New to area, Doylestown lansdale or quakertown? (Philadelphia, Scranton: apartment complex, rental)

[cdamarco]

Hello all,

I am generally new to the area north of philly and have been living in temp housing in perkasie since june. I need some suggestions. I am a working guy in his late 20s, single. I need to find new friends, things to do, socialize etc but find a place i can afford that isnt the size of a closet. Quakertown seems kind of bland and congested but cheap, doylestown seems pretty hip but super overpriced, lansdale seems like a bit of both. Am I on the right track?

[chicagoliz]

Quakertown is pretty far out and is kind of a cookie-cutter suburb with a lot of families. It's okay but I think it would be boring for a young single person.

Doylestown is a great town, and has a nice little downtown with good restaurants and shops. It also has a railroad stop, although it's at the end of the line, and can take forever to get downtown, but at least it's there and is an option. It's also got some better access to NYC and areas in NJ. I can't say, though, that it has tons of nightlife, and of course, especially of the 3, it's more expensive.

Lansdale is grittier. It's on the same train line as Doylestown, but definitely closer in. You'd have easier access to places like Ambler and KOP, but it's not as nice as Doylestown.

You could check out Ambler or even Chestnut Hill (which is a section of Philadelphia, but not Center City area). Chestnut Hill would be a great area if you can afford it and if it's not insanely far from where you're working.

It's not an easy call because all these areas are fine places, and they'd work for families, but they're not exactly hip and happening for a young single person.

Of the three you mentioned, my ordering of them would be: Doylestown, Lansdale, and then Quakertown.

[toobusytoday]

I agree with your conclusions cdamarco and chicagoliz, but will quibble about your descriptions chicagoliz, of Quakertown, which I live very close to, and Lansdale, which I frequently visit. Quakertown is more of an older blue collar town that was settled in the late 1700's - not a suburb. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakertown,_Pennsylvania

Lansdale is not as upscale as Doylestown, but I would not think to classify it as "gritty". I do think it's a good affordable alternative to Doylestown, but not sure how fun it would be for someone your age, cdamarco. The train is a nice advantage and if you can find a group of friends in Lansdale, that may work out. Perhaps a meet up group would help: Hiking Meetups in Lansdale - Meetup

[chicagoliz]

I accept and defer to your assessment of Quakertown, as I haven't spent much time there. But it's essentially become an exurb as people move further out. (Quite a few folks did move out that way, as they could get a nice, new house for a good price.)

I meant that Lansdale was gritt-ier than Doylestown. It has more of, I guess an 'urban' feel than Doylestown, which I think of as more quaint. Housing prices are lower there, partially because I don't think it's nearly as nice as Doylestown. I suspect Lansdale would have more apartments and rental options than either of the other two.

There is a new apartment complex in, I think Towamincin, near the Lansdale entrance to the turnpike. That might be worth investigating -- they look very new and nice, and if a bunch of similarly-aged people move in there, it could be great. Although I don't know who's living there now, so I don't know.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Quakertown is pretty far out and is kind of a cookie-cutter suburb with a lot of families. It's okay but I think it would be boring for a young single person.

Doylestown is a great town, and has a nice little downtown with good restaurants and shops. It also has a railroad stop, although it's at the end of the line, and can take forever to get downtown, but at least it's there and is an option. It's also got some better access to NYC and areas in NJ. I can't say, though, that it has tons of nightlife, and of course, especially of the 3, it's more expensive.

Lansdale is grittier. It's on the same train line as Doylestown, but definitely closer in. You'd have easier access to places like Ambler and KOP, but it's not as nice as Doylestown.

You could check out Ambler or even Chestnut Hill (which is a section of Philadelphia, but not Center City area). Chestnut Hill would be a great area if you can afford it and if it's not insanely far from where you're working.

It's not an easy call because all these areas are fine places, and they'd work for families, but they're not exactly hip and happening for a young single person.

Of the three you mentioned, my ordering of them would be: Doylestown, Lansdale, and then Quakertown.

For a guy in his 20s Chestnut Hill is a little older demographic. It's a terrific Phila. neighborhood though. But he might feel more comfortable in Manayunk.

[toobusytoday]

I think we need to know where you are commuting to cdamarco. I'm guessing it's Merck near Lansdale, in which case he would want to stay up county a bit. I agree that demographic-wise Manayunk would be good but isn't it also expensive?

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by kyb01

For a guy in his 20s Chestnut Hill is a little older demographic. It's a terrific Phila. neighborhood though. But he might feel more comfortable in Manayunk.

Yes, Manayunk is a little younger and hipper, but if he's commuting far north, it might be too far. I knew quite a few young Merck people who lived in Chestnut Hill and loved it.

As has been pointed out, it would be helpful to know where OP is commuting to.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I think we need to know where you are commuting to cdamarco. I'm guessing it's Merck near Lansdale, in which case he would want to stay up county a bit. I agree that demographic-wise Manayunk would be good but isn't it also expensive?

If he is commuting to Merck, given his demographics, I might suggest Center City. He can take the train to Lansdale and Merck has a shuttle. Not an ideal commute, but I think that downside would be more than made up for by the opportunities to mingle, go out, have great food, be around lots of other young, single people.

[pman]

Of the three lansdale, Doylestown, quakertown. You could walk or bike to mercy and still have some things to do like go to round guys. It's a shorter train ride to the city (and even ambler if you're hitting the bars you may not want to drive). Ambler itself is also a good suggestion

[ChuckG2008]

I live just north of Quakertown and it is def the most down-to-earth of the three. Cost of housing is also the most reasonable of the bunch. Highway access is excellent for long-distance trips, with 476 (Philly to Scranton) and 78 (Harrisburg to New York) both within 10 minutes drive of where I live, and 309 right outside my front door. Excellent choices for dining, McCoole's Tavern and John's Plain n Fancy Diner are a couple of my go-to places on the occasions I do eat out. Two Giant grocery stores in town are open 24 hours so I can go food shopping right after my night shift at work and it's completely empty lol. The Plaza barber shop is where I go to get my hair cut and it's a great little place, they gave me a free soda while they cut my hair. For those who mention that Q-town is bland, yes that may be so for certain folks, but the way I see it, I can get to the attractions of Philly or the Jersey Shore just as quick as somebody from Doylestown given my better highway access, and can get to Doylestown's attractions (if I were so inclined) in 20 minutes. I know the OP has probably made their mind up already, but just wanted to rep my town