Commute From Scranton Feasible? (Poughkeepsie, Easton: condo, low crime, house)

[ScranBarre]

Good morning everyone! I'm currently enrolled at King's College in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and I'm currently at a crossroads in my life. Ever since I was around twelve I've taken a vested interest in wanting to remain in the Scranton area to raise my family as the quality of life here is outstanding. The one thing missing here is a plethora of white-collar, family-sustaining career opportunities (The locals here cheer when a new Wal-Mart opens for its "quality jobs!") As an Accounting major, I'm VERY interested in working as a CPA for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Manhattan, where starting salaries range very well in the area of $50,000-$60,000. I know that earning $60,000 annually would afford a very nice lifestyle here in Scranton for my future family, but the thought of commuting is still a bit blurred to me.

Is there anyone out here who used to live in PA and commuted to NYC for a while? My goal right now is to purchase a downtown condo in Scranton and drive to the Poconos, where I'd hop a Martz bus everyday into the city. The commute would probably take about 2.5 hours each way, but I'd be willing to endure a five-hour round-trip commute if it meant that my children could be raised in an area of excellent schools, low crime, and clean air. I know a new commuter rail line is currently being developed between Scranton and Hoboken, so that will be another option for me in a few years. NEPA truly is "home" to me, but the career outlook here is seemingly worse than it is in the rural South! I know there are many others from my high school in a similar situation---Torn between settling for being paid less than what they're worth to live in Scranton to be near family and pleasant living or leaving it all behind to chase the better opportunities in NYC and Philly. I'd NEVER consider moving into NYC due to the high cost-of-living (Other than that I love the Big Apple), so I guess I'm stuck with a five-hour commute. Any suggestions from those who either have made the Scranton-NYC commute in the past or are currently doing so? Thanks in advance!

[iheartnj]

What about Dunder Miflin? Just kidding

Please read my thread in the New Jersey forum called "Commuteable Country Life".

[mr-shoeless]

I think a 5 hour commute would be terrible. But if you want to do that while single to advance your career, it's up to you. However, if you had a family and kids, things would be different. With that long of a commute, you would never get to see them, you would always be at work or driving. Your kids will not care about having a slightly nicer school or house if they never get to spend time with their father. Maybe just live in NYC to get your career going, then move to Scranton once you've started your family; but spending time with them should be the most important thing in your life at that point -- not your paycheck.

[kettlepot]

This isn't doable. I commuted to Wall Street from CT. It took 90 to 120 minutes everyday, and I couldn't sustain that while being single.

Look at what a 2 hour commute would do. Up at 6 a.m. One hour to eat and prepare for work. 7-9 a.m. your commute. 9-5 at work. 7 pm return home. Later if you have to work late or miss the first bus to the Poconos. Change clothes, sort through mail, make dinner, eat, do dishes. 8:30 or 9pm... no way you're going to buy your dinner every day. Too expensive, and restaurant food becomes too much the same thing. Watch an hour of boob tube, (will I get a Mod. Cut for that? ) Snooze time at 10 pm. Saturday, do your laundry, ironing, house cleaning, grocery shopping, and any other errands. Sunday, your only time to really relax all day, but you know Monday is just around the corner.

That's at 2 hours, if you add 30 minutes on each side it's not doable. If there is a spouse who is either stay at home or gets home earlier in the day to do cooking, laundry, errands, then it might be doable for a period of time.

If a higher speed direct rail line enters the picture then you might have the option of working in NYC.

[lammius]

I think you're nuts! 2.5 hours is optimistic. According to the Martz schedule the bus portion of the trip alone is 2.5 hours. Then you have to add time for getting TO the bus and getting from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to wherever your office in Manhattan will be. You're looking at something closer to 3.5 hours each way, or 7 hours round-trip door-to-door commute. That's like working 2 full-time jobs. Assuming you can manage an 8 hr workday and not work a minute longer each day (and no lunch), you'll be out of the house 15 hours each day. You might as well divorce your wife and pay child support to keep the kids alive, because they won't know who daddy is.

There have been articles in the NY Times about these parents who live in places like Poughkeepsie or Easton PA and work in NNJ or NYC. Their kids never see them, their spouses are stressed out, schools cannot find parents to volunteer for anything or take their children to/from after school activities, it's a horrible existence. If your professional future is in Manhattan, you'll have to live somewhere within a reasonable commuting distance.

[Viralmd]

I, too, think this is nuts. Don't you want to have a life? Or do you plan to do all your thinking, resting, relaxing, socializing on the bus?

[NooYowkur81]

The commute is going to wear on you eventually. It is going to cut into your personal life and cause stress. Don't do it for your health.

I would suggest that you keep looking in your area or seriously consider relocating. One big advantage of your field, perhaps the biggest advantage is that Accountants are always in demand in a lot of different places. For instance I know for a fact there are a few big Accounting firms located in New Jersey. You have career options, many of us would envy, so why box yourself in when it is not necessary.