Bangor PA (Allentown, Washington, Nazareth: homes, neighborhood, school)

[ltumielewi]

Our family has been living in Bangor PA for a year now. We relocated here when my husband retired from the NYPD after 30 years. We were looking for a place where his pension would not be taxed (found it), was quite rural (found it) had conveniences to stores and services (found it) and a good school system for children (found it). So all in all we think we found the perfect place. However, coming from NY, it is a total culture shock for us. Our children haven't made any "real" friends. They play with the neighborhood kids here and there. Unlike NY, people seem to keep to themselves more and it's really hard to get to know people. This has been discouraging for our children even though they really like the school and like living here. It is a very nice town, but we do not see ourselves here long term. Therefore, the question is, can anyone recommend a town (we are willing to switch states) that would have everything we are looking for? Of course, safety is #1 and we are realizing that every place has it's crime. So far we are pleased with Bangor and feel quite safe here. Our only complaint is domestic violence among some of the neighbors. It is a little unnerving even though these neighbors do not bother us, we do not like the children being exposed to it. All advice would be appreciated.

[karen_s]

I'll try to be as helpful as I can be. I have lived in the Slate Belt for my entire life.

I need to ask if you are in Bangor borough or in one of the outlying communities like Upper or Lower Mt Bethel Township, because it makes a huge difference demographics wise.

You have really hit a nerve with the domestic violence thing - you are 100% correct. I know Turning Point had a rural services division up here to try to help women/clients who couldn't drive down into the Valley for services. I spent years volunteering in EMS and you just wouldn't believe the amount of domestic incidents that result in injuries, and I'm sure I didn't even see the half of it.... you are also dealing with many communities who do not have 24/7 local police coverage. To me, the Bangor area has a HUGE drug problem (walk around downtown for a couple of hours and analyze the pedestrians you see) and take note of how many rehab counseling agencies are headquartered downtown as well.

Frankly, the town of Bangor has a huge "depressed" or "hopeless" vibe to me. Even though the townships and even Roseto don't have as much of that, you are still mixing all those kids in school together. The last time I tried to take my little ones to the Bangor Park after school to play, there were so many nasty, cursing teens hanging out there that I eventually left.

A move down into the Lehigh Valley more, say in an area like Lower/Upper Macungie Township, may be more what you are looking for, still rural and lots of services nearby, but less of an undesirable element. Also, some of those areas are more rapidly growing and with more "transplant" people, you and your children would have a better chance of finding friends.

[toobusytoday]

I concur with Karen. Bangor is not reflective of the whole Lehigh Valley.

[loose cannon]

It is a mess, and with Ron Angle around things will not improve.

[NEPA-x-pat]

Originally Posted by karen_s

I'll try to be as helpful as I can be. I have lived in the Slate Belt for my entire life.

I need to ask if you are in Bangor borough or in one of the outlying communities like Upper or Lower Mt Bethel Township, because it makes a huge difference demographics wise.

You have really hit a nerve with the domestic violence thing - you are 100% correct. I know Turning Point had a rural services division up here to try to help women/clients who couldn't drive down into the Valley for services. I spent years volunteering in EMS and you just wouldn't believe the amount of domestic incidents that result in injuries, and I'm sure I didn't even see the half of it.... you are also dealing with many communities who do not have 24/7 local police coverage. To me, the Bangor area has a HUGE drug problem (walk around downtown for a couple of hours and analyze the pedestrians you see) and take note of how many rehab counseling agencies are headquartered downtown as well.

Frankly, the town of Bangor has a huge "depressed" or "hopeless" vibe to me. Even though the townships and even Roseto don't have as much of that, you are still mixing all those kids in school together. The last time I tried to take my little ones to the Bangor Park after school to play, there were so many nasty, cursing teens hanging out there that I eventually left.

A move down into the Lehigh Valley more, say in an area like Lower/Upper Macungie Township, may be more what you are looking for, still rural and lots of services nearby, but less of an undesirable element. Also, some of those areas are more rapidly growing and with more "transplant" people, you and your children would have a better chance of finding friends.

Wow, thought it was just me back then. I student taught at Bangor Elementary a long time ago and that is the exact word I would have used...DEPRESSING. I thought it was just my situation of student teaching, or maybe terribly nasty weather that winter but that is the vibe I got too.

Maybe you should look to Nazareth. My bro loves it there. I think it is a nice town too from my visits.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I concur with Karen. Bangor is not reflective of the whole Lehigh Valley.

The slate belt statistically seems stuck in time. In the last 30 years Monroe County went from a population of 69.4K to 169.8K.

Allentown changed from 5% Latino to 43% Latino in those same 30 years. Lehigh County now has the largest Latino population by percentage of all the counties in Pennsylvania.

Bangor had a population of 5,687 in 1940 and 5,273 seventy years later. Only 418 people listed themselves on the 2010 census as something other than White, non-Latino. The entire Slate Belt has population of 36K.

But, you could see some dramatic shifts in a few years, if more developers take advantage of the inexpensive land and the bridge to build some showpiece homes.

[karen_s]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

It is a mess, and with Ron Angle around things will not improve.

He was actually voted out this time, believe it or not

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by karen_s

He was actually voted out this time, believe it or not

Chapman: Angle, 14 to 11.
Portland: Angle, 45 to 37.
East Bangor: Angle, 55 to 50.
Lehigh: Angle, 671 to 562. (Angle needed a larger win here)
Plainfield: Angle, 527 to 516. (Angle needed a bigger win here).

Bangor: Parsons, 290 to 167. (Angle never does well here).
Bushkill: Parsons, 486 to 450 (Angle needed to win big here).
Lower Mount Bethel: Parsons, 230 to 182. (Angle has tangled the past few years with Supervisors over land use ordinances)
Moore: Parsons, 786 to 600. (Angle traditionally wins here)
Pen Argyl: Parsons, 136 to 101. (Expected. Parsons works here and did live here).
Roseto: Parsons, 129 to 108. (Angle was booed in May at an event in Roseto, over his Gracedale stand. He got some of them back, but not enough).
Upper Mount Bethel: Parsons, 646 to 591. (Angle alienated voters in his home district with his stand on GEO and his reluctance to spend County money to preserve environmentally sensitive land).
Upper Nazareth: Parsons, 323 to 208. (Angle usually loses here, but the margin is probably the result of his Gracedale stand).
Walnutport: Parsons, 92 to 90.
Washington: Parsons, 333 to 259.
Wind Gap: Parsons, 215 to 141. (Parson’s home town).

[nothappygettingrippedoff]

We live near Jacktown. We have had our outbuildings broken into three times this year. Our neighbors have been robbed as well. We never hear anything unless its by mouth. Any good reason why? We are getting very angry...We love this area, have wonderful neighbors, and have been here for eight years with nothing but good to say...except this. We are angry, our neighbors are angry. Why is this kept so quiet?

[karen_s]

Originally Posted by nothappygettingrippedoff

We live near Jacktown. We have had our outbuildings broken into three times this year. Our neighbors have been robbed as well. We never hear anything unless its by mouth. Any good reason why? We are getting very angry...We love this area, have wonderful neighbors, and have been here for eight years with nothing but good to say...except this. We are angry, our neighbors are angry. Why is this kept so quiet?

What township are you in nothappy? Washington? The problem is this as far as keeping it quiet. You (and hopefully lots of your neighbors too) will need to get to your board of supervisors meeting and make a stink about it. Apparently, your local police department is not publicizing the break-ins, for whatever reason, so the word is not getting out. If you want the publicity, then you will have to get your elected officials to lean on the police department, or contact the local news outlets yourselves. It stinks, but unfortunately that seems to be the way things are going these days.