Best, So-So and Worst Towns in PA (Pittsburgh, Erie: loans, property taxes)

[cjmelano]

Conshohocken is clearly your one & only choice.
The Colonial School District is one of the best in the Delaware Valley.
Home prices are rising quickly, but you can still purchase a large townhome or twin with 1500-1800 sq ft at or below $300K.
The town is very pedestrian-friendly.
At only 1.3 square miles, you can easily walk to the post office, library, one of 3 beautiful parks, drugstores, SEPTA R6 train, and numerous bus stops.
In additional, residential waterfront development continues to attract young-single professionals in the I.T., healthcare, and financial industries.
And the Valley Forge-Philadelphia Schuylkill River Bike Trail can direct you to the quite oasis of Valley Forge National Historic Park, or the upscale shops & restaurants of Manayunk, or the beautiful scenic ride along the Schuylkill River via Kelly Drive and the Art Museum area.
Oh, did I fail to mention the vast variety of restaurants and clubs which attract young professionals and upscale grad students to Conshy?
Conshohocken is your only choice.
The most European, diverse, intelligent town in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Great location. Great people. Great community.

[trlstreet]

Originally Posted by sealerpal

Steer clear of Allegheny county. The reasons are endless. Just visit and you will find a reason not to live there within a day or so. Anywhere considered "The Pittsburgh Area" should be avoided. The region is dying faster than ever.

Hmm...have you been in the area recently? I don't believe most people who live in/visit Pittsburgh have the same viewpoint. Now maybe 20 years ago, yes. I have been to many cities of comparable size and Pittsburgh always compares favoarbly in my mind (I admit to being slightly biased). Sure, there are outlying areas that are bad to very bad (McKeesport, Braddock, etc...) but overall the region is solid and improving. Property taxes in the county are high but home prices are very low. If I may ask, what do you base your opinion on?

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

Hmm...have you been in the area recently? I don't believe most people who live in/visit Pittsburgh have the same viewpoint. Now maybe 20 years ago, yes. I have been to many cities of comparable size and Pittsburgh always compares favoarbly in my mind (I admit to being slightly biased). Sure, there are outlying areas that are bad to very bad (McKeesport, Braddock, etc...) but overall the region is solid and improving. Property taxes in the county are high but home prices are very low. If I may ask, what do you base your opinion on?

According to the census bureau, the area is still losing population. BTW, what did you think of Denver? The metro areas are about the same size.

[sealerpal]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

If I may ask, what do you base your opinion on?

It's just my opinion. I base it on my experiences there. I feel the area's going nowhere unless you count new stadiums and sports related improvements. Aside from that, there's not much there. Low paying jobs, poverty, bad roads, crime, undesireables.

Just my opinion though.

[trlstreet]

I've never been to Denver so I can't comment. Most of my exposure has been to cities in the east, midwest, and south. Pittsburgh to me most closely resembles Milwaukee (although Pittsburgh is larger). Both cities have an aging infrastructure and population but are now seeing some revitalization. I don't think people in Pittsburgh realize what a gem Pittsburgh is. All cities have their issues. I find Pittsburgh to be more interesting than most cities its size that I've seen.

I don't know, I guess when I am in Pittsburgh, I don't get the pervasive economically depressed vibe others seem to get. I think Pittsburgh is much more attractive to young people than it was 10-15 years ago. There is still a ways to go. Pittsburgh's image is still an issue, as most people still envision it being a smoky, dirty city. I live in eastern PA now (although moving back to Pgh) and most people I talk to have either never been to Pittsburgh or have not been back in 20 years and the negative image persists.

[Katiana]

[quote=trlstreet;467315]

I've never been to Denver so I can't comment. Most of my exposure has been to cities in the east, midwest, and south. Pittsburgh to me most closely resembles Milwaukee (although Pittsburgh is larger). Both cities have an aging infrastructure and population but are now seeing some revitalization.

Has been a lo-o-o ng time since I've been to Milwaukee. I have heard it is quite economically depressed, but that's just hearsay.

I don't think people in Pittsburgh realize what a gem Pittsburgh is. All cities have their issues. I find Pittsburgh to be more interesting than most cities its size that I've seen.

Lots of people say that. I would agree. The problem, IMO, seems to be to get both the naysayers and the cheerleaders who can't see anything wrong to shut up and get to work!

[sealerpal]

[quote=pittnurse70;467359]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

The problem, IMO, seems to be to get both the naysayers and the cheerleaders who can't see anything wrong to shut up and get to work!

That's because the problems here are exploited by individuals in power, to gain more power. How many times have we all had to listen to the "Pittsburgh's gonna turn itself around" babble from our elected officials, and individuals attempting to get elected? Then when they do get elected....nothing happens. The populace of Pittsburgh has been looking at our politicians to get the city back on track for decades now, with no result. It's all just hot air and stuffed suits.

Since most of this area blindly votes Democrat, the Democratic idea that the government should control and regulate everything is in full effect here. So ask yourself this: Who's gonna get Pittsburgh on the right track? The politicians? Keep dreaming. The citizens? No way. As I said before, they're Democrats. "That's the city's problem" they continue to say. Round and round we go.....Forever I guess.

[trlstreet]

I spent 6 months in Milwaukee in 2005, I was quite suprised at how nice it was. I had the mindset that it was a dirty industrial town, when in fact it is a very green city. It did not seem depressed to me at all, though I admittedly stayed out of the bad areas.

[mrkool]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

I spent 6 months in Milwaukee in 2005, I was quite suprised at how nice it was. I had the mindset that it was a dirty industrial town, when in fact it is a very green city. It did not seem depressed to me at all, though I admittedly stayed out of the bad areas.

So, do you think Milwaukee is the best, so-so, or worst town in PA?

[sealerpal]

Originally Posted by trlstreet

I spent 6 months in Milwaukee in 2005, I was quite suprised at how nice it was. I had the mindset that it was a dirty industrial town, when in fact it is a very green city. It did not seem depressed to me at all, though I admittedly stayed out of the bad areas.

I went to Milwaukee for a week in April of 2004. I found it to be a much nicer city than Pittsburgh.

Driving home on the turnpike late at night on smooth pavement only to hit bone-jarring potholes and chunks of pavement upon entering Allegheny county just reinforced how I felt. Funny, with all that snow and cold (much worse than Pittsburgh's winters BTW) Milwaukee's public works seemed to deal with it quite well. What's April like in Pittsburgh? Crusty, filthy, pavement like swiss cheese, salt and soot in the gutters, garbage everywhere, etc. In contrast, Milwaukee was clean and maintained.