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- Transit Infrastructure (heavy rail, light rail, commuter rail, tram networks, monorails, bus rapid transit, bus systems): NJ
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- National or State Parks: Tie - both are terrible
- Local Food Scene: NJ by far
Lots of opinions on this thread that are all over the place about New Jersey and Boston and that is ok. But anyway, I have to disagree with the bolded. If nothing else, people have this stereotype of New Jersey that is simply not true.
Northern and Central New Jersey have a large amount of National and State Parks. New Jersey itself has a large and growing state park system. People in Northern New Jersey also have access to extensive state parklands in the Hudson Valley and Catskills of New York plus the state forests of Pennsylvania. Some of the Jersey counties also have extensive county park systems. Finally. New Jersey has an active farmland protection program.
Gateway National Recreation Area (partly in New Jersey)
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refugee (7800 acres)
Morristown National Historic Park (George Washington - main Continental Army camps)
The Appalachian Trail - runs through the northern New Jersey suburbs into the Hudson Valley suburbs
Delaware Water Gap NRA (70,000 acres)
The Palisades Interstate Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ey_state_parks (New Jersey State Parks and Forests)
Like qworldorder, I wondered why FactsKillRhetoric chose Hudson County rather than Essex County as the "core" county of the region. Newark is New Jersey's largest city, and transportation-wise, it's a hub in its own right: the riders on the New Jersey Transit (ex-PRR and ex-Erie/Lackawanna) commuter lines may be headed for NYC, most of them, but all of them pass through Newark on the way there. And if they work at the Prudential Insurance Company of America, New Jersey Transit Corporation itself, or one of a handful of other firms that call the city home, they get off those trains in Newark too. Newark is also home to one of the New York region's three airports, the reason why North/Central Jersey tops Boston in that category.
I have only recently been exposed to some of the tonier North Jersey suburbs. Mountain Avenue in Montclair is a "millionaires' row" the likes of which I've not seen in either Greater Boston or Greater Philadelphia; the closest analogue I can come up with is Ward Parkway in my hometown of Kansas City. But I guess what struck me about that street was the density of the mansions on it. The really ritzy suburbs of Boston and Philly don't have that dense character about them. (I'm referring to the parts where the astonishingly pricey mansions are as opposed to the merely expensive homes for the upper middle class.)
I haven't seen the horse-farm country of North Jersey yet, but something tells me it wouldn't be as nice as Bucks County, Pa. I'd actually give the Pennsylvania suburbs of Philadelphia the nod over both North Jersey and Greater Boston in that category, but it's not in the competition here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by qworldorder
- Quality of the roads, interstates, highways: Not sure, but Greater Boston did finish its Big Dig. Central Jersey still hasn't routed I-95 to Philly yet.
New Jersey never will: it canceled its portion of I-95 in the 1970s, partly on the mistaken assumption that there was an interchange between I-95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
PennDOT is finally building that interchange now, some 40-plus years after the fact. Once it's open, I-95 will be continuous through New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Quote:
Originally Posted by masssachoicetts
I mean hey, if you think that NJ suburbs and northern/central NJ is better than Boston for whatever reason go ahead, youll stand sort-of alone on that. A lot of the points you said are really opinion based. I have been to Northern NJ many times and it is not the best. My condolences if you live there.
And this is comparing Northern NJ, not NYC. And no, DC>Boston>NYC>Philly
I don't know whether it was you who called Brookline suburban, but it really has a split personality. Along the Beacon Street car line, it's actually pretty urban - lined with apartment buildings and shops - and the area to the north of the car line is similar in character, especially along Harvard Street.
I'm still a little annoyed about those who affix Mercer County and the state capital of Trenton firmly to New York City. It may be part of the New York CSA (it has been since 1990), but Trenton is as much in Philadelphia's orbit as it is in New York's, if not more so: Mercer County residents are as likely to fly out of PHL as they are EWR, and the major media outlets they watch and read are across the Delaware in Philadelphia.
De gustibus non disputandum est, but: DC better than those other three cities? Really? Official Washington is one of the most self-important, stuffy places I've ever been, and Official Washington overruns Washington the City. I'd also quibble with both your placement of NYC in the hierarchy and your placement of Philly in it.
Lots of opinions on this thread that are all over the place about New Jersey and Boston and that is ok. But anyway, I have to disagree with the bolded. If nothing else, people have this stereotype of New Jersey that is simply not true.
Northern and Central New Jersey have a large amount of National and State Parks. New Jersey itself has a large and growing state park system. People in Northern New Jersey also have access to extensive state parklands in the Hudson Valley and Catskills of New York plus the state forests of Pennsylvania. Some of the Jersey counties also have extensive county park systems. Finally. New Jersey has an active farmland protection program.
Gateway National Recreation Area (partly in New Jersey)
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refugee (7800 acres)
Morristown National Historic Park (George Washington - main Continental Army camps)
The Appalachian Trail - runs through the northern New Jersey suburbs into the Hudson Valley suburbs
Delaware Water Gap NRA (70,000 acres)
The Palisades Interstate Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ey_state_parks (New Jersey State Parks and Forests)
I am less familiar with the parks around the Boston area.
Oh No NJ definetly has some scenary, its just there is more around Boston like the Blue Hills, the Spit, Wachusetts, Nashoba Valley, the South Shore, North Shore harbors, among others. And a short distance to Cape Cod and the Islands, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut River Valley swhich is gorgeous. NJ does have a lot though not denying that.
I am not saying that Northern NJ is better than Boston. I am saying that the suburbs of Northern NJ are better than the suburbs of Boston. Most people would agree on that. They are just better (for the reasons I already said). The vast majority of people would stand with me on this. You are alone in your near-hatred for suburban NJ. North Jersey may not be the best, but it is certainly more interesting and wealthier than suburban Boston. Just curious: Would you say that overall suburban NYC is worse than suburban Boston? Also, NYC>>>>>>Philly>DC>Boston.
I mean I lived in NYC for school and right after and in my opinion there is a lot more crap in the suburbs than in Boston. Although that seems unfair because the size of NYC is greater. But to be honest, and this is what most people I think agree on, Northern NJ is just Massachusetts with just ****tier cities. And to people I am around especially in my field, Boston is much more desireable to live in than NYC. Dont get me wrong the suburbs are nice in NJ, but in Boston it goes from 10 to 1,real quick, you get more space, and honestly I just think some suburbs are nicer. Personally. And im sure alot of people do (Look at the poll, 85% go for Boston). I rather live in Weston/Wellesley/Concord/Lexington/Needham/Newton/Hingham/Milton, over Livingston/Short Hills/Montclair/Princeton... Its just me though. Personally, I just think Boston suburbs are nicer. Wasnt fond of Northern NJ. But it would be a bit offensive to say Northern NJ suburbs are nicer than Boston's.
And yes lol, DC>Boston>NYC>Philly. DC and Boston are the faster growing, nicer, cities. I would say NYC suburbs are worse because Boston does not have areas like Patterson, Newark, Elizabeth, South Bronx, Jamaica Queens, etc .. NYC is not really the city for me, nice to visit, but I could not live there. I like Boston and DC a lot better. Not a hatred for Northern NJ, just pointing out that the suburbs just are nicer in Boston.
Last edited by masssachoicetts; 02-04-2018 at 12:38 PM..
I am not saying that Northern NJ is better than Boston. I am saying that the suburbs of Northern NJ are better than the suburbs of Boston. Most people would agree on that. They are just better (for the reasons I already said). The vast majority of people would stand with me on this. You are alone in your near-hatred for suburban NJ. North Jersey may not be the best, but it is certainly more interesting and wealthier than suburban Boston. Just curious: Would you say that overall suburban NYC is worse than suburban Boston? Also, NYC>>>>>>Philly>DC>Boston.
Most people would agree on that? Not sure the poll reflects that. North NJ is wealthier? Prettier? More interesting? Not sure what to make of that, but data does not suggest that at all. If anything, people feel an unwarranted disdain for northern NJ. They associate it, wrongly, with trashy people and run down waterfront.
Look at my prior response to you and respond accordingly. That should tell you everything you need to know.
My only assumption is that you've spent very little/no time in MA. Many, many people consider Boston suburbs to be the nicest/among the nicest in the country. Best public school system in the country. Possibly the healthiest area in the country. Possibly the most educated metro in the country. Mega affluence. Very very diverse topography.
I mean I lived in NYC for school and right after and in my opinion there is a lot more crap in the suburbs than in Boston. Although that seems unfair because the size of NYC is greater. But to be honest, and this is what most people I think agree on, Northern NJ is just Massachusetts with just ****tier cities. And to people I am around especially in my field, Boston is much more desireable to live in than NYC. Dont get me wrong the suburbs are nice in NJ, but in Boston it goes from 10 to 1,real quick, you get more space, and honestly I just think some suburbs are nicer. Personally. And im sure alot of people do (Look at the poll, 85% go for Boston). I rather live in Weston/Wellesley/Concord/Lexington/Needham/Newton/Hingham/Milton, over Livingston/Short Hills/Montclair/Princeton... Its just me though. Personally, I just think Boston suburbs are nicer. Wasnt fond of Northern NJ. But it would be a bit offensive to say Northern NJ suburbs are nicer than Boston's.
And yes lol, DC>Boston>NYC>Philly. DC and Boston are the faster growing, nicer, cities. I would say NYC suburbs are worse because Boston does not have areas like Patterson, Newark, Elizabeth, South Bronx, Jamaica Queens, etc .. NYC is not really the city for me, nice to visit, but I could not live there. I like Boston and DC a lot better. Not a hatred for Northern NJ, just pointing out that the suburbs just are nicer in Boston.
I would choose the NJ towns over the Boston towns. It is all opinion, and there is no way Boston and DC are better than NYC. It is laughable that you think that! You also unfairly mentioned only four NJ towns versus nearly ten Boston suburbs. A fairer comparison would be Montclair/Saddle River/Ridgewood/Glen Ridge/Alpine/Short Hills/Livingston/Princeton/Far Hills/Bernardsville/Summit/Chatham/Harding/Rumson/Colts Neck versus Newton/Brookline/Sharon/Marblehead/Weston/Wayland/Swampscott/Needham/Sudbury/Wellesley. That would be fairer, but that would also be no contest. The NJ towns would absolutely demolish the Boston suburbs.
I would choose the NJ towns over the Boston towns. It is all opinion, and there is no way Boston and DC are better than NYC. It is laughable that you think that! You also unfairly mentioned only four NJ towns versus nearly ten Boston suburbs. A fairer comparison would be Montclair/Saddle River/Ridgewood/Glen Ridge/Alpine/Short Hills/Livingston/Princeton/Far Hills/Bernardsville/Summit/Chatham/Harding/Rumson/Colts Neck versus Newton/Brookline/Sharon/Marblehead/Weston/Wayland/Swampscott/Needham/Sudbury/Wellesley. That would be fairer, but that would also be no contest. The NJ towns would absolutely demolish the Boston suburbs.
Wow you are the first person to say that on here. I must have went blind in North NJ haha! And stop solely responding to me, and how about the other people who are shutting you down as well. You obviously have ZERO Mass knowledge.
Neither the poll, other commentors, NJs reputation, experiences in both places, Statistics, etc lie.. More people perfer MA over NJ.
I would choose the NJ towns over the Boston towns. It is all opinion, and there is no way Boston and DC are better than NYC. It is laughable that you think that! You also unfairly mentioned only four NJ towns versus nearly ten Boston suburbs. A fairer comparison would be Montclair/Saddle River/Ridgewood/Glen Ridge/Alpine/Short Hills/Livingston/Princeton/Far Hills/Bernardsville/Summit/Chatham/Harding/Rumson/Colts Neck versus Newton/Brookline/Sharon/Marblehead/Weston/Wayland/Swampscott/Needham/Sudbury/Wellesley. That would be fairer, but that would also be no contest. The NJ towns would absolutely demolish the Boston suburbs.
Sharon? Swampscott? Not sure either would be a top 50 suburb in Greater Boston. Certainly not top 25. That's cute that you added those though.
Weston, Wellesley, Lexington, Winchester, Newton, Cambridge, Belmont, Brookline, Concord, Carlisle, Hingham, Cohasset, Manchester by the Sea, Newburyport, Dover, Sherborn, Carlisle, Lincoln, Sudbury, Andover, Boxford, Westwood, Needham, Acton would be a better list. And a list that northern NJ can't touch. Now, NYC suburbs in their entirety? That's a different conversation.
Sharon? Swampscott? Not sure either would be a top 50 suburb in Greater Boston. Certainly not top 25. That's cute that you added those though.
Weston, Wellesley, Lexington, Winchester, Newton, Cambridge, Belmont, Brookline, Concord, Carlisle, Hingham, Cohasset, Manchester by the Sea, Newburyport, Dover, Sherborn, Carlisle, Lincoln, Sudbury, Andover, Boxford, Westwood, Needham, Acton would be a better list. And a list that northern NJ can't touch. Now, NYC suburbs in their entirety? That's a different conversation.
Also, Duxbury, Cohasset and Scituate on the South Shore.
Sharon? Swampscott? Not sure either would be a top 50 suburb in Greater Boston. Certainly not top 25. That's cute that you added those though.
Weston, Wellesley, Lexington, Winchester, Newton, Cambridge, Belmont, Brookline, Concord, Carlisle, Hingham, Cohasset, Manchester by the Sea, Newburyport, Dover, Sherborn, Carlisle, Lincoln, Sudbury, Andover, Boxford, Westwood, Needham, Acton would be a better list. And a list that northern NJ can't touch. Now, NYC suburbs in their entirety? That's a different conversation.
They most certainly would be. Again, North Jersey can absolutely destroy your list. There just is no comparison. North Jersey is better.
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