Looking for Gang-free life. (New York, Rochester: apartments, neighborhoods, universities)

[FinnishAmerican]

Hello!

Im Finnish and I consider my self more American than many of the original Americans and planning to move to New York or if the gangs are huge problem down there; To some other east coast state.

Could you tell me the gang-free neighborhoods? I know Bronx is full of crips & bloods & other latino gangs.

Im white so I would like a neighborhood where I will not receive racism (yes, blacks can be racists towards whites too you know).

And just a "offtopic" question: How easy it is to open a bank account? In Ireland the banks are liek 50's, hows it in NY?

[Viralmd]

I think you've VASTLY exaggerated the problem. The majority of the people in the five boroughs of NYC are nice, decent people.

You can open a bank account easily. However you can't just 'move to' the US. You need more than a tourist visa. That takes paperwork and time.

[FinnishAmerican]

Im aware of it, but there are lots of gangs no-one cant deny it.

So could you give me some nice locations without gangs. Im aware that Bronx = Not an option, dont know about the rest. Manhattan is nice ive heard.

[Desnik]

I am 32 and was born and raised in the Bronx and moved when I was 17. Most of my family is still there. I go back there often. I have never met a gang member, been around any gang situations or had any gang related problems in all my life. When I lived in the Bronx, an area called "Country Club", where NY Yankees Mariano Rivera now lives, was and is still a mostly White neighborhood. Really all Italians. So much so that when they saw my Puerto Rican mom(my dad is Italian)they really gave us a hard time for moving into the area! I did have a great childhood and really had no race problems. It is diverse now but still no gang issues in that area. Where I live now, in Orange County NY, about an hour away from the Bronx, there is no issues of Gangs in my area(Goshen). Actually Middletown NY is a lot worse then most places in the Bronx! I am about 20 mins from it and it doesn't affect my life at all. You really need to look at all neighborhoods in specific areas because they can be vastly different. There are still nice areas in the Bronx and really bad areas too. It's the same for all the boroughs. If you want a suburb and not city life that's an option too. NYC has lots of neighborhoods that are vastly different as well. You can have bums and crack heads on one corner a few feet away from million dollar apartments.

[Viralmd]

Originally Posted by FinnishAmerican

Im aware of it, but there are lots of gangs no-one cant deny it.

So could you give me some nice locations without gangs. Im aware that Bronx = Not an option, dont know about the rest. Manhattan is nice ive heard.

There are some very nice parts of the Bronx. I think you need to open up your thinking more. Gangs are NOT an everyday fact of life here. You're believe too much of what you see in the papers and on television. Their goal is to sell papers/advertisers' products.

You should believe the people who actually LIVE here.

[Sgoldie]

Your inquiry is much too generalized. First off, NYC is not New York State, far from it, rather opposites in fact. One is ultra urban and the other is woods, mountains, and lakes.

Manhattan is for the most part gang free, however there may be sections where it is not. It is expensive in all areas including the boroughs. People from all over the world live in NYC. There will be pockets of nationalities and other spots were there are mixes. It will become quite clear to you when you relocate or visit where you will feel comfortable.

Other states also have gang problems, some in the inner cities and occasionally in the suburbs of larger cities. You can always find a safe locale within a general geographic area with the exception of LA possibly in that it's so spread out and large which may mean you'd need to look further afield. Your variables for choice should not be predicated on avoiding gangs as much as other things. Gangs are not an everyday occurence for the vast majority of people in the US.

[FinnishAmerican]

Okay thanks for your replies. So gangs : NOT that big of problem, Im sorry but its impossible to know really before you ask.
Ive been looking around and found few apartments in Webster, Baldwinsville, Rochester and Endicott.

Endicott, webster and baldwinsville seem nice. Ive heard Rochester is great anyway but I prefer area with white people (NO im not racist, I just dont want to be outnumbered )

[Sgoldie]

You're looking at several different upstate NY cities.

Webster is a suburb of Rochester, Baldwinsville is a suburb of Syracuse, and Endicot is a suburb of Binghamton. Upstate NY cities (90%) and towns are nearly all white (98%) with the exception of the inner core of major cities. There are geographical variations in these three cities. Rochester being on the banks of Lake Ontario, Binghamton being closer to the PA border, and Syracuse being close to both the lake and the Adirondack mountains. Rochester is the largest, Syracuse in the middle size wise, and Binghamton the smallest of the three. All have universities/colleges.

Your biggest problem will be how will you make a living? Also note that this part of the states receives a great deal of snow. One of the advantages is the proximity to Canada.

[FinnishAmerican]

Yeah , finding a job would be the biggest problem.
Upstate is great place to live tho, but the areas I found the aparments seemed kinda small, so how is the workin down there?

And happy to know 90% white

[Jdawg8181]

Originally Posted by FinnishAmerican

Im aware of it, but there are lots of gangs no-one cant deny it.

So could you give me some nice locations without gangs. Im aware that Bronx = Not an option, dont know about the rest. Manhattan is nice ive heard.

There are nice areas of the Bronx...also, everywhere has gangs- even long island- no way to avoid it sorry. It's becoming the way of the world now, sadly.