with some good restaurants.

*New Hope, PA - right on the Jersey border. A bit cheaper than NJ, but pricey none-the-less. New Hope is a perfect main street town in a beautiful rural setting. Easy commute to Jersey.

*Hackettstown - rural out there feeling and a main street town. The area is ideal for fishing, hiking, mountainbiking and enjoying the outdoors. Does not feel like Jersey! Quiet, peaceful, and very beautiful. Has rail access to NYC, but a car is NEEDED!

*Chester/Mendham/Bernardsville - Good main street communities

*Mahwah - unique areas along route 202 and campgaw. Bergen Co. has serious traffic issues though. Also checkout Ridgewood.

[pwoz51]

just want to thank all of you who have replied...really appreciate the comments...it isn't easy to think about a move with all the hassle of the move itself to the adjustment of a new area...do you really think i can give up my car?? i would really love to...this is great, a city that has great mass transit...love it...really? no car? lol...thanks again and please keep the comment coming...soulfulms

[Bklynborn]

Montclair is a very unique town in NJ. You have the art museum, great restaraunt scene, culturally diverse, Trumpets jazz club, shopping, parks and trees too!. It's a tiny little slice of NYC in suburban NJ. The best part of Montclair is you're never too far from the train to NYC (as long as it's a weekday) or the bus. It's just not cheap, but you might find a good rental if you look hard enough. Crime is low (below NJ state average).

Hoboken is more like, say, Brooklyn Heights. Lots of apartments, lots of bars and restaurants, more single people to be sure, and you're a short PATH train ride from the city. Less parks and trees though. But like tahiti indicated, more of a younger crowd in the bars.

[MPBsr]

Originally Posted by Bklynborn

Montclair is a very unique town in NJ. You have the art museum, great restaraunt scene, culturally diverse, Trumpets jazz club, shopping, parks and trees too!. It's a tiny little slice of NYC in suburban NJ. The best part of Montclair is you're never too far from the train to NYC (as long as it's a weekday) or the bus. It's just not cheap, but you might find a good rental if you look hard enough. Crime is low (below NJ state average).

Hoboken is more like, say, Brooklyn Heights. Lots of apartments, lots of bars and restaurants, more single people to be sure, and you're a short PATH train ride from the city. Less parks and trees though. But like tahiti indicated, more of a younger crowd in the bars.

Sorry, but crime in Montclair is twice the US average.

[pwoz51]

also, montclair may be a community where it is easier to make friends and really get to know your neighbors...for those of you who live there is this assumption true?

[rvtracey]

Montclair is a great place! Very cute, charming, but expensive. Close to NYC as well. Big hospital in town (Mountainside). Probably lots of rentals due to college in town. Good luck!



for a single/divorced 56 year old woman to live? my friend who lives in north bergen says it's a fabulous city...she is a bit prejudiced...i am looking for a place with character; charm; culture; and good job opportunities for an RN...i would like to meet more men to date...will rent due to the exorbitant prices of home ownership...please comment...appreciate any and all ...soulfulms[/quote]

[exhdo1]

Originally Posted by MPBsr

Sorry, but crime in Montclair is twice the US average.

What? Moderator cut: link removed

Car theft is the only category higher than the national average. Are you looking at a different chart than this one?

[MPBsr]

Originally Posted by exhdo1

What? Moderator cut: link removed

Car theft is the only category higher than the national average. Are you looking at a different chart than this one?

Yep, I got my info from

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