Hopatcong, NJ, seeking a subjective but fair opinion...

[Jerseyt719]

OP,
Unless you are in a really bad area, a school is a school. Even in the average towns, education is what you make of it. If you are going to be on top of your kids, they will do well. Make yourself a known face within the school system and I will guarantee your kids will do well.
I'm not saying you need to be involved in every little thing, just support your kids. Go to the concerts/plays/games. Volunteer to chaperone, go to back to school night, conferences, book sales, etc. The teachers, for the most part, know that parents have to work and can't be there all the time, but do what they can as much as possible.
You will be fine. I've never heard of Hopatcong being a terrible place. Go where you will be happy.

[stevemorse]

Originally Posted by HalfFull

Wow, your name must really say it all. You created an account just to vent on a 7 month-old thread?

I dont think he realized that he is new what 2 posts. Lets not scare them off that quick Lets wait for a diversity post at least!

[Liz555]

Hopatcong is a very reasonably priced, picturesque town BUT as previous posts suggested, you DO have options in that beautiful area. Morris & Sussex Counties can offer many opportunities to a relocator looking for an investment that is sound, affordable and commutable to NYC. The suggestions above are all very valid & true about the area. Good luck to you and your decisions!!!

[jen973]

Originally Posted by HalfFull

Wow, your name must really say it all. You created an account just to vent on a 7 month-old thread?

Kudos for you for being able to read it. The lack of grammar in that long winded post made my eyes bleed.

[bluloo]

I lived in Hopatcong for most of my life (through HS and some college). It was a neat place for a kid to grow up 25 years ago (lots of wooded areas, lake/beach areas, influx of summer residents for new friends etc ) but I wouldn't raise a family there today. It seems to be growing into a mix of low income families and Nascar fans.

IMO, it isn't such a great place to live if you are college educated and politically progressive.

YMMV

[ihatehopatcong]

Originally Posted by jen973

Kudos for you for being able to read it. The lack of grammar in that long winded post made my eyes bleed.

if your eyes were bleeding you should have stopped at the first sentence. seems odd you would torture yourself like that. yet you did.

[ihatehopatcong]

Originally Posted by bluloo

I lived in Hopatcong for most of my life (through HS and some college). It was a neat place for a kid to grow up 25 years ago (lots of wooded areas, lake/beach areas, influx of summer residents for new friends etc ) but I wouldn't raise a family there today. It seems to be growing into a mix of low income families and Nascar fans.

IMO, it isn't such a great place to live if you are college educated and politically progressive.

YMMV

growing into a mix of low income? the only reason its low income now is because the town is taxing us too much and charging us too much for the sewers! besides, we are not talking about LAKE hopatcong.....HOPATCONG has always been the low income side of the lake. you must be oblivious to the reasons why you grew up in hopatcong to begin with.

[jen973]

Originally Posted by bluloo

IMO, it isn't such a great place to live if you are college educated and politically progressive.

Aw, don't let the lack of grammar from people like ihatehopatcong make you think the town is low income. There are many of us who know that the first word of each sentence should be capitalized. We take the time out to hit that shift key when we write.

I've lived all over the state of NJ throughout my life. The people of Hopatcong are great. There are more younger couples moving in who are revamping their houses so they do not have that bungalow vacation house feel to them and on another message board people do debate not only the town politics but country and world wide politics as well.

[jen973]

Originally Posted by ihatehopatcong

seems odd you would torture yourself like that. yet you did.

I think that is what your mom said the one and only night she had sex with your dad.

[tallguylehigh]

I dont know if the OP is even still referring to this thread, but I will throw my 2 cents into the mix.

I am guessing that you are drawn to Hopatcong due to the lake atmosphere. If not, then I would seriously consider some of the "non-lake" towns referred to you by other posters.

The lake is very large and quite nice, however the houses surrounding it are often on top of each other, range from very small and run down to gorgeous lakefront homes and hug the topography (read stairs up and/or down).

If Hopatcong schools are a concern for you, there are two other towns that are on the lake but go to different school districts. They are Mount Arlington and Jefferson. They both have areas along the lake and are nice areas. Jefferson also has communities set up in Lake Forest and Lake Shawnee, and from first hand experience I can say that Lake Shawnee is a great little lake community. Both of the alternate towns are in Morris county, have better school districts (Jefferson and Roxbury, respectively) and Mt. Arlington has a brand new train station with access to the city.