Our options are open--where in NEPA would we fit? (Scranton: cul-de-sac, crime)

[lindseydl]

While we don't have immediate plans, my husband and I might be considering a move to NEPA in the near future (the next year or so). I could spend all day Googling, but it's been awesome browsing other people's posts on here and seeing how the locals can offer suggestions.

My family is outside Binghamton, his is outside Philly, so NEPA seems like a nice choice for us to be fairly close to both families. Right now we're in Ithaca, about one hour from my fam and four from his.

We adore Ithaca, but we both went to college here and while we have respectable jobs, we know our options are somewhat limited--the job market in Ithaca has a reputation for being tight. Lots of educated people and not enough jobs to go around. Plus, having lived here for basically eight years and becoming post-college townies while our friends moved on has us feeling like it's time for us to explore our options.

He wants to continue working at a college or university, and ideally I'd like to work in publishing, but am open to other writing, editing, or communication opportunities. Neither of us wants more than a twenty-minute commute.

We're in our mid-twenties, planning to start a family, and like to be around smart, progressive people (hence why we like Ithaca). We're pretty content at home, but enjoy parks, hiking, good locally owned restaurants and cafes, and the occasional movie or night at the bars. We don't want to live in the heart of a big city, but we don't want to live out in isolation either. We currently rent, but we're looking to buy a house in the next few years.

So, I hope that's enough of a snapshot of us to get some suggestions started. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all think! Thank you for your time.

[ScranBarre]

What is this? An opportunity for me to cry tears of joy?! Am I REALLY seeing SEVERAL new inquiries into lovely NEPA in the same day after what seems like a few weeks of just us chit-chatting back-and-forth? I think I'm going to run out now and make a nude snow angel to celebrate! WOOOO!!!

All kidding aside there are a great number of very helpful people on this forum who will be more than delighted to help you and your significant other to find the perfect place to live in our region. Here is a list of all of the colleges and universities in our region if you really would like to work in higher education:

• Baptist Bible College & Seminary (Clarks Summit Area)
• Bloomsburg University (Bloomsburg)
• Commonwealth Medical College (Scranton)
• East Stroudsburg University (East Stroudsburg)
• Johnson College (Scranton)
• Keystone College (Clarks Summit Area)
• King's College (Wilkes-Barre)
• Lackawanna College (Scranton)
• Luzerne County Community College (Nanticoke)
• Marywood University (Scranton)
• Misericordia University (Back Mountain Area)
• Penn State University (Dunmore and Back Mountain Area)
• University of Scranton (Scranton)
• Wilkes University (Wilkes-Barre)

As far as publishing or journalism is concerned, here are some employers you may wish to consider:

• Abington Journal
• Citizens' Voice
• Dallas Post
• Electric City/Diamond City
• Happenings Magazine
• Milford Magazine
• Mountain Top Eagle
• New Age Examiner
• Pocono Record
• Scranton Post
• Standard-Speaker
• Sunday Dispatch
• Times-Leader
• Times-Tribune
• Wayne Independent
• Weekender

Your best option may be right where I live in the Greater Pittston area, as you'd be under twenty minutes from most major employment centers in both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. My father commutes 15-minutes to work in Downtown Scranton, and I commute 15-minutes to school in Downtown Wilkes-Barre. There really isn't an intellectual core here in the Pittston area (this entire metropolitan area is a far cry from Ithaca in that regard, as I'm familiar with your city), but West Pittston is a very nice community with Victorian homes, sidewalks, tree lawns, etc. that would be perfect for raising a family.

Another good choice would be Clarks Summit. The town and its surroundings are the most affluent and well-educated in the region. Many faculty members of the University of Scranton reside there, as do many professionals (attorneys, surgeons, pharmacists, editors, architects, accountants, etc.) It has a small downtown area with an organic foods store, gift shops, art galleries, etc. You'd be about ten minutes from Scranton if you would be fortunate enough to find jobs there. I always liked the town propers of Clarks Summit and Clarks Green, the town of Dalton, and the Waverly Historic District, but most of the surrounding townships are becoming very sprawled with new haphazard residential growth (ICK!)

Kingston or Forty Fort would be nice options as well. They sit across the river from rebounding Downtown Wilkes-Barre and are home to a lot of middle-aged professional families. These towns also have tree lawns, sidewalks, walking/running paths, shopping, dining, etc.

[Courtney3697]

TunKANOCK clarks summit abington WAVERLY!!!..cLARKS grEEEN LAKE WINOLA LAKE QUINN ANYWHERE BUT SCRANTON (man robbed a knife point last weeek 800 block hickory st....then election night behind Whistles Pub in Scranton man stabbed (on election night YES)... wilkes barre too many to mention google news

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Courtney3697

TunKANOCK clarks summit abington WAVERLY!!!..cLARKS grEEEN LAKE WINOLA LAKE QUINN ANYWHERE BUT SCRANTON (man robbed a knife point last weeek 800 block hickory st....then election night behind Whistles Pub in Scranton man stabbed (on election night YES)... wilkes barre too many to mention google news

Is Dan recruiting new members for City-Data on here again?

[ScranBarre]

FYI:

A gay porn producer was stabbed multiple times, nearly decapitated, and had his home set ablaze. Where was this? The suburbs. (Dallas)

A deranged man gunned down his wife and only son. Where was this? The suburbs. (Mountain Top)

Only one weapons violation was reported at Luzerne County public high schools last year. Guess where? The suburbs. (Dallas)

I get a kick out of you people in Scranton who act as if your city is the only one in the world with crime. It's EVERYWHERE! From the snootiest of South Abington cul-de-sacs to the slummiest of the "hoods" in South Wilkes-Barre, one is never immune to the threat of crime and should remain vigilant at all times.

[go phillies]

Originally Posted by Courtney3697

TunKANOCK clarks summit abington WAVERLY!!!..cLARKS grEEEN LAKE WINOLA LAKE QUINN ANYWHERE BUT SCRANTON (man robbed a knife point last weeek 800 block hickory st....then election night behind Whistles Pub in Scranton man stabbed (on election night YES)... wilkes barre too many to mention google news

Yeah its a regular Compton here in Scranton.....


Get a grip.



Let's remember that one of the most drug infested schools in the area is: ABINGTON HEIGHTS.

[Courtney3697]

right .. lets get the figures and dates of the following crimes (stabbings shootings arsons your choices) from dallas and place them along side the figures from Scranton
then oppose those against the WAVERLY and CLARKS SUMMIT for the LAST 3 Months for two easy examples.. gay porn dude was quite a while ago... whistles was last tues...in mountaintop that man did that terrible thing when? while in SOUTH SIDE OF SCRANTON that 22 year old beat a few folks to death with a hammer while holding the rest at gunpoint ummm yea... like 3 months ago and then JUST this past sat THAT SAME LOCATION in south side was the scene of an arson... yeaaa...

[Courtney3697]

a real paradise

[KarenRice]

Clarks Summit IS a very nice town. I attended Baptist Bible for a year, and I loved being there in Clarks Summit...Waverly is pretty too.

[ScranBarre]

You're comparing apples to oranges though. Been to Waverly lately? If not, here are some stats from the 2000 U.S. Census for you to consider:

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA (Waverly)

Median Household Income (2000): $73,611
36.2% of Households Earning $100,000+ (2000)
60.0% of Residents With at Least a 4-Year Degree (2000)


With stats like those it should come as no surprise that BMWs and Audis adorn nearly every driveway up there. How is it fair to compare such a wealthy little enclave like Waverly to a medium-sized city replete with poverty like Scranton. If anything I'd be concerned about the aforementioned DRUG PROBLEMS at Abington Heights. For that matter my own alma mater of Pittston Area, which is also trending into being a more upscale school district, also had HORRIFIC drug problems. This "city = icky" and "suburb = safe" crap has to stop.