Lancaster/lititz/wyomissing/maybe harrisburg, help! (Reading, State College: transplants, crime, homes)

[meganw1972]

I am a doctor who had to move to Lebanon for a job. I am looking for a place to live like new hope, Doylestown, etc. I am single, in my 40s and without kids. I am concerned because I am not hearing such great things for single professionals regarding the towns a commutable distance from my job.


Lancaster- are there any transplants that feel welcome there? THe people on these threads who seem to say how nice people are there, were born and raised in Lancaster. I can't seem to find anywhere on the web that says where in the city of Lancaster people should live- what neighborhoods are nice, lower crime, etc. Any suggestions? How is the crime really? If you had to compare it to a Philly neighborhood, which one would it be?


Are there relatively young white collar professionals there? It seemed more like a blue collar town to me.


Lititz, seems like a cool town, but it seems more family oriented and not like it offered much for single people. True?


West Reading and Wyomissing seemed nice, but again seemed family oriented and like they didn't have much of a nightlife, plus I keep on hearing about the crime up there. How accurate is that? Are people more welcoming there than in Lancaster?


Harrisburg would be a stretch, my family and friends are east, and that would be an hour further west than the job even is. I just keep staring at the map. It seems that there is this blank space between Phoenixville and Harrisburg where there aren't really any vibrant towns with a nightlife, shopping, restaurants, accepting people of a single person in her 40s. Please help.

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by meganw1972

I am a doctor who had to move to Lebanon for a job. I am looking for a place to live like new hope, Doylestown, etc. I am single, in my 40s and without kids. I am concerned because I am not hearing such great things for single professionals regarding the towns a commutable distance from my job.


Lancaster- are there any transplants that feel welcome there? THe people on these threads who seem to say how nice people are there, were born and raised in Lancaster. I can't seem to find anywhere on the web that says where in the city of Lancaster people should live- what neighborhoods are nice, lower crime, etc. Any suggestions? How is the crime really? If you had to compare it to a Philly neighborhood, which one would it be?


Are there relatively young white collar professionals there? It seemed more like a blue collar town to me.

West side.

Originally Posted by meganw1972

Lititz, seems like a cool town, but it seems more family oriented and not like it offered much for single people. True?

Yes.

Originally Posted by meganw1972

Harrisburg would be a stretch, my family and friends are east, and that would be an hour further west than the job even is. I just keep staring at the map. It seems that there is this blank space between Phoenixville and Harrisburg where there aren't really any vibrant towns with a nightlife, shopping, restaurants, accepting people of a single person in her 40s. Please help.

Hershey has many doctors (as home to Welcome - Penn State College of Medicine after all) and in town anymore doctors far outnumber chocolate workers (two factories remain, but they are highly automated and rarely emit chocolate odors anymore). Shopping, well, the nearest Nordstrom is still at King of Prussia but you could surf the web in the time you save daily commuting. There is also an attempt to be more exciting Downtown Hershey – Life on Chocolate – Welcome to Downtown Hershey. It's where we eat, shop and play.

Mount Gretna, which is barely a rifle shot away from the Lebanon VA, has no nightlife but is artsy in the summertime and a single person might fall in love with the cute formerly summer homes. PAChautauqua |

[CCG2015]

Im lan. native. there are some transplants who've stayed but I honestly dont know many. I wouldnt say it's b/c they're not welcome, it's just Lanc. ppl are hard to get to know. That can be hard even if you're a native here but move out of the town you grow up in. You will not find a singles scene in Lanc or Lititz. its kind of depressing actually. Most of Lanc. including Lititz are very family oriented areas. This can be a lonely place if you dont have family in the area b/c most who live here have for generations. Its also a very clique area with most cliques forming in their school yrs. I can't wait to get out fo here just for a change of scenery but mainly a change of ppl.
There isnt much of a nightlife here either so. Now you said you're a Dr. so you may lucky out and meet ppl thru your work or your community depending n where you decide to live. I will also say Lanc city is the only area in Lanc with any kind of diversity. But that is also where the crime is. you would want to avoid the southern end of the city and certain parts of downtown Lanc close to that area. If you have a specifice spot or st. you're considering I could tell you if safe or not. There is very little crime outside of that area.

[Flyers Girl]

Elizabethtown?

[chocisful]

West Reading has a good amount of cafes, restaurants and places to meet people. Viva is a club with live music on weekends.

[jag12]

Hi there -

I'm a white collar professional in my 40s and I moved to Lancaster city with my spouse...and it's been incredible. I moved here about 8 months ago now, and I love it. I can walk to a ton of restaurants for dinner or drinks, walk to first friday, walk to the park, and my home was incredibly reasonably priced.

I've had a very warm welcome from neighbors (most who are also transplants of a similar age - some older, some younger - the average age of a city resident here is 30...) and I have a decent amount of white collar neighbors as well - my one is a physician and her husband, etc...

So far, everyone has been very friendly and welcoming - I wish you all the best, and hope you consider Lancaster city...although I heard Lancaster itself was very unfriendly to nonnatives, I have not found that to be the case in the Chestnut Hill area of the city AT ALL! Good luck!