Pa Vs. Nj (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, East Stroudsburg: waterpark, low crime, how much)

[indigohope]

hi everyone
I am having the most difficult time with this decision. we may have to relocate from Mass. My husband will work in Roseland NJ.

As I research NJ what I am getting the vibe is: contamination, dirty air, very expensive, fast lifestyle.

PA - I find - high crime, lots of flooding.

I have no clue what to do! I was looking at dingman's ferry or Milford PA to be more detailed.

Any advice????? What woudl you do? Save your dollars and go to PA? is the air that much better, and will I get raped or stabbed or robbed????
I also read the PA people aren't very kind, is this true also? I can't stand the stereo-types I read about -- look at me - I am from Boston -- but far from the Bostonian stereo type -- so, I think we have to consider that, right?

thanks!

[geos]

There are good & bad parts everywhere. Broad generalizations like NJ vs PA are not very helpful. The only generalization that seems to apply is PA taxes are WAY lower than NJ. That alone would motivate me toward Milford, PA which is generally a very nice area and accessible to lots of services and amenities.

[christina0001]

PA does not have high crime, nor does it have any more flooding than NJ. Any area near water will flood, and that includes the PA and the NJ sides of the Delaware River. If you are not very close to the waterline, flooding is not really an issue. Don't let a few higher crime towns in PA make you think PA overall has high crime.

[WasPA]

^^^ yes. Much of PA is as down to earth, clean, atmospheric as Massachusetts.....there are many similarities between the two states and their peeps.

Northeastern PA is fairly indistinguishable form northwestern NJ or southern tier NY...perhaps a bit more mountainous save for the Catskills.....northwestern NJ has a number of lakeside communities as does NePA........often a plus.......

[psu_mri]

Most people in Sussex County NJ say it's a bit more expensive than Pike County PA.
I have found most residents are not Keystoners. Thay have moved here from elsewhere.

[indigohope]

You have no idea how much this means to me! There certainly are a lot of opinions out there, huh?

I am very interested in Bushkills and Milford. I love that it is also near Tannserville and the outlets, and the waterpark where I hope to bring my kids all summer long! I noticed that Buskills is very close to East Stroudsburg, this should not be a problem -- right? As i read many negative postings about East Stroudsburg.

The prices really excite me! I have a funny feeling the drugs/crime, etc. is very similar to what I see here in the suburbs of boston.

Thank you again!!!

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by indigohope

You have no idea how much this means to me! There certainly are a lot of opinions out there, huh?

I am very interested in Bushkills and Milford. I love that it is also near Tannserville and the outlets, and the waterpark where I hope to bring my kids all summer long! I noticed that Buskills is very close to East Stroudsburg, this should not be a problem -- right? As i read many negative postings about East Stroudsburg.

The prices really excite me! I have a funny feeling the drugs/crime, etc. is very similar to what I see here in the suburbs of boston.

Thank you again!!!

I'd definitely give Pike County high marks as a potential relocation spot for your family. My ex-boyfriend, an ex-Brooklyner, lives in Monroe County, and he used to tell me about all of the problems that plagued the Pocono Mountain School District---including drugs, overcrowding, rude attitudes, and a small yet growing gang presence. I also had several teachers at my own alma mater who migrated into Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to avoid the "problems" that they were contending with at many of the high schools in Monroe County. Essentially, Monroe County is becoming more and more like an extension of NJ/NYC on a daily basis, with every new housing development and chain store doing nothing but compounding the problems even more. Pike County will also, inevitably, be at this same point someday (It's currently the fastest-growing county out of the 67 in PA with a population that has practically doubled since 1990!) , but I don't foresee places such as Bushkill, Milford, and Matamoras becoming as "suburbanized" as Monroe County in my generation (perhaps in that of our children though).

You're correct in that the crime problems in the Poconos are probably similar as those in the Boston 'burbs; the crime is largely hidden behind closed doors and blown way out-of-proportion by the media and the "Chicken Little" PA natives who use every little hiccup in the police blotter as a reason to chase NYers around with pitchforks! Much of the crime in the youth results from boredom; parents who are working in Manhattan and living in Monroe County are numerous (we lost quite a few wonderful people on 9/11), and their children are often left unattended from perhaps 6 AM until 7:30 PM, giving teenagers with the "itch" to rebel the perfect time to have a home alone and open for after-school partying, orgies, and binge drinking (the gangs from NYC/NJ have also noticed the growing number of rebelling youths in Monroe County and have begun recruiting here as well). The Hell's Angels were recently at "A Pocono Country Place", a gated community of 10,000 residents, to offer their support in ridding Monroe County from its gang infiltration, but much of the locals had their heads in the sand, saying "that stuff can't happen in wholesome Monroe County", and they chased them off.

If you're living on the proper side of the law, you're unlikely to even ever become a victim of property crime, let alone violent crime, in Monroe County (and almost guaranteed safety in Pike County). Sure, my experience with those in and around Stroudsburg has been that of "rude, pushy, arrogant" people, but whether that's a result of the huge influx of NYers or the heinous traffic congestion that has lead people to become so fast-paced is beyond my knowledge (I'd infer it's a mixture of both).

Overall, I'd gladly recommend anywhere in the Delaware Valley School District of Pike County to you anyday, along with any area considerably north of Marshalls Creek (including Bushkill). I do foresee Bushkill succumbing to sprawl pressures from the Stroudsburg area in the upcoming years; I'd advise you to look at the northern fringes of Bushkill, or even in Dingman's Ferry.

[WasPA]

If you are looking for a more tranquil, bucolic existence I would surely check out Milford and environs or any area driveable to the outlets and stuff you enjoy, but not too near it all..those areas are the more congested and less agreeable these days.and are likely to continue to become overwhelmed..like anything near I-80 or even I-81 or easily reachable from the cities.....It bothers me terribly that this is the case...but it cannot be stopped without very attentive municipal study and implementaion of very strategic, smart planning intiatives...often too late for that, I fear...

[christina0001]

Milford, and Pike County in general, have low crime. Flooding tends to occur near the Delaware, in particular Matamoras, because it is low lying and much of it is on the river bank. My sister lived in Matamoras for several years on the west side of the main street and never had any flooding issues, even when the town got hit hard. Even so, if you are concerned about flooding, Matamoras may not be the town for you. Other than that, flooding is not really an issue, unless you are right next to the Delaware or a lake. Milford is a really cute town. It is immediately surrounded by Shohola, Dingmans Township, and Delaware Township, which are also relatively peaceful. I am not as familiar with Bushkill/Tannersville, but I think they are supposed to be okay.

[Catie]

I was researching north central PA and some regions there tend to flood, but to what extent I am not sure...still researching...some of the people posting said north central PA is nice...will have to drive to PA and see what works for me. Taking a trip there may help you decide where to move to.