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Hello-
I am a recent college graduate and just accepted a job in Mt. Laurel, NJ. I am looking for an area to live that is at the most a 30 min commute, has a lot of young professionals and some sort of downtown with a nightlife
Hello-
I am a recent college graduate and just accepted a job in Mt. Laurel, NJ. I am looking for an area to live that is at the most a 30 min commute, has a lot of young professionals and some sort of downtown with a nightlife
I am in a similar situation. Where are you coming from and what are your expectations? There are several downtowns but little in the way of nightlife. Collingswood and Haddonfield are your best bet. Cherry Hill doesn't really have a downtown, though the Garden State Mall area has a "faux" downtown. If you're really looking for nightlife, you'll have to go into Center City.
Moorestown if you hate traffic and mean <30minutes. Don't rule out Burlington county its nice and more affordable and close enough to philly. Haddonfield is good also, probably more expensive.
Depends on your definition of nightlife. Westmont (aka Haddon Township) and Collingswood will probably be your best bets although their nightlife is limited. Collingswood has the better downtown and restaurants but it doesn't have any alcohol serving establishments so you are limited to BYOB places that close by 10pm or so. Westmont has some pretty good bars but its downtown isn't as nice or pedestrian-friendly. Both of these places would be about 30min from Mount Laurel during rush hour and 15-20min during off-times.
If you actually want true nightlife + downtown, Philly is really the only option. However, it will significantly increase your commute time during rush hour plus you would have to make sure you have somewhere to park your car too.
I should also mention that both Collingswood and Westmont are along the PATCO train line which provides direct access to downtown Philly within 20min and the trains run 24/7.
Yea, as above poster mentioned, most of the nice downtowns in south Jersey, such as Collingswood, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Moorestown, and Riverton are all dry towns. Westmont is the main spot in the area to grab a drink, outside of Cherry Hill's plethora of chain restaurants.
Yea, as above poster mentioned, most of the nice downtowns in south Jersey, such as Collingswood, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Moorestown, and Riverton are all dry towns. Westmont is the main spot in the area to grab a drink, outside of Cherry Hill's plethora of chain restaurants.
I never even knew that, normally I just hit the liquor store n drink elsewhere. Westmont sounds like the obvious choice then. I know a pot head across the acme who rents his place for really cheap. Beware of the long time locals, they affiliate themself with Camden n let thier Rottweiler out on anyone who crosses them.
Philly to South Jersey is actually a fairly easy rush hour commute--more so coming in than going out (I could get from University City to the far end of Cherry Hill on 38 in 20 minutes during rush hour; a half hour coming back). Mt. Laurel would be a little longer (perhaps an extra 10-15 minutes each way depending on where) but it's still manageable.
Otherwise, live in Collingswood or Westmont (depending on how close you want to be to your brew-pubs and such ).
Also, while South Jersey does have a reputation for a lack of nightlife, don't underestimate the Cherry Hill area. The restaurants in the Cherry Hill Mall are always jumping on Friday and Saturday nights.
If your young and want night life, suburban SJ is not for you. Our cities suck and so do our liquor laws. Prepare to drive 73 alot and spend most of your time in traffic in order to get a social life.
Collingswood or Haddon Township (Westmont) are your best bet as everyone has suggested. I'm 30 and live in Collingswood - it's a good compromise. I have a single family house instead of a rowhouse, easy parking, can be in the city within 15-20 minutes 24/7. I commute to Mount Laurel. In terms of time, it depends where you're heading in Mount Laurel - I work right near the Mount Laurel/Maple Shade/Cherry Hill border and I consistently get into and home from work in 15-20 minutes tops.
You can do the reverse commute from Philadelphia as well, but expect to pay more. Philly neighborhoods like Fishtown and Northern Liberties have cheaper rents, easier parking, and better access to the northern bridges to get to Mount Laurel. However, if you are officially a Philadelphia resident, you will pay a 4% wage tax. This will be $2000 on a salary of $50K, for example. Plus, bridge tolls into NJ are expensive ($5/day). Also, expect your car insurance to increase.
Financially, the city makes the most sense when you work in the city. Once you start reverse commuting, you in many cases need to have a car. If you want to live in the action (Center City), expect to pay $200-300/month to find a place to park your car if your building doesn't have a spot included in your rent. Also, expect substantially more expensive rents if you want a nice place, space, or location.
That said, there is nothing else in the region like Center City. It is probably in the top 5 downtowns in the US. If you're renting, you could always start out in a town like Collingswood and see how you like your job, etc. before committing to the city. Good luck!
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