Move to Hillside or Carteret? (Union, West Orange: home, neighborhood, to buy)

[cj1]

I work in New York – Brooklyn downtown area to be precise. My fiancee and I are planning to move to New Jersey and we have been looking to buy a single family home in any of the New Jersey towns with helpful commute to NYC. We have narrowed down our search to two properties, one in Carteret around the Carteret park area and the other one in Hillside along eastern parkway road - around where the garden state parkway meets the 78 highway.

The choice now seems to hinge on which neighborhood is better, but the problem is that my fiancée and I know very little about New jersey and we have no way of knowing which of the two is safer, more peaceful and generally better. We have no kids at the moment but plan to start having some soon after we move. I work in Brooklyn and would like to commute by bus or train rather than drive

Any helpful hints will be greatly appreciated.

[Machinist]

Out of your 2 choices I would definitely pick Carteret over Hillside any day. I grew up in Carteret and its not a bad town, not perfect but 100% better than Hillside. Just stay away from the chrome section of town.

[E-TOWN-R.I.P.]

I don't want to sound cruel, but neither town is very nice. You'll probably be fine for now, but once you have kids, you'll either have to move or spend your money on private school. Both school districts are terrible.

[cj1]

Thanks both.
Machinist: I am looking around the coolidge area, around the cateret park area, or closer to the turnpike side - so, its away from the chrome section.

E-TOWN-RIP: is your assessment based on schools alone? Or are there other factors that make you think neither town is nice?

[UrbanQuest]

Originally Posted by cj1

Thanks both.
Machinist: I am looking around the coolidge area, around the cateret park area, or closer to the turnpike side - so, its away from the chrome section.

E-TOWN-RIP: is your assessment based on schools alone? Or are there other factors that make you think neither town is nice?

I guess the forumer is just trying to be honest on your behalf. I would guess that if you are planning to have a family, you would want a good school district. If race is the issue here, than what does it matter. There are great school districts in towns that aren't dominated by white people. Don't move there strictly because you think it will be more comfortable. Even if a person of color moved into a 70% white town they would be fine. Try looking into Roselle Park, West Orange, Union twp. or Linden. Better choices, good luck...

[cj1]

UrbanQuest: Maybe I am missing the point, but are you saying Cateret and Hillside are dominated by whites but the schools are not great? Please could you throw more light on this.

[UrbanQuest]

Originally Posted by cj1

UrbanQuest: Maybe I am missing the point, but are you saying Cateret and Hillside are dominated by whites but the schools are not great? Please could you throw more light on this.

Carteret + Hillside = not dominated by whites and also = not good school districts.

[cj1]

Thanks a lot.

[E-TOWN-R.I.P.]

Originally Posted by UrbanQuest

Carteret + Hillside = not dominated by whites and also = not good school districts.

That's an excellent assessment.

[Roselvr]

There is a some what Polish community in Carteret. I know a few that live in the Heald street area.