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We are a UK couple moving to Bergen County in mid October, husband being transferred with job, will be working in Glen Rock. Just trying to scope out rental properties. We have no children and from what I understand, picking somewhere like Ridgewood or Glen Rock in Bergen County comes with the price tag of the great school district but would we be throwing money away to be in a good school district that we effectively don't need? Ridgewood is top of our list as we love the town centre and walkability to bars and restaurants and train to NYC but when we look at somewhere like Hawthorne we see that we can get a lot more house for our money. Think I'm right in saying Hawthorne is outwith Bergen County?
Just trying to work out where we'd be happy to compromise. A bigger place in Hawthorne for less rent but still a decent, nice safe area and good access to Ridgewood and Glen Rock and surrounding areas, or pay top rent in Ridgewood for perhaps a smaller, older property but have access to the Ridgewood amenities.
Just a bit more info, we are early 40s, like to eat out, shop, travel into NYC once or twice a month. Looking in the $1500 - $2000 per month for 2 bed 1 bath ideally newer inside (new or renovated) with a little outdoor space and husband would like short commute to Glen Rock.
Thoughts welcome on where would be a good fit for us.
Hawthorne is super convenient to Glen Rock and Ridgewood. I lived there for two years and enjoyed the location quite a bit. Very safe, nice people, easy access to surrounding towns. Much more affordable than GR or RW.
Hawthorne is super convenient to Glen Rock and Ridgewood. I lived there for two years and enjoyed the location quite a bit. Very safe, nice people, easy access to surrounding towns. Much more affordable than GR or RW.
I'll add my vote for Hawthorne as well. My mother lives there, it is a very nice town. If you eventually plan to buy a house (or even if you don't) my suggestion would be to bank the money you'll save on rent and still enjoy the area. Hawthorne doesn't have the downtown area that RW or GR do, but they are both a short drive away.
You have got to be kidding. You're comparing Hackensack and Englewood to Wayne? Have you ever been anywhere in Wayne other than Willowbrook Mall? Like Pines Lake maybe? Or Packanack? Or Lions Head Lake? Ringwood and West Milford, while having their rustic areas, also have many many very expensive homes.
Really. I LOL'd at that one.
Do they have problems with black bears in Englewood and Hackensack? My sister's in West Milford. She's sending me photos of things like a great blue heron she spied hiding in the rushes by the water near her house.
How many horse farms do they have in Englewood and Hackensack?
Other than Paterson and the City of Passaic , what's so bad about Passaic County? Bergen County has Hackensack, doesn't it? There are a lot of nice towns in Passaic County, which another poster listed so I won't repeat them. Most of Bergen County, while nice, is congested and overpriced. Not that anywhere in North Jersey isn't expensive but Bergen can be nuts.
Half a million people in Passaic County in the 2010 census...Paterson + Passaic total about 215k of that(roughly 43%).
Bergen County has about 905k, and Hackensack(43k) + Englewood (27k) make up 7% of the town's population...and parts of those towns have very good parts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nunnor
Sorry but Passaic County will never be considered higher class or better than Bergen County anytime.
Paterson had ruined the reputation of the whole county. But even without Paterson, other towns such as Wayne, Ringwood, West Milford, etc. could be considered same lower-middle class cities like Englewood and Hackensack.
And are you kidding me? Wayne is a $100k+ town...a large university(WPU), two very good high schools(Valley+Hills), many shopping areas, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nunnor
Yes, Bergen County has Hackensack which is mostly Middle Class (Small parts of it being lower-middle class and small parts being higher class). Remember that most parts of Hackensack are very nice and wealthier. The city even has a high end mall (Shops at Riverside / Riverside Sq. Mall).
Even a town like Ridgewood and Saddle River has some section 8 housing.
Half a million people in Passaic County in the 2010 census...Paterson + Passaic total about 215k of that(roughly 43%).
Bergen County has about 905k, and Hackensack(43k) + Englewood (27k) make up 7% of the town's population...and parts of those towns have very good parts.
I'm not sure what your point is there. Is it that a higher percentage of Passaic County's population lives in the cities than Bergen County's? If so, I don't see the relevence, especially if you consider the size of Passaic County.
And I'm not trying to say Bergen isn't nice. I just contend that there are parts of Passaic County that are nice as well.
I'm not sure what your point is there. Is it that a higher percentage of Passaic County's population lives in the cities than Bergen County's? If so, I don't see the relevence, especially if you consider the size of Passaic County.
And I'm not trying to say Bergen isn't nice. I just contend that there are parts of Passaic County that are nice as well.
My point is that almost half of Passaic County's population is in those 2 city's("Other than Paterson and the City of Passaic , what's so bad about Passaic County?")...people will judge a county on almost half of its population being in 2 out of the 16 towns in the county.
to the OP, it all comes down to 'you can't have your cake and eat it too'. You're in your 40s from another country, without kids: If it's not a money issue (affordability vs the thought of having to spend $2000 for a 2br without stainless steel appliances), than you need to enjoy your quality of life NOW. And BTW, you're RENTING! So, start with RW. You hate it? go to GR? you hate it? go to Hawthorne or switch it up!
My point is that almost half of Passaic County's population is in those 2 city's("Other than Paterson and the City of Passaic , what's so bad about Passaic County?")...people will judge a county on almost half of its population being in 2 out of the 16 towns in the county.
That's what I thought you meant, which is why I disagree with the relevence. First of all, all of the population of any city, Paterson and Passaic included, are not "bad" as you seem to indicate. And, if you consider the physical size of those cities compared to the size of the entire county they are a small percentage. Paterson and Passaic together are physically smaller than Wayne, and Ringwood and West Milford are both much larger than even Wayne is. The inner-city character of those places is only one of the reasons they might not be as desirable as a more suburban town, in no way was I disparaging all the residents of those cities. I grew up in Paterson, and while I wouldn't want to live there now for a variety of reasons, it is not fair to paint all its residents with the same bad brush.
Granted, the same is true for Hackensack, which is a very small percentage of Bergen County and certainly has some nicer areas, which Paterson and Passaic probably lack. To be fair, there are other less desirable areas in Bergen as well, besides just parts of Hackensack, but I'm not trying to make this a Bergen v Passaic thread, my only objection was to one poster's assertion that Hawthorne should be avoided by virtue of the fact that it is in Passaic County. You also noted some of the absurdities in that person's posts.
to the OP, it all comes down to 'you can't have your cake and eat it too'. You're in your 40s from another country, without kids: If it's not a money issue (affordability vs the thought of having to spend $2000 for a 2br without stainless steel appliances), then you need to enjoy your quality of life NOW. And BTW, you're RENTING! So, start with RW. You hate it? go to GR? you hate it? go to Hawthorne or switch it up!
Repeatedly moving isn't much fun, not even for a couple without children. In addition to the repeated hassles, home doesn't feel very home-like if you're only planning to stay a short while.
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