Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-28-2013, 11:38 AM
 
2 posts, read 9,119 times
Reputation: 10

Advertisements

Hi -

Mulling over choices for relocation. Male couple from NYC, looking to have kids (eventually, aka soon), and at least one of us will be working in Camden NJ. We've found that the income tax and proprety tax issues with Southern NJ make PA burbs a more attractive option; however, we hear that the commute from the Main Line towns into Center City, and even worse, over the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a big game changer. We are curious to hear thoughts about towns that may work better or worse for this commute --or if we're crazy to even entertain that commute being doable. No, we don't want to sit in a car for hours on end each day standing still.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-28-2013, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Mount Laurel
4,187 posts, read 11,866,043 times
Reputation: 3512
Quote:
Originally Posted by legalknievel View Post
Hi -

Mulling over choices for relocation. Male couple from NYC, looking to have kids (eventually, aka soon), and at least one of us will be working in Camden NJ. We've found that the income tax and proprety tax issues with Southern NJ make PA burbs a more attractive option; however, we hear that the commute from the Main Line towns into Center City, and even worse, over the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a big game changer. We are curious to hear thoughts about towns that may work better or worse for this commute --or if we're crazy to even entertain that commute being doable. No, we don't want to sit in a car for hours on end each day standing still.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
If one person is working in Camden and the other working in CC = Don't commute from Main Line.

You are probably better off finding a place in SJ and preferebly near PATCO so one can commute into CC. Why? The possible higher RE tax in SJ isn't going to feel so bad with the offset of the city wage tax.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 01:01 PM
 
1,624 posts, read 4,032,154 times
Reputation: 2322
I would check out Collingswood NJ. It has a lovely downtown, good schools, large LGBT community, short commute to Camden and Center City by car or train (PATCO). Haddon Twp is next door and a bit cheaper. Haddonfield is very nice but pricey.

Commuting from Media PA to Cherry Hill for instance can be 1hr plus. More if there is an accident/construction.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 02:01 PM
 
8,977 posts, read 21,055,209 times
Reputation: 3783
I concur with the previous two posters. Using Bryn Mawr (roughly the "midpoint" of the Main Line) as an example, a map search predicts 29 minutes to Camden with no traffic, and 38 minutes in current mid-afternoon pre-rush hour traffic. Odds are the commute would approach an hour during rush hour. I think the psychic toll that would take on the Camden commuter would be worse than paying "extra" property taxes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 02:42 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA
8,700 posts, read 14,607,708 times
Reputation: 3663
You could try Center City itself. There are good schooling options in Center City and surrounding area. If one of you is going to be working in the city, and one in Camden, it would be worth it. There aren't any PA suburbs that would provide for an easy relaxing commute to Camden unless you live in Bucks County, drive to the Riverline train station in Burlington, NJ, and take the riverline down to Camden. However, if it is your wife working in Camden, I wouldn't want her to be sitting at a train station waiting for the riverline home. I've been hassled numerous times by bums and crackheads waiting for the riverline. The PATCO line is more manageable because more people take it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 03:34 PM
 
434 posts, read 1,306,984 times
Reputation: 283
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ms_Christina View Post
Commuting from Media PA to Cherry Hill for instance can be 1hr plus. More if there is an accident/construction.
This isn't true, in my experience.

In rush hour traffic it takes less than a half hour (almost always less than 25 minutes) to get from the Media/Swarthmore exit on the Blue Route (476) over the Walt Whitman bridge. From there it's a quick shot up 676 into Camden.

The return is a little tricker, and depends on whether or not the Phillies are in town. When they are, you have the option of taking 295 south from the Cherry Hill area and going over the Commodore Barry Bridge back to Media. Still no more than 40 minutes in rush hour traffic.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 03:50 PM
 
2 posts, read 9,119 times
Reputation: 10
Thanks so much for the replies.

We wouldn't look to go any further North than Bryn Mawr for sure, and likely want to stay closer to Bala Cynwyd, if PA Burbs are an option. Media looks so far on a map, but maybe a different route makes more sense.

As far as NJ, yes, we're looking into Collingswood and the Haddons - as we call them. What's the difference between Haddonfield, Haddonfield Heights and Haddon Township?

Frankly, from what I've seen, the houses are more expensive in PA Burbs, but they're cheaper in the South Jersey side. So, some of the difference is just made up in how to spend the same money (i.e., we could probably get around the same thing for the same budget -- it's just a long term issues with taxes versus house investment).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 08:18 PM
 
Location: South Jersey
7,780 posts, read 21,782,013 times
Reputation: 2353
Quote:
Originally Posted by legalknievel View Post
Hi -

Mulling over choices for relocation. Male couple from NYC, looking to have kids (eventually, aka soon), and at least one of us will be working in Camden NJ. We've found that the income tax and proprety tax issues with Southern NJ make PA burbs a more attractive option; however, we hear that the commute from the Main Line towns into Center City, and even worse, over the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a big game changer. We are curious to hear thoughts about towns that may work better or worse for this commute --or if we're crazy to even entertain that commute being doable. No, we don't want to sit in a car for hours on end each day standing still.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Make no sense. The good schools are in NJ too. The taxes are no different then the good parts of pa. You should be looking at Moorestown, Delran, Cinnaminson. TRUST me on this.. A long commute is no fun
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 09:40 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA
8,700 posts, read 14,607,708 times
Reputation: 3663
Quote:
Originally Posted by frankgn87 View Post
Make no sense. The good schools are in NJ too. The taxes are no different then the good parts of pa. You should be looking at Moorestown, Delran, Cinnaminson. TRUST me on this.. A long commute is no fun
Right, because you know, the PA side has no good schools

Best schools in the metro:

Number 1 is in Philadelphia: Masterman
Out of the top ten, 9 are on the PA side. One is on the NJ side: Haddonfield, ranked number 6

Out of the top 100 schools in the metro, 20 are in NJ. 80 are in PA

The Top 100 Philadelphia-Area Public Schools 2012 | Philadelphia Magazine Articles

You're right though Frank, the good schools are in NJ. Keep up with your nonsense.

And the taxes are different, you just have no idea what you are talking about. On average, NJ pays more in taxes then PA. Doesn't matter how you look at it. We proved this to you before, you just refuse to accept it.

The only thing I agree with you on is the long commute, but keep it to that. You don't need to make crap up and lie.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2013, 10:42 PM
 
Location: North by Northwest
9,310 posts, read 12,902,040 times
Reputation: 6161
I know some people who do it, but I personally wouldn't. You'd probably be looking at 45 minutes during rush hour, so while you can do a lot worse, you can certainly do a lot better. Haddonfield is the most Main Line-like town on the Jersey side of the river, and is pretty much a hop, skip, and a jump to Camden--especially if your job is convenient to Patco.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Summersm343 View Post
Right, because you know, the PA side has no good schools
I think he was saying the New Jersey public schools are good as well, not that South Jersey is better than SEPA.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top