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Agreed with above for West Orange. Very underrated by most people, and unfairly so.
I think it's the negative "Oranges" tag that gets attached to it. I didn't know until City-Data that West Orange was a nice town. I knew East Orange a little bit from years of my father going to the VA hospital, and it isn't a pretty place, plus what you see from the GSP isn't attractive, either. I knew South Orange wasn't a wasteland, though.
I lived in West Paterson for almost ten years. It had the same image problem. Small, woodsy little town, but people only heard "Paterson" and assumed crime and urban blight.
^Yes, I don't get what "charming" is supposed to mean as regards a town. What the OP describes, minus the colleges, is Red Bank, NJ, although I've never heard anyone describe it as charming. Maybe it's a Midwestern term that's really not used in NJ in the same way. I only ever hear people say something is "charming" in a sarcastic sort of way, lol.
Red Bank wouldn't be a good commute for West Orange, though. The Parkway is hell at rush hour. And most other hours, too.
This idea of "Charming" makes think of Norman Rockwell kind of towns. I think the OP means small towns that aren't cookie cutter, are maintained, nicely laid out where people are generally friendly and look out for each other, etc. Think Pleasantville, in a way (the movie).
This idea of "Charming" makes think of Norman Rockwell kind of towns. I think the OP means small towns that aren't cookie cutter, are maintained, nicely laid out where people are generally friendly and look out for each other, etc. Think Pleasantville, in a way.
Not Pleasantville, NJ, I hope!
LOL, I'm guessing you are referring to one of my favorite movies.
I think you're probably on the money as to the OP's intent.
I think it's the negative "Oranges" tag that gets attached to it. I didn't know until City-Data that West Orange was a nice town. I knew East Orange a little bit from years of my father going to the VA hospital, and it isn't a pretty place, plus what you see from the GSP isn't attractive, either. I knew South Orange wasn't a wasteland, though.
I lived in West Paterson for almost ten years. It had the same image problem. Small, woodsy little town, but people only heard "Paterson" and assumed crime and urban blight.
South Orange, with its gaslights, tree lined streets, and historic homes might be the most charming town in the entire state. It's a shame it gets looked over because of its name.
South Orange, with its gaslights, tree lined streets, and historic homes might be the most charming town in the entire state. It's a shame it gets looked over because of its name.
If you get a chance to visit, go drive around the Montrose Park section. Lots of beautiful post-civil war estates on park-like lots that, somehow, has remained largely unchanged for the last 130 or so years. (Or do a mock drive on google street view if you're too far away!)
All the residential neighborhoods are still entirely gaslit - it really has a historic charm unlike anyplace else.
West Orange is a perfectly good town for most of the OPs purposes, provided she were to choose an area with a good elementary school, but it's not what I'd call "charming". It's adjacent to a number of towns often described that way (Millburn, South Orange, Verona, Maplewood, Montclair) though. A quick check didn't reveal any rental houses near the OPs price range however.
Of course the other advantage of West Orange is it has a Northfield -- Northfield Avenue.
3) Interactive map with safety rating based on crime stats for all NJ communities:
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
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