Middletown, New York???? (Monroe, Newburgh, Sullivan: middle-class, for sale, crime rates)

[8Kids1Cat]

Husband and I are planning to relocate to Middletown, NY. Anything anyone can offer on the area?
Thanks!!!!!

[mathjak107]

taxes are getting very very high. i believe they voted in an 18% increase a few weeks ago

[Jason_Els]

Middletown is the shopping center of Orange County. I assume you know that the downtown area is sketchy, crime is rising, the traffic is terrible, there is a fantastically ugly miracle mile, there are two factories which spew toxic fumes in the air, there's a superfund site nearby, the former mayor was forced to resign when he, a city judge, and the city's economic development director were found guilty of funneling federal funds into their wallets, and the schools underperform the regional averages (see thread on Orange schools for the school district report card for Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan counties).

I would HIGHLY recommend researching the website of the local newspaper (which is a dreadful newspaper but we're stuck with it), The Times-Herald Record, and read-up on Middletown. The surrounding areas are much, much, nicer.

[Jason_Els]

8kids1cat,

You've asked a lot of questions about different areas but don't seem to be pleased with what you've found. I suggest that you tell us what you're looking for, what's important to you in a hometown, and what your budget range is. With that information we could give you some ideas of places in the area that might fit what you're looking for.

[wendyt]

Originally Posted by 8Kids1Cat

Husband and I are planning to relocate to Middletown, NY. Anything anyone can offer on the area?
Thanks!!!!!

I wouldn't be so hard on Middletown. It has everything you want in a country setting. great shopping, close to public transportation. Here is an example of a house for sale and housing pricing. good luck!

[PeterH]

I've lived in the City of Middletown for 11 years. In the past 5 years, the Hispanic community has grown from about 15% of the population to about 30% of the population. I don't mean to sound like a racist, but could you live in a city that is probably 40% white at best? As a white man, I have to say it isn't easy.
The City of Middletown is pretty rough. If I could sell my house, I'd be gone tomorrow. Crime rates are sky rocketing. Worst school system in the county, if not the entire 845 area code.
The immediate surrounding area is mixed. Some places, more of the same. Others definitely upper middle-class white suburbia.

[MattB]

Peter, although you don't want to sound like a racist your words as you wrote them convey the exact opposite. I have lived in Middletown my entire life as did both my parents, my great uncle, an Italian man started a business here during a time of change not unlike what we see now with demographic upheavals and an uncertain economy. Because of the anti-Italian views of the day in order to open a store downtown he chose to amend his name to look and sound of French decent, acceptable for the booming shopping district. We have carried this alteration for generations. My point is Peter that bigotry towards new people is nothing new to Middletown and if you can try to imagine what is like to be a Hispanic man living in a town that is only 20-30% Hispanic I’m sure what ever challenges as you called them that you face, are not comparable to his. The crime rates are actually lowering and there are more open store fronts downtown then there were 11 years ago when you moved here. This can be attributed to changes in local and county government and a more organized merchant association. The school system may be as bad as you say it is, being the one area of your comments I am not educated on. I have gone through it myself and in my years there (class of 2002) I saw the lowest amount of fights in twenty years as well as being recognized state wide for the most improved school, we even had a visit from our congressional representation as a result. Middletown, with out a doubt is in need of some elbow grease and if you’re looking for a way to change it for the better I suggest you roll up your sleeves, become active in local elections and consider where you are spending your money. Middletown is city with boundless potential that has been forgotten with 30 years of mismanagement. We can get it back sooner then later if men and women who feel as you do can step outside their comfort zone to reach out and include the communities you have condemned. I hope you will consider my words as I have written them if not, I wish you luck in the sale of your house and I hope you find the greener lawns of the “white suburbia“ you spoke of.

[Lauri_25ny]

I can't help you with anything about Middletown, but do you really have 8 kids and 1 cat? Man! I'd rather have 8 cats and 1 kid! Kudos to you!

[settlepa]

If you got kids, go to Scotchtown (town of wallkill) which is next to middletown but may have a middletown P.O. box but Pine Bush Schools, I would NOT recommend Middletown schools with kids.

[JoshNHR]

Middletown is eh... old. There is speculation that when they build the I-86 expansion that is currently 17 East/West running through Middletown that they may build a bridge connecting Middletown's two largest shopping malls (Orange Plaza and Galleria at Crystal Run) but there is better shopping to be found in Monroe (Woodbury Common, Harriman Commons, Woodbury Centre etc.) and in Newburgh (Office Depot just moved in, Staples is coming and the Marketplace at Newburgh is still coming which will be a mega mall). I can't imagine anyone would want to move from NYC to another city (Middletown/Newburgh) but the towns offer a variety of living options and price ranges. Middletown does draw in a lot of people looking to buy a new home for less than $400K but you can do better, closer for less than $400K.