Possible move to Sayre (York, Bradford: rentals, home, school district) - Northeastern Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania (PA) -Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area - City-Data Forum

~Pajama mama~ · 08-08-2011, 01:48 PM

Hi all..my husband is interviewing in Sayre and I have a few questions. We currently live in Ga and both were born and raised in the south. I have read the forums and have some things I would like for folks to elaborate on. We are a young family with 3 children. They are involved in sports and I would be involved in their schools. I have read alot about newcomers to the area being shut out. So..on to my questions..

1. Is it such a small nit community that they will know your new just because they don't recognize you? I'm sure they will know it as soon as I open my mouth though as I definitely have a southern drawl.

I'm pretty outgoing but lawd..if people won't even smile and say hello back to me..I would probably stop doing it..and I really don't want that. It would be hard to remain friendly towards unfriendly people. I'm worried about being lonely since hubby would be working and kids would be in school.

2. Would we be considered "gas people"? He would not be on the labor side and not working directly for the gas company but this opportunity is on the consulting side and therefore dependent on the gas companies. It is not a temporary position and we hope to stay long term.

So I'm thinking we would already have 2 strikes against us before we ever got our boxes unpacked.

Any other info on Sayre/Athens would be greatly appreciated. I understand the rental shortage/high rent. Can anyone tell me what a nice sized 4 br rental would go for anywhere within a 30-45 driving distance to Sayre? I'm also confused on the PA/NY tax thing. If we rented in NY..what would be the difference in take home as apposed to PA. Thanks!

ki0eh · 08-08-2011, 02:11 PM

Might want to post in the general PA forum, there's been some discussion on Sayre there and also in the NY forum for adjacent Waverly - "The Valley" is a bi-state nanopolitan area.

Sayre has been home for many years to a regional medical center, so it is slightly more possible there that native folks have met people who have moved from the outside as doctors and associated medical professionals, not just the "gas guys" - although a Southern accent probably will put you in the latter camp as soon as you open your mouth.

The next larger (not large, but larger) city is Elmira, NY - some Elmira City schools have crime/race/poverty issues but the surrounding communities don't really. Horseheads is fairly stable suburban and close to the box stores and mall.

Corning has the upper crust for schools due to the continuing presence of PhD's and money flowing from Corning [Glass Works], Inc. but the commute to Sayre might start getting long from there. Owego, the other way on I-86 has a Lockheed Martin facility and used to be near a big IBM hub (IBM actually started in Endicott) so they too have some historic contact with the larger world.

It is not unknown to commute between The Valley and Ithaca, home to the largest Ivy League university, good schools, much interaction with the outside world, and much discussion in the NY forum on here. That community is decidedly liberal (not too long ago the mayor was a self-avowed socialist) so becoming known as "gas people" there definitely would be a turn-off.

Yes, NY has higher taxes on property and income, however neither state taxes personal property such as cars or computers. Still will have to have someone other than me take a guess at a rule-of-thumb effect on take home pay.

~Pajama mama~ · 08-08-2011, 02:17 PM

Thank you so much..I will cross post on the general forum.

Wells5 · 08-08-2011, 04:31 PM

As I understand it, rentals in Bradford County are few and expensive. When visiting that area, I found the natives to be friendly but maybe not quite as friendly as folks in the south. I can't rightly say how this gas business has changed attitudes. Click the link for a magazine that features stories about that area Mountain Home Magazine - Life in the Pennsylvania Mountains & the New York Finger Lakes: Home. There are two daily newspapers in the county, The Morning Times based in Sayre Homepage - Sayre, PA - The Morning Times - and the Daily Revue based in Towanda Towanda, Pa. news, sports, obituaries, and shopping | thedailyreview.com | Daily Review.

Pennsylvania has a flat income tax rate of 3.05%. There is also a local tax on earned income of 1%. New York State's income tax rate for income over $20,000 is 7%, max rate is 8%.

Athens Area School District has top notch physical facilities particularly the high school campus and people who live in the district pay the highest school property taxes in the county.

Good luck!

ki0eh · 08-08-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wells5

Pennsylvania has a flat income tax rate of 3.05%. There is also a local tax on earned income of 1%. New York State's income tax rate for income over $20,000 is 7%, max rate is 8%.

NY also has deductions more like Federal income tax, not like PA's mostly flat tax. But it surely still works out to be more in NY especially for a renter.

Wells5 · 08-09-2011, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ki0eh

(IBM actually started in Endicott)

Wrong. IBM traces its roots to the Bundy Manufacturing Company in Binghamton, which manufactured time recorders and punch clocks. IBM was still making such devices into the 1960s. IBM moved to Endicott in 1904. IBM Archives: Endicott chronology - 1904-1919

PAhippo · 08-09-2011, 08:53 AM

I think you would be considered gas people-that's what brought you to this area. having said that, I think they're becoming more accepted. As for smiling/saying 'hi' to everyone, you might want to rethink that a bit. I used to do that, and wave at everyone driving by, etc. Not any more. Too many strangers (yea, mostly gas people) for me to feel safe doing that. Now that I think of it tho' maybe it's an age thing for me. Yikes! I did not say that!

Housing will definitely be more expensive, esp I think compared to what your used to. And save some money for winter clothes.
Don't want to sound like a gloomy gus. There's a lot to do and see in this area, and a lot of wonderful people, gas workers, locals, and others who have moved here. having kids into sports will help.

ki0eh · 08-09-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wells5

Wrong. IBM traces its roots to the Bundy Manufacturing Company in Binghamton, which manufactured time recorders and punch clocks. IBM was still making such devices into the 1960s. IBM moved to Endicott in 1904. IBM Archives: Endicott chronology - 1904-1919

OK, one corporate predecessor of IBM moved from another Broome County location to Endicott a decade before IBM proper started. You win!

Tioga · 08-15-2011, 08:20 AM

....Just decided to see"what was going on" in the PA. section. If "deanat30" is still checking here for posts...you can hit me with questions dealing w/the NY county just above Sayre..Tioga. As far as
the gas drilling situation goes...IT WILL HAPPEN in NY state...Now, I don't want to sound cruel, but our state's drawn out involvement w/the current gas boom...has benifitted from a number of mistakes obvious in PA's oversight of the gas industry. Legislation/rules/etc....will hopefully help us avoid some of the issues PA has had. Btw..the gas lease coalition I'm part of (Tioga county) has been working w/a couple of the gas exploration outfits to see if an arrangement can be worked out to use gas/not hydro fracking(WAY SAFER). Getting back to the thread starter...with the influx of some southern workers at the defense plant in Owego since the late 50's...you'd have no issues here. As far as running into "Anti-gas-drilling types goes..who cares...my neighbor is one...I'm not losing any sleep over it.

PAhippo · 08-15-2011, 08:38 AM

deanat30-just to add to the confusion, there's a Tioga Co, NY that Tipga is probably referring to, and a Tioga Co, PA, just west of Braford CO, PA. And a town named Tioga, in Tioga Co, PA.