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I'm considering a job in Middletown, NY and will be in the area soon for a final interview and to check out the area. If everything works out then my wife and I have narrowed our search for a home to New Jersey because the home schooling laws are (surprisingly) a whole lot better than in New York or Pennsylvania. So, school districts aren't a factor for us, but the general health and safety of the community is.
With that said I've focused my research on the Sussex/Hamburg/Vernon/Franklin area since this would keep my commute to Middletown to a reasonable distance (30-45 mins). Once you start getting closer to Sparta or Newton then the commute approaches and surpasses an hour (according to Google) which is longer than ideal.
Like I said, I'll be visiting the area soon to get a first-hand experience of the area, but I won't have a lot of time while I'm there to get a feel for it (half a day to a day - and of course Covid complicates everything). So I'm reaching out to see if anyone has any advice for visiting or knowledge of any perks or problems of specific communities that may not be obvious from a short visit. This will help me to focus my exploring when I am there as well.
A little about us:
Married couple in our late 20s/early 30s with 3 young kids (ages 4 and under). We're transitioning out of the military and are more on the conservative side. When it comes to entertainment we're generally pretty simple and boring (such is life with three young ones). So, driving to Newton or Middletown for more shopping options isn't a dealbreaker, but we would like to have some stuff nearby (grocery stores, a coffee shop and some restaurants nearby would be nice, etc.). I also don't know if any of these communities are generally more or less affordable, and what the reasons (good or bad) for that would be.
Any advice and guidance is appreciated! Thanks in advance!
I have a sister in Hamburg, and she loves it there. She moved up that way from the more congested Bergen County about five years ago. Small-town feel, everything convenient. Nice parks for hiking/walking. She is on the conservative side as well and very comfortable there.
That part of Orange County, NY and Sussex County, NJ is known as the "black dirt region" and farming is a big part of the economy. Housing prices are more reasonable than the rest of northern NJ. Look into the small community of Ogdensburg, an old mining town like Franklin. Commuting to Middletown will be on 2 lane country roads with heavy traffic. Property taxes in NJ are high as is their income tax. Working in NYS, you will owe NYS income tax with a limited deduction on your New Jersey income tax.
Thanks for the replies! It definitely sounds like an area that might be a good fit and I look forward to checking it out. The taxes will suck, but I just kind of resigned myself to that fact when we decided to settle in the Northeast.
I'm considering a job in Middletown, NY and will be in the area soon for a final interview and to check out the area. If everything works out then my wife and I have narrowed our search for a home to New Jersey because the home schooling laws are (surprisingly) a whole lot better than in New York or Pennsylvania. So, school districts aren't a factor for us, but the general health and safety of the community is.
With that said I've focused my research on the Sussex/Hamburg/Vernon/Franklin area since this would keep my commute to Middletown to a reasonable distance (30-45 mins). Once you start getting closer to Sparta or Newton then the commute approaches and surpasses an hour (according to Google) which is longer than ideal.
Like I said, I'll be visiting the area soon to get a first-hand experience of the area, but I won't have a lot of time while I'm there to get a feel for it (half a day to a day - and of course Covid complicates everything). So I'm reaching out to see if anyone has any advice for visiting or knowledge of any perks or problems of specific communities that may not be obvious from a short visit. This will help me to focus my exploring when I am there as well.
A little about us:
Married couple in our late 20s/early 30s with 3 young kids (ages 4 and under). We're transitioning out of the military and are more on the conservative side. When it comes to entertainment we're generally pretty simple and boring (such is life with three young ones). So, driving to Newton or Middletown for more shopping options isn't a dealbreaker, but we would like to have some stuff nearby (grocery stores, a coffee shop and some restaurants nearby would be nice, etc.). I also don't know if any of these communities are generally more or less affordable, and what the reasons (good or bad) for that would be.
Any advice and guidance is appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Parts of Franklin are a little shabby but it wouldn't be enough to deter me from living there. All those towns are good options and have easy access to the basics. Wantage (Sussex) and Vernon are closest to Middletown and you should be able to find an affordable home in those areas. Wantage probably has the most reasonable property taxes (by NJ standards) of all the towns you referenced. You'll fit in just fine and it's a nice place to live if you don't mind driving 30-45 minutes to major shopping. Warwick NY has some nice restaurants but not sure how they are faring during COVID.
Wantage is beautiful right on the border of NY and more rural than Vernon. All of Sussex County is pretty rural I think of Vernon as more "rural "suburbia it has built up so much over the years, if you like that feel. Sussex, Franklin Ogendesburg are further away from Middletown and more small town feel. You can shop in Middletown, Walmart is the big box store in Franklin, Walmart, Kohl's HD and Lowes in Newton 20 t0 30 minutes. cross the border to Pa for more big box shopping. Wantage is big. Look near Unionville NY up Rt 284 area, it's the closest to Middletown NY and you can be 15 minutes to an Acme and a new Shop Rite being built across from Acme. Also their is a nice little grocery general store Horler's in Unionville NY if you need to pick something up quick. Come to Sussex County it is a wonderful place to live and the commute to Middletown is easy.
Appreciate all the replies. Sussex County sounds like a great spot for us. I've heard a number of people warn against living there because of the property taxes. What's the general consensus on this? Is it enough to look somewhere else? Or are they high but more of an annoyance?
Appreciate all the replies. Sussex County sounds like a great spot for us. I've heard a number of people warn against living there because of the property taxes. What's the general consensus on this? Is it enough to look somewhere else? Or are they high but more of an annoyance?
Anywhere in NJ has high property taxes. I believe Sussex County's would be on the lower end in this state.
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