Easton?

[toobusytoday]

This site is pretty cool: Map: Where Americans Are Moving - Forbes.com If you click on Northampton county you'll see that people are moving in from NY and NJ but moving out to places all over the US.

[Clark Park]

I lived in Easton for a couple of years before buying my house and moving to Philly.

I liked Easton ... a lot. I did not live in one of the better areas like up on the hill by Lafayette College - in fact I lived on the 600 block of Ferry Street near the courthouse which was a little rough. Why did I like it? I found a lot of friendly people, there were some good restaurants nearby, the town is not totally dead after 7 PM and there are several attractive eating and drinking places. The old historic area downtown is actually a pleasant place to stroll. My rent was very cheap. Nearby on Northamption there was a "brew pub" with really great food and a good selection of locally crafted beers.

Easton is a working class blue collar town. The people are unpretentious. My parents would not approve of some of my neighbors - they would have characterized them as "low class trailer park type people" (but my parents were a bit snobby - I am much more tolerant). I liked the fact I didn't need to use my car - downtown, the library, etc. was all walking distance.

The best areas are up on the hill by the college or on the western edge of the town by the Jewish synagogue.

[Pennsport]

Not all that many people at all. Forks township and Palmer expanded from natural growth, but Easton never got that wealthy base that it needed. Maybe some day if Jersey taxes continue to skyrocket, or if mass transportation builds out in a big way.

[geos]

I would take Easton over Allentown any day. In fact I did. I just moved to Easton. The parts of Allentown I saw had ghetto written all over them. Easton has rough spots but a lot less than Atown. The rents and home prices in both areas are really incredible bargains. Where else can you get a move-in ready house for $35k that's commuting distance to NYC & Philly???

[sheena12]

Our recent house hunt took us to Easton PA. We moved FROM an upper middle class Long Island suburb and we were seeking a more diverse and urban atmosphere. We still wanted where ever we moved to have a nearby college or university.

Easton filled the bill in a number of ways

There seemed to be a vibrant cultural and artistic scene.
The presence of Lafayette College
An attractive down town area
a diverse community
proximity to both NY, Phillie, and the Jersey Shore

It is not a lily, white, pristine or boring suburb. It is a bit edgy and urban, but vibrant and IMHO worth a look. I also think that it is headed in a good direction.

[lehnnkol]

Would love to move back to Easton ------------My job is 1.5 hrs in NJ . Is it hard getting to and from Easton. My job starts at 8:15?

[lehnnkol]

I would love to move back.

[sheena12]

I don't think all of most of Easton is comprised of "low class trailer park type people" - nor would my country club type parents think that!

There is an art scene, upscale outdoor dining, an excellent college and a historic district. Not that I particularly care what my parents think at this stage of life, but they would see it as a bit bohemian and urban - but not trashy.

They would more likely look at faux plastic "Victorians" planted on flat, former farmlands as "trashy" That might be one place where I would agree with them.
Even though I grew up on Long Island, my parents insisted that we lived in an "actual town", with history and roots that predated suburbia, not a subdivision on a turnpike liked with strip malls.

[Kefir King]

I bristled at the "up and coming" remark of a very early post. Like Allentownn and Bethlehem I think the term "out and going" is more appropriate. I know the area from a hald century ago.

I have often thought of going back to my homeland Lehigh Valley because the homes that I thought prestigious as a child are being sold for peanuts. But then I am stopped by thoughts of urban violence, no jobs, and urban decline on an Appalachaia level...so I stay in New York City.
Everyone who has stayed tell me DO NOT THINK of coming back.

Is there any industry left except a casino where the mighty Beth Steel once stood? Are Dixie cups made in Easton? If not WHAT?

[toobusytoday]

Urban decline on an Appalachia level?? Easton and Allentown are small cities and, just like the rest of the country has fairly high unemployment, but it's a bit dramatic to compare it to Appalachia. Of the two cities, I think Easton has an edge over Allentown, but Bethlehem leads both. Kefir King, perhaps if you read this forum a little bit you can see what's going on in the area. Bethlehem Steel is long gone, but there certainly are other companies that have moved in.

http://articles.mcall.com/2011-08-02...mployment-rate

Statewide, the number of public sector jobs was down 21,300 from June 2010 to June 2011.

In the same period, the Lehigh Valley — a region that includes Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County, N.J. — added 1,000 manufacturing jobs, 1,300 jobs in transportation, warehousing and utilities, and 2,600 jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector.