Johnstown NY. Yay or Nay? (New York, Schenectady: real estate market, apartments, new home)

[CatHeather]

Does anyone have any info on Johnstown or the surrounding areas like Caroga Lake. Please let me know.

[mcsmac]

It's just a little town with not much going on but maybe that's the way they want it.
Caroga Lake is pretty but the real nice lake in the Adirondack region is the Sacandaga Lake. 15X bigger and much nicer.

[cpiseco]

I vacation in the Adirondacks every year, and while I don't stay in Caroga Lake, I know it very well. It's a small, out of the way area with a general store, golf course nearby and of course, the lake. Quiet Adirondack solitude without being too deep into the mountains. Too me, Caroga is nicer than Sacandaga Lake, as most of Sacandaga was man-made in an effort to help regulate the Sacandaga River. Plus, it's too big for my taste and you have to go around a large portion of the lake to get to the otherside if you wish to dine or visit friends. Caroga is small, natural and peaceful. There also seems to be a greater sense of community.

Johnstown doesn't have much going on. It's a town near the NYS Thruway and has become one of the more depressed towns, but not so much that it's an ugly or dangerous area; just isn't much to do, but close to the major roadway in that part of the state and also an hour away or so from some nice Adirondack beauty for daytrips and such. To me, Johnstown is a lot like Amsterdam, just not as big.

[asksyl]

My family and I have lived in Johnstown for 17 years. It is a great place to live! This year our fine town is celebrating its 250th anniversary. If you are looking for a new home, move here, you wont regret it. There are excellent schools, great places to shop, many good employment opportunities, not to mention we are minutes from many lakes, rivers, streams, and the Adirondack Park. To say that Johnstown hasn't got much going on must mean that you have never lived here. Granted, we don't have large loud night clubs or huge malls cluttering our town (and county), but if you insist on going to these, a half hour drive can get you to one. I am thankful they are not here! By the way, are town is not depressed. I actually take offense to that statement! The real estate market, though suffering in many areas, is hot here! Houses in our town sell quickly, and for more money than neighboring towns. Johnstown has a fascinating history and a fine future. So stop on by. You might just want to stay!

[formerLIer]

I lived in Johnstown for 14 years. It has many lovely things about it. It surrounded by beauty with the Mohawk Valley south and the Adirondack mountains to the north. Relatively speaking, taxes are lower than many places in New York, and housing is too. It's a small old town that used to thrive on the leather industry, but that industry is mostly gone now, and it was depressed there for many years. Gloversville, which borders Johnstown shows the wear of a town that has suffered the loss of that industry with many run down large colonial homes now converted into apartments. Some are nicely kept, but many are very run down; the town has many empty run down buildigns, and many families are on public assistance. Johnstown, being smaller has faired better. There are a couple of run down streets, but very safe area, and most of the homes are well kept. We raised our family there, and it was a wonderful safe place for them to grow up. BUT.... to say there are many job opportunities, just isn't the case at all. There are several companies that have come to the area, such as Walmart and Target, but good paying jobs from a middle class stand point are few and far between. There is GE in Schenectady, where my husband worked for a bit, but they are constantly laying off and rehiring. It is a tough place to earn a good living, and fuel costs are very, very high, as the winters get extremely cold. We heated our home with a wood stove, and if we hadn't, probably would have lost our home. My advice is to make sure you secure employment BEFORE moving there. I have seen many a hardworking person get laid off only to be searching for a job still a year later, and these are people with excellent work histories and strong work ethics. Just aren't jobs to go around, that's all. We now live in South Carolina, as my husband got a transfer, and since his job was always at risk of being cut, he grabbed the opportunity to be in a more thriving economy, where there are more plentiful jobs. Taxes on homes here are about a quarter of what you would pay in Johnstown. We don't miss the bitter cold winters in Johnstown, but we do miss the small town we called home for all those years. I grew up on Long Island, but Johnstown always felt more like home to me than the place I was born. You couldn't go to the store without running into someone you know, and I admit it... didn't lock my door (we lived out in the country). So, yes a lovely place if you are looking for a small safe town, but SECURE EMPLOYMENT FIRST!

[ckhthankgod]

Here you go:CITY OF JOHNSTOWN

Welcome to "Historic" Johnstown, New York - Our Business Community

Greater Johnstown School District - Johnstown City Schools, Johnstown, New York

and here's info on it's twin glove city, Gloversville:City of Gloversville - Homepage

Gloversville, NY

Leader Herald

Gloversville Enlarged School District - Gloversville, NY

and some more info.:The Fulton County Regional Chamber Of Commerce and Industry-* Home Page

New York schools - NY elementary, middle and high school information

Hope this helps.

[jmakhzoumy]

I lived in Johnstown FOR 2 YRS THAT WAS IN 1979 -1980 I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL AT FMCC
iAM FROM JORDAN IN THE MIDDLE EAST I MISSED JOHNSTOWN SO MUCH i always dream to go back for visit
I work in the kingdom of saudai arabia telc.engineer
iam married i have kides
johnstown is very nice and quit city nice pepole live there

[Amanda060304]

I recently moved to johnstown and I have been trying to figure out which elementary school is a better choice does anyone know which elementary school has a better academic program?

[ckhthankgod]

What kind of program are you looking for? Look here:https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Di...t=170600010000

or here:Johnstown City School District schools, Johnstown - NY: charter and public schools. Johnstown school district - Johnstown NY school district

Try the district website, which is posted on a post above too.

[amandafriend00]

Its a very small town. Very republican. Moderator cut: off topic Its a really pretty area though and very rich in history. Saratoga is a great place if you are looking for a more diverse liberal city.