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Our daughter is a graduate from the U of Scranton and wants to settle in the area. She is currently living in a somewhat spotty neighborhood on Prescott and looking to move. Her opinion is that Dunmore is the place to Buy/Rent, as is it safer, better schools and in general a nice town.
We are considering helping her purchase a small house in the area, and since we live in CT, we know nothing about property values and what would be the best place for her to be...for today, and the future. Of course, the investment is very important, but that usually follows if everything else falls into place, employment rate, education, businesses, crime rate. Right now, she does not feel safe where she lives, and that is the utmost importance for the present. Along with that comes the freedom to feel comfortable walking to a local store, or just taking a long walk from your house and feeling safe. Neighborhood is important, but the community itself speaks alot about the people within it. When I see her double lock her doors when she is at home, that makes me uncomfortable for her safety...and who should live with that possible "threat" anyway?
From an outsider's perspective, on the whole, the area seems very depressed and rundown. We do see some attempts at rejuvenation in Scranton, and hope the local government is doing more to keep that ball rolling...the people deserve a place to feel proud of.
Any help and suggestions on what areas are good or have a brighter future ahead, would be appreciated.
Dunmore, while not a bad town, is no better than Scranton. Its schools are good from what I know, but once again, no better than Scranton. Scranton schools are very good. Prescott Ave in the Hill Section is a sketchy neighborhood. I would suggest West Scranton, North Scranton, Green Ridge, or Minooka. Basically anywhere but Lower South Side, the Lower Hill Section, and Pine Brook.
Like I said, Dunmore is not bad town either, but you can get more house for your money in Scranton, and I believe the schools in Scranton are just as good, if not better, than Dunmore's. Also, I lived in Dunmore for 2 years, and the town seemed very clique-ish and not welcoming to outsiders....at least in the neighborhood I lived in. They seemed to view anyone who was not a born-and-bred Dunmorean to be a carpetbagger. (even though I did grow up in the area, its not like I moved in from out-of-state, I grew up less than 10 miles from there). While not a bad town overall, I did not enjoy my time in Dunmore, and really like living in West Scranton much better. Plus, Dunmore is very congested with traffic, and its winding back streets with lots of dead ends, makes it very hard to drive through Dunmore. Dunmore corners is always a nightmare to drive through, and the backed up traffic at the light seems to stretch all the way through town in the middle of the day. And like I said, its back streets are not laid out in an orderly grid, which makes any routes around the corners to be difficult. All of the heavy traffic in Dunmore made moving to West Scranton seem like a move to the country...its much quieter here on my one-way side street in the city.
Our daughter has graduated from the U of Scranton and wants to settle in the area. She is currently living in a somewhat spotty neighborhood on Prescott and looking to move. Her opinion is that Dunmore is the place to Buy/Rent, as is it safer, better schools and in general a nice town.
We are considering helping her purchase a small house in the area, and since we live in CT, we know nothing about property values and what would be the best place for her to be...for today, and the future. Of course, the investment is very important, but that usually follows if everything else falls into place, employment rate, education, businesses, crime rate. Right now, she does not feel safe where she lives, and that is the utmost importance for the present. Along with that comes the freedom to feel comfortable walking to a local store, or just taking a long walk from your house and feeling safe. Neighborhood is important, but the community itself speaks alot about the people within it. When I see her double lock her doors when she is at home, that makes me uncomfortable for her safety...and who should live with that possible "threat" anyway?
From an outsider's perspective, on the whole, the area seems very depressed and rundown. We do see some attempts at rejuvenation in Scranton, and hope the local government is doing more to keep that ball rolling...the people deserve a place to feel proud of.
Any help and suggestions on what areas are good or have a brighter future ahead, would be appreciated.
Good morning noisynora (I love the screen name, by the way!) I live in the south 'burbs of the city proper, but I'm in the city quite frequently and have become rather familiar with most of its neighborhoods. I, too, plan to purchase a home in Scranton after college because I feel as if it is on a long-term path towards recovery. Yes, Scranton may look "gritty" to the casual outsider, but all in all we've fared much better than many other medium-sized Rust Belt cities (think Binghamton, Utica, or even Bridgeport, CT or Waterbury, CT for that matter up in your area). Scranton is an aging city with an aging demographic and all of the problems that accompany that (potholes, water main breaks, urban blight, etc.) While some choose to DWELL upon that (I won't mention any names), I choose to look on the "flip-sides" to all of the problems. Yes, Scranton's roadways may leave a lot to be desired for your vehicle's suspension system, but at least Scranton has basic amenities like sidewalks, curbs, street lights, etc. that my suburb doesn't have. Yes, Scranton may have urban blight, but it also has some of the most impressive historic architecture in the region---a vestige of its former Industrial-era heyday. Yes, Scranton's politicians may be corrupt, but at least the city's residents care enough about their city's future for their own children and grandchildren to voice their concerns (albeit some have a bit more "class" in doing so than others...cough...Fay Franus...cough).
There's always a silver lining to every gripe that you'll see on this forum. Most of these same people who think Scranton is down and out for the county like Rocky Balboa would be singing a different tune if their employers relocated them to Reading, York, Newark, Camden, Elmira, etc. At least Scranton's problems are primarily economic and not violent. I've never heard of a tax increase "killing" anyone. Yes, it may be irksome to learn that the tax increase was spawned by an incompetent leader, but the man meant well, even if he didn't have the financial background necessary to bring his dreams to fruition while balancing a checkbook.
I'd recommend that your daughter perhaps even invest in Scranton proper, assuming that she doesn't mind paying the 3.4% city wage tax. Otherwise Dunmore is a good runner-up. I also like the BOROUGH of Clarks Summit---the surrounding townships are nothing but snooty keeping up with the Jones's warzones replete with transient transplants. If Pittston's projects ever materialize (luxury waterfront penthouse towers, street scape system, facade renovations, etc.), then that town could also become a shining star once again, but I've lived here for 21.5 years now and have seen nothing but further despair and decline in Pittston.
I have more to say, but I'm off to tax class now. If we can be of any further assistance to you, please let us know!
I'm not so sure that Scranton's population is aging anymore. I think we've turned that corner and there is more youth coming in. The Scranton school district's enrollment has been steadily growing every year, which is a good sign that we may not be the geriatric ward we used to be.
Tell her to move to Clarks Summit. I went to the U as well. I grew up in CS but lived in Weston CT with my folks for a while. There are plenty of place to rent or buy in CS that will appreciate in vlaue as the area becomes even more desireable.
Scranberre's description of the Abingtons is not really soo. It is more affulent and to a lot of people in NEPA equate that snotty or wrong in some way.
Well, i am only saying that in my opinion, Clarks Summit or Clarks Green, Waverly Chinchila, Glenburn any of thoes areas are a great place to live.
I should have clarified my position that I was really referencing South Abington Township. I don't know how long it's been since you've come up North for a visit, but even on an annual basis you can't recognize South Abington Township with all of the unchecked urban sprawl that's occurring there. Upscale subdivision after upscale subdivision is sprouting up. I believe South Abington Township is poised to officially overtake Dunmore as Lackawanna County's second-largest municipality between 2010-2015. What does this do? The deforestation leads to greater water runoff woes for folks in low-lying areas---I firmly believe a large reason behind why Lower Green Ridge has been flooding more frequently over the past 15 years or so is the destruction of the natural vegetation in the uphill suburbs, including South Abington Township and the Mid-Valley, so that there is less and less permeable soil available for the water to soak into. Elected officials in South Abington Township only care about themselves and their OWN tax revenues; if other communities are forced to endure any sorts of negative externalities, then that's just "collateral damage" to them. Take a look in the property transfers online sometime and track just who is buying these new lots in these pretentious subdivisions---people from the older, established communities in our region as well as the vast majority of our out-of-state transplant influx. I saw family after family from Scranton purchasing lots from Landview Properties in Roaring Brook Township in what I can only assume is their new Summit Woods subdivision. All South Abington Township and the other suburbs are doing is fleecing Scranton of its stable middle-class, leaving only the lower-classes (i.e. Fay Franus) remaining.
The places you cited are the "town centers" of the Abingtons. Those are to be cherished. I myself felt like I was walking around a quaint Vermont village when I did my photo tour of Waverly, and I make it up to Everything Natural in Downtown Clarks Summit whenever I have a bit of spare cash to burn (which isn't often now). The rest of the Abingtons are just as MrKrabs and I have depicted---sprawled, pretentious, and poorly-planned. South Abington Township has become the community in which people just want the "prestige" of telling their "colleagues" that they're "from the Abingtons" (i.e. to mean 4,000 square foot McMansion priced at $350,000+, 1-acre lot, 3-car front-facing garage that so full of "toys" that were maxed out on credit cards that they can't fit either of their two massive SUVs into it while they have their children at a fancy day care center, etc.)
I'm sorry to offend you since you're a native of the Abingtons, but the Abingtons of your childhood and the Abingtons of today are changing places. As I said Clarks Summit, Clarks Green, Waverly, and Dalton are all wonderful places, but the surrounding sprawl-infested wastelands turn my stomach sour. Every time I open up the "HOMES" Magazine and see an advertisement for a new upscale housing development, I just think "I wonder how many people are leaving the city?"
If you grew up there you would already know, south ab was never "really" part of the abingtons. I get up there a lot paul, i was in town for the Friendly sons dinner. So i saw the "sprawl". Sure it sucks but it is what happens to place where people want to live.
I can tell you that certain parts of CS and Wavery and Dalton, that wont happen because the Families who have lived there for the past 100yrs wont let it happen.
Some of you think the Irish in Scranton have a strangle hold on the area. Look at the past presidents of the COMM.
If she would like to have a more rural feel she should look into Tunkhannock. I believe that this area is desirable and will be an area that will continue to grow in a good way.
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I live in the south 'burbs of the city proper, but I'm in the city quite frequently and have become rather familiar with most of its neighborhoods. I, too, plan to purchase a home in Scranton after college because I feel as if it is on a long-term path towards recovery. Yes, Scranton may look "gritty" to the casual outsider, but all in all we've fared much better than many other medium-sized Rust Belt cities (think Binghamton, Utica, or even Bridgeport, CT or Waterbury, CT for that matter up in your area). Scranton is an aging city with an aging demographic and all of the problems that accompany that (potholes, water main breaks, urban blight, etc.) While some choose to DWELL upon that (I won't mention any names), I choose to look on the "flip-sides" to all of the problems. Yes, Scranton's roadways may leave a lot to be desired for your vehicle's suspension system, but at least Scranton has basic amenities like sidewalks, curbs, street lights, etc. that my suburb doesn't have. Yes, Scranton may have urban blight, but it also has some of the most impressive historic architecture in the region---a vestige of its former Industrial-era heyday. Yes, Scranton's politicians may be corrupt, but at least the city's residents care enough about their city's future for their own children and grandchildren to voice their concerns (albeit some have a bit more "class" in doing so than others...cough...Fay Franus...cough). 
