Moving from GA to PA? (Allentown, Bethlehem: low crime, home, employment)

[ki0eh]

1 to 3 hours from NJ would put you in the eastern half of PA, maybe the eastern third depending on where in NJ. I would think that perhaps the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area would be a good start on looking (check out the NEPA sub-forum) or perhaps the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton area (the Lehigh Valley sub-forum). The next tier further out would be Lancaster (no sub-forum), Harrisburg (sub-forum), or perhaps the Sunbury to Williamsport area (no sub-forum).

Of these Lancaster is perhaps the hardest conservative area, at least Lancaster County outside the City. In the news today is the Census result that Hispanics now outnumber Amish in Lancaster County. Williamsport is starting to see significant growth relative to its size due to the shale gas drilling to the north and west. Scranton/W-B also has gas drilling to the north but is less affected due to being a much larger (than Williamsport) metro.

[Duderino]

Mod cut - removed orphaned comment

That divisive rhetoric is out of style, though. Sorry. When rural areas are pitted against urban areas and Western PA is hostile towards Eastern PA, we all lose. I like that there is a diversity of opinions and backgrounds in Pennsylvania, but I don't know if you can say the same.

[sirron]

Originally Posted by randisim

Also, we have heard from many people that the job market in PA is not promising at all. Is this true?


Any suggestions? Please help!

Here's a link to help you search for jobs/careers here in PA. You don't have to be logged in or create an account just to look. You can also find vocational trainings. It's a start. Good luck to you.

https://www.cwds.state.pa.us/cwdsonl...oy1rAmnYASO4yD

[PeeAye Native]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Contrary to your myopic, overly-conservative description of our state, there are many areas in PA that are open to people of all backgrounds -- even ::GASP:: New Jersians!

Aside from the delusional "rabble-rousing" set, I think the vast majority of Pennsylvanians find the display of the Confederate flag extremely tacky and moronic (We were, in fact, a Union State). Your description fits for, say, Arkansas, but not PA. Sorry.

In fact, you are displaying what you claim all of non-urban PA to be.

I know what Pennsylvania is like. I was born in, lived in, and worked in the past in small towns in east-central PA, for well over 40 years. I live in urban/suburban Philly now, and travel back to the areas I'm from, a lot. While there is a small, a very small, element of truth to what you say about new jerseyans and new yorkers, and philly is filthy, and liberal politics, (in that decreasing order of magnitude) it's no where near as prevalent, as strong or as wide spread as you imply. You've clearly got a bone to pick about something or other, but saying the entirety of the state believes as you do is wildly inaccurate, and highly presumptuous, too. Someone needs to say this so anyone else reading here does not get the impression entire rural and small town areas of the state are like what you describe.

[Love2Golf09]

Originally Posted by PeeAye Native

In fact, you are displaying what you claim all of non-urban PA to be.

I know what Pennsylvania is like. I was born in, lived in, and worked in the past in small towns in east-central PA, for well over 40 years. I live in urban/suburban Philly now, and travel back to the areas I'm from, a lot. While there is a small, a very small, element of truth to what you say about new jerseyans and new yorkers, and philly is filthy, and liberal politics, (in that decreasing order of magnitude) it's no where near as prevalent, as strong or as wide spread as you imply. You've clearly got a bone to pick about something or other, but saying the entirety of the state believes as you do is wildly inaccurate, and highly presumptuous, too. Someone needs to say this so anyone else reading here does not get the impression entire rural and small town areas of the state are like what you describe.

I gave an opinion as a life-long resident of PA. I never claimed that it was how I felt, never claimed that the entire state of PA felt that way, and never said this was an issue for only small towns, because its not. I've personally seen it in the Lehigh valley. If you consider allentown and Bethlehem to be rural, then that's your opinion. You didn't like what I wrote...fine, no problem...but don't make wild accusations and twist what I wrote to make it seem as though I was saying all of PA, or even everywhere outside of philly, was like that. Do I really need to place a disclaimer with each post stating that not 100% of people feel this way? I think we are all more adult than that.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by randisim

Hi. My husband and I are from New Jersey and moved to Georgia in 2007. Since then we have 2 boys (4 & 2yrs. old) and are considering moving to Pennsylvania. We are not too happy with some of Georgia's laws, regulations, and most of the people's mentalities (no offense to Georgians). Also, the recent storms traumatized me and am not sure if I want to deal with tornado seasons year after year, especially with my children. However, we live in a nice neighborhood with good schools on a moderate income. We are a bit hesitant because of the difference in the cost of living between the 2 states. Is there a significant difference? We want to be close to family in Jersey but are full aware of how the cost of living affects living comfortably. Also, we have heard from many people that the job market in PA is not promising at all. Is this true?

Good neighborhood, great schools, and small hometown feel are our top priorities!

Any suggestions? Please help!

Let's just stick with the OP ^. She seems to be concerned with housing costs and jobs.

[randisim]

thank you sirron for the link ... and I appreciate everyone's help

[ker8]

Pittsburgh's further away from NJ but it is also more cost-friendly than Philadelphia. So, if you don't mind being a little further away, I'd suggest trying there.

[Icy Tea]

As far as people from Jersey goes, just follow these simple rules. Don't move here looking for lower taxes and lower costs of living, lower crime and a quieter style of life and then complain that it isn't Jersey. You won't have alcohol sold in convenience stores or super markets, bars and restaturants on every street corner in the suburbs. You may have to drive 10 or 15 minutes to go to a grocery store or shopping. And don't complain if the elderly couple next door pay lower taxes on the house they've owned for 40 years. New housing and new construction means new sewers, roads, schools, new electric lines and that means new taxes. It comes down to if you want Pa to be like New Jersey, why did you leave New Jersey in the first place? This does not mean that everybody from New Jersey acts like this, only a small minority. Just like not eveybody from Pa gets annoyed, only a a small minority.
Pa and confederate flags. I happened to see a full size confederate flag on a pickup waving on a pole. It was something unusual enough to make me try to get closer to see if the trucks license plate was from Pa, but I couldn't get close enough. You don't see many confederate flags in SE Pa. A few. I wish we'd see more US flags, nobody flies any flags much anymore. Businesses and communities do, I mean private homes.
Pennsyltucky. I think that covers the appalachians. maybe parts of northcentral Pa east of the Susquehanna but then not much beyond the coal regions. More west of the Susquehanna in the mountains. And even then, not so much. You don't have a real bible belt mentality or a real ultra conservative mentality. That also means that there is no real liberal mentaility either outside of Philadelphia and maybe Pittsburgh. Even the Philly suburbs quickly moderate. People like to talk politics and stay informed on the issues and the candidates can't rely on a one party lever voter. From Harrisburg east to the Philly Suburbs you'll find a diverse range of politics, people debating and voters that have open minds. If every area of the country made that effort we'd be better off.
Unemployment. It ranges from about 9% in SE Pa to about under 7% around State College, lancaster, Lebanon, Harrisburg. It can be much higher in the more rural mountain counties. Not great, not bad. Hope this helps.

[fisheye]

randisim,
New Jersey is a long state from top to bottom. It also has a long shore line. To really help you we should know approximately what part of New Jersey you want to be close to? It would be a long trip to Cape May from Scranton.

By the way, if you are moving from Georgia; would you bring some boiled peanuts back with you? I used to love the crock pots full of regular and Cajun peanuts in the convenience stores down there. You also might want to pack some soft shelled crabs on a hamburger roll, some GA peaches, Vidalia onions and some southern fried chicken. If you bring those with you; we won’t even care if you were originally from NJ (just kidding)!