New Cumberland? (Harrisburg, York, Washington: real estate market, condos, crime)

[Griffis]

Hello, All. I did use the search function but did not turn up much information.

I am going to be applying for a job in New Cumberland. I have driven through Pennsylvania and always liked what I saw, but I'm not very familiar with your state and not at all familiar with New Cumberland.

I was hoping some of you on the forum who have some experience with the town or who currently live there might be able to give me some insight into the area.

The job would be a great one, though the announcement didn't specify a salary range unfortunately.

I have two young daughters (elementary school age) so I'm curious about schools, crime (including harsh drugs like meth), activities (we love the outdoors), and so on.

Of course I'm also interested to hear about the general cost of living, housing availability and expense, etc.

I really appreciate any information anyone can provide. Thanks in advance.

Oh-- by the way, I'm currently in Roanoke, Virginia and have lived all over the US. Also, my wife and I happen to really enjoy overcast and rainy weather, which I gather is common enough in your parts.

Thanks again and wish me luck!

[danwxman]

New Cumberland is a mostly pleasant borough on the "west shore" area of the Harrisburg metropolitan area. I say mostly pleasant because the vast majority of the borough is nice with tree-lined streets and affordable housing. There are a few pockets near the river that are poorer that you may want to avoid.

The town is in a excellent location, near lots of shopping and recreation areas, has a good school district and is close to all the major highways in the region. If you decide to live just outside of town, you could consider Lemoyne or Camp Hill. Any specific questions just ask.

[sharris]

PA is just a jump skip away!! New cumberland is a really affordable place to live. housing is affordable. Taxes are ok. Go to SchoolMatters - Home to check out the schools. there is lots to do here as well . Parks and Nature Trails and fishing come to mind. Lots of shopping close by. Great place to raise a family. Need any listings let me know.

[x_isee]

There are two high schools in the West Shore School District and your kids in New Cumberland would eventually go to Cedar Cliff most likely. I go to the other WSSD high school so I don't know very much about the elementary schools in that area but I can tell you a little about the high schools because they are pretty similar. The schools are pretty good and the WSSD is pretty popular. In my opinion (I'm going into my senior year to I've had a couple years to form this) is that the schools are just somewhat mediocre. The sports are okay but nothing fantastic and the test scores are about the same. Neither of the two schools have air conditioning which can be quite a problem in the beginning and end of the year but by the time your kids go they might have gotten it. Drugs and alcohol and always a problem in high school but I don't think it's a large problem in our high schools.
My family was recently looking at houses and condos in the area and the real estate market right now is very inexpensive and you can usually get decent sized rooms as well as a nice sized yard for a lower price than in most areas.
There are lots of nice parks in New Cumberland so your family would probably enjoy that.
good luck =]

[czitsch6]

I have lived here for a little over a year and having been in the military lived in several other places. This is a great place for a family, it really could not be better. People are always out walking their dogs or jogging and are usually pretty friendly. There is a wide range of prices that you can pay for a house around here, probably as low as $140's for a small 3bdm/2bths to the $500's. I would recommend the highland park area which actually has a Camp Hill address. Houses there cost around $200 and it is a tree lines street with usually updated houses built in the 1940's,its own park, from what I understand they actually have a summer program where parents take turns looking after the kids in the park. It's just a picture perfect neighborhood. I stalked the area for a while last year when I was looking for a house but was unforntate in finding one that would suit us. Taxes are considerably cheap in Camp Hill and New Cumberland compared to the rest of the local areas. Good Luck

[tremontpa]

The schools are better than mediocre. Cedar Cliff High School offers a good education. New Cumberland is a great place to live and I reccomend it fully.

[bnnybun836]

new cumberland is a great town. i love camp hill though. its so small, and everybody knows everybody, and not many crimes happen. the teachers at the camp hill school ditrict are absolutly wonderful!! but the thing that bugs me the most is, that the middle school and the high school is one building. thats not all so bad, i have a 13 year old going into 8th and a 17 year old whom is going to be a senior. they will see eachother but sometimes, high schoolers can be a bad role-model for our younger children.

[ki0eh]

New Cumberland, PA to a Federal employee likely means the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) facility, still known to most locals as "New Cumberland Army Depot". York County PA (where the facility is, just across the Yellow Breeches Creek from New Cumberland Borough proper) had gotten the same salary schedule as Washington DC, which is nice for those so fortunate.

With the DLA facility's proximity to the PA Turnpike, commuting that way is an option to avoid many of the traffic choke points in the Harrisburg area. You may have a faster commute to/from there, from the SW corner of Derry Twp (Hershey) than you would from East Pennsboro or Camp Hill Borough.

But as others have said there are no definite reasons to avoid the New Cumberland borough limits and Highland Park especially if you like older homes and neighborhoods. Just watch the flood zones, Green Lane Farms development in particular has common flooding issues.

Several New Cumberland area residents are very active in the 500+ member SATC-Hike.org - The Online Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club as one example of outdoor activities in the area.