Apartments in North Plainfield/upper reaches of Plainfield? (Trenton, Union: home, schools)

[Badfish740]

My fiancee and I are just starting out and are looking for somewhere we can live together that is centrally located between our jobs/schools, and cheap enough to allow us to save for a home of our own. I work in Princeton Junction and she works in Hopatcong, and to complicate matters she attends Seton Hall for graduate school and I will begin graduate school at Rutgers in the spring. Through a highly scientific process of using a map of New Jersey, pushpins, and string I was able to determine that the abovementioned areas make the most sense for us to consider.

I am originally from Trenton and my fiancee hails from Sussex County-as a result neither of us know much about Union County. Both of us want to live somewhere safe that isn't a complete dump, but as I said, I'm from Trenton (and darn proud of it). My street smarts tell me where to go and where not to and when, and diversity and/or hearing a foreign language spoken doesn't scare me. Also we do not have children nor do we plan to have any soon, so the schools are of no concern to us.

First off-is there a viable downtown in either of these areas? In other words, could I find a place within walking distance of the train station where I could walk to the drugstore/grocery/coffee shop/corner bar/etc...? Or is the downtown area pretty dead? Next, what are areas to really stay away from? There seems to be quite difference between North Plainfield and Plainfield from what I can see. For example, while a $750 per month apartment can be had in Plainfield, utilities included, North Mountain Ridge in North Plainfield has apartments starting at $900. We figure our maximum needs to be around $1100, but less would be nice. Can anyone offer some advice?

[Badfish740]

Hmmm...not encouraging How about Fanwood, Scotch Plains, Westfield, etc...

[neotheone]

I am looking for apartment from where I can easily comute to NYC. I found apartments in North Plainfield comparitively cheaper and bigger... I have heard mixed up things about the city, what doyou thing bout the area near by say, "Northwood Apartments"