moving to Schuylkill County (Philadelphia, Allentown: transplants, sales, for rent)

[woodsmaninberks]

In that Sch cty has good and bad and it all depends on your preference. I moved to a mountainside home away from everything and everyone but still drive more than an hour into NW NJ daily to make the money. I recommend do all the research you can, get aerial photos and census figures from the net and visit before you choose. There are chickens and horses and quail all wondering around on these small roads where I live and I love it but to some people it’s nowhere. Friday it’s just a pizza with the family, maybe a walk through the woods later and just a fire with nothing else to do and no where to go. To some it’s ridiculous but it’s why I moved to Berks cty pa. Not to mention the cost of living is so much less in PA. If you are willing to travel to work an hour you can still have the money from those tekie jobs and not have all the urban problems that go along with living to close to a city. I would have moved to Sch. County but it was just too far to commute. My next move will be to Potter County where there is even more of nothing.

[xavierbu]

To the person wanting to know what potatoes and peanut butter mixed together is called, Well its called Flitch. you actually mix the mashed potatoes with 10x sugar and somthing else, roll it out in a jelly roll pan, and spread peanut butter on it. Then you roll it up, wrap it in wax paper, and put it in the frigge. Roll it small, its not supposed to be as big as a jelly roll. Then when you take it out and cut it, they look like little spirals of white and brown. MMMMM GOOD COAL CRACKER CANDY

[openless]

As Scranton Wilkes Barre said there are hundreds of abandoned mines all over there area, try going for a hike and you will see it, it's simple dumped all over illegally. Strip mining is a major problem, as is run off into creeks. It is very cheap to live in schuylkill, but you better be prepared to commute for major shopping and for work. It is very peaceful though, there are occasional drug busts mostly from teenagers and immigrants who move there from other areas like reading, hazelton, lebanon and new york city.

[schuylkill past]

I grew up in orwigsburg and moved out 10 years ago. my parents still live there and my father works 20 mintues west of philadelphia. most of my relatives still live in minersville.1 hr away and he is well above the average income and will move after retirement 1 yr. orwigsburg is a very nice place to live and the families there for the most part have money due to either being doctors, lawyers, and own business or travel to allentown,reading area. as far as anything north of orwigsburg there is absolutely nothing to do. No town north of there is growing and the only thing these towns have are the elderly. it is great for them but outside of that there is no reason to live there especially if your young. once you move there is no going back. it is like being introduced to the rest of the world. the area is one black hole. 1 radio station and no outside influence to speak of. i moved to the allentown area and am very glad that i did. metro area of .5 million people and the jersey shore is 1 hr away and the pa turnpike can get you to philly in 45 minutes. allentown area is expensive for the most part but the wages are highes and allentown provides great logistical advantages to drive to higher wages. allentown itself about 75% is crime ridden but there are so many small communities and developments that provide you a town like orwigsburg but you are only 10-15 minutes to many services shopping and nightlife. nyc is 1 1/2 and there are just many more opportunities for people and a better quality of life. now for the people part they are much more cold and you find it hard to raise a conversation with a stranger and feel comfortable with these people. now coming from a close knit community and being personable made it difficult in the beginning but once i figured out that it would not bbe like orwigsburg and you need to have street smarts and so forth i grew to love the area. now there are much better places to live in pa - philly suburbs - lancaster suburbs proximity to baltimore,dc area but pa it is very good and i can see my parents when i want to without flying. only 40 miles away but a whole different world and you go back there and you feel sorry for people who live there not because they are struggling but they do not know how much more to life there is other then schuylkill county. most people there are very misguided and cannot comprehend any other way of life. THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THEN LOOKING UP YOUR ANCESTORS AND TALKING ABOUT THE OLD DAYS. if your young then i would reccommend strongly against living there and if you move away and go back then you at least know there is more to life.

[schuylkill past]

i will say that if you are from schuykill county and disagree then i would venture to guess that you have not moved away from the county for more then 5 years. you can buy a home in shenandoah for 8k. used cars cost more and that is pretty good indicator that there is no economy. one pro i can say is that if you grow there and move away and can make it without moving back then you will do very well because of the upbringing and strong community sense. i can attribute my upbringing to the area and would not trade then for anything but there is no way to look back. there is nothing appealing for anybody 18 to 55. there are other places to raise a family inexpensively and safe in pa that are surrounded by depression and no future.

[PaDutchBabe]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

You should enjoy living here, but if you're coming from a larger, more diverse metropolitan area, then you're going to be slapped in the face terribly with boredom!

Some of us just aren't fans of diversity.

[revboi]

Ok...I just happened to come across this post on the internet and decided to take the time to register on this message board so I can post this comment. STAY AWAY FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. I grew up there and I now live in Portland, Oregon. Trust me. Dear god. Of all the places you could possibly move to in this country, I swear, you're picking one of the worst. Stay in Washington. It's a lovely state. And if you must move to Pennsylvania, try Berks county. Stay south of Pottsville. Once you go north, you're in "Deliverance" country. Good luck. You're braver than I am.

[denise817]

I agree with most of the posts - it's a very depressed area. I was born and raised in the area and I'm getting out. I would advise against moving to the northern part of the county. Frackville is ok but Orwigsburg and Deer Lake are better. Ashland is trying to better itself but it still doen't have the greatest reputation. Stay away from Shenandoah and Mahanoy City. They are dirty towns. If you plan on moving there I hope you like to drink beer because that's mostly what the "skooks" do. It's like second nature. There's really nothing to do in the area - if you're looking for decent shopping or even a dinner at Olive Garden, TGI Fridays or Outback Steakhouse, etc. you must travel at least 50-60 miles to Reading or Harrisburg. Yes, there are some "cultural" spots to see, but you're not going to visit the Yuengling Brewery or the Pioneer Coal Mine every weekend. I don't see the area turning itself around anytime soon. These people are stuck in their ways and not willing to change. And if the younger generations actually do stay in the area it's going to be a long time before things turn around for the better. Good luck.

[tremontnewbie]

Well folks, I guess I should have found this site sooner and taken your advice. Oh well, too late now. My family is moving to Tremont next month. I think it will be a good move for us though we are sick of the city (Harrisburg). Cost of living here has skyrocketed too which makes it hard for a young family to thrive. We got a house twice as large as our current one (and just as nice) for about $55,000 less. My husband will have to commute to his job but atleast he won't have to get a second job just to make ends meet like here in Harrisburg. I do think that I'll be in for a culture shock though. I'm used to being close to shopping and being able to get up and go whenever. But on the up side it will force us to live a simpler life and not spend so much money!

If anyone lives in the area could they please answer a question for me? I take it since the towns are backwards they have not entered the technology age yet? I've been trying to search the internet for info about the township and can't find anything (like a website) I would really like to know info about local sports and activities for my children . The township I live in now has a website and they do all sports sign ups on the web.

[PHS]

Originally Posted by tremontnewbie

Well folks, I guess I should have found this site sooner and taken your advice. Oh well, too late now. My family is moving to Tremont next month. I think it will be a good move for us though we are sick of the city (Harrisburg). Cost of living here has skyrocketed too which makes it hard for a young family to thrive. We got a house twice as large as our current one (and just as nice) for about $55,000 less. My husband will have to commute to his job but atleast he won't have to get a second job just to make ends meet like here in Harrisburg. I do think that I'll be in for a culture shock though. I'm used to being close to shopping and being able to get up and go whenever. But on the up side it will force us to live a simpler life and not spend so much money!

If anyone lives in the area could they please answer a question for me? I take it since the towns are backwards they have not entered the technology age yet? I've been trying to search the internet for info about the township and can't find anything (like a website) I would really like to know info about local sports and activities for my children . The township I live in now has a website and they do all sports sign ups on the web.

********************************
I have never seen so many negative remarks about Schuylkill County. Let's face it, the whole country & state is cash-strapped, or financially depressed.
Compared to the county, we are not during that bad.
I could never figure why anyone who moved far away, would spend so much time on local forums, complaining about things back here. I would think that they would spend that time, enjoying their new location, with all that new found life. The reason is because they "miss this place."
Thru the years, I've known quite a few families who moved back, & honestly said..."the grass was not greener on the other side."
YES, you are correct, living expenses are much less than in the city.
This will give an opportunity to save for your future.
You can walk down a darkened street more safely, & wherever you shop, you will be know as the person you are, & not just a customer.
Drive into Pottsville & observe all the Banks that are opening in Branch locations; and they say that there is no money here? WalMart just opened a second 24hr. Super Center in the county, only 18 miles apart.
It the people themselves, that make up the quality of a community, & as the Gripers & Complainers diminish, things get better; but of course you have seen this too, where you lived before.
Let us know how things are going....got a question???....let us know.
PHS said that!