Piscataway Details (Edison, Trenton, Westfield: townhouse, buyer, YMCA)

[Delphi]

Hello Everyone,

Can you guys please fill me with details about Piscataway, NJ.

Points I am interested in:
1) Housing: Price, tax and community safety. I know Piscataway is large, so there might be some areas better than others. Please let me know which areas you think good/bad.
2) Schools: How good? I am looking for above average schools (I don't want best).
3) Commute to NYC(wall street area): Commute time by train and others info related to it.

Thanks in advance.

[BobKovacs]

1) Housing can run from sub-$300k fixers to over $600k if you want it to. Taxes will vary according to the house, but could run from $6,000/year on up.
2) Schools are so-so- average, but not what I'd call "above average".
3) You'll have to drive to a train station, either in Dunellen or Edison- which one makes the most sense will depend on which end of town you live in. The line that runs through the Edison station (the NE Corridor line) generally has more trains running, so it's more convenient in that respect. The actual travel time on the train runs around 45-50 minutes.

Piscataway used to be a basic, working class town. It's climbed upward in status slightly, but it's still pretty much a working class blue/grey-collar town. Nothing to write home about, but not the ghetto either.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

1) Housing can run from sub-$300k fixers to over $600k if you want it to. Taxes will vary according to the house, but could run from $6,000/year on up.
2) Schools are so-so- average, but not what I'd call "above average".
3) You'll have to drive to a train station, either in Dunellen or Edison- which one makes the most sense will depend on which end of town you live in. The line that runs through the Edison station (the NE Corridor line) generally has more trains running, so it's more convenient in that respect. The actual travel time on the train runs around 45-50 minutes.

Piscataway used to be a basic, working class town. It's climbed upward in status slightly, but it's still pretty much a working class blue/grey-collar town. Nothing to write home about, but not the ghetto either.

WHAT??? Bob, my friend, please! Didn't you know Carol's son Joseph won the NJ Science League Physics Competition and Pete's son Paul was part of the winning FBLA Business Plan Team?

Your bias and jealousy is showing.....

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by tahiti

WHAT??? Bob, my friend, please! Didn't you know Carol's son Joseph won the NJ Science League Physics Competition and Pete's son Paul was part of the winning FBLA Business Plan Team?

Your bias and jealousy is showing.....

Oh, yes- how could I have forgotten those two "shining stars of academia"???

Wasn't our friend planning to move down to Trenton last time we heard from him, in advance of all the stellar acheivements that were about to come out of the brand new gold-plated schools that your tax dollars paid for down there?????

[Jerseyt719]

If you're looking for above average schools with the same price range, look in Somerset County. You'll get more for your money and there are many places with an easy commute.

[syncmaster]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

1) Housing can run from sub-$300k fixers to over $600k if you want it to. Taxes will vary according to the house, but could run from $6,000/year on up.

The OP didn't rule out townhome living. You can get a nice townhouse in Piscataway for around 300-340. Property taxes will be about $5500-$6000.

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

3) You'll have to drive to a train station, either in Dunellen or Edison- which one makes the most sense will depend on which end of town you live in.

Or Bound Brook or New Brunwick, depending on where you live. I'm closest to Dunellen and Bound Brook, and NB is closer than Edison is. It all depends. Piscataway may not have its own station but we're surrounded by many.

[DodgeViper01]

Gives you some general information on the area:

Welcome to Piscataway, NJ — Piscataway

[ahkeer]

Originally Posted by tahiti

WHAT??? Bob, my friend, please! Didn't you know Carol's son Joseph won the NJ Science League Physics Competition and Pete's son Paul was part of the winning FBLA Business Plan Team?

Your bias and jealousy is showing.....

LOL...I remember that guy.
Next time he posts..ask him about the YMCA that they keep talking about but never broke ground on, and why my taxes have gone from 6k to 10k in 4 years.

I agree with Bob. This town is not that great, but not that bad. It's a pretty average town for average folks. (I don't mean that in a bad way).
The schools are adequate. The diversity is good. The commute to NYC is OK. The location and amenities are good, and there are an abundance of parks, safe dead ends and culdesacs for your kids to play in.

When we were looking, I never even considered Piscataway. We wanted Scotch Plains/Westfield. Our budget was 450k, and everything we saw was either small, a bi-level (I hate those) or crap. Another issue is that my wife refused to consider any house on a street with a double yellow line
So like everyone else we migrated further south and west.
We almost bought in Edison, but in then end..this house in Piscataway turned out to be the nicest, and cheapest (by ~100K) house we saw. A nice split level (I like those layouts) with a side entry garage on the end of a culdesac.

Piscataway was the furthest south and west we went. I like my house alot...but If I had it to do over again....I would probably have chosen a colonial in one of the Brunswicks..(I can't remember which one has the best schools) for good investment and resale possibilities

I think Piscataway is a decent choice for a first house, kids under third grade, grey/blue collar, kinda buyer. I could stay..... but it's not my dream town/house where I would stay for 20 years and have my kids put down roots. I think I might have to do private schools if we stay. My 1st grader is barely being challenged. My younger son is already in private Kindergarden doing multiplication and reading at an advanced level. They wouldn't let him in public because his birthday is a week past the cutoff. It's probably for the best as I don't think he would have been challenged. I suppose I could have the same issues in any public system..

We always planned to leave before my oldest hit's 4th grade and get one of those McMansions in a town like Monroe, Warren, Watchung, Martinsville, Whitehouse Station, Basking Ridge..etc, etc..
Maybe even out of the state..
We'll see how that works out..

[1timebuyer]

We are looking at these streets: School St, South Washington Ave, Hanson Ave, Wisteria Court and Jarrard St. Which one is the better ones among these 5? Thanks!

[1timebuyer]

trying to buy a house in Piscataway ... Thanks!