North Jersey vs South Jersey "The Difference"? (Newark: apartment complexes, high crime)

[jersgrl1969]

Don't know anything about North Jersey because I've never been there (drove thru it on a bus trip to NYC...wasn't impressed). I was born and raised in South Jersey (by that I mean Cape May County) so I'll stick to that.

I know that whenever I read people's descriptions of NJ and its residents, it sounds like they've watched too many episodes of "The Sopranos". That is more a description of North Jersey than down here. #1, we don't call Jersey "Joisey". We don't have New York-tinged accents.

Yes, we do talk "funny" down here. We drink "wooder", we look out "windas", we eat "sanwiches", we drive on " Root" 9, we don't say "See you later"; we say " see'yiz later", we don't say " We're going to the store" we say " Wer goin' to th'store", and anything that ends in " -dow" is pronounced "-da". "Atlantic City" is "Lantic City". "Creek" is pronounced "Crick".

We have our own way of speaking here-it's probably got a little bit of Philly in it, but not totally. I do know that when we travel out-of-state, esp. in the south, people ask where we're from. So I guess you could say we have a bona-fide accent!

[shannybannany]

Originally Posted by solibs

where did you go to high school?

I go through the same thing all the time with telling people i'm from "the Shore" and having them say that it's "North Jersey". I got tired of telling people that the Shore Conference is Monmouth & Ocean. That Jersey Shore Medical Center is in Neptune. That all NJ literature points to the Shore (Monmouth & Ocean), Atlantic City, and Cape May.

So now I just roll my eyes and shrug.

Only with a philadelphia compass would "north jersey" be east of here.

AFA sprinkles vs. jimmies, in South Jersey i found it to be pretty mixed. It leans jimmies but a lot of people say sprinkles.

I'm not big on subs but occasionally I do get bahn mi from one of the vietnamese delis. Most people around here just call them "vietnamese hoagies" and that's really the only time I use the word.

Hudson '83
(Henry Hudson Regional, Highlands)

[StuckPA]

Last nite I had another Twilight Zone experience in south Jersey...I'm tellin ya the more I get around south Jersey the creepier it gets! And I've been to alot of places,including some backwoods real southern towns but that place takes the cake!
So if you're wondering about the difference between north and south Jersey it's bigger than even I imagined!

[iMridic201]

Originally Posted by LittleMissSunshine

I have lived in Bergen for 18 years and now Burlington so I can see some differences.

North Jersey: Live revolves around NYC, very fast paced, subs, italian ice, people think south jersey is anything below union county, people think down the shore is point pleasant or belmar, ny tv and radio

South Jersey: Very philly oriented, a lot more farms, pine barrens, water ice, hoagies, philly tv and radio, people think down the shore is wildwood

I am from Bergen County as well, raised there and went through the schools, and have lived in various other parts of Jersey too. At heart I am a Bergen Countyite. But never have I ever thought that south of Union County was south jersey.. south of Union County is Central Jersey, unless you don't believe Central Jersey exists, then it's still North Jersey till I-195.

[iMridic201]

Well I am undoubtedly someone from North Jersey. Raised in Bergen County, lived in Essex (short lived) and Hudson Counties after. People that are not from around here seem to think I am from Long Island or Staten Island. Apparently, being so close to New York, makes us a bit more New York than "New Jersey" (like the pineys or shore folk). Northeastern Jersey, deemed the "Gateway Region" by the Department of Tourism, is a whole different breed of Jersey than any other area. It is the most ethnically diverse, though many towns and even counties are vast Italian- American strongholds, which yes, does affect our culture. Many of us, even those that aren't Italian, speak in Americanized Southern Italian slang. People from elsewhere have no idea what we say half the time. And yes, we rant and rave about NYC, because we are very much a part of it, a 6th boro so to speak. Most places I've lived were closer to midtown manhattan than most parts of NYC itself. It is psuedo-suburbs and cities (that flourished in the industrial boom) over here. Most people have a good portion of their family working in the city. [and yes, by the city, we mean new york, manhattan specifically. and yes, that also reflects on how deeply affected we were by 9-11 (never forget), especially when you could look outside and see the smoke and flames, and if you were close enough, see people jumping out.]

In contrast to south jersey, yes north jersey's cost of living is much more expensive, much more densely populated, filled with traffic, is somewhat polluted, taxes are ridiculously higher, real estate is about 1.5 to 2 times the cost. Not seemingly positive things, but the truth is, there has to be a reason that so many ppl are living here, overcrowding the roads, and paying ridiculous sums of money. Its a lifestyle; we are configured to live this way and love it. We need 25 shopping malls in a 15 mile radius. We need every possible kind of food available in retail or restaurant (which we say restarawnt) within a 20 mile radius. We have a starbucks, a nail salon, a tanning salon, and a walgreens or duane reade at every corner. We don't mind not having acres and acres of land, who wants to maintain that anyway! If we need to run to the store, literally we mean run, not take a half hour ordeal just to go grab something. We have quick chek's instead of wawa's. (well nowadays you can find the occasional wawa stranded out here somehow). Taylor Ham, not pork roll. Subs, not hoagies. Italian ice, not water ice. "wahtahr" not "wooder". North Jerseyans udnerstand "J'eet yet?" "No, Jew?" We "tawk", we "cawl", we "shahp" at the "mawl", "come ahhn". and obvi, we don't pump our gas, we pump our fists (but i guess that goes for the whole state).

We are the rudest yet friendliest people. Etiquette has a different definition in our culture; just be brutally honest, cursing is almost always appropriate- even in professional settings because it helps show your emotion, our idea of outgoing is in reality being loud and obnoxious. In general, we make the attempt to like everyone, though it may just seem like we are condescending. We are just among some of the most proud and stubborn, which is ridiculous when we are almost all self-considered liberals, but makes sense to us!

Being in North Jersey, its easy to immerse yourself in the metropolitan area, but its also very easy to enjoy the scenic hudson river valley to the north, or the skylands in the northwest. and it is not too far of a drive down to the shore.

the skylands are heavily wooded, with lots of small towns and lake-shore communities, up and through hills or into valleys. In south jersey, there are the pine barrens to contrast; however, IMHO, the pine barrens lack the character of the skylands. It seems like in southwest Jersey, all the major highways are two laned roads that are pin straight on a plain, with unending amounts of pine trees of the same species lining you on each side; then you exit, turn off the road and pass thru another two lane road, except this one has strip malls, and if u turn off that road, at a traffic light, you'll find a single laned road with every road off of it leading into a devlopment of mcmansions, or into farms that cant seem to grow much, or theres a nice berry bog (which, i admit, north jersey lacks nice bogs).

I just think it is amazing that for such a small state, Jersey has so many regional differences.

[openheads]

^^^^ Nice.
Yea, I'm def a North Jersey guy. Born in Bergen, lived in Hudson for many years. I just could not see my self living anywhere below Elizabeth. My idea of North/South Jersey is so skewed I would only make a fool of my self if I tried to detail it.
I visited a family friend who moved to Manalapan over the weekend & it seemed like a different world. So spread out, so rural. Making a u turn was a chore in & of itself.
I love the shore though.

[tahiti]

this reminds me of when my sister in law moved to Bayonne and had to take the Blvd Bus to Journal Square. I mentioned how you *just know* when you enter JC, it's "just different". She thought I was nuts until she lived in the area awhile, then she knew exactly what I was talking about. It's the same for North Jersey and South Jersey - there's a difference, hard to put a finger on it, but you know it after living in either area for awhile. You can't explain it to someone out of state (not that they would care anyway).

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by tahiti

It's the same for North Jersey and South Jersey - there's a difference, hard to put a finger on it, but you know it after living in either area for awhile. You can't explain it to someone out of state (not that they would care anyway).

Yea,kind of like living in PA

[STrapani1105]

Originally Posted by friendlyflyer

Very interesting thread and peoples opinions on life and coming and going to NJ!

I'm curious to know first is there a difference between N.Jersey and S.Jersey and is one place better than the other as far as quality of life?

Many posters here are from N.Jersey or have lived there.
The reference is always to NYC specifically Manhattan and how much they miss it or like it. Lets face it NYC is a place to its own with a strong identity throughout the world. I grew up 30 min from Philly. Ok...yeah it has great sports team, food, culture, history but it is no NYC. NYC has "Broadway" and PHL has "Broad Street". Having traveled to more than 50 countries and 40 US states, people long to hear about NYC not Philly..just the way it is.

I left S.Jersey to attend college in Arizona in the early 80's and have lived in California pretty much since graduation with a 3yr stint back in S.Jersey from 87-90. I've lived in San Francisco for 14yrs and now LA for a little over 2yrs.
I realize now that 14yrs in SF in my early adult yrs has framed my like and dislikes and comparisons against other places. NJ are my memories from youth. I think I have the Jersey sense of humor and expressions and sometimes the no "BS" attitude but I do it with a smile and easy going laid back attitude, ala "West Coast" influence. Last week on a visit to SF a good friend looked at me and said, "you might have been raised in NJ, but your really a Bay Area kind of guy". I think she is right.

I have friends on many income levels. Most middle class but some very wealthy as well. The wealthy ones are never comparing against other places, they are were they are because they want to be and can afford to be. So is it cost of living (taxes, home prices in N.Jersey) that drive people away from NJ, seems like it mostly, or ya just don't like Jersey?

I often think about moving back East (NJ, Washington DC,Jersey, Boston) because I miss the everyday folk one encounters, the seasons, etc), probably better need to just get out of LA! Then again I would probably miss the life style that I have so well adjusted too on the West Coast and I visit "Joysey" about 3 times a yr.

There is a famous line, can't remember the author, "Comparing is the heart of all discontent". I always remember that.

You know what sir, this is a very interesting topic you bring up. I have always wondered the same thing, why are North and South Jersey so different? We are a tiny state yet we are more diverse than many other larger states.

I currently live in North Jersey. Most of North Jersey is horrible. The highways are impossible to navigate and there's just way to many people, and not to mention New York dumps all there dirt on us. From what I can tell South Jersey is a little bit nicer and cleaner.

You also have to consider the differences in each region. West and East Jersey. East Jersey is urban/suburban up here in Northeast Jersey when as you go out to Northwest Jersey its mostly rural with a few blue collar towns like Dover and Phillipsburg, just to name a couple.

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by STrapani1105

Most of North Jersey is horrible. The highways are impossible to navigate and there's just way to many people, and not to mention New York dumps all there dirt on us. From what I can tell South Jersey is a little bit nicer and cleaner.

Nah,Philly pretty much has a similar influence on south Jersey as NY does on north Jersey...except there may be slightly less people and it's a little more spread out.