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Anybody who says South Orange is bad, has never been to South Orange. Its a VERY nice area with some good schools. The neighborhood is very affluent with a lot of very expensive properties.
Its also very green with reservations nearby and access to golf courses.
If Millburn & Short Hills are A+, then South Orange is definitely A- at the very least.
It's East Orange you should avoid, along with Irvington and Orange.
I live in Newark and South Orange is like Shangri-La to me. I love just driving through there. Maplewood is like South Orange's cousin so you'll be good in either one of the places.
My son just got accepted to Seton Hall University. I'm curious about South Orange. What are the options like for safe, lower cost apartments on a middle-class "college kid" budget? Any opinions on the areas around the university in terms of safety? Also interested in anything you can tell us about cultural attractions / things to do in South Orange for artsy folk.
My son just got accepted to Seton Hall University. I'm curious about South Orange. What are the options like for safe, lower cost apartments on a middle-class "college kid" budget? Any opinions on the areas around the university in terms of safety? Also interested in anything you can tell us about cultural attractions / things to do in South Orange for artsy folk.
Though South Orange is largely safe (and in my opinion, the most beautiful town in Northern New Jersey), muggings and robberies do happen, almost always near the college by the Newark/Ivy Hill border. Exercise caution in that area at night, don't go walking around alone too late, etc. You can read the South Orange police blotter online. I don't know specifically, but I'm sure there are affordable areas in South Orange near the college for students to rent.
South Orange had a performing arts center, SOPAC, that always has some
events going on. The town is also rich in musicians, and you can often find some kind of jazz concert going on somewhere. Both South Orange and Maplewood also have theater groups that occasionally put on shows.
Not far away in Millburn you have the Papermill Playhouse, and a short drive away in Montclair you have the Montclair Art Museum, the Clairidge, which shows independent flicks, and The Wellmont theater which hosts concerts.
I have not heard the best things about South Orange schools. I would spend time in the town, weekends, after school, after work, etc. and see how you feel. Easy commue to NYC.
I don't think a college student is going to care about the public schools. And South Orange has no K-mart, no bowling alley, and no Comcast service center, so it should be fine.
The gated-off streets (College, Seton, and Eder) near the college are on the creepy side.
The OP asked about public schools, not about the colleges. S/he has a 1 yr old.
My opinion on South Orange: gorgeous homes, high taxes, super easy commute to NYC, crime (house burglaries, etc) that makes me a little nervous, decent downtown that could really be awesome but struggles a bit as you head towards Seton Hall. If you take South Orange Ave to the GSP at night, lock your doors....or wait, don't do it at alll!
If you take South Orange Ave to the GSP at night, lock your doors....or wait, don't do it at alll!
Absolutely. I also wouldn't recommend it during the morning, afternoon, evening, or any other time, since it takes forever AND goes through bad neighborhoods. But that's Newark.
I have not heard the best things about South Orange schools. I would spend time in the town, weekends, after school, after work, etc. and see how you feel. Easy commue to NYC.
NJ Monthly has the high school ranked as one of the best in the state, for what that's worth.
I don't think a college student is going to care about the public schools. And South Orange has no K-mart, no bowling alley, and no Comcast service center, so it should be fine.
The gated-off streets (College, Seton, and Eder) near the college are on the creepy side.
whatch out for k-mart and bulletproof comcast centers haha (i think this was a reference to the other hilarious thread about west orange).
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