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We are currently in North Carolina. and planning to move to New Jersey for a new job. I will be moving with my husband and 2 kids(5 yrs, 2 yr).
My husbands work place will be in Newport in Jersey City.
I am looking for apartments in NJ with the following criteria:
1.Our 5 year old will start Kindergarten this year and needs speech therapy so, need good therapists and school district
2. When does the school year start in New Jersey State also do the school systems have any special programs for kids who need special services (speech or behavioral therapies)
3. Jersey city or suburbs? which is better?
4. Proximity to Indian Population/community, grocery stores and eateries.
5. Safe neighborhood.
I know that's asking too much for ,but any help will be greatly appreciated.
When does the school year start in New Jersey State also do the school systems have any special programs for kids who need special services (speech or behavioral therapies)
The school year in NJ begins a couple of days after Labor Day. All public school systems in NJ are required to offer Special Services, but--obviously--some school systems are much better than others in this regard.
Jersey city or suburbs? which is better?
"Good schools" and "Jersey City" are rarely uttered in the same sentence, unless the word "not" is also part of the sentence.
Proximity to Indian Population/community, grocery stores and eateries.
Safe neighborhood.
I know that's asking too much for ,but any help will be greatly appreciated.
No, it's not asking too much, and Edison Township--which has excellent schools, excellent Special Services, safe neighborhoods, and a very large Indian population--encompasses all of your criteria.
Additionally, your husband can catch a NJ Transit Northeast Corridor train in Edison, and then transfer to a PATH train at Newark Penn Station for a direct link to Newport.
(Edited to add: For some bizarre reason, many out-of-staters perceive NJ to be dangerous, when that is not at all the case. Yes, you should avoid the grimy, crime-ridden areas of Newark, Camden, Jersey City, East Orange, and Irvington, but NJ's towns and suburbs are--in almost every case--far safer than your present state of residence.)
Last edited by Retriever; 02-17-2019 at 04:28 PM..
There is a substantial indian population in Journal Square; 2 stops west of where your husband's job is on the PATH train line. I Live in Newark and commute daily into the city on the PATH train. Harrison is one stop further west and has some nice newer apartments. Both Journal Square and Harrison are safe. I can't speak to the quality of schools. You should be able to get a better idea from the school rating websites.
Indian Population with good schools and safety, I'd say Edison. About an hour to JC though. School starts in September, usually after Labor Day. Generally the suburbs have a better QOL than the hustle and bustle of JC, but that's my opinion.
The Journal Square neighborhood of Jersey City has a very large population of Indians. There are numerous Indian grocery stores and Newark Ave for 2 blocks is all different Indian restaurants, stores, grocery stores, salons, etc. The area around it is mixed probably 50% Indian/50% everything else. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Square
"The area is home to the highest concentration of Asian Indians in the Western Hemisphere,[7] and is a rapidly growing Indian American ethnic enclave within the New York Metropolitan Area.[8][9] The neighborhood is centered on Newark Avenue, between Tonnele Avenue and JFK Boulevard, and is considered to be part of the larger Journal Square District. This area has been home to the largest outdoor Navratri festivities in New Jersey as well as several Hindu temples.[10] This portion of Newark Avenue is lined with groceries including Patel Brothers and Subzi Mandi Cash & Carry,[11] electronics vendors, video stores, clothing stores, and restaurants and is one of the busier pedestrian areas of this part of the city, often stopping traffic for hours. According to the 2000 census, there were nearly 13,000 Indians living in this two-block stretch in Bombay, up from 3,000 in 1980, increasing commensurately between 2000 and 2010.[12] As of the 2010 Census, over 27,000 Asian Indians accounted for 10.9% of Jersey City's population,[13] the highest proportion of any major U.S. city.
An annual, colour-filled spring Holi festival has taken place in Jersey City since 1992, centred upon India Square and attracting significant participation and international media attention.[14][15] Although India Square continues to represent the heart of Little India in Jersey City, situated between Tonnele Avenue and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Little India itself as of 2016 has been expanding further eastward along Newark Avenue, through Jersey City's Little Manila, to Summit Avenue and the Five Corners neighborhood."
People like to say Jersey City is all dangerous still outside of downtown. It's not. And especially being Indian yourself, you'll find a very strong support group everywhere around you. Journal Square has the higher concentration of Indians, but the areas in Downtown Jersey city by Grove St, Exchange Pl, and Newport PATH stations are all safe and good for children. The schools I'm no expert on, but there are tons of families with young children living in Jersey City now. Clearly they're going to school somewhere. Many live in the new highrises that are very kid-friendly, some having playgrounds and pools included as amenities. I would not rule Jersey City out just because it's urban.
Also, Newport in Jersey City has its own PATH station. It's our 24/7 subway system here. If you live in Newport, your husband can walk to work. If you live in Journal Square or by Grove or Exchange, he'd only be one stop away from work, or even possibly still walking distance. IMO, with kids that young, it would be nice to spend more family time together and raise the children together. But that's just me. Clearly some people think sending the husband on a 3 hour commute each way is beneficial to the family. I, however, believe people should live as close to work as possible so the family can spend more time together and be there in case of emergencies for each other. You'll get that in Jersey City. If your husband works a 9-5 job, he'll be around to send the kids off to school in the morning and be home in time to help cook dinner. He might even be able to sneak home for lunch with the family sometimes.
If that's not your scene, Edison is the next best choice. Large Indian population, but the commute to Newport will be much longer by car or train. Both will take about an hour probably. And if going by train, he'd have to transfer from New Jersey Transit train to the PATH subway train or the light rail train in Hoboken in order to get to Newport. That's a longer commute either way.
If that's not your scene, Edison is the next best choice. Large Indian population, but the commute to Newport will be much longer by car or train. Both will take about an hour probably. And if going by train, he'd have to transfer from New Jersey Transit train to...the light rail train in Hoboken in order to get to Newport.
NJT's Northeast Corridor trains do not run to Hoboken.
As I advised in my earlier post, the mass transit commute from Edison to Newport entails taking an NJT train from Edison to Newark Penn Station, and then transferring to a PATH train.
NJT's Northeast Corridor trains do not run to Hoboken.
As I advised in my earlier post, the mass transit commute from Edison to Newport entails taking an NJT train from Edison to Newark Penn Station, and then transferring to a PATH train.
You can transfer to a different NJT train that goes to Hoboken, then take the Hudson Bergen Light Rail to Newport. Both are NJT routes, so a monthly pass would include both.
OTOH, transferring from NJT to PATH at Newark Penn means that you have to pay an additional monthly pass on PATH, and it still requires the same amount of legs of travel.
1) NJT to Newark Penn --> 2) WTC PATH get off at Journal Square to transfer --> 3) 33rd St PATH to Newport.
1) NJT to Newark Penn or Secaucus --> 2) Any NJT train to Hoboken --> 3) Hudson Bergen Light Rail to Newport.
Transferring to PATH at Newark is probably faster, but it's an extra $90/month also because of the PATH monthly pass. Just a consideration for OP to weigh.
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