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This...which is why I feel that demographics / desirability wise White Plains is closer to Silver Spring (which itself has a more diverse demographic, both racial and wealth) than Bethesda or Pasadena. Location-wise is a totally different story, though (SS is literally just across the district line).
I can't think of any good comparison either - the NYC inner satellites like Jersey City are much more urban, while the outer satellites like WP or Parsippany-Troy Hills are way further out. Perhaps Buckhead area in Atlanta but that's still within city limit.
Agreed.
To me, Newton, MA and Bethesda are the absolute comps that come to mind out East. Similar distance to the core, similar reputation in their respective metros, similar enough look and feel (at least in many of Newtons distinct villages). Even sociodemographics and size arent far off.
It's hard to compare anything in Northern NJ to Pasadena as Northern NJ is known for small towns all over and not big "suburban cities" like Pasadena.
Apples and oranges.
I think Jersey has comps from a commercial activity and population perspective, at least to Bethesda, but not I’m not sure balance like upscale/desirability quite like Pasadena or even Bethesda.
Edison is the best I could come up with, but that’s a hike to NYC much like White Plains.
I think Jersey has comps from a commercial activity and population perspective, at least to Bethesda, but not I’m not sure balance like upscale/desirability quite like Pasadena or even Bethesda.
Edison is the best I could come up with, but that’s a hike to NYC much like White Plains.
Central New Brunswick does look a little bit like DT Bethesda, but as you already said - it's just WAY removed from NYC core. In fact the distance from NYC (Midtown Manhattan / Penn Station) to New Brunswick is almost the same as central DC to Downtown Baltimore.
The equidistance equivalent of DC to Bethesda would be something like NYC to Newark...but Newark is just a way larger city and much more urban.
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Originally Posted by mwj119
Agreed.
To me, Newton, MA and Bethesda are the absolute comps that come to mind out East. Similar distance to the core, similar reputation in their respective metros, similar enough look and feel (at least in many of Newtons distinct villages). Even sociodemographics and size arent far off.
Agree on this...similar distance to central core of the "big city", also just inside the beltway (In Boston's case, the inner belt b/c there's also I-495 much further out).
I think Jersey has comps from a commercial activity and population perspective, at least to Bethesda, but not I’m not sure balance like upscale/desirability quite like Pasadena or even Bethesda.
Edison is the best I could come up with, but that’s a hike to NYC much like White Plains.
Like I said NJ doesn't have big suburban cities like those two. It's all about small upscale suburban towns here outside the city. Edison is about as close as it gets but it also doesn't have big buildings in an upscale downtown area like Bethesda does.
Like I said NJ doesn't have big suburban cities like those two. It's all about small upscale suburban towns here outside the city. Edison is about as close as it gets but it also doesn't have big buildings in an upscale downtown area like Bethesda does.
There are quite a few midsize-to-large towns in the inner core of North NJ, and some of them have some fairly sizable downtowns. Places like Montclair (41k), Englewood (29k), Hackensack(46k), Fort Lee (40k-which despite being directly across the GWB from Manhattan, is still largely suburban in character), Summit (21k) and Ridgewood (25k) come to mind, and they are all way closer to Manhattan than Edison. Cities like Jersey City, Hoboken, Newark, Elizabeth, Passaic, Paterson are either too urban or too run down to qualify as desirable suburban cities. On the Westchester side, I think a good alternative candidate to White Plains would be New Rochelle as it is closer to the urban core with a large downtown and still pretty suburban in character when compared to its fellow southern Westchester cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Long Island doesn’t have any areas that come to mind. Meanwhile, Greenwich in Connecticut is possibly the most desirable upscale suburban city in the US but it’s 30 miles from Manhattan.
There are quite a few midsize-to-large towns in the inner core of North NJ, and some of them have some fairly sizable downtowns. Places like Montclair (41k), Englewood (29k), Hackensack(46k), Fort Lee (40k-which despite being directly across the GWB from Manhattan, is still largely suburban in character), Summit (21k) and Ridgewood (25k) come to mind, and they are all way closer to Manhattan than Edison. Cities like Jersey City, Hoboken, Newark, Elizabeth, Passaic, Paterson are either too urban or too run down to qualify as desirable suburban cities. On the Westchester side, I think a good alternative candidate to White Plains would be New Rochelle as it is closer to the urban core with a large downtown and still pretty suburban in character when compared to its fellow southern Westchester cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Long Island doesn’t have any areas that come to mind. Meanwhile, Greenwich in Connecticut is possibly the most desirable upscale suburban city in the US but it’s 30 miles from Manhattan.
If you want a similar Conn. city (at least in look) I would say Stamford instead of Greenwich. Stamford does have somewhat higher crime and has part that are not that great (but so does Pasadena CA...), but at least there's half a skyline with that mixture of urban/suburban.
Of course, Stamford is not even in the census definition of New York MSA and while people that lives in Fairfield Co CT do commute to NYC, it's not as connected to NYC compare to Pasadena to LA or Bethesda to DC.
There are quite a few midsize-to-large towns in the inner core of North NJ, and some of them have some fairly sizable downtowns. Places like Montclair (41k), Englewood (29k), Hackensack(46k), Fort Lee (40k-which despite being directly across the GWB from Manhattan, is still largely suburban in character), Summit (21k) and Ridgewood (25k) come to mind, and they are all way closer to Manhattan than Edison. Cities like Jersey City, Hoboken, Newark, Elizabeth, Passaic, Paterson are either too urban or too run down to qualify as desirable suburban cities. On the Westchester side, I think a good alternative candidate to White Plains would be New Rochelle as it is closer to the urban core with a large downtown and still pretty suburban in character when compared to its fellow southern Westchester cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Long Island doesn’t have any areas that come to mind. Meanwhile, Greenwich in Connecticut is possibly the most desirable upscale suburban city in the US but it’s 30 miles from Manhattan.
I'm very familiar. Again, none of them are like Bethesda in built environment. That's my only point. Also none are like Pasadena from a population perspective.
Pasadena, definitely. Not so much Pasadena itself (I'd probably like Santa Monica or Long Beach even better), but the southern California environment lends itself to comfortable living 12 months a year, and the Northeast just doesn't... not even the southern Northeast.
And as others have noted, Pasadena does have a lively downtown, plus some architectural treasures,
notably its Craftsman house collection... and there are the mountains right behind the city.
I did live in Montgomery County long long ago... if I was going to return to the Northeast,
it would be a great choice. In fact, it's better now, with the western half of the Red Line in place
(back when I lived there, the Red Line ended at DuPont Circle). So Bethesda certainly comes in first in the transit category.
Of course, being able to access the entire DC area on Metro is wonderful. Transit in LA is getting better, but I can't imagine it
ever catching up to DC.
Haven't seen White Plains, so can't comment on it.
A Northern California entry in this discussion could be San Mateo.
Other than climate, it’s pretty much all Bethesda. The Metro stop so you can navigate without a car.
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