Plum or New Kensington (New Castle, Washington: middle-class, for sale, apartments)

[earrow70]

I will be relocating from New Castle, PA to the New Kensington area. My job will be on the Lower Burrell/New Ken border.
We are a Black family and quite frankly relocation presents an extra challenge. We are middle class, law abiding citizens and we found a home in Plum we really like. Looking at the data on city-data, the Black community is not really represented there. I'm not looking to be a crusader, especially for my kid's sake. I just want a nice quiet community to match my nice quiet family. Are there any areas like that in New Ken (which would be closer to work) or do you think Plum (which has better schools) would be a better place for a Black family to move.

[guylocke]

Are there any areas like that in New Ken (which would be closer to work) or do you think Plum (which has better schools) would be a better place for a Black family to move.

I would go with Lower Burrell over any of those options. Although, I'm afraid your community isn't represented to a great extent, I seriously doubt you would have any trouble. I have always found Lower Burrell to be a very kind and open-minded city. New Kensington CLOSE to the Lower Burrell border is nice, too. In fact, most people don't know where Lower Burrell ends and New Kensington starts when you get to the high-ground. It all looks like the same respectable and tidy middle-class neighborhoods. Stay away from downtown New Kensington. Although your community is there in numbers, you don't want to raise your children, there, believe me. Burrell and Plum school districts are both quite nice. Not extraordinary, but quite fine, but Valley is terrible... TERRIBLE.

Plum is much more rural than either, but it's a nice place, too, for the most part! Don't forget, though, once you are in Plum are you in Allegheny County. Taxes would be much cheaper in either New Kensington or Lower Burrell which are in Westmoreland County. The drive from Plum to your work would probably be about 20 minutes or so. Out of curiosity, can you tell me me or send me a message so I know where you are going to be working? I grew up in Lower Burrell and could probably be more of assistance if I knew.

[Stagger Lee]

Race shouldn't be an issue in Plum (not that it should be anyway). Burrel would be another good option. Plum has a lot of different classes in it. There are apartments to McMansions with all sorts of race.

[guylocke]

PS. I know several families that live in very nice neighborhoods in New Kensington that pay to send their children to Burrell. That's an option, if you want. People on this forum might really hit you hard with negative things about New Kensington, much for good reason. But I know for a fact there are some really nice and well-kept neighborhoods still left in New Kensington. Quite a few, in fact.

[guylocke]

Yeah Plum is a growing area, but I just cringe to hear you then hit Allegheny County. A lot of people are leaving Allegheny County to pursue Westmoreland, Butler, and Washington Counties for lower taxes. Plum is so close to the Westmoreland border I just can't believe people wouldn't settle down a few more blocks upstream to avoid those taxes. Then again, taxes aren't everything, I suppose. :P I'm very fiscally minded.

There is Upper Burrell, too. If you want McMansions, there are several neighborhoods in both Lower and Upper Burrell that might fit your needs. More are planned, too.

[Stagger Lee]

I don't know. My parents live out by Murrysville, but my father drives 30 miles to work and back every day. They go over 100 dollars in gas a week. They probably end up spending just the same in gas as they would in living closer to the city and paying more taxes but less in gas. They also live out there in a "Cult suburbian development". Now don't get me wrong, I would love to either live in the woods (meaning nothing around) or the city. Not a in between like some strange freeked out urban sprawl development where people sit inside watching reality tv as their life. I am a big fan of the city, who cares if you pay extra taxes when you can walk everywhere, and have more entertainment and an easier social life.

[guylocke]

I don't know. My parents live out by Murrysville, but my father drives 30 miles to work and back every day.

Yes but we're talking about the difference between driving from New Kensington/Lower Burrell TO New Kensington/Lower Burrell or Plum to New Kensington/Lower Burrell.

Living in Plum he will be paying the higher taxes AND making the 20 minute commute to work. It's a lose/lose situation in terms of money.

I am a big fan of the city, who cares if you pay extra taxes when you can walk everywhere, and have more entertainment and an easier social life.

Well yes, I agree. I could live nowhere but in a city. But when I live in a city, I live IN a city. I'm talking downtown. Now that is worth the taxes. Lower Burrell is more of a city than Plum is. haha.

[Stagger Lee]

Yeah, I like city neighborhoods to also like shadyside, Squirell hill, or bloomfield. It is so much better then the suburbs where I grew up which didn't have any sidewalks or anything to walk too.

[Hemingway]

Good advice so far. I am in Plum, and it is a peaceful place to raise a family, you wouldn't have an issue here. But the Allegheny tax thing?? we came from out of state and got blindsided by that one....we are less than a mile from Westmoreland county, to my everlasting dismay! I would listen to the advice here, unless you absolutely fall in love with a house in Plum!

[kellyava1]

I just relocated to Plum 2 weeks ago and so far am enjoying the town. It's a peaceful neighborhood and actually we have a black family that lives across the street from us and a couple more around the corner. They are all very nice and I've seen a whole lot of neighborhood comradery. I think you'd be very welcome here. Maybe I'm a bit naive on the whole tax issue as we just moved here but wouldn't a better school district be worth it? I dont have any school-age children but I didn't find the taxes to be an issue. My husband commutes to North Versailles and it's an easy drive for him. I looked for houses in Westmoreland County as well but none out-surpassed the homes in Plum in our price range. There's quite a few homes for sale in my neighborhood if you're interested you can send me a PM and I'd be glad to tell you where. Best of luck to you.