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Hello!
My family is considering a move to New Jersey in the next year. We have an 18 month old and don't partake in the "nightlife." We want a small city/town that is SAFE - we love parks and being able to take a walk to get ice cream together. I know to avoid Irvington, Newark, Keansville, East Orange, Asbury Park, & Trenton. Yet all the safest towns seem to be overly priced for an old, run down apartment. I receive SSI for crippling arthritis in my hands and neck, and am also a student via distance education. My husband is also a student and plans to find whatever work is available there. We're living off student loans and my SSI until then, so our budget is pretty limited. Ideally, we'd love a two bedroom...but we're fine with a one bedroom for now until we get more established. We'd love to be closer to the city, but realize it is not in our budget and ideals for a normal "suburban" lifestyle.
Does anyone have any supportive suggestions for SAFE, family orientated towns/cities with affordable rent? We're willing to spend up to $1000 a month and really yearn for the peace of mind for our son. Thanks so much in advance!
Why on earth would you move to New Jersey under those circumstances? Is there a reason you're moving here? Where do you need to be? North Jersey? South Jersey? does it matter? What are you doing here?
Hello!
My family is considering a move to New Jersey in the next year. We have an 18 month old and don't partake in the "nightlife." We want a small city/town that is SAFE - we love parks and being able to take a walk to get ice cream together. I know to avoid Irvington, Newark, Keansville, East Orange, Asbury Park, & Trenton. Yet all the safest towns seem to be overly priced for an old, run down apartment. I receive SSI for crippling arthritis in my hands and neck, and am also a student via distance education. My husband is also a student and plans to find whatever work is available there. We're living off student loans and my SSI until then, so our budget is pretty limited. Ideally, we'd love a two bedroom...but we're fine with a one bedroom for now until we get more established. We'd love to be closer to the city, but realize it is not in our budget and ideals for a normal "suburban" lifestyle.
Does anyone have any supportive suggestions for SAFE, family orientated towns/cities with affordable rent? We're willing to spend up to $1000 a month and really yearn for the peace of mind for our son. Thanks so much in advance!
I'm echoing the other poster--WHY? You didn't answer the questions in the sticky at the top of the page, and it's a fair question. NJ is a very expensive place to live, and you seem to already know that, so what is your interest in trying to find something that you already know does not exist? Your "overly priced" remark is odd. Overly priced for what? Iowa? Alabama? The prices in NJ are what they are for many reasons, the proximity to New York City being one of them.
I'm glad you're "willing" to spend up to $1000 a month, but there isn't much out there for that price, at least in North Jersey. Try the South Jersey subforum--you might have better luck.
I'm surprised at the level of rudeness because of my choice. I don't know why my reasons to move anywhere is at all relevant to the topic onhand. I have my reasons, otherwise I would not be considering moving away from my hometown.
Also, I HAVE found places within my budget. The MAIN OBJECTIVE TO MY QUESTION is safety - I was asking for information on safe towns that are family-friendly. Little did I know that people would judge and seem to ridicule me for asking advice on areas that are affordable yet safe.
What you call rude the rest of us call honesty. There is so much information missing from your original post that prevent us from making an actual recommendation. All we know is that you are moving to NJ with no job, no savings, and an expectation to live in a walkable, safe town in a modern yet less than $1,000/month 1BR apartment. Do you need a car / parking? Do you have a car? What kind of work will your husband do? Will it be important to have mass transit access to NYC? Or job centers in NJ like Newark or Jersey City? We also don't know what you consider safe and family friendly.
This is funny. You think people are being rude? We are just realistic. What you are asking does not exist. You are being irresponsible. You have a child, no job lined up in NJ and you want to move here? Good luck.
No one, I repeat no one is going to rent you an apartment unless you are willing to pay for 1 year up front. I know, I have done tenant screenings. So even though a 2 bedroom could exist somewhere in the 1000 price range, how do you expect to show that you can pay for that?
As far as towns that MAY have something in this range, try Lyndhurst, East Rutherford but honestly I don't know if you will have any luck.
Plenty of low income towns scattered across the state if you ignore the
The towns you mention are very scattered and imply you don't care where you live in NJ just as long as it's safe and you can walk around.
As for safety you can get be in danger in even ithe safest city so the best guide is statistical info. Of course the cities mentioned are high on the list of generational chronic crime that seems institutionalized in those places.
Plenty of low income towns scattered across the state if you ignore the typical requirements of living within an hour of NYC, nightlife and 'diversity' reknown destinations. Plenty of living located in between all the heralded destinations.
South jersey, northwest nj, west central all filled with small towns that might accomodate your situation. Wonder where you live now? Plenty of other folks might want to move there.
I'm surprised at the level of rudeness because of my choice. I don't know why my reasons to move anywhere is at all relevant to the topic onhand. I have my reasons, otherwise I would not be considering moving away from my hometown. Also, I HAVE found places within my budget. The MAIN OBJECTIVE TO MY QUESTION is safety - I was asking for information on safe towns that are family-friendly. Little did I know that people would judge and seem to ridicule me for asking advice on areas that are affordable yet safe.
No one was rude at all. You came on here asking for something that at first glance, does not exist. We are trying to help you, but no one can if you don't supply the needed information. The question as to why you are moving to Jersey is not rude--you could be a student, you could be moving to be near a family member, etc., etc., etc. OK, so don't say why you are coming here. Fine. But do give us some information about your requirements other than the vague "safe" and "cheap"--everybody wants that.
And you never once mentioned specific towns you have looked at that you've found "within your budget" and asked about them. You only mentioned towns/cities that you know have safety issues. Why aren't you asking about specific towns? There are almost 600 municipalities in NJ. We cannot guess which ones you are looking at.
And supply the vital information, such as do you need commuting options to NYC.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 05-05-2012 at 07:45 AM..
I'm surprised at the level of rudeness because of my choice. I don't know why my reasons to move anywhere is at all relevant to the topic onhand.
I'm going to make a good-faith attempt to answer your initial question, but, this needs to be addressed first. The earlier posters were not being rude, they were stating their views on what is realistic: if you are extremely bothered by this mode of communication you won't be a cultural fit for the urban Northeast, period. The second is you really have provided insufficient information -- while you can't get exactly what you want, we could suggest the best possible compromise if we had more information on what you are looking for.
With that in mind, here are some suggestions based on possible reasons:
School (husband's) or family in northwest NJ: Go to the northeast Pennsylvania subforum, the tremendous bang-for-your-buck benefit is worth the extra commuting time.
School (husband's) or family in southern NJ: go to the southern NJ subforum, the main NJ forum is dominated by people from northern and central NJ (myself included) and you'll find more knowledge there.
School (husband's) or family in Northern or Central NJ: You have a choice between a one bedroom (maybe even a two if you get lucky or go somewhere really unfortunate) in an unsafe, urban area or an old run-down studio for about 800-1000/month somewhere nice (I can't make any specific suggestions with the paltry information you've provided, however). The problem with the latter is that there is a very real possibility that you will not find a single landlord willing to rent such a place to you with your income unless you are able to provide a year's rent up front, but, it doesn't hurt to make the attempt at looking and see if you get lucky.
Being in NJ just to be in NJ: You are making a mistake. The ONLY benefit from being in NJ for the sake of being within state borders in NJ that can't be replicated either better or cheaper in another state is the level of unemployment benefits, and to get those you need to be able to hold down a job for ~6 months in the state first, and even after that it's scaled to how much you were making there.
If you think blunt honesty and being realistic is rude, this place will eat you alive...
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Plenty of low income towns scattered across the state if you ignore the
