Relocating to PA from Indiana need info on Lancaster area and surrounding small cities!!! (Philadelphia: middle-class)

[Aangel]

My husband and I are going to be relocating to PA in the next 6 mo. with our newborn baby who will be 2mo. old, a one year old, and two large dogs (Labs) we have no idea where to start! We have never been to PA and are planning a visit in three weeks to check out the area around Lancaster. My husband will be commuting thru most of Philadelphia, and into N.J. (state), Delaware (state), area. We have chosen to start in the Lancaster area due to my husband having a co-worker there but I'm more interested in a smaller town due to having small children. I see the crime rate is high in Lancaster? What smaller cities are around the area that would have a lower crime rate and have rental housing for such a family with two large dogs we’re talking 100 lb. Labs great dogs just big. Any info anyone can give would be so helpful! Thank You

[kenandbee]

Lancaster City has a high crime rate, but my wife and I have moved here recently and we've never gotten the feeling of being unsafe... perhaps we are blind to it now, but where we are located is a nice area outside of the city.

I'd look more into rural areas, altho once you get away from the "main" areas, things tend to get boring (nothing close by)

good luck on the move!

[Aangel]

Thank you for your response! What would you call rural areas in Lancaster? Like I said I have never been to PA or thru PA City names would be helpful? Do you know much about property taxes in the area?

[kenandbee]

Originally Posted by Aangel

Thank you for your response! What would you call rural areas in Lancaster? Like I said I have never been to PA or thru PA City names would be helpful? Do you know much about property taxes in the area?

we rent, so i don't have much of a clue about the tax, my wife and i live in lancaster right near "bird-in-hand" and enjoy the area very much. there are other nice towns around lancaster city (paradise, bird-in-hand, coatesville)

[cheshire4c]

I grew up in Lancaster, right downtown in the middle of everything, moved from there to West Africa about two years ago and my father still lives in the Hempfield area, about a 15-20 min drive from downtown. Manheim Township, Hempfield, Penn Mannor, Millersville, Manheim are all good places to live (all about the same distance from downtown (about 20 minutes or so), but in different directions). They are the suburbs though, so if you aren't particularly picky about economic or racial diversity then great (predominantly middle-class, white families), but if you want a bit more of a mix, I'd suggest the downtown area. Lancaster, the city, has great character, a lot of colonial style architechture, many row homes and semi-detatched houses, and some areas are becoming a bit more developed with little coffee shops and boutiques. There's a great farmer's market open a few days a week right downtown that I love to go to and many cultural events happening throughout the year. I have never felt unsafe living in Lancaster being out at night, but there are certain areas that you need to be more cautious of, just like in any other city.

Someone else mentioned living in Bird-in-Hand and my family used to live there when I was very young. It's a nice area as well, but it's quite far from the city.

I have lived in two different houses near Franklin and Marshall College (a small private arts college, about 2500 students) and owned an 80 pound yellow lab. In that area there are several parks and the homes have larger yards for big dogs. While I am still rather young and am not thinking about a family now, I have always said (and friends as well) that Lancaster is an excellent city to raise a young family.

[Icy Tea]

In the northeastern edge of Lancaster county there is a large wildlife and natural area called Middle Creek. It borders Lancaster, southeast Lebanon and western Berks. Your dogs would like it although there may be regulations at times since the large lake is a designated migratory bird resting area.
I can think of many small rural towns: Ephrata, New Holland, Honeybrook, Adamstown, Lititz, these are somewhat off the tourist maps but nice. In western Berks there is Wernersville, southern Berks is Morgantown/ Elverson which is growing and right on the turnpike. Berks is somewhat closer to Philadelphia / New Jersey. Berks and Lancaster have quiet areas but are an easy drive to great shopping and dining and recreational areas.

[Pittsfield03]

Hello,

As a transplant to this area from Massachusetts, I would recommend the Town of Lititz in Lancaster County. If you're going for small and charming, this is the spot. There are new homes and older homes available for sale with wonderful schools. The community of Lancaster can be quite reserved but this is a very quaint town and I think you and your family would feel at home here.

Hope this helps! By the way, we're lab lovers too!

[graysmom8]

I'm not sure about the rental housing w/area for dogs part, but there are lots of charming towns around Lancaster city. My husband and I met while attending Millersville University, which is in a very small town. We really liked Millersville and there are lots of apartments to rent due to the college, but I think it would be reallly far for your husband to travel to and from work everyday. Route 30 is what he would probably take and it can get pretty congested (especially with tourists who don't know where they are going-a dangerous situation).

I would look to the eastern/southern side of Lancaster, so your husband's drive isn't so crazy long. Strasburg is a very quaint old town that houses the PA Railroad Museum (as well as the Day Out With Thomas events a couple of times a year in case your children end up being train lovers). Lots of friendly folks in the area (although this can be said for most of the small towns in the area), and you're close to the Rockvale and Tanger outlet centers.

[bigbasspa]

Originally Posted by Aangel

My husband and I are going to be relocating to PA in the next 6 mo. with our newborn baby who will be 2mo. old, a one year old, and two large dogs (Labs) we have no idea where to start! We have never been to PA and are planning a visit in three weeks to check out the area around Lancaster. My husband will be commuting thru most of Philadelphia, and into N.J. (state), Delaware (state), area. We have chosen to start in the Lancaster area due to my husband having a co-worker there but I'm more interested in a smaller town due to having small children. I see the crime rate is high in Lancaster? What smaller cities are around the area that would have a lower crime rate and have rental housing for such a family with two large dogs we’re talking 100 lb. Labs great dogs just big. Any info anyone can give would be so helpful! Thank You

I've just read your post so sorry for the late reply. I moved to Lancaster almost two years ago and to be honest, have never found the coldness or unfriendliness that some people have experienced. We live slightly north of the city in Manheim Township and the only crime I have experienced is seeing Micky D bags or beer bottles by the roadside - which seem to be quickly cleared up. Lancaster County is a lovely area and I would not hesitate to recommend it to you. However, please be aware that you might find it difficult to find a rental property with two large dogs. In Lancaster, rentals generally fall into the 'community' category or the private, individual property category. Most community properties (we live in one) restrict the number of animals to one or two and I have seen 65lbs quoted often as the maximum size of an animal. We have looked at private rentals but many of these say no pets - we have a cat, so we are still looking as we would like a second cat; our community only allows one.

I'm not saying that you won't find a rental property here but I just wanted to give you fair warning that with the pets you have, it could take a while.

Best of luck anyway.