NORTHEAST PA vs.SOUTHEAST PA (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: fit in, renting, violent crime)

[Northeastcouple]

NEPA vs SEPA lets hear it folks.....Seriously I dont want to see an online brawl or hissing match over this just want to see peoples perspectives that live in one of the areas or know both well...looking for the pros and cons for a young couple with kids...schools,cost of living, and weather all fit into the equation. THANKS!!!!

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Northeastcouple

NEPA vs SEPA lets hear it folks.....Seriously I dont want to see an online brawl or hissing match over this just want to see peoples perspectives that live in one of the areas or know both well...looking for the pros and cons for a young couple with kids...schools,cost of living, and weather all fit into the equation. THANKS!!!!

The cost-of-living is undoubtedly much lower in Northeastern Pennsylvania than it is in Southeastern Pennsylvania or even the Lehigh Valley. Our region's low housing prices are the direct result of a dismal job market (second-highest unemployment rate in the state at 6.0%), coupled with a generally unskilled workforce that doesn't make it attractive for more high-tech firms to establish themselves here. There are excellent public schools all over Eastern Pennsylvania, with most being in the affluent Caucasian suburban areas (Central Bucks, Abington Heights, Dallas, Crestwood, Parkland, Saucon Valley, etc). The weather is obviously generally cooler and cloudier in NEPA vs. SEPA.

[mathjak107]

we looked in lower mcungie area before nepa. the same style house was 100,000 more ... taxes were double. the big plus was there was job possibilities down that way in bethlehem and allentown. we ended up in pike county but the potential for moving full time before retiring was gone with no local work this way paying a reasonable salary

[Hu Flung Pu]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Our region's low housing prices are the direct result of a dismal job market (second-highest unemployment rate in the state at 6.0%), coupled with a generally unskilled workforce that doesn't make it attractive for more high-tech firms to establish themselves here.

I agree with the dismal job market, but I disagree on your statement about an unskilled workforce. Most people I went to high school with went on to higher education. Especially with all of the colleges in our area, I think the people of NEPA are more educated than most people think...its just that many of them end up moving away when they get out of school.

[rockky]

What areas are you asking about specifically?

I think it would be difficult to compare the NEPA and SEPA areas since, for example, Pike County is very different from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. Even areas of rural Monroe County are different from either of the locations I mentioned above.

The urban areas of SEPA, let's say from Coatesville east, are much different than York/Lancaster Counties.....or do you consider York/Lancaster too far west for discussion?

I'm not an expert on NEPA. I've lived here for about a year and a half. I grew up in York County. One thing I would point out is that, in my opinion, travel is easier in SEPA. I sometimes feel as if I need a passport to run errands here in NEPA. However, that is based on where our home is located within the area. Roads up here need to 'go round the mountains'. In SEPA roads go in all directions. Also, there is major egress to larger metro areas...Baltimore/Washington and the burbs there for example.

Again the cost of living would be specific to what areas you are researching specifically. Jobs are disappearing everywhere.

The weather is an easy one. Longer winter, shorter summer in NEPA than in SEPA. Cooler summers in NEPA.

Schools....again you'd need to work with more specifics. I believe that most PA schools are good compared to many other states. Urban areas with a large socio/economic deprived population have a much more difficult time. Blanket observation. PA schools are far superior to many public schools in DE....JMHO.

Having computer problems...gonna stop. May be back later.

Could you give us more specific info about the areas you are questioning?

[blip]

I dunno, to me it's like asking about Saskatchewan vs. Florida.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Hu Flung Pu

I agree with the dismal job market, but I disagree on your statement about an unskilled workforce. Most people I went to high school with went on to higher education. Especially with all of the colleges in our area, I think the people of NEPA are more educated than most people think...its just that many of them end up moving away when they get out of school.

I graduated from Pittston Area in 2005, and I'd have to estimate that approximately 90% of my class went on to further their educations. Where did they go? Pittsburgh. Boston. Berkeley. Clemson, SC. Nashville. New York City. Philadelphia. How many will return? Very few undoubtedly. One encouraging trend I've noticed is that many of my peers who once made "valley-bashing" a blood sport have now quieted down. I suppose the grass is always "greener" until you finally get somewhere else and find out that NEPA isn't so bad after all, despite its Archie Bunker-ness. I have college peers heckling me for wishing to start my family, my career, and my life in Scranton when I could "do so much more with your intellect in the city," but the joke will be on them when they're still RENTING at age 25 and earning $60,000 while I can OWN at age 25 while earning $46,000 as a CPA. All of my peers are in a mad dash to get into Northern New Jersey. If the quality-of-life is so "great" in the Garden State, then why is its top export its people? If it weren't for international migration NJ would likely be losing population due to domestic out-migration; just go onto their state forum sometime and see them all getting chubbies for North Carolina.

We have everything right here in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Pocono area. We have casinos, whitewater rafting, hikes along waterfalls, bird-watching, foliage watching, outlet malls, upscale downtown boutiques, ethnic restaurants, an international airport, gorgeous historic architecture, great universities and hospitals, organic foods stores, LGBT support groups and an upcoming gay pride festival, religious houses of worship for nearly every denomination, home style cooking at mom-and-pop eateries, and so much more. We're getting a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Wolfgang Puck Express, Sonic, and a few other national chains that I'll let you ponder when I finally decide to "leak" the information. We have affordable housing prices, low violent crime, above-average schools, mere moderate traffic congestion, and most importantly---rapidly-redeveloping cores in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre (three new businesses are about to open in DT W-B alone).

I just don't understand why I have to be such an anomaly to want to stay here after graduate school. Can I make a much higher salary in New York City? Yes. Can I purchase a single-family home in Hoboken on a CPA's salary? If I struggle, yes. Why struggle when you can live large in Pennsylvania?

[Acevaz]

Very well said, ScranBarre.

[EnyaGirl]

My husband and I just moved to NEPA from SEPA. We are a young couple-- no plans for kids, but wanted to buy a house. We found that the housing prices out there are skyrocketing. Schools are equally expensive. I won't even tell you what my inlaws pay to send their kids to private school. OY! @@. But, the jobs are far better and the population does seem to be more educated. I have to say though, I am much happier out here in NEPA...it's got a slower pace to life, it's beautiful, peaceful, and--at least in my town-- there's a real "small town" feeling to it, a sense of community I guess. I was fortunate to find a job within a few miles of my house in which I'm managing people's money in the community, which has led to me getting to meet a lot of people. I never had that sense of "fitting in" in SEPA. There it seemed that everyone was concerned with themselves alone; not getting to know their neighbors, etc. While it IS beautiful in SEPA (I lived near Valley Forge), and there is lots to do there, being so near to Philly and all, I would much prefer my life out here in NEPA. And don't even get me STARTED on the traffic in SEPA. Lord, I would have to make sure I didn't leave my house between the hours of 3 pm and 8 pm on weekdays because it's literally gridlock ANYWHERE you go around there. I was laughing when people here told me about the "traffic" on the Cross Valley out here. If THIS is what they call "traffic" here, I can DEFINITELY deal with it! lol

[ScranBarre]

For what it's worth though, EnyaGirl, traffic can be a nightmare at times in certain areas. It took me nearly a half-hour this evening to get between Downtown Scranton and Downtown Clarks Summit because traffic along Northern Boulevard (Routes 6/11) in Chinchilla was backed-up for seemingly a half-mile. Ironically I thought heading through downtown Scranton to get to the Abingtons would be a SHORTCUT to help me avoid expected construction-related congestion along I-81 near Dickson City, but I was mistaken. I was about five minutes late to meet coartist88 and his family, and I felt terribly since I'm usually so punctual. There was also quite a bit of Holiday traffic today along Route 309 in the Back Mountain, undoubtedly as people were headed to their vacation "cottages" (cough...mansions...cough) along Harvey's Lake.