Looking to Relocate from Southern Cali to PA - Need some Info (Philadelphia: ski resort, crime)

[joja]

David

I live in Santa Clarita too..the Sand Canyon area. My husband is being transferred to Harrisburg. I am looking for neighborhoods and good schools too. Please let me know what you come across. Thanks

[Wisteria]

You might try using the search feature and plug in Oil City -- Cosmic has a lot of photos of the place.

Also plug for posters -- there's a guy on the forum, Need_Affordable_Home (affectionately known as NAH) who has a love affair with Oil City, and Cosmic actually went and took photos for him -- it actually looks pretty nice. NAH is in Florida and looking to relocate to PA. Who knows, it might work....

[kimbree]

Ah, another SoCal resident that is fed up My family lives in OC and we will be leaving this sprawling mess in July. We too are researching areas and housing. I lived in Northern Cambria in the 1970;s and loved it, but still looking at other areas. I am retired due to disability and only one in our family needs to seek employment. I am concerned because I will be bringing my step granddaughter (whom I love with all my heart) and my grandson as well as their parents. My concern is that my granddaughter is bi-racial. She is an exotically beautiful little girl, extremely bright and at the head of her class. I love PA (I was originally born in Chester) and want a rural lifestyle. However, I will not put her in a position that she is discriminated against. Anyone know the feelings towards those that are bi-racial?

Millie

[kgchomes]

I love your reply about the pink streaks I am from Phoenix, AZ and moved to a small town south of Knoxville, TN. Talk about conservative We are now considering a move to Harrisburg or The Pocono area for a job and I don't know anything about either area. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Glenn

[jo44438]

hey i was wondering what questonaire you and your wife took. Maybe it might help my husband and i.

[suggie]

Here's a site, its ******. Its really fun to do.

[CA-PA-TX?]

Originally Posted by kgchomes

I love your reply about the pink streaks I am from Phoenix, AZ and moved to a small town south of Knoxville, TN. Talk about conservative We are now considering a move to Harrisburg or The Pocono area for a job and I don't know anything about either area. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Glenn

Sorry, I don't know much about either area myself. I have driven a bit around Harrisburg but not enough to form any opinions. From what I have read here the Poconos sound delightful! I sincerely hope I can get up there before we move from PA. Good luck to you though!

[p.a.gal]

I'll bite. I grew up in Carlisle and go back regularly to see family still there. It is foremost a small town, maybe 15,000. It is also a college town with Dickinson College, Dickinson Law School (now owned by Penn State) and the Army War College all located in Carlisle.

Pluses--excellent public schools, all under the umbrella of the Carlisle School District. More "cultural" activity than many small towns, thanks to the offerings of the colleges (but don't expect NYC, either.) Low crime rate (but don't expect Mayberry, Carlisle has its racial tensions and drug issues, too, and has for years..), far lower cost of living than what you have now. A few decent restaurants, plenty of good pizza and hoagies, and the best produce comes from the farmer's markets, not the grocery stores. Carlisle is, politically speaking, a more conservative area but has plenty of more progressive folks, too. Nice hiking and small lakes with picnic areas nearby. The people are like many in PA--friendly but reserved. The town itself is charming and historic, in many parts with plenty of areas to walk a dog, push a stroller, etc. Even the surrounding "new" developments are pretty nice.

On the other hand... not much in the way of shopping. Need clothing? Catalogs or drive out of town , though I think some chain stores are moving in. Nearly all the old down-town stores, some of which were quite nice, are gone. Get used to humidity which comes and goes. The weather can be lovely, or brutal. Where will you work? Growing up, most parents of my friends worked in education or were connected with schools or colleges in some way, or were small business owners or professionals. Otherwise, they commuted to places like Harrisburg. Older historic towns can be a bit snobby. Socioeconomic conditions range from highly educated and prosperous all the way down to the bottom of the scale.

Good luck with your choice. Hope this mini-lesson on Carlisle (emphasis on the second syllable) helps.

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by kgchomes

I love your reply about the pink streaks I am from Phoenix, AZ and moved to a small town south of Knoxville, TN. Talk about conservative We are now considering a move to Harrisburg or The Pocono area for a job and I don't know anything about either area. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Glenn

I would most certainly recommend Harrisburg. Lots of population growth in both the Harrisburg area and the Poconos, but Harrisburg actually has job growth as well. In the Poconos everybody commutes a couple hours to New Jersey or New York. What type of community are you looking for?

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by joja

David

I live in Santa Clarita too..the Sand Canyon area. My husband is being transferred to Harrisburg. I am looking for neighborhoods and good schools too. Please let me know what you come across. Thanks

Lots of good neighborhoods around the Harrisburg area, what are you looking for more specifically? Where exactly is your husband going to be working?