Job transfer to Horseheads, NY (New York, Rochester: rental, home, school district)
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Hello. My husband has been offered a transfer to Horseheads, NY. We have lived in Louisiana for pretty much all of our lives. We have two children, ages 1 and 5. The five year old would be beginning kindergarden. I'm wondering what it's like in Horseheads, NY. What are the schools like? Is the population diverse, as my family is African American of Creole descent? Would it be best to reside in a nearby town and commute? Ultimately, I would like to live in a place with a good school district and a safe family-oriented environment. We will be traveling there before making a final decision. Any information would help. Thank you in advance.
Hello. My husband has been offered a transfer to Horseheads, NY. We have lived in Louisiana for pretty much all of our lives. We have two children, ages 1 and 5. The five year old would be beginning kindergarden. I'm wondering what it's like in Horseheads, NY. What are the schools like? Is the population diverse, as my family is African American of Creole descent? Would it be best to reside in a nearby town and commute? Ultimately, I would like to live in a place with a good school district and a safe family-oriented environment. We will be traveling there before making a final decision. Any information would help. Thank you in advance.
I think you would be fine in Horseheads, but it isn't that diverse. You wouldn't be the only Black family or anything, but it is only about 2% Black in the school district boundaries. It is a very good school district though.
Elmira, the main city of the area, has a good sized Black population(about 15-18%). Its school district reputation isn't too good according to some, but you also have Catholic School options in the city from Pre K-12. So, you could possibly look into that as an option in terms of living in the city of Elmira, but going with Catholic schools. perhaps look into the far West Side of the city close to the suburb of West Elmira, if not West Elmira or the suburb of Southport south/SW of Elmira, which also feeds into the Elmira City SD.
Corning, while not much more diverse than Horseheads, does have a notable Black population including a church that worships out of the African American tradition in the city and has been around since 1920: Friendship Baptist Church Most of the Black population in that area is in the eastern portion of the city, the Tuxill Avenue area of the village of South Corning and some in Gang Mills west of the city of Corning. It is about 20 minutes from Horseheads. Schools seem to be solid and there appears to be some great programs as well.
Another possibility could be to look into parts of Tompkins County, in perhaps the Newfield School District, which is a rural/small town district within a reasonable distance from Horseheads and has a little bit higher Black student enrollment or even look into Ithaca or areas that feed into the Ithaca City School District. Ithaca City is a very good school district that has a very diverse student enrollment including 3 members of the Board of Ed and the school superintendent who are Black, along with a Black grad rate above the overall national percentage. It also has a mayor that is Black and the oldest church in the city is believed to St. James AME Zion Church as well. Ithaca is about 35-40 minutes from Horseheads and Newfield is about 25 minutes away from Horseheads.
Thank you so much for the information. I had never heard of Horseheads, NY until this transfer came up. Thanks again.
Well, it is a suburb north of Elmira, which is just north of the PA border and the area also has plenty of shopping, including the Arnot Mall and your usual big box stores. Technically, much of the shopping that is in nearby Big Flats, but I believe within the Horseheads SD. Some of Big Flats is in the Corning SD as well.
Is it a mandatory transfer? Living in Louisiana all of your life, you will find it difficult to make the transition to a locale that's on the edge of the snow belt and where the natives are not quite as warm and friendly as in the south.
Ithaca is a good choice of where to live but the commute will wear you down after a while and rental housing is much more expensive than in the Elmira Corning area.
He was offered Saudi Arabia and Africa, too. He's already worked international rotations, and we prefer him working in the United States. Yes, he does have to transfer. This was a better offer than the other two. It is also a promotion.
I looked at Ithaca, and I like it much more than other cities I've researched. I was concerned about his daily commute to work; I thought it would be quite long.
I was wondering how the natives were. Thanks for covering that. I was hoping people in Horseheads would be as warm and friendly as we are here. I'm accustomed to living in a city with a variety of shopping, eateries, etc. It would definitely be quite and adjustment. I'm just trying to get a good feel for the village, so we can make a decision. Thanks.
@ckthankgod, you know you're my guy, but I gotta pump your brakes here. @OP, listen, you are not gonna want to live in Horseheads. It's a complete lie that there is a "good amount of shopping" anywhere in the Southern Tier. The school district is okay, it's the best in the immediate area, but that's not saying much. This region of New York is one of the worst in terms of education, economy, and diversity....
The big question is what is you guys' budget? Because if you can afford it, and if you plan on working, you want to live in Ithaca. Trust me on this one. It'll provide the most diversity, it is highly regarded in education, and is surprisingly fun for a city its size. It's safe. The worst thing about Ithaca is that it is literally kind of in the middle of nowhere. But it's not far from Syracuse (I could make it from Ithaca to Syracuse in 45 minutes), and not terribly far from Rochester...
I'm a black Southerner from Virginia who moved up here to Elmira at the beginning of 2011. My mom spent most of her adolescence here, so I have family here, but I hadn't been up here to visit since 2001, when I was 12. So it was very much a culture shock. Be advised that the winters can be brutal by your standards. I'm from VA, where we got plenty of snow, and it was hell for me that first winter, so being from Louisiana, I can only imagine what that will feel like to you. If you guys are up here for the long term, though, you'll learn to get used to it...
Also, these people are a lot more sensitive in terms of attitude. That "rude, tough New Yorker" stereotype really doesn't apply to Upstaters. You could find yourself in conversations that would never hurt anyone's feelings down south, but will offend everybody up here. They are also a lot more insensitive when it comes to race relations. The entire region is overwhelmingly white, but nearly every white you meet will have a black family member or black friend, so it is not overtly racist. But the black population is low here---even in Elmira, which is about 16% black, that is considered a "large" population here. So people kind of have a false perception of what black culture is, or how blacks are supposed to "be". I can guarantee you that 99.9% of the people you meet will have never met a Creole before, hell 98% of them will have never met anybody from Louisiana before. So in general practice, they'd liken you to and expect you to act like the blacks in this area. Either you or your husband will get the "you're ______ for a black person" here, and it won't be said in an intentionally offensive way. It's just that this area is so isolated from the rest of the country, it is literally stuck in another time...
There are those who aren't receptive to blacks, or Southerners period, but I found that those people are in the extreme minority. I don't know what part of Louisiana you're coming from, but chances are you're coming from somewhere with more activity, more entertainment, etc. This is one of the dryest, most desolate regions I've ever been to. Aside from probably being a safer area than where you're from, this is not a good place to raise children. A few individual outliers aside, this region doesn't typically foster an atmosphere that the sky is the limit. There is a ceiling here...
I could devote an entire thread to what I call the state of black New York. The blacks here...I'll save that for another thread...
Ithaca is diverse by Upstate New York standards, maybe by Louisiana standards, too. Pound for pound, I'd rather you live in Syracuse if you could. Better operations overall....
That said, this is a beautiful region in the Spring. You cant beat the summer weather, and I've found that the people here are very friendly. I have a personal theory that the relative isolation of the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes has made them friendlier by nature. The best thing is the exposure to another culture. They cook different, but they take pride in their local dishes. Ethnic food is very popular here...
Tired of writing, but if you need more info, please feel free to ask me. I'd like to help you make the best decision for your family...
@ckthankgod, you know you're my guy, but I gotta pump your brakes here. @OP, listen, you are not gonna want to live in Horseheads. It's a complete lie that there is a "good amount of shopping" anywhere in the Southern Tier. The school district is okay, it's the best in the immediate area, but that's not saying much. This region of New York is one of the worst in terms of education, economy, and diversity....
The big question is what is you guys' budget? Because if you can afford it, and if you plan on working, you want to live in Ithaca. Trust me on this one. It'll provide the most diversity, it is highly regarded in education, and is surprisingly fun for a city its size. It's safe. The worst thing about Ithaca is that it is literally kind of in the middle of nowhere. But it's not far from Syracuse (I could make it from Ithaca to Syracuse in 45 minutes), and not terribly far from Rochester...
I'm a black Southerner from Virginia who moved up here to Elmira at the beginning of 2011. My mom spent most of her adolescence here, so I have family here, but I hadn't been up here to visit since 2001, when I was 12. So it was very much a culture shock. Be advised that the winters can be brutal by your standards. I'm from VA, where we got plenty of snow, and it was hell for me that first winter, so being from Louisiana, I can only imagine what that will feel like to you. If you guys are up here for the long term, though, you'll learn to get used to it...
Also, these people are a lot more sensitive in terms of attitude. That "rude, tough New Yorker" stereotype really doesn't apply to Upstaters. You could find yourself in conversations that would never hurt anyone's feelings down south, but will offend everybody up here. They are also a lot more insensitive when it comes to race relations. The entire region is overwhelmingly white, but nearly every white you meet will have a black family member or black friend, so it is not overtly racist. But the black population is low here---even in Elmira, which is about 16% black, that is considered a "large" population here. So people kind of have a false perception of what black culture is, or how blacks are supposed to "be". I can guarantee you that 99.9% of the people you meet will have never met a Creole before, hell 98% of them will have never met anybody from Louisiana before. So in general practice, they'd liken you to and expect you to act like the blacks in this area. Either you or your husband will get the "you're ______ for a black person" here, and it won't be said in an intentionally offensive way. It's just that this area is so isolated from the rest of the country, it is literally stuck in another time...
There are those who aren't receptive to blacks, or Southerners period, but I found that those people are in the extreme minority. I don't know what part of Louisiana you're coming from, but chances are you're coming from somewhere with more activity, more entertainment, etc. This is one of the dryest, most desolate regions I've ever been to. Aside from probably being a safer area than where you're from, this is not a good place to raise children. A few individual outliers aside, this region doesn't typically foster an atmosphere that the sky is the limit. There is a ceiling here...
I could devote an entire thread to what I call the state of black New York. The blacks here...I'll save that for another thread...
Ithaca is diverse by Upstate New York standards, maybe by Louisiana standards, too. Pound for pound, I'd rather you live in Syracuse if you could. Better operations overall....
That said, this is a beautiful region in the Spring. You cant beat the summer weather, and I've found that the people here are very friendly. I have a personal theory that the relative isolation of the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes has made them friendlier by nature. The best thing is the exposure to another culture. They cook different, but they take pride in their local dishes. Ethnic food is very popular here...
Tired of writing, but if you need more info, please feel free to ask me. I'd like to help you make the best decision for your family...
Just to be clear, I "think" they would be alright in Horseheads, but in terms of the places mentioned, I am personally pushing Ithaca due to the schools and diverse population. So, we are actually on the same page in that regard.
Wells mentions a good point in terms of the winter drive, eventhough the commut is possible.
That shopping comment was in terms of the immediate Elmira area.
If Syracuse was closer, I'd suggest it, but that is a long drive in general. If the OP needs their Creole food fix outside of the home cooking, Creole Soul on Jefferson Street in Downtown Syracuse may be worth the trip. Savor that Louisiana Flavor! - Home
OP, what part of Louisiana are you from? I ask because outside of SE Lousiana and around Lake Charles where Fort Polk is outside of, much of the rest of the state is pretty much Black and White.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 06-30-2015 at 05:56 PM..
I live in Lafayette, LA. It's about a 2 hour drive from here to New Orleans. There is definitely a lot of entertainment here. There are festivals just about every weekend. We also have lots of shopping!
My daughter would be transferring from a private school here which is about 95% white. Hopefully, the transition won't be too bad for her.
I started looking at housing in Ithaca. It's definitely different from what I'm used to. I'm not sure what areas are family friendly either. We didn't set a housing budget, yet. We have been waiting on a transfer assignment, and we just received word of it today. We would definitely prefer to lease.
I haven't decided if I'll work or not; I'm a teacher in Louisiana. I'm a little intimidated to teach in New York, although I love teaching. It's a passion!
Syracuse seems like a long commute for my husband. He's the type of person that goes to the office at lease 6 days a week. His office is in Horseheads.
Thank you so much! I may contact you if have more questions.
@ckhthankgod I'm about an hour away from Lake Charles. Lafayette is mostly black and white, but the Asian and Hispanic populations are growing rapidly.
If we move there, I would definitely drive for soul food!
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