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My husband and I are ready to try living out of the city... We have a 6 yr old and an 8 yr old. My concerns are that a) I have never lived outside of Manhattan b) we are a bi-racial couple (I am half-black and half white-somewhat dark skinned) My husband is Italian and my daughter has blue eyes and reddish brown hair but my son is darker and favors my side of the family) we want some where they will not feel out of place and c) goods schools -my son has some learning disabilities. My husband works in Jersey City and I work in midtown. We are looking to spend 1700-2100 on a three-bedroom rental in a good neighborhood. Allot of people are saying Montclair. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
You could try to look in Cranford, or Westfield. they both have pretty good school systems. I also know for a fact that minorities are growing in the town of cranford. the only problem about cranford is its closeness to clark, which a lot of people say is racist, but its easy to avoid clark.
hopefully this website will help... New Jersey Schools - New Jersey State School Ratings - Public and Private
I highly doubt you'll have any racial issues anywhere in the vast majority of New Jersey towns. If I were you, I'd look around at towns and pick the one I like most. Judge a town how anyone would - safety/crime rate, layout, scenery, proximity to transportation and recreational activities you enjoy, school district - not how many people of a certain racial background live there. I can't see many people particularly giving much thought to what percentage of what nationality you or your husband are.
FWIW, if you're looking in North Jersey, Cranford (which has been mentioned) is a very nice town.
I agree with Dan. You're not going to have much problem because of skin color, it's more about presentation and behavior that might play into stereotypes.
In most middle class, even predominantly white suburbs in NJ, they don't care that you're black. So long as you're not riding around on 22 inch chrome spinners, blasting thumping rap music, and holding Kid N' Play style house parties, you'll be fine.
It's all about fitting in with the attitudes and lifestyles of where you live. When in Rome, and all that.
That said, Montclair is a good choice. I'd also recommend checking out Ridgewood, Maplewood, Roseland, Verona, Caldwell, Nutley, and Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson).
South Orange and Maplewood! They share a school district -- GREAT schools and a focus on diversity. I am a product of these communities and the school system and I love it here. If the taxes weren't prohibitively high for me I'd be staying.
Let' see. Keywords: Midtown, JC, kids, good schools, diversity.
I think Montclair would be the "sweet spot" but pricy. However it might be worth looking into an adjacent town or area to Montclair such as Cedar Grove, Verona, or Little Falls. I'd lean to Verona with the walkable downtown and Verona park.
The schools will be better but less diverse there. Rents would be lower than Montclair proper. But Montclair is one town over (the new park & ride train stop at MSU is there too) and easy to get to.
One of the prior posts mentioned Nutley. I will also say check Nutley out too, i think it has some characeter. You can catch the nearby train at Delawanna to go to NYC/JC.
I highly doubt you'll have any racial issues anywhere in the vast majority of New Jersey towns.
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Originally Posted by Citizen Chin
I agree with Dan. You're not going to have much problem because of skin color
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Mod cut: personal attack.While there are some towns in New Jersey that seem to welcome, encourage, and/or celebrate diversity, the vast majority of towns are predominately of one racial group, or segregated. There is not a doubt in my mind that if a bi-racial couple moved into any one of the plethora of all white towns, that they would undoubtedly be met with some form of adversity. Whether it be in the form of exclusion from social gatherings, to a more overt type of discrimination. Did you know that there is an organized group of the Ku Klux Klan in Sayreville? In Millville? In Helmetta also? I am not insinuating that most white towns would burn a cross on the lawn of a bi-racial couple, but to suggest that they would welcome them with open arms is a fantasy. I would suggest avoiding Sayreville, Millville, Helmetta, and all of the towns that surround them. I would also avoid many of the upper-middle-class towns of Somerset County. There is a lot of old-school blue-blooded racism flowing around those towns. Avoid Sussex County, too. It just is not worth the chance that you will move near some narrow-minded bigot in these areas.
While there are a lot of towns I would certainly advise a bi-racial couple to avoid, there are a few that I would recommend. Piscataway is racially and ethnically diverse, relatively safe, with a good school system. Montclair is a good choice, and probably most of Essex County. Union County should be cool. While northern Middlesex County is OK, I would avoid the southern part. In and around Morristown and Dover: thumbs up. Further out in Morris county: avoid.
Be careful in Bergen County; research the town first. I don't mean to sound unrealistic but the fact is that racism is alive and well in the Garden State,
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It's sad that you have to worry about this in USA.
