Help with relocation to Delaware (Wilmington, Newark: sales, apartment, rental)

[JMac8]

Hello, I have been offered a 2 year job in South Philadelphia at the Naval Yard and wondered if living in Delaware and commuting was a reasonable option? We heard Delaware is tax free to some extent. To avoid traffic I am more than willing to ride the rail but I didn't know if the rails extended into Delaware? We are a family of four so we are looking for a 3 bedroom home or apartment in an area with decent schools for our first grader. I would like to limit my commute to 30 minutes one way and our goal for rent would be $1000-$1500 a month. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any comments are appreciated!

[longnecker]

If you were planning on driving I95 and living north of Wilmington I would say go for it. Very do able. But taking the train although possible would be a hassle making connections. The train station in Phila would require another connection to get to the Navy base.

[JMac8]

Long, do you think traffic would be reasonable at say 6:30-7:00am on I95? Do you know about how long the drive would be from the Wilmington area? Thanks for the reply.

[longnecker]

I did a similar trip from Claymont for years and it was not bad. I have been away too long to give good time estimates.

[Funch]

True, DE is low tax BUT...that means LOTS of people from PA & NJ have moved to DE in recent years to escape their states' taxes. Result? Northern DE has overstressed infrastructure -- excessive traffic, many beat up roads, scarce, overpriced and subpar rental housing, many slap-em-up, shoddily built subdivisions, some overstressed school districts, and rising prices on everything.

I lived in Newark, DE for 1 year -- '10-'11. Worst year of my life. After 6 months of utter frustration with life there I'd had it. Moved back to NW Wisconsin exactly 1 year after moving to northern DE. I also hated that the transient population was always in a hurry & unable or unwilling to socialize.

Worst were the overstressed medical services. DE was literally hazardous to my health this way: It took WAY too long to get appt with ANY doctor and getting thru to a real person, the first time on the phone for medical and most other businesses was VERY rare. Voice mail jail is the rule. And most businesses, medical offices, etc. don't believe in returning phone calls. I literally had to personally drive to an office just to make an appointment in one case.

The area is so densely populated that customer service everywhere suffers: If you, the customer (patient, client, etc) doesn't like something, the provider can simply holler (literally or figuratively) "Next!" and there's a line of other potential customers waiting behind. Newark post offices especially bad this way -- always a line at least 7 people deep. It actually took LESS time to drive 10+ miles up to a small town post off due north of Newark, just across the state line in rural PA, to get faster service all total.

If you're from the Midwest and have never lived in a heavily populated part of any Mid-Atlantic state, DON'T DO IT.

p.s. I'm originally from a Midwestern big city, and know all about big city living, but I still hated northern DE.

[skeddy]

there's a lot of differences between living out in the midwest and the Mid-Atlantic/east coast. The best of the best (doctors and medical professionals) don't generally settle in less populated areas with less amenities and culture as found in the midwest, but each area of the country has it's own advantages and disadvantages.

[TeddyP27]

We moved to Claymont (about 5 miles N of Wilmington) in December and do the 95-76-U City commute daily starting at 7-7:10am. We are at our desks by 7:50 pretty consistently...sometimes a little early, sometimes a little late. I also have a few backup routes if there are issues on the Platt Bridge. You should have a straight shot if you are leaving Wilmington around 6:30am. Your biggest weapon is 1060AM and "traffic on the 2's".

[citygirl3133]

After living in DE the better part of a year now, I would say the sales tax savings is negligible and more than offset by higher utilities and grocery cost. I was ASTOUNDED at the change in my utility bill.

[Kristin730]

Originally Posted by Funch

True, DE is low tax BUT...that means LOTS of people from PA & NJ have moved to DE in recent years to escape their states' taxes. Result? Northern DE has overstressed infrastructure -- excessive traffic, many beat up roads, scarce, overpriced and subpar rental housing, many slap-em-up, shoddily built subdivisions, some overstressed school districts, and rising prices on everything.

I lived in Newark, DE for 1 year -- '10-'11. Worst year of my life. After 6 months of utter frustration with life there I'd had it. Moved back to NW Wisconsin exactly 1 year after moving to northern DE. I also hated that the transient population was always in a hurry & unable or unwilling to socialize.

Worst were the overstressed medical services. DE was literally hazardous to my health this way: It took WAY too long to get appt with ANY doctor and getting thru to a real person, the first time on the phone for medical and most other businesses was VERY rare. Voice mail jail is the rule. And most businesses, medical offices, etc. don't believe in returning phone calls. I literally had to personally drive to an office just to make an appointment in one case.

The area is so densely populated that customer service everywhere suffers: If you, the customer (patient, client, etc) doesn't like something, the provider can simply holler (literally or figuratively) "Next!" and there's a line of other potential customers waiting behind. Newark post offices especially bad this way -- always a line at least 7 people deep. It actually took LESS time to drive 10+ miles up to a small town post off due north of Newark, just across the state line in rural PA, to get faster service all total.

If you're from the Midwest and have never lived in a heavily populated part of any Mid-Atlantic state, DON'T DO IT.

p.s. I'm originally from a Midwestern big city, and know all about big city living, but I still hated northern DE.

I was kind of shocked after reading this post, but we moved here from Baltimore, and I spent the latter half of my childhood in northern Virginia. Compared to life in those places, northern Delaware is a slower pace of life (particularly traffic!), friendly, and not crowded. Seven people in a line is nothing if you're coming from a place where it would be double digits.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by citygirl3133

After living in DE the better part of a year now, I would say the sales tax savings is negligible and more than offset by higher utilities and grocery cost. I was ASTOUNDED at the change in my utility bill.

Where did you relocate from? DH and I came from NY and our COL is 1/10 of what we paid in NY even acknowledging that water (Tidewater Utilities) and some grocery items are more expensive that on Long Island.