Best, So-So and Worst Towns in PA (Pittsburgh, Allentown: jobs, housing)

[loose cannon]

The suburbs of Allentown are good but stay out of that dump of a city! Those clowns think some Abba cover band playing downtown is going to improve things! No way! Just stay out of Allentown. Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township (which is a separate community) Nazareth, and Northampton. Stay out of Easton also. If you can afford it Center City Philadelphia is fun. Montgomery and Bucks counties are also good but could be expensive as well.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

The suburbs of Allentown are good but stay out of that dump of a city! Those clowns think some Abba cover band playing downtown is going to improve things! No way! Just stay out of Allentown. Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township (which is a separate community) Nazareth, and Northampton. Stay out of Easton also. If you can afford it Center City Philadelphia is fun. Montgomery and Bucks counties are also good but could be expensive as well.

I'm inclined to disagree with you on Bethlehem. The city seems to be on an upswing lately, and my uncle lived in SouthSide for several years and never had issues with crime, yet he was within walking distance of Lehigh University and shopping areas. I know Allentown and Easton are "sketchy", to say the least, but I don't know why you lumped Bethlehem in with the other two when it is obviously a BETTER city!

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by robrose

How is Mountain Top PA? I recently visited there to look at some beautiful new constructions in a development called The Ice Lakes. While I was impressed with the homes, I dont know much about the area and am wary. My husband and I live in NY state just north of nyc and the property taxes are driving us out.We want to find a nice place to raise our two small children. The job market is not important as I will be commuting to Newark Airport once a week to work my trip as a flt attendant(I just want to keep my commute under 2 hours). My husband is a retired NYPD. We love the outdoors and rural areas but at the same time dont want to drive an hour to the nearest supermarket.Any info would be appreciated.

Assuming these predicted severe storms hold off, you'll soon have some pictures of Bear Creek, Drums, and Mountain Top! I think you'll like both areas. Mountain Top is the most "developed" of the three regions, with a few subvisions now intertwining with each other, but Rice Township has taken steps to ensure that open space is preserved by limiting the minimum lot sizes allowed by new housing developers (The Ice Lakes have lots that are so large in size because of this, as it was originally supposed to have many more building lots!) I'll make Bear Creek (including popular Laurel Brook Estates) my top priority today since you've already visited Mountain Top and know what the area is like, but I don't know if I'll be able to hit Drums before the hail hits me! LOL!

[robrose]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

Assuming these predicted severe storms hold off, you'll soon have some pictures of Bear Creek, Drums, and Mountain Top! I think you'll like both areas. Mountain Top is the most "developed" of the three regions, with a few subvisions now intertwining with each other, but Rice Township has taken steps to ensure that open space is preserved by limiting the minimum lot sizes allowed by new housing developers (The Ice Lakes have lots that are so large in size because of this, as it was originally supposed to have many more building lots!) I'll make Bear Creek (including popular Laurel Brook Estates) my top priority today since you've already visited Mountain Top and know what the area is like, but I don't know if I'll be able to hit Drums before the hail hits me! LOL!

Thanks Scranton, you are so kind to do that. I called about Laurel Brook today. I was told that 3 acres go for about 90,000 if I purchase the land first.Then, about 50,000 more in sight peparation-septic,tree clearing ect. Is this too much? It seemed it to me. Thats before we even put a house on it. Also, do you forsee any sharp increases in property tax? I know they like to bang people over the head on new construction but I just dont want to pay a crazy amout in a few yrs like I am now(we are at 9,000)sickening!How are schools in Bear Creek compared to Mtn Top?

[mjkk2001]

Originally Posted by robrose

where is warren?My familly and I are looking for a nice place to settle in PA...we are sick of ny taxes.

In northwestern pa. I live here and it's great. Go to this link for more information.
http://www.city-data.com/city/Warren-Pennsylvania.html

[Griffis]

Hey mjkk-- could you expand on Warren at all? What do you like about it? I have been mmore interested in the Northeastern part of your state, but hey, I'm open!

[loose cannon]

I did not express myself properly. I endorse all of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township, and Nazareth. I do not endorse Allentown or downtown Easton.

[djkib]

I have not seen anybody indicate the Coatesville area, so... I will.

I have lived outside of Coatesville for over 30 years now, and have chosen to raise my own children here. The school district is, I think, the hidden jem of all of Chester County.

Yes, we did have an issue a few years back with "mis-appropriated" school funds, but we have survived that and continue to grow. There are about 500-600 students in each grade at the high school, and many, if not all the elementary schools are fabulous.

We are about an hour drive to Phila, about an hour and a half to Harrisburg, two and a half to Lewes DE (for the beach) and 2 or so to the Poconos. I own my home on 1.5 acres, valued in the low 200's, and pay about 4500 in taxes.

I have been to many places listed here, and would still choose the Coatesville area...

My $0.02...
Keith

[June Cleaver's Revenge]

I have two houses in Pennsylvania.

My main house is in Zelienople. We are about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, but we are in a county with VERY low property taxes, and the county is one of the few in Pennsylvania to be increasing in population instead of decreasing. My town is small and there's no room for it to expand, which is very nice. Real estate is cheap here and most of my neighbors are well educated white collar workers. It's fairly upscale. We are 10 or so miles north of Cranberry Township which is growing extremely fast. Our property values are increasing because of this. People leave Pittsburgh because of the crime and high taxes, can't find what they like in Cranberry, so they move here.

My other house is on the Allegheny River in a little town called Tidioute right on the edge of the Allegheny National Forest. It's south of Warren, PA. It gets really cold up there and very snowy, and the area is very rural. Hunting and fishing are huge up there. I love the area but there's just not enough going on - we couldn't move there full time. It took us forever to even get cell phone reception....

[Stacey1968]

Good Evening! Possible relocation to PA from NC for job opportunity. Choice of Duncansville or Pittsburgh. Would someone kindly give me an insider's look at each area with regard to livability, crime rate, weather, etc. You know, tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Personally, I think I would like Scranton/Wilkes Barre, but those aren't choices.

Thanks all, and look forward to your replies!