West Reading, PA or Lancaster City, PA (Harrisburg, State College: homes, college)

[Work]

About Me:
I'm young, single, and going to work in Ephrata, PA.
Grew up in a city, and went to college in State College, PA...

What I desire:
Young, and educated crowd (college-level or young professionals) with loads of bars and places to meet people / entertaining things to do

What do you think is the best location for me? and why?
(between West Reading, PA and Lancaster City, PA)

Thanks!

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by Work

About Me:
I'm young, single, and going to work in Ephrata, PA.
Grew up in a city, and went to college in State College, PA...

What I desire:
Young, and educated crowd (college-level or young professionals) with loads of bars and places to meet people / entertaining things to do

What do you think is the best location for me? and why?
(between West Reading, PA and Lancaster City, PA)

Thanks!

Eh, you don't have many options in the area. The closest place with that kind of scene is going to be Harrisburg. Lancaster has made some good inroads lately but the bar scene there isn't even close to Harrisburg. Lancaster certainly does have a growing young professional population and a decent college scene as well as an artsy downtown.

[Work]

Originally Posted by danwxman

Eh, you don't have many options in the area. The closest place with that kind of scene is going to be Harrisburg. Lancaster has made some good inroads lately but the bar scene there isn't even close to Harrisburg. Lancaster certainly does have a growing young professional population and a decent college scene as well as an artsy downtown.

Yeah, i figured its not going to be as many options as i was hoping for, and definitely both are going to be significantly quieter/smaller cities than im used to. So...you would pick Lancaster City over West Reading?

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by Work

Yeah, i figured its not going to be as many options as i was hoping for, and definitely both are going to be significantly quieter/smaller cities than im used to. So...you would pick Lancaster City over West Reading?

From what I know, absolutely. I haven't spent a lot of time in the Reading area but I know it is not really a hotbed of college or young professional activity.

[kone]

West Reading has done some really neat stuff to their "Main St." but IMHO it's basically either older folks holed-up in their all-life homes or lower-income people who moved out of the city. Next to West Reading is Wyomissing which is very wealthy and much, much nicer but it's still not young nor fun.

Reading overall is not a hip city nor will it be anytime soon. Personally, after being here almost all of my 47 years I can't wait for the day I get out of Berks. Lancaster HAS to be better, it can't be worse.

[pman]

Originally Posted by Work

Yeah, i figured its not going to be as many options as i was hoping for, and definitely both are going to be significantly quieter/smaller cities than im used to. So...you would pick Lancaster City over West Reading?

yes, I would. it seems to be improving (in this respect) and the downtown population also seems to be increasing which can only mean more options. It's also on the train line to Philly which makes it easier to attend, say, the Oktoberfest at the Armory in center city and get home (without drinking and driving of course)