Wilkes Barre RESIDENTS ~What Are Good Areas To Move Into With A Family & Kids!! (Pittsburgh: apartments, violent crime)

[Evelyn Guzman]

Hi I was told to stay away from the south side of Wilkes Barre because it's not good to raise a family ? Any truth to that ? If not, what streets are good? Can anyone who lives here tell me if the North side is any better like MADISON ST ? Any drugs , crime, etc there ? Schools ? Where would you recommend to move in Wilkes Barre ? I'm so confused with all the bad stories I hear about? Also does it flood there alot ?
Help Please

[SteelCityRising]

DISCLAIMER: I currently live in Pittsburgh and left the immediate Wilkes-Barre area nearly four years ago.

With that being said when I was attending King's College in the heart of the city's Downtown for my undergraduate degree I rarely, if ever, felt threatened or uncomfortable walking around the surrounding areas. The vast majority of violent crime that occurs in Wilkes-Barre is NOT random in nature. I'm by no means implying that drug addicts "deserve" to die; however, one would be remiss to not note a direct correlation between engaging in nefarious and illicit activities and one's risk of being murdered increasing. If I was a law-abiding citizen I'd have little reason to live in fear in most of the Diamond City.

Sheena12 and her husband, Warren Zee, lived in near-North Wilkes-Barre, not far above King's College, and they had the misfortune of locating themselves adjacent to some very unsavory neighbors (I believe these neighbors moved in after they did). You can end up with nightmarish trashy neighbors anywhere, though, including the suburbs. If I were to choose a part of Wilkes-Barre city proper to raise my family in I'd first consider the core of Downtown (walkable to the YMCA, parks, schools, movie theater, shopping, dining, etc.) followed by Riverside Park, which is a 1970s-era residential area in South Wilkes-Barre, adjacent to Barney Farms (upscale newer housing development where the mayor lives). I also like Parsons and Miners Mills, both of which are in the far northern reaches of the city---near its boundary with Plains Township. Some parts of South Wilkes-Barre can be sketchy. Some parts of The Heights can be sketchy. Even then, though, by "sketchy" I mean it would be a good idea to buy one of these steering wheel lock clubs for your car and invest in a home security system from a company like ADT or Brinks---not be worried about being shot or stabbed. In the case of Sheena12 and Warren Zee it sounds as if they wouldn't have been bothered had they not accosted their boorish neighbors to complain about their behavior. We live in a nice historic rowhouse neighborhood near Downtown Pittsburgh, and while we have a few knuckle-dragging neighbors who blast car stereos and scream profanities at each other in the street we just write them off as being the "unfortunate side effects" of living in an otherwise gentrifying community.

I'm not voting in your poll because I'm not going to imply that one "half" of Wilkes-Barre is better than the other half. I'm also not going to follow the negativity of this sub-forum and vote "Don't Move Here", as I believe that Wilkes-Barre does have a lot of great things to offer. Your best strategy would be to give us a bit more information as to what you're looking for in your ideal neighborhood and let us assist you from there.

[SteelCityRising]

Also, while a large portion of the city proper of Wilkes-Barre is susceptible to flooding from the Susquehanna River be advised there IS a great levee system that protects the city and surrounding communities. There was a horrific flood in late-2011 that devastated surrounding communities like West Pittston and Shickshinny but also left Wilkes-Barre relatively unscathed thanks to the levee system. There is a small portion of South Wilkes-Barre, near the border with Hanover Township, that has flooded from Solomon's Creek in the past, especially in the areas of Brook, Barney, and Carlisle Streets.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Evelyn Guzman

Also does it flood there alot ?
Help Please

A lot of Wilkes Barre is in the flood plane but not all it. The last major flood to affect Wilkes Barre was in 1972, it is now protected by a levee system so any flooding is going to be basement flooding from water backed up behind the levee in areas prone to it. This last flood going back more than a year almost went over, it was inches from the top in some places. This was higher than the flood which occurred in 1972. The water will go over the levee at some point in the future, it could be next week or it could be hundreds of years from now. Any house that was flooded in 1972 will be affected by such an event and then some.

[Chefkey]

There are truly sections of the South Side that are nice. Yes, there are Ghetto type areas but I don't see much of a difference between the South Ghetto and the area in the North near River Drive and Wilkes Barre General Hospital. Also in the south end of the North section you have Sherman Hills Apartments which is notorious for being the most crime infested section of the whole city. If you told me I had to live in either of these areas I would take my chances in the South. I walk my dogs along the river in the South and it is very nice in the area where Teddyuscung resided. There are some fantastic 200 year old mansions right around there.

I'm telling you from experience having been in and around both the South and the North. You are probably best looking in the Central East section closer to the North just avoid Sherman Hills.

[theatergypsy]

NB: The OP isn't committed to W-B. Also questioning the "best areas" in Austin Texas and Peru, Indiana. Sticking a pin in the map, perhaps?

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

Paul, it looks like none of the "don't move there" voters live in Wilkes-Barre. Same goes for the "North" voters.

I voted north and don't live in Wilkes-Barre, but I do work in Wilkes-Barre, which means I spend as many of my waking hours during the week there as I do in Scranton, plus working around people from the W-B area gives me some perspective on the city. To me, the north side of Wilkes-Barre, Parsons, Miners Mills, etc, seems much less trashy and more liveable than South W-B. I know there are some nice parts of South WB, but some parts are downright scary.

[Chefkey]

Originally Posted by Mr Yuk

I voted north and don't live in Wilkes-Barre, but I do work in Wilkes-Barre, which means I spend as many of my waking hours during the week there as I do in Scranton, plus working around people from the W-B area gives me some perspective on the city. To me, the north side of Wilkes-Barre, Parsons, Miners Mills, etc, seems much less trashy and more liveable than South W-B. I know there are some nice parts of South WB, but some parts are downright scary.

I certainly can agree that some parts of the South are bad but It is just a feeling I get when I drive around the North section that I don't get when I drive the South. Parsons is nice but the area I think is the seediest in the entire city is near the river North of North St. and South and East of Wilkes Barre General Hospital.

Washington Street, Wyoming Street and Madison Street. Tightly packed almost rowhome style small houses and tight streets. You could pass bread to the Neighbor through the window around there and have a conversation with the people on their porch across the street. Just the kind of claustrophobic environment that breeds bad blood between those sharing such close quarters and invites would be criminals to act.

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by Mr Yuk

I voted north and don't live in Wilkes-Barre, but I do work in Wilkes-Barre, which means I spend as many of my waking hours during the week there as I do in Scranton, plus working around people from the W-B area gives me some perspective on the city. To me, the north side of Wilkes-Barre, Parsons, Miners Mills, etc, seems much less trashy and more liveable than South W-B. I know there are some nice parts of South WB, but some parts are downright scary.

My comment wasn't a criticism of your vote, Yuk. I was responding to Paul who once again calls on the "negative Nancys" to leave. Just pointing out that it wasn't necessarily city people who were voting for "don't move here".

Side note: Wasn't North W-B where Warren Zee and Sheena had their bad experience and opted to leave?

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

My comment wasn't a criticism of your vote, Yuk. I was responding to Paul who once again calls on the "negative Nancys" to leave. Just pointing out that it wasn't necessarily city people who were voting for "don't move here".

Side note: Wasn't North W-B where Warren Zee and Sheena had their bad experience and opted to leave?

Yes, it was North W-B, very near Kings. Unfortunately, that hasn't been considered a (nice, decent, normal) middle class neighborhood in years.