How is Bloomsburg? (Allentown, Scranton, Harrisburg: middle-class, rent, insurance)
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Hi. I am looking to relocate to PA this year for my husbands retirement. We have checked and liked Selinsgrove and Danville. We didn;t get a chance to see Bloomsburg. We stayed at a hotel right off of 80 there but did not get to drive around. Can anyone tell me how the schools are? I also would like to know about crime,shopping etc. Is it a poor area or middle class etc.? Any help would be appreciated.
Bloomsburg is a largely middle-class town of about 12,000 residents located along the banks of the Susquehanna River. It has an attractive downtown that primarily serves students from Bloomsburg University. It is also home to the annual "Bloomsburg Fair", the largest state fair in Pennsylvania. As far as "culture" is concerned, the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble often puts on great productions. There are also art exhibits on the campus of Bloomsburg University.
Be advised, however, that the nickname of Bloomsburg University is "Boozeburg", as this is often a big party school. If you consider settling yourselves anywhere adjacent to the college campus, be prepared for the occasional urination on your front lawn, loud party music, etc. In this sense, the college is both a boon and burden for the community. If you don't want rowdy football players and cheerleaders parading around your front lawn, then consider moving to a part of town away from campus. Be advised also that Bloomsburg was devastated by the recent Flood of '06 back in late June when the mighty Susquehanna River went over its banks. Your "house-hunting" here should be focused OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN, as the community is still not protected by a levee system.
The town itself is self-sufficient, with its own cheesy retail area in neighboring Scott and Hemlock Townships with Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Panera Bread, Columbia Mall, etc., as well as neat little shops and cafes along the main drag in town. The town offers a small airport, but you'd likely have to drive an hour or more to Harrisburg, Scranton, or Allentown for long-distance air travel. Overall, the town is very "Mayberry-like", with neatly-kept homes, churches, etc.
It's a good bet for relocation, but bear in mind the double-whammy of flooding problems and college partying. If you move to a highly-elevated part of town away from campus, you should enjoy Bloomsburg very much!
I forgot about the flooding this past spring. Can anyone tell me some nice towns in that general vicinity? We want rural/suburban with good schools and shopping close by. We liked Danville and Selinsgrove. Any thing I should know about these towns? Any other areas I should check? I will be moving with my husband and 2 kids aged 8 and5. Are they friendly to outsiders? We are from Long Island and are looking to leave NY behind. Thanks.You guys are really informative and helpful.
Definitely give Lewisburg a shot too. The town has an EXTREMELY attractive downtown that attracts tourists, and it is home to Bucknell University for cultural amenities. Lewisburg is only about 20-25 minutes south of the Lycoming Mall area near Williamsport, home to many chain stores. Crime here is very low as well, and housing options are varied from newer developments in nearby East Buffalo Township, Buffalo Township, and Kelly Township to older, historic homes "in-town." Once again, the river is a constant worry, but it's the same way for all of the towns you've mentioned. If you want to live somewhere in the Central Susquehanna Valley, just look to move into a highly-elevated part of town to be safe---I still feel sorry to many of the poor people in and around Bloomsburg who didn't have flood insurance and are still picking up the pieces. As urban sprawl continues to create major runoff issues further upriver in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, I predict that flooding will continue to happen on a more frequent, perhaps bi-annual basis, so AVOID THE RIVER!!!
Selinsgrove, home to Susquehanna University, is also another good bet. There is a mall here, along with a Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc. to meet your shopping needs, and housing is affordable. Then again, you come from Long Island where $200,000 probably still sounds like a bargain (Even though even $150,000 here will get you an outstanding home!) As I mentioned with Bloomsburg, both Bucknell and Susquehanna are active colleges with lots of 21-ish individuals, so be prepared to do battle with typical "college kid" activity.
If living in a college-town isn't to your liking, then Sunbury, between Selinsgrove and Lewisburg, is a good bet. I always thought that Sunbury had more of a "run-down" feel to it though, and crime here seems to be the highest out of all of the Central Susquehanna Valley communities, so perhaps putting up with the colleges after all would be a better bet for your children.
Danville IS a very good town. Located on the edge of the major Geisinger Medical Center and along I-80, the town is convenient and has a charming (albeit small) downtown area. Crime is likewise unheard of here, and you're not far from the Columbia Mall area near Bloomsburg or the Lewisburg area.
One thing I'm not sure about in all of these towns are their respective public school districts. Perhaps someone else can shed a bit of light onto that issue? ;o)
Hi! I travel for my job and spend a lot of time in all three towns. Bloomsburg is cute and has a homey feel to it. The main street has a fair amount of shops and things to do and there is a great fountain in the center of town. Bloomsburg U. is also in town which keeps things bustling and offers occasional opportunities for entertainment/learning. The Bloomsburg fair (the biggest fair in the state I think) takes place every Sept. and really takes over...the rest of the town kind of shuts down during that week. Bloom has a nice Town Park and town pool, skateboard park, tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields, etc. I'd say it's a middle class town. If you are looking to buy or rent avoid areas near the river or creek as they flood and have done so often in recent years. The schools here have a nice old fashioned feel... all seem very family oriented. I don't really know how they rate in academics but all the teachers and classes I've been in I've been impressed with. Big store shopping is a bit weak...the closest big shopping areas are in Wilkes-Barre (45min. away) and Selinsgrove. Bloom. is beginning to grow a bit though and recently built a Super Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, and a bunch of food options. There is the Columbia Mall with a few offerings...kind of weak..lot's of empty spaces but there is a new owner I think...so looks promising.
In my mind Danville is ok but somehow a bit creepy. It wouldn't be my choice to live in. There isn't that much to do and the people are just not as friendly in my experience.
I do like Selinsgrove but it's a tad snooty sometimes. It's nicer though for the convenience of shopping and has a movie theater that Bloom. does not. Since it has Susquhanna U. in town it also keeps things kind of hopping. I believe housing prices are a bit higher there but a nicer town overall. You may even see some Amish bringing their horse and buggies into town. Schools seem good there as well.
My personal choice would be Bloomsburg I think. I feel like I'm at home when I go there. Good luck!
Bloomsburg and Lewisburg are both college towns, and have the usual suspected problems that go with colleges. I don't know about Bloomsburg schools, but Lewisburg supposedly has good schools. I think that most of the schools in this area are fairly decent, although it may depend on what you're looking for in a school. Some of the school districts have adopted a new math program developed by the University of Chicago and say that it is helping to advance students more. Because of the money in the area, Lewisburg probably can offer more subjects than some of the other school districts. Warrior Run School District has always been known for their musical plays they put on every spring, so possibly the theatrical arts are more concentrated there. I am more partial to the more rural towns, like Watsontown, than Danville or Lewisburg, because after living in the city, I love the wide open spaces (I love looking out from our backyard and seeing the rolling farmland and dairy cattle beyond our land!). Watsontown is a fairly rural area (lots of surrounding farmland), a small downtown, a fantastic 4th of July celebration, and small classrooms. Milton is another local town that has a great harvest festival in September, and is working hard at bringing business back to the downtown. All of the area has had some influx of drugs from the NYC and Philly areas, but the police try to stay on top of it. The main thing to remember about the central Susquehanna Valley is that anywhere in the flood plain could flood at any time, no matter if you're in a town with more money, or the one with less. Since most towns have flat areas and hilly areas, it's not hard to find a home you love that's away from flooding. From most towns, it's not far to Williamsport, where the Community Arts Center hosts all different types of acts, from big name concerts to comedians and Broadway shows. The Lycoming Mall near Williamsport is pretty good and is certainly getting better, with several new stores and a 12 screen cinema. Hope this helps you in your search!
I'm only familiar with the Bloomsburg area schools. The town and it's neighboring townships to the north fall into two school districts. The Bloomsburg Area School District is OK as far I've heard, but the Central Columbia School District is definitely better. CCSD is in the process of remodeling and enlarging their middle school right now. CCSD just seems to be better put together (I've subbed there and my mom teaches there). Stay away from Berwick though, schools are not so good and the town has little to offer sadly (I went through the Berwick school system and boy was college a wakeup call, even though I took all college prep courses and was on the honor roll).
I can agree that Berwick isn't the best school district. While most local towns seem to exalt their high school football programs much higher than they should, Berwick takes that to a whole new level (It was even featured in a national publication last year!) If you're a jock, then have at Berwick, but if you're looking for more cultural enrichment for your children, such as great music, gifted, and art programs, then steer clear! I came from Pittston Area, a school that I perceived to likewise have a "worship the jock" attitude, but if Berwick is even WORSE in that respect, then I couldn't even imagine how miserable the district's "brighter" students must feel!
Hi,
I'm from Bloomsburg and have lived here my entire life. I attended Bloomsburg public school but also attended private school. I live in Central Columbia School District and my daughter attends school at the Elementary School. Both school districts are good but I'm very happy that my children are in Central, I feel they have a very good curriculum and great teachers.
Crime is low in the area. The roots of this area are in farming but there are many good paying jobs in Bloomsburg and the surrounding areas but cost of living remains low.
There are many, many places to live that are not affected by flooding. Areas to stay away from due to flooding include Old Berwick Road and areas along Fishing Creek. Fishing Creek did a tremendous amount of damage in this last flood including much of the damage on the lower end of Main Street.
As suggested before, it advisable to avoid homes around the University as your neighbors will most likely be college students. The area where the students live stretches pretty far out from the campus so it's important to know who your neighbors are.
Shopping is OK in the area, there are many little treasures to be found both in town and out of town. There are at least 2 larger malls within an hours drive and the Tannersville Outlets are a little more then an hour away on I-80.
I don't know if you've made a decision but I hope you do get to see Bloomsburg, it really is a pretty town with good people and a great place for kids to grow up.
Hi I attend Central Columbia High School. The bloomsburg area has alot to offer and our area is growing massively. The shopping is ok, but the resturaunts are wonderful. There are about 20 resturaunts within 15 miles from bloom.(including the few fast food industries) Bloomsburg is a great town with alot to offer to anybody who wants to move here. I attend CCHS and the school is great with many great teachers and such.
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Hi. I am looking to relocate to PA this year for my husbands retirement. We have checked and liked Selinsgrove and Danville. We didn;t get a chance to see Bloomsburg. We stayed at a hotel right off of 80 there but did not get to drive around. Can anyone tell me how the schools are? I also would like to know about crime,shopping etc. Is it a poor area or middle class etc.? Any help would be appreciated.
