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Can anyone give any advice on a few of the towns in Western Morris County such as Jefferson, Rockaway, Roxbury, Mt. Olive, and Washington? I know nothing about this area, but often see lots of affordable homes for sale there. Are they all lake communities? Are the school systems any good? Not to offend anyone, but are they blue collar/white collar towns?
I live in Denville, which is on the border of Western Morris. Denville is split between white collar and blue (I'm white collar, but who cares?). I live in a lake community and love it.
Rockaway - Depending on where you live can be blue collar and white collar, schools are good, White Meadow Lake is probably their largest lake community.
Sorry, I really can't help you with the other towns, as I never venture out that far west. Jefferson feels mostly blue collar, but I could be mixing it up with Lake Hopatcong.
it's morris county which one of the wealthiest counties in the entire nation. i'd have to say it's closer to white collar than blue collar. when you get out to western morris county, it does become a lil more rural. you get a lil more of a blue collar vibe in rockaway and roxbury, given the close proximity to dover (not that its a bad thing though)
lots of lake communities out here too. rockaway, mount olive, jefferson, and denville have tons of them.
Jefferson is mixed..you have homes from 200K to upwards of 900K depending on where..if you live lakefront the homes are $$$$ as well as the taxes....unfortunately jefferson schools have been going down hill over the past few years. In addition to the kids calling it 'heroin High' the test scores are shameful
it's morris county which one of the wealthiest counties in the entire nation. i'd have to say it's closer to white collar than blue collar. when you get out to western morris county, it does become a lil more rural. you get a lil more of a blue collar vibe in rockaway and roxbury, given the close proximity to dover (not that its a bad thing though)
lots of lake communities out here too. rockaway, mount olive, jefferson, and denville have tons of them.
What's the deal with Dover anyway?? Tons of homes for sale there. That's NEVER a good sign.
What's the deal with Dover anyway?? Tons of homes for sale there. That's NEVER a good sign.
Even though I grew up in Morris County, I think I've only been to Dover at most twice in my life. It's a dying town, and it's not exactly the hottest place to live in morris county. At one point it was a mining town, a lot of iron ore in the area. Even though it has a thriving hispanic community, it's really an economically depressed area and not an appealing place. It's similar to Phillipsburg out in Warren County. I don't know if you're more familiar with Phillipsburg, but I'm guessing at one point P-Burg was a thriving town, now it's not so hot. Both towns are economically depressed blue-collar areas. This could be the reason why there are so many homes for sale Dover, at least that would be my guess.
The reason these towns are dying is because somebody thought it was a good idea to close the factories and send this work overseas. The same can be said for Plainfield, Camden, Trenton, Millville all were one time thriving factory towns but it is much better to have our goods made overseas because they can be manufactured much cheaper. Of course the folks who used to work in these factories are largely underemployed and are not the folks buying anything. Lots of welfare folks making babies and not paying taxes and of course the schools are not good.
But on the bright side some factory owners are now billionaires instead of just being millionaires.
More importantly it's a Global economy and look how much better off most Americans are these days.
Even though I grew up in Morris County, I think I've only been to Dover at most twice in my life. It's a dying town, and it's not exactly the hottest place to live in morris county. At one point it was a mining town, a lot of iron ore in the area. Even though it has a thriving hispanic community, it's really an economically depressed area and not an appealing place. It's similar to Phillipsburg out in Warren County. I don't know if you're more familiar with Phillipsburg, but I'm guessing at one point P-Burg was a thriving town, now it's not so hot. Both towns are economically depressed blue-collar areas. This could be the reason why there are so many homes for sale Dover, at least that would be my guess.
You pretty much hit the nail on the head with Dover and P'Burg.
Roxbury Twp., Mt. Olive Twp., Washington Twp., Randolph, Chester are all very nice areas of western Morris County. If I had a choice out of these, I would go with either Chester or Long Valley/Washington Twp. Great schools.
Oh please. Dover is kinda ugly. It is definitely hispanic. Dying? um no unless you count Spanish signs over every other business meaning dying... It has lost businesses this recession like every other place. I drive through it all the time. Would I live there? Not being hispanic probably not. This is not Newark or Camden. Noone is going to shoot you unless you go looking for people to do it. Now, is an Anglo going to be super comfortable? probably not because everyone is talking 99999 miles an hour in a different language. Definitely blue collar.
Jefferson. The most mixed area on your list. From low class to high. Lake Shawnee (The neighborhood around a lake) is very nice but has (had?) a very bad bear problem with bears that will walk right past you ingoring you completely on their way to your garbage can. Schools=?? dunno. See above I guess.
Rockaway. 2 parts to it; township and borough. Both decent. The township is a rather large area. The mall is in the township as is most of White Meadow Lake. White Meadow Lake is a largish community around a lake with 2 BR former lake shacks to 5 BR McMansions. (former Jewish enclave?? dunno mixed religion now.) Schools = decent. The mall is there and many of the attendant mall rats.
Roxbury. (also Succasana and Ledgewood). Another shopping area along Rt 10. The Roxbury mall is not a mall but a large shopping area with several big box + misc. The actual mall anchored by a Walmart of all things is called ?Ledgewood Mall? Again. Decent area.,
Mt. Olive, Nice, hilly'er area West of the above. Cops known to worship and the temple of hyper aggressive evil along with Jefferson and Sparta. Dont mess with em. Yes, they really ARE out to get you. Schools= decent. 3 BR capes to 5 BR McMansions and I have heard 2nd hand extra high taxes even by New Jersey standards.
Washington. No idea.
Mt Arlington (not listed) Mostly smaller older homes. Decent area sort of a budget choice in Morris Co.
Oh please. Dover is kinda ugly. It is definitely hispanic. Dying? um no unless you count Spanish signs over every other business meaning dying... It has lost businesses this recession like every other place. I drive through it all the time. Would I live there? Not being hispanic probably not. This is not Newark or Camden. Noone is going to shoot you unless you go looking for people to do it. Now, is an Anglo going to be super comfortable? probably not because everyone is talking 99999 miles an hour in a different language. Definitely blue collar.
Jefferson. The most mixed area on your list. From low class to high. Lake Shawnee (The neighborhood around a lake) is very nice but has (had?) a very bad bear problem with bears that will walk right past you ingoring you completely on their way to your garbage can. Schools=?? dunno. See above I guess.Rockaway. 2 parts to it; township and borough. Both decent. The township is a rather large area. The mall is in the township as is most of White Meadow Lake. White Meadow Lake is a largish community around a lake with 2 BR former lake shacks to 5 BR McMansions. (former Jewish enclave?? dunno mixed religion now.) Schools = decent. The mall is there and many of the attendant mall rats.
Roxbury. (also Succasana and Ledgewood). Another shopping area along Rt 10. The Roxbury mall is not a mall but a large shopping area with several big box + misc. The actual mall anchored by a Walmart of all things is called ?Ledgewood Mall? Again. Decent area.,
Mt. Olive, Nice, hilly'er area West of the above. Cops known to worship and the temple of hyper aggressive evil along with Jefferson and Sparta. Dont mess with em. Yes, they really ARE out to get you. Schools= decent. 3 BR capes to 5 BR McMansions and I have heard 2nd hand extra high taxes even by New Jersey standards.
Washington. No idea.
Mt Arlington (not listed) Mostly smaller older homes. Decent area sort of a budget choice in Morris Co.
Yep I live in Jefferson, the Lk Hopatcong side.....as i was sitting outside on Saturday morning about 6:30AM the bear just strolled through my yard...I looked at it and it looked at me and just kept strolling..lol
The schools have really gone down hill in JT
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