POLL: Are You Generally Content Living in NEPA? (Erie, Scranton: rent, hotel)

[JimmyLane]

I voted as a transplant who likes NEPA. This place has everything I want, from skiing to good restaurants and bars. I've been up and down and across Vermont and New Hampshire and the outdoor aesthetic of NEPA is as good if not better. Where I live in Montrose, there's proximity to hubs like Scranton, WB, Binghamton and Vestal. Homes are evidence that people take pride in living here as well. I'm always amazed driving the country roads and encountering homes with such character and quaintness. The neighborhoods are relatively quiet, the people respectful, open, and smiling.

I most love the lakes and streams, and even walking has taken on a new life form for me with the running brooks and animals...a true winter wonderland.

[MermanMike]

NEPA is pretty close to a perfect place for me. I am in the northern wayne area as well. It sounds like we are probably neighbors, ontheroad. Sometimes I wish that diversity was embraced more, but overall this is a beautiful, peaceful area where the cost of living is still relatively reasonable. And in my neck of the woods in particular, there is a strong, and growing, receptivity to holistic health and natural living, which is a huge bonus for me.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native

Honestly, I don't like it yet, maybe it will grown on me. But if I had my choice, I'd be back in Lehigh Valley suburbia.

The main reasons:

1) Schools, they leave much to be desired.
2) The landscape to me is depressing, I'm more of a rolling farmland kind of person.
3) Most, but not all of the cities and towns have a very depressing feel to them.
4) Job market is mediocre at best.
5) Politics are odd, why Skrep was re-elected is a mystery to me.

I am here for at least 3 more years, so we will see what happens.

To me, the schools are one of the reasons I like living here. Even the districts that are at the lower end of the test scores in the area truly aren't horrible and a good education can be had...its what you make of it. We have no school districts that are total wastelands like you would find in Philadelphia or Harrisburg city schools. And most of our schools, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre cities included, are very good. The landscape to me is beautiful....the mountains and views around here are great...but I guess that's something that can differ from person to person. Ask someone from the midwest, where its flat and barren for hundreds of miles, what they think of NEPA's scenery, and you'll generally get a very positive reaction.
I really don't think there's too many depressing parts of the area. Are there some bad neighborhoods? Yes, as there are EVERYWHERE. But there are a heck of a lot more close-knit, well-kept neighborhoods than there are crackhouse-and-prostitute-and-graffiti-ridden parts.

The job market and politics I have to agree with you on. If you can find a job that pays decent and you are happy with, which I have, you can have a good life here. But finding decent family-sustaining wages here is not the easiest thing in the world to do....but its not impossible. And the politics aren't just odd.....they just plain stink. This place is as politically corrupt as Boss Hogg and Hazzard County.....a good ol' boys network.

[Lehigh Valley Native]

Originally Posted by conorsdad

To me, the schools are one of the reasons I like living here. Even the districts that are at the lower end of the test scores in the area truly aren't horrible and a good education can be had...its what you make of it. We have no school districts that are total wastelands like you would find in Philadelphia or Harrisburg city schools. And most of our schools, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre cities included, are very good. The landscape to me is beautiful....the mountains and views around here are great...but I guess that's something that can differ from person to person. Ask someone from the midwest, where its flat and barren for hundreds of miles, what they think of NEPA's scenery, and you'll generally get a very positive reaction.
I really don't think there's too many depressing parts of the area. Are there some bad neighborhoods? Yes, as there are EVERYWHERE. But there are a heck of a lot more close-knit, well-kept neighborhoods than there are crackhouse-and-prostitute-and-graffiti-ridden parts.

The job market and politics I have to agree with you on. If you can find a job that pays decent and you are happy with, which I have, you can have a good life here. But finding decent family-sustaining wages here is not the easiest thing in the world to do....but its not impossible. And the politics aren't just odd.....they just plain stink. This place is as politically corrupt as Boss Hogg and Hazzard County.....a good ol' boys network.

I think my depressing feel to the area is lack of trees. Living in Kingston, we have our tree lined streets, but they are almost non-existent in wilkes-barre, nanticoke, etc. Not to mention it seems like 90% of the houses here have white vinyl siding. To me it just is a bit depressing.
As far as schools in this area, I only have first hand knowledge of Valley West. The high school has holes in walls, trash all over the grounds, rusting exteriors, broken windows, not enough text books. But the football team sure has everything they need. I wonder how much they are paying that coach.
As far as politics here, it is insane. Luzerne county has 1,739 employees for a county population of 313,000. Northampton county has 1,359 employees for a county population of 291,000. That is almost 400 more employees for almost the same amount of people.
What this county needs is a strong republican party to balance out the demos. It seems Urban likes to point out a lot of the problems, but the people don't listen to him because he never played football.

[miamiman]

It was the most horrid two weeks of my life. I moved away mainly because of the horribly low pay, the immense poverty, the dreary weather, the lack of cultural activities, the lack of sophistication in the area, and the lack of suburban amenities I enjoy (Starbucks, PF Changs).

I am much more content in my new community. I will take my 75 degree Sunbelt weather and savor it.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by miamiman

the immense poverty.

immense poverty? Are you kidding? Sure there is poverty here, but guessing from your screen name "miamiman," you're from Miami....My guess is the poverty you would find in inner-city Miami is much more than you would find in the poorest parts of NE PA.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but poverty is everywhere.

[to570717]

I live in FL now at the beach in a nice area. I will tell you right now NEPA is a great great place IMO. I miss the mountains, the woods the neighborhood feel of it.

Don't get me wrong, I love the weather here and the fact that I live at the beach but there are so many issues here I dindt have to deal with in Clarks Summit. A) crime. It is bad here NEPA, it is non existant. B) bad schools. Abington Heights is a 6 figure a year prep school compared to the public schools here. C) traffic---it SUCKs NEPA it is non existant.

Miamiman is dillusional. Extreme Poverty? gimme a break. I live down here with you man, there are sooooooo many more poor people here than in NEPA. I can drive 10 miles and I am in the Ghetto. In NEPA there are no Ghetto.

If you grew up in NEPA, move someplace for a while that is supposed to be paradise, you will soon realize the grass is not greeener. I have an awesome Job here in FLA and it is keeping me here for now. Trust me, I will keep a condo here for winter months but I can not wait to get back to NEPA. Find a home in Waverly or Clarks Summit and Enjoy no traffic, no crime and people who speak English.

[miamiman]

Originally Posted by conorsdad

immense poverty? Are you kidding? Sure there is poverty here, but guessing from your screen name "miamiman," you're from Miami....My guess is the poverty you would find in inner-city Miami is much more than you would find in the poorest parts of NE PA.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but poverty is everywhere.

I left Miami years before it became the third world hellhole that it is today. I was actually born and raised in Coral Gables, which is one of the nicest communities in the country. If you look on the upper-right hand corner of this post, you will see that I live in North Scottsdale, recently nicknamed "Beverly Hills of the Desert" by the New York Times.

Compared to any place that I have lived, Scranton had the most apparent poverty. It was such a sad sight to see people living in homes that were seemingly falling down around their ears. I have never seen people drive such beat up, old cars, as well. Only in Northeastern Pennsylvania did people seem to think it was fashionable to drive around in old Pontiac Grand Am's. Yuck.

I enjoy racing around in my gas propelled Hummer. I enjoy being surrounded by sophisticated people and amenities, the likes of which NEPA was unable to provide.

[to570717]

Well Miamiman, i'm sure you are loving driving around in your "Hummer" with your Scotsdale elite cheering you on as your tear around the bend into your brand new stucco house.

People who need affirmation by their surrondings are either new money or fake money. Which one are you? I live in Naples, people are ubsurd here. I long for the day I can be around unpretentious people later to find out their family once onwed the Erie -Lackawanna rail road and about 100,000 acres of land. People In NEPA dont need to tell you they are rich or poor, they judge by the content of one anothers character.

Drive your Hummer into your sterile neighborhood and blend in with all the other people escaping to the land stucco and skip trowlling. You can have it.

[nocturnal rooster]

Originally Posted by miamiman

It was the most horrid two weeks of my life. I moved away mainly because of the horribly low pay, the immense poverty, the dreary weather, the lack of cultural activities, the lack of sophistication in the area, and the lack of suburban amenities I enjoy (Starbucks, PF Changs).

I am much more content in my new community. I will take my 75 degree Sunbelt weather and savor it.

Try living there for 3 months.

I moved down here to central PA. It is a little better, but not by much.