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PA might not be ready for more Texans,lol. I know I am very blunt and not afraid to speak my mind, as well as most Texans, but am probably the most respectful and polite person you'll meet otherwise
I don't know. I grew up in the area and I don't really think most ppl in the area are white-collar, left-leaning environmentalists. Its mostly a blue-collar area, rural with a tough independent streak. I think most of the liberal minded people live in Scranton.
Wow that sucks about the gun laws in PA. Either way if someone is breaking into my house or assaulting my family or similiar, Ill shoot first and worry about consequences later. I just dont know if we could live in such a small town like Tunkhannock, which is why we were going to look into Scranton. But the few homes we have seen online are well over $1000 for a small home in Tunkhannock. And looks like we could get a 3bedroom for under $1000 in Scranton. Only looking on North/North east side and nearby areas.
I would stick to the north and west sides. On the east side of Scranton, I would only look in the East Mountain section, which is close to Lake Scranton. And south, I would only look in the Minooka section which is the furthest south in Scranton near the Moosic border. Also look into surrounding towns like Moosic and Dickson City.
The reason why the rents in Tunkhannock are high may be due to the influx of many gas company workers to the area. The Marcellus Shale drilling is gearing up and shortage of available housing in the rural areas where drilling is taking place is driving rents higher.
You will be better off if you look at a smaller town between Tunkhannock & Scranton that is off the beaten path of the gas workers.
p.s. the guns laws in Pa are not bad, it's the politicos that we have to protect ourselves against.
p.s.s. - I figured my gun comment would get Shot Down in short order - the mods here remind me of Rendell.
Clarks Summit, it is a completly different way of life. In winter, be prepared to almost go into hibernation in comparison to Texas. Also houses here are alot more expensive in comparison and you do not get stone houses like we did in Texas, most have wood and siding on them. Also the big thing to remember is flooding, water is a huge issue here when buying a home or even renting for the matter. They have basements that sometimes flood especially if you rent or buy an older home. Look carefully around the property to see were the water runs to. You will become familar with things like "sump pumps" here - something we never heard of in Dallas.
Clarks Summit has a great school district the teachers are great, they seem to have more experience than our Texas teachers who were mostly young.
Rentals are hard to find here because of the gas drilling. Apartment complexes are not good, they are old and not up to par - You don't get the ultra modern pool, gym, valet service etc (if that is what you want)and you will easily pay $950 for a 2/3 bedroom older apartment.
Having said all that, the people are great and the food is good. Less keeping up with the "Jones's here" Texas has had a booming 10/20 years and has really moderized itself. Here in Pa. the pace is slower, people go to work later and finish earlier. There is alot of tradition here with many Italian and Irish people here. You can rent houses that are pretty and traditional with land but they will be older and you will have high electricity bills. Watch those windows and doors for drafts.
The seasons are lovely and the state is beautiful - if we can keep it that way.
I too moved from Houston to here. And have regretted it since. Hate Scranton and surrounding area. Moving south as soon as I can. Hopefully within a year
I too moved from Houston to here. And have regretted it since. Hate Scranton and surrounding area. Moving south as soon as I can. Hopefully within a year
Life here is definitely different then Texas ( I lived in Harker Heights for 3 years) but IMHO different is cool! Nothing truly compares to the Republic of Texas!
First off, I agree with PODS guy about this region. It is god awful. But you can still some find great towns to live in if you have no other choice but to move here.
As others have mentioned, I would highly recommend the boroughs of Clarks Summit and Clarks Green and South Abington Township. Waverly is kind of pricey and Dalton is more of an old money/small town feel. There's great neighborhoods in Clarks Summit Borough off of West Grove St. behind Clarks Summit Elementary School. They tend to be not as hilly as other areas (I don't know if hills are an issue or not lol). But it is nice to be close to school where you can walk your kids. Also, check out some neighborhoods off of Gravel Pond Rd. and Noble Rd. near Abington Heights High School in Clarks Summit. These neighborhoods are not too far off from Route 6&11 (the main highway to Tunkhannock
or Scranton).
Clarks Summit and South Abington Township are filled with businesses and restaurants. There's also a few supermarkets and pharmacies. You don't have to travel far at all! The Borough of Tunkhannock also has similar amenities.
Also, the Abington Heights School District (which serves Clarks Summit, S. Abington, Waverly, Dalton) is a great school district with good teachers, academic programs, and a variety of extra curriculars. Probably not the top of your list now until your child reaches school age, but do think about it. Yes, test scores are of the highest in the region. But there's more to the school than just rankings.
Distance-wise, Clarks Summit is about 10 minutes from Penn State-Worthington campus and about 20 minutes or more from Tunkhannock. It is mostly highway between Clarks Summit and Tunkhannock.
And lastly, the weather. You might actually like the cooler, comfortable summer temps (70s and 80s). Early fall tends to be mild and fairly sunny. Since you're moving in February, it is important to know the winter weather conditions. Feb. can be pretty damn snowy. A lot of times, we get hit the hardest with snow during Jan and Feb. The county and local gov'ts don't do the greatest job of clearing roads or sidewalks. Temps tend to hover at about 32 degrees or colder. If this seems like an adjustment, prepare yourself for many many days of grey, overcast skies with barely any sunlight on top of the shortened winter days. April is usually a relief with milder temps and sunnier weather. Then May and June come along with constant rain and overcast. Not quite as bad as Seattle but pretty damn close!
I hope this helps. I would talk more about the locals, but I really don't have the time to type that much lol. If you had a choice between other Pennsylvanian cities, I would suggest the Lehigh Valley, Philly, and Pittsburgh. Not much of an improvement weather-wise, but def for jobs and normalcy.
I have been here 20 years. My job took me here, and my kids were born in Scranton.
This is the most politically corrupt area I have ever lived in. Dunmore is broke, Scranton is doomed, and the Valley cities aren't far behind.
If you are coming here working for a company that pays well, go for it. Other than Tobyhanna Army Depot, there aren't many good jobs. Wages are low if you find a job.
I love how there are allot of negative posts about “Scranton” and the surrounding areas. To me Scranton itself can fall into the coal pits never to return. It is overrun with people from out of the area that can’t afford those cities anymore or are trying to “give a better life” to kids who are ruined already. There are allot of people that only work for Friday and blow it all in the bar. There are allot of people that work-work-work and never get to enjoy anything outside of the “City”. To me Scranton is a place where my Dr has an office and once a year there is a Christmas party at some well-known bar. Oh yeah.. and a Parade in March where EVERYBODY is hammered.
I have lived here my whole life and have also been in many other parts of the country and can give you a straight honest opinion about the area. Let’s see if I can be gentle here and not offend.
You have a diverse mix of people for sure. The area between Clarks Summit all the way to Honesdale is as varied as can be. Terrain, people, personalities, activities… all different. You can literally find all walks of life. A great test is walk in Walmart in Honesdale and walk into Walmart in Dickson City (both within 30 minutes of Clarks Summit) and see what I mean. Then go to the shops at Montage and see a whole different array of people.
Let’s say you are into hunting, fishing, power sports, camping, hiking, skiing, boating, ice fishing.. and a number of other outdoor activities.. well I can find all of that right outside my door without much travel at all. I live within 10 minutes of 5 lakes. I am a country boy and I love the fact that I can look out my window at 9 pm and not see traffic. I also like the fact that I can jump on 84 and be in Manhattan in 2hrs or so. Philly in 2hrs and hit the Ocean within 4hrs. There are many friends and family that keep us busy with parties, gatherings and fun all year. Any number of buddies are a phone call away and there is usually some sort of night out we can find without getting arrested.
We stay away from Scranton. Too many outsiders looking for trouble. Too many low lives with nothing to lose. Too many people that think they “deserve” respect and too many with chips on their shoulders that have something to prove and all the time in the world to develop attitudes. Every small town around the area has their locals, some fun, some weird, some just plain backwards. But you get to know where to go and where not too.
You have people that think they can change others “Ways” and you learn to pity those that do not know better. We have farms, old towns, shopping malls over-run with people. I love how people say jobs are not available here… If that were the case, then why on any given night are the chain restaurants full? Why are the shopping malls and area stores packed? Either there are way too many people living off credit cards or the place is not as bad as people say. I make a good living, My wife and I together pull in enough to make us happy. That could change, but we work hard for our 2400 sq ft home and acreage and have the sense to keep it… even if I needed to work 3 jobs. That is the attitude you will find out of most people anywhere that have self-respect. Get into a circle of friends that do not care and live for today only and you develop a certain mind-set.
You also have too many people in the area that think they deserve their new SUV and half-mil $ home… then complain about poor salaries.
Don’t let people who have not found a way to fit in.. or live in areas with people that have totally different life styles than them.. ruin the NEPA name. They are the same people that sit on their porch in the city and just waste away complaining. If you are too busy enjoying what is around you.. you would not have time to be bitter.
My suggestion is to post your likes and dislikes, your hobbies, your intentions of how you want to live. If you enjoy spending your Saturday shopping and going to the movies and sitting in star-bucks.. you will get bored here quick. If you like to be outside or take day trips to other major cities.. then come back to enjoy a slower pace.. then you might like it here. If you need to see people and need to have that human interaction as you walk out your front door.. you might luck out and get good neighbors, but then again.. you might find yourself living next to scum.
Post what you expect and how you see yourself living from day to day and some of the people on here who really understand the area can help. Don’t listen to an outsider who has not found their groove and has given up and is on their way out. From red-neck to yuppie you can find them here.
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I know I am very blunt and not afraid to speak my mind, as well as most Texans, but am probably the most respectful and polite person you'll meet otherwise 
We moved from North of Dallas, Frisco to
