Nearest developed city near butler pa (Pittsburgh, New Kensington: for sale, apartment, appliances)

[blissfullylivelife]

I may be accepting a job in butler PA. The area is too rural for my son and I. What is the nicest developed city/area (with culture and things to do) that is nearby where we could live. I would consider a drive time of a hour if need be. I would be looking for a nice, new apartment area with professional people and a good middle school. I see some posts on Lower Burrell, any thoughts on that?

[scottrpriester]

As far as I'm concerned, the nearest developed "city" is Pittsburgh.......all of the other areas you are going to find between Butler and Pittsburgh are boroughs and townships that are quite suburban. If that is your thing, there is Zelieonople, Cranberry Twsp, Wexford, Franklin Park.

[Hopes]

Pittsburgh is the only city that fits your criteria.

Lower Burrell is merely a small suburb of New Kensington which is a town similar to Butler.

There's no culture in Zelie, Cranberry, Wexford or Franklin Park. They are just suburban townships of Pittsburgh.

You'll want to pick a township that's halfway between Pittsburgh and Butler somewhere along Route 8.

Richland, Pine, Hampton, McCandless should be your focus. Your commute will be 30 minutes.

btw, downtown Pittsburgh is one hour from Butler.

[blissfullylivelife]

Ok Pittsburgh is too far to drive everyday, but I do agree that would be great. At this time, I can't be selective in my job preferences as the job market is so limited. So of the places listed, which is the biggest and the best of these areas. I'm thinking Richland, Cranberry or Zelieonople, but again I'm not sure! :/ Please help! c:

[Hopes]

None of those areas are towns. They're just suburan townships of Pittsburgh.

You know---housing developements and highways with strip malls.

You want the biggest and best of what??????

I recommended picking a township halfway inbetween Butler so you would only be 30 minutes away from Pittsburgh for going to the zoo, the museum, a play, etc.

What else do you consider culture? Shopping?

Your commute will be easier if you stick closer to Route 8.

Zelie is more rural than Butler.

Cranberry is just a huge area filled with stores and warehouses and housing developments---some literally next to warehouses.

I think you should look at Pine or Richland.

It's a good school district.

It's most convenient to Butler and Downtown Pittsburgh.

You can easily get to Cranberry if you want to shop---only 10 to 15 minutes away.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Hopes

You know---housing developements and highways with strip malls.

Sounds like Northern Virginia.

[Icy Tea]

Butler is THE developed town for that area.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Icy Tea

Butler is THE developed town for that area.

I've been getting a chuckle out of thinking about how Zelie is more rural than Butler. Even Pine and Richland are downright rural compared to Butler.

However, I can understand her wanting to get to a more educated area. As my husband says, "they're a different breed in Butler County."

With that criteria in mind, the farther south she can get from Butler, the better.

[bethany12]

After reading these posts, I am wondering if any of these people have ever been to southern Butler county. For years that region has been the fastest growing area in the Pittsburgh metro and Western PA in general. To say that the Route 8 or Route 228 corridors are more "rural" than Butler city is crazy. Even the Slippery Rock region is now growing from people relocating to the area from Pittsburgh/Cranberry.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by bethany12

After reading these posts, I am wondering if any of these people have ever been to southern Butler county. For years that region has been the fastest growing area in the Pittsburgh metro and Western PA in general. To say that the Route 8 or Route 228 corridors are more "rural" than Butler city is crazy. Even the Slippery Rock region is now growing from people relocating to the area from Pittsburgh/Cranberry.

If you've ever spent any amount of time in these areas, you'd know that people who live there have to deal with very rural minded neighbors. I go to Butler and Butler county constantly. I have family in the area. I know the frustrations they have with the area concerning the "different breed of people" who live in the area. Paint the picture any way you like, but it's still an area with houses that have old appliances in the yard and stuffed furniture on the porches---and modern housing developments inbetween all that grand culture built on old farms.

Anything suburban is rural compared to downtown Butler. That's why I said that Richland and Pine would be more rural----there's still large expanses of undeveloped area, lots of farmland and wooded areas. Zelie is downright rural compared to the city of Butler. Zelie is a two street town. Cranberry is just strip malls, warehouses and housing developments, nothing cultural there. The OP wants a CITY with more culture than Butler. Zelie and Cranberry aren't that.

I have two family members that live in either side of Zelie---one halfway between Cranberry and Zelie---the other just North of Zelie. They both have corn fields and farms surrounding their homes. And the drive into Zelie is blink your eyes or you'll miss it. I'm in Cranberry three days a week. Aside from the strip malls, restaurants and warehouses, there's just housing developments with tons of 'for sale' signs for houses that haven't sold. Nobody wants to buy a house in a housing development that is across the street from huge warehouses with tractor trailers driving around all day.

If you call rural suburbia 'developed culture' then those corridors are for you. Most people just consider it destruction of farm land.