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Despite my reluctance about Penn Station commuting and what a hell-hole that place is, I'm still looking in the South Orange to Summit corridor. I think I can swing a regular work-from-home day or two a week, maybe more.
My question: how much of a buffer geographically do you need to be safely free of the urban blight of places like East Orange, Newark, or Irvington. Specifically wondering if you need an entire town (ruling out South Orange and Maplewood), a neighborhood, or just several blocks? The concern is overflow - imagine that some residents and their homes in the more affluent towns, especially in the border areas, make for easy and attractive "pickings" by thugs on the other side of the town line.
Hm, I think you posed your question in an incredibly obnoxious way and I'm loathe to even answer you because I smell a troll but here goes--
in general you will be safe in SO and Maplewood and West Orange with the caveat that you will be even safer in Millburn and Summit and points west.
If you are uncomfortable living in inner ring suburbs like the towns I mentioned above (Maplewood, SO, and West Orange) just skip it and move further west and keep your demeaning comments to yourself, thank you.
Within the borders of South Orange, Maplewood, I would be safe, regardless of proximity to other towns?
I would not want to live near their borders with Newark or Irvington. I think your best bet would be to drive through the different neighborhoods and see what you like. Everyone's opinion will differ about what is safe.
I live in West Orange and have no concern about any of the bordering towns (neither of which is Newark or Irvington).
Crime stats are available online from many sources, including CityData. I think what you'll find is the following:
(a) Maplewood and South Orange both have crime rates below average
(b) Millburn/Summit/Short Hills have even lower crime rates
Remarkably little crime from Irvington/Newark spills over into Maplewood/South Orange. I think the reason is that, just like any other place, the crime in Irvington/Newark is also concentrated in certain areas, and those aren't the areas that border Maplewood/South Orange. Of course, the police in South Orange and Maplewood have a lot to do with keeping the towns safe.
Everyone's desired "buffer" is going to be different, and in practice it's more an emotional/mental thing than a reality. Not long ago there was a string of robbery/burglary crimes in the upper (read: expensive) reaches of Maplewood and others in Millburn. It's not like most thieves don't have access to cars these days.
The type of crime that occurs on foot/bicycle, and would thereby be more influenced by a geographic buffer, is much more of the petty crime variety: stuff stolen from front yards, garages, etc. Violent crime is very rare in all of these towns, and the overall numbers are so low that it's probably difficult to draw many conclusions when it comes to violent crime (e.g. statistics may show your teenager is more likely to get into a fight in South Orange, and more likely to be hit in the head by a baseball bat wielding racist Baptist minister at Millburn high school).
Some people we know in Maplewood/South Orange have a mental "buffer" line at the train tracks, but there are many nices houses on the "other" side of the tracks, and that's probably way too conservative. Others have a mental buffer that pretty much extends nearly all the way to the borders, if not quite to the border (i.e. within a few blocks). South Orange has Seton Hall pretty much on its worst border, so there is always a presence there that helps keep that area from deteriorating; Maplewood's new police station is almost directly on the border with Irvington/Union and many think it provides some extra level of buffer.
Personally, while I probably wouldn't live right on the border, and while the border areas have different characteristics across the length of the towns, my impression is that usually at most points several blocks away (e.g. 6 or more blocks) is enough of a border.
But as I said, this is mostly an individual emotional issue anyway, so you'll have to answer that for yourself. Best bet is to check out any area many times, on foot, during the day AND the night, on both weeknights AND weekends, to get a feel for the area. Talk to local residents and ask questions. Talk to the police and ask their opinions about different neighborhoods/streets. I've always found people are a good source of information.
If you have a specific street or streets in mind, let me know and I can ask for opinions from some friends that live in town.
Within the borders of South Orange, Maplewood, I would be safe, regardless of proximity to other towns?
The reality is, yes, you would "be" safe pretty much anywhere within the borders of Maplewood/South Orange. But you might "feel" more safe with at least a few blocks of a buffer zone, and how you feel about a place is always important to consider.
Despite my reluctance about Penn Station commuting and what a hell-hole that place is, I'm still looking in the South Orange to Summit corridor. I think I can swing a regular work-from-home day or two a week, maybe more.
My question: how much of a buffer geographically do you need to be safely free of the urban blight of places like East Orange, Newark, or Irvington. Specifically wondering if you need an entire town (ruling out South Orange and Maplewood), a neighborhood, or just several blocks? The concern is overflow - imagine that some residents and their homes in the more affluent towns, especially in the border areas, make for easy and attractive "pickings" by thugs on the other side of the town line.
To be truly safe, I'd recommend that you move to a concrete bunker in Nebraska.
Hm, I think you posed your question in an incredibly obnoxious way and I'm loathe to even answer you because I smell a troll but here goes--
It's not an obnoxious question. It's a very valid question stated honestly. Some of you people are so touchy sometimes.
Anywho... I don't live in the area, but am pretty familiar with it. The towns even close to Irvington look pretty nice to me. A little farther west is Caldwell, Roseland, etc. Maybe those towns would make you feel a bit safer. I know for a fact that Millburn and Short Hills are both very nice towns.
Maybe a local can address this concern: Is there any "cheating" in terms of schools where some residents from Irvington find their way into neighboring school districts - you know, the old "use your aunt's address" kinda deal? That happens in Ewing and the overflow from Trenton has ruined that town's HS.
When you use words like "thug" and "urban blight" yes, you're being obnoxious. And you continue to be obnoxious with your conciliatory comment of "Some of you people are so touchy sometimes."
Now you're wondering about "overflow" ruining the schools.
I was right about a troll among us.
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