Newtown or Doylestown? (Bristol, New Hope: crime, house, safe area)

[frogandtoad]

We may be relocating within a year to either MD or PA. If it's PA, we'd relocate to Bucks County, and I'm wondering what your thoughts are about which is nicer--Newtown or Doylestown? Which schools are better (I know they are both good....)? We're looking for a safe area with a nice downtown, an area with a fair number of families with children (there are almost no kids where we live now and we have kids!). We want a place to really settle down and call home long-term. Cost of housing isn't really a factor for us.

Thank you!

[ShannonMilligan]

Wow-they are both really nice. I lived in Newtown and I loved it there. Great schools at both. You really can't go wrong with either. Both have charming downtowns...Goodnoes ice cream is in Newtown, so def plus there, lol! (kids love it there...nothing special except the ice cream)...Such a toss up. I think I would pick Newtown again though b/c I just love the downtown...very upclass and yet a downhome feel.
good luck!

[L.K.]

I agree,both are nice.We had to make the decision a year ago,we choose Doylestown.I love the downtown and I choose the CB school district after lots of research and questions on this forum.We love it and feel we made the right decision.Have you been able to visit? Sometimes it just comes down to what feels right for you.We do have lots of kids in the neighborhood we moved to.When we found a house we liked,we went to the neighborhood as school was getting out to make sure there were indeed alot of kids coming home from school.Good luck,I'm sure either will work.

[frogandtoad]

Well this is really good to hear! Thank you both for responding. We probably won't check them out until we know whether we'll be heading to that area or MD, but I'm happy to know there are some great options. The other place we're considering is Chestnut Hill, but of course that's going to have a totally different feel to it....

Gorgeous part of the country. I'm torn between MD and PA b/c we have a lot of good friends in MD. Without the good friends there, I'd easily choose Buck's County (or Chestnut Hill)

Thanks again!

[braylee]

Newtown would be my choice. It has more quaint shops and has a historic feel.

[Zoria]

I adore Doylestown. I've been here 7 years and couldn't be happier. It's a great place to raise a family.

[rainrock]

Doylestown

[Stacyq]

Yeah, Doylestown, but beware of drug activity on the local Starbucks, right outside the teens you can see them in action. Also, on the shopping center by the supermarket, kids getting in trouble all the time. Rich parents that don't have the time to watch them, and their kids start using drugs, break ins and are messing up cars in some neighborhoods. Mischief, just that. I know one of the Leutenants there in the police department, and is incredible how in the best families and communities this is happening. There is also gang activity, I know because I am a social worker and I see this all the time. Gangs are now targeting upper middle class kids that have good grades, great families, and they don't have to be from latin or black descent, these have to be caucasian. The gang leaders want these smart children to recruit more and now some gang members are infiltrating the military, some are college graduates, to be able to manage the business in the gang and also be militarily trained for the use of weapons and tactics. These gangs are getting away from the tattoos and the so called impovirished areas. The gangs are getting smarter, and now service providers as myself have to take a special class on recognizing gangs and their world.

The people on the nice areas like Doylestown, Newtown, New Hope, etc, don't want to know this, this doesn't come out on the newspapers, and they think that in their neighborhood this will never happen, well it's too late and we shouldn't have blinders when it comes to the future of our communities.

[L.K.]

I live in Doylestown,just moved here last summer.Many,many people told us this when we came,so people are aware.The same was true where we lived before.You can never escape this sad fact of life,you just need to know that it is happening,and be dillegent in how you educate you children on these issues.

[damone5000]

Sure there is drugs in D-town, but not like the city or even close to areas like Warminster, Bristol, Pendel, etc. And as for gangs, really? I am pretty young and graduated from east and live in the borough and there in no real "gang" activity to speak of. Groups of young teenagers walking around, sure. Maybe using drugs, sure. Kids doing organized crime or intimidation activities that would normally be associated with gangs, no way. If you are a social worker i think you should be able to differentiate between a group of teenagers in D-town selling personal use weed and true gang members from other areas. Also, if you know a lieutenant in D-town, you also know that there is a cop on duty at the Starbucks Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. The most prolific drug activity in D-town is the pathetic baby boomers using coke at the Freight House and The Other Side then trying to hit on the young people. I'm sorry, but I think you are really out of it.