Need relocating advice for Lehighton Area (Allentown, Bethlehem: ski resorts, crime, home)

[bbcab]

Hi I Live in New York (husband, two kids 20 an 12) and we are considering relocating to PA. I can transfer but my job would be located in Lehighton. We would like to purchase a home in PA before relocating. We plan to drive to PA in April to scout some areas. Any input from anyone would be greatly appreciated. I am looking for good schools,driving conditions in PA, how are the winters there? and areas of interest such as (a variety of stores, family activities, my husband is also into his cars so any points of interest in that area would be appreciated!) but most importantly we would like to live in an area where people have respect and courtesy for one another. I know we live in a world of the unknown regarding safety but we are tired of looking over our shoulders!!! It would be nice to tone down the defense level and exhale most of the time. We feel we have outgrown New York (been there and seen it all) and would like to try to make a positive change.

Thanks for any and all input!!!

[toobusytoday]

I'm guessing you mean New York City when you say New York? We lived in the finger lakes area of New York and it was much more rural than the Lehigh Valley.

Lehighton is a very rural area. They do not get a lot of new people up there. You may find that they are not welcoming of new people, especially from NYC unless you tread lightly and only speak positively of your new town. The schools are not among the better ones in the area. Lehighton Area High School in Lehighton PA - SchoolDigger.com There's also a high percentage of free and reduced lunch eligible students, compared to the other non-city areas in the Lehigh Valley
Winters are comparable to those in NYC, but add in windy country roads that may or may not be plowed well depending on the budget in the townships. I wouldn't worry too much about crime and safety issues.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Hmm. No offense TBT, but you are slightly off base on a lot of your comments.

Lehighton is indeed rural when compared to NYC or even Bethlehem/Allentown, but it is a town nonetheless. Also, recently the area has seen an influx of new residents from NY, NJ, and other states. These are also a lot of the people who are investing in the area. A great example is the owner of the Red Castle Brewery and Castle Grill, who is a NJ native and is very active in the business community. He's becoming more the rule than the exception.

The Lehighton area also includes Jim Thorpe, which also has a lot of people relocating from surrounding states who have tired of the bump and grind of the cities and don't want to pay high Monroe County taxes.

It is true that the Lehighton S.D. leaves much to be desired. However, there are some great private/Catholic schools in the area. Palmerton area, which isn't far from Lehighton, is much better, as is Jim Thorpe S.D.

By the way, I might want to point out that it takes me just as long to get to Whitehall and some parts of Allentown and it takes some to get there from South Allentown, and I live in JT, so we really aren't THAT far away.

As for people not being welcoming of new people, that may be true of some of the people around here, and it can be frustrating. However, these are not people with whom you'd want to associate anyway. There are plenty of good people and newcomers in the area who would make you feel welcome.

The local boroughs and townships do a very good job of plowing the roads around here, and just about every borough and township has its own police force. The only drawback in terms of crime is increased drug activity in recent years on the streets of Lehighton. However, this is limited to a certain class of individuals and it doesn't affect the population much in general.

To the OP: personally I think you would prefer Jim Thorpe to Lehighton because of the array of activities there, but Jim Thorpe is right next door to Lehighton anyway so it doesn't matter too much. Definitely check the area out before you buy though, so you know what you are getting into.

[toobusytoday]

Thank you for the correction CarbonCountyLiving. I was not aware that Jim Thorpe was also included in the Lehighton area, which is a place that I know a lot of people like. I very much appreciate your comments about this subject and hope that you will keep an eye out for any future posts regarding your area.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Thank you for the correction CarbonCountyLiving. I was not aware that Jim Thorpe was also included in the Lehighton area, which is a place that I know a lot of people like. I very much appreciate your comments about this subject and hope that you will keep an eye out for any future posts regarding your area.

Will do!! JT is only a couple of miles from Lehighton.

[Clark Park]

The think the area is lovely with some really gorgeous scenery. The town of Jim Thorpe is so quaint and charming that it attracts tourists from near and far. Historic Victorian architecture, a surprising number of good restaurants, and lots of quirky little shops. Whenever I take someone there they are always give the place positive reviews.

I do not think the area has exactly the same climate as NYC ... it's further inland and a much higher altitude. Expect the winters to be several degrees colder with more inches of snowfall. On the other hand I think the summers will be more pleasant.

An interesting note about the little town of Lehighton: it actually has a beautiful old Jewish Synagogue in town with stained glass windows and a woman rabbi.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

I do not think the area has exactly the same climate as NYC ... it's further inland and a much higher altitude. Expect the winters to be several degrees colder with more inches of snowfall. On the other hand I think the summers will be more pleasant.

It actually depends. Lehighton borough is in a weird spot where it is kind of shielded by the mountains, so it typically sees the lower end of any expected snow totals. Further west toward Schuykill County sees more snow. In Jim Thorpe, it depends on if you are downtown or on the east side.

Lots of weird terrain and mountains makes for some interesting microclimates here. Someone up on 903 toward Albrightsville and the ski resorts might see 10 inches whereas here in town we'll just get an inch.

[bbcab]

Thank you everyone for your comments!!!

[MUtcd33]

The best schools would either be farther south in the Lehigh Valley (Emmaus, Parkland) which would be 25-30 miles from Lehighton (and larger and more urban) or Tamaqua or Blue Mountain School Districts in Southeastern Schuylkill County (anywhere from 5-20 miles from any given point in the Lehighton Area), although Tamaqua Borough looks crummy any of the outlying area is nice, especially eastern West Penn Township, which actually lies right on the Carbon County border and is only 5-10 miles west of Lehighton.

[geos]

Pennsylvania Superfund Sites
Palmerton's Health Hazard Restated State Report Again Points To Heavy Metal Contamination - Morning Call

You might want to check into superfund sites. Not sure what's happening with the zinc plant that was a source of heavy metal contamination.