Is Carlisle safe and is Harrisburg a fun little city to visit? (Hanover: crime rate, chapel)

[jamurphy]

I won't bore anyone with the details, but I may have a job opportunity in Carlisle. I live with my young son, and I want to be sure we're in a safe area with good schools. Is Carlisle a safe community? I've seen posts about a high crime rate in Carlisle, which really surprised me, so I'd like to get some more opinions about the safety factor there.

Also, I would want to go into Harrisburg for the museums, planetarium and other activities, so is Harrisburg an okay little city for doing things like that? Is it safe or not?

Thanks in advance for the help!

[ZER0]

Personally I wouldn't consider either safe TBQH. Lots of traffic and crime between the two of them. /2cents.

[ki0eh]

Carlisle is pretty safe except for a few row house blocks on the north side within the Borough limits where there is a criminal element that feeds on itself. All other areas are much less crime than average for USA.

Carlisle Area School District (SD) tests out better than average for PA. Cumberland Valley SD just east points out in top tier. The best shopping area in the Harrisburg metro is in Silver Spring Twp and Hampden Twp along US 11/Carlisle Pike with a Mechanicsburg address in Cumberland Valley SD.

If you work in Carlisle without a competing commute direction there is no need to move further toward Harrisburg than Hampden Twp. In fact a number of families working even in the Hershey area relocate to Cumberland Valley for shopping proximity. Even if you fancy row homes there are plenty of those in Carlisle itself with a few funky shops/restaurants to walk to. I'd stay south of High St if looking in the central row house area. East of or further out on Hanover St you could actually like within walking distance of food markets in the denser row home area.

The ugly fading commercial/truckstop strip along the indirect connection between I-81 and I-76/PA Turnpike in Middlesex Twp creates a bad impression for travelers through the area. Locals know how to and generally do avoid passing through this "Miracle Mile" - the major shopping areas are at other I-81 exits. Take a side road 0.1 mile away from this strip and you enter a different century. The surrounding Cumberland Valley countryside is as pretty as any in the USA IMHO, especially the tiny village of Boiling Springs 5 miles out (South Middleton SD).

Many of the traffic knots from the large Carlisle "Fairgrounds" events Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meets & Enthusiast Events can be avoided by locals with knowledge of their schedule. As is common for many other areas of PA, the legacy of past substandard design of major highways coupled with suburban and logistic growth does make rush hour traffic knots. If you travel your intended commuting route during intended commuting hours before committing to a residence location, you will get more of a sense of what happens in daily traffic. It is another reason not to live further out than you have to.

[ki0eh]

The attractions in Harrisburg, such as they are, are fine for visiting during the day. The fire museum is the only one in a transitionally "bad" neighborhood. National Civil War Museum is OK during the day approaching from the north or State/Walnut Street side. Downtown, midtown, and Shipoke is pretty safe except when the 2nd Street bars let out and only then when you stray too far from your own crowd. To a first approximation, the area around Market St and Derry St, from Cameron St east to the city limits is best avoided even during the day. The Greenbelt and City Island is OK during the day on a weekend with a bit of situational awareness.

[jamurphy]

Thanks for the input so far. I don't feel quite as bad about the earlier negative posts I read, but keep those comments coming!

[North Beach Person]

Carlisle, and the surrounding area, is fine. Many Marylanders have moved to the area and commute to Metro DC for work. Lower housing costs, lower tax burden (that could be argued) and better schools have been the draw. Many retirees have also gone to Carlisle in the last couple decades.

If I could move back to PA, Carlisle would be on my very short list.

Harrisburg? It's the kind of place you visit once unless you work there or go to the Farm Show.

[jamurphy]

S. West Street at around W. Chapel - is this a good area, for instance?

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by jamurphy

S. West Street at around W. Chapel - is this a good area, for instance?

If this is Carlisle do you mean West South St.?

If so, my brother, who lived in Carlisle until a few years ago, has said that the west side of South is problematic. I have friends who live on East South near the cemetery and they more or less like it there.

[ki0eh]

Yes there is a S. West as well as a W. South. That's not in the real problem area (barring immediate neighbor issues, I don't live there myself) although I personally would prefer to be either a little further out to the south or further east.

[jamurphy]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

If this is Carlisle do you mean West South St.?

If so, my brother, who lived in Carlisle until a few years ago, has said that the west side of South is problematic. I have friends who live on East South near the cemetery and they more or less like it there.

No, the address is S. West Street, but it's the same vicinity. I just heard from another person that it can be "iffy" in that area. Too bad, 'cause it's beautiful. Lots of old row houses, many restored and just gorgeous. Thanks for the reply!