Diversity and progressives in Newtown and Yardley? (Doylestown, New Hope: middle-class, how much)

[Kimba235]

We are still looking into Newtown and Yardley...one concern I have is that several people (including a realtor) have told me that Newtown is not very diverse. (Actually, I'm not sure how much more diverse Yardley is.)

I'm a white woman, my husband is Asian...we currently live in a very diverse, progressive town in central NJ. Families of all types are welcome here, and my kids have friends who have 2 mommies, 2 daddies, etc. I like that kind of diversity, and wonder if there are different ethnicities, gay/lesbian families, etc., in Lower Bucks, too? Or is this area generally all white?

I'm also wondering if there are many progressives in that area?

Thanks for your help!

[ilovebrussels]

The majority of people who live in Newtown are white, but as far as I know everyone is welcomed. When I was going to school there we had only a very few minority students in my class. If you are looking for more open community you might want to try New Hope. New Hope is a great town, and has an openly gay community.

Newtown is in my opinon progressive, but not diverse.

[bobsmith]

I graduated from Council Rock High School in Newtown four years ago, and race-wise it is largely white, but there is also a sizable Asian population--I knew many Indians and Koreans, for instance. There were only a handful of black or hispanic people. However, I never got the sense that there was much racism or prejudice at all.

As far as being progressive, Newtown is middle-of-the-road. The area is traditionally more conservative, but I see it moving to the left just slightly, mostly fueled by people moving in from other areas. There are many of transplanted New Jersey-ites here too, and that might be why lower and central Bucks county tend to be more progressive than most parts of Montgommery County and upper Bucks County.

[Pat_in_Pa]

Here's one person's observations from a town near Yardley. It's a "lower class" town, so you may not be interested, but the diversity is a bit better than Newtown.

My daughter attends a school (not public) in Bucks County. Her class size is 21. I think (but am not sure) that there are five black kids and one Hispanic. [I know one kid teaches everybody a Spanish word once a week, so I'm assuming one Hispanic.] In other grades are several children adopted from China, but none in her grade. There are several mixed couples with kids in her school.

In her swimming class of 12 are two Indian immigrant children (non-English speaking?) and two adopted kids either from China or somewhere near Vietnam.

In our grocery store, I've seen only two sets of gay/lesbian parents either pregnant or with kids. All the gay couples I know personally are childless. So it's not as common as in some NNJ towns.

[marble530]

Kimba235,

I am curious to know what town in NJ you are moving from. I am Asian and my husband is Caucasian and we just bought a house in Doylestown because we like the area. I don't think it's the most diverse town, but I think/hope people are not against diversity.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by bobsmith

... race-wise it is largely white, but there is also a sizable Asian population--I knew many Indians and Koreans, for instance. There were only a handful of black or hispanic people. However, I never got the sense that there was much racism or prejudice at all.

This is how I see many areas of suburban Philly. Largely white, largely Catholic, with noticeable sprinklings of Asians (Indian, Korean, Chinese, etc.) throughout. Blacks and especially Hispanics only seem to live in large numbers in certain areas. However, aside from the usual small-mindedness that you see everywhere, I think people seem to get along. I don't have the numbers but PA is certainly whiter than NJ, but you aren't going to be the only Asian in town.

[ShannonMilligan]

Originally Posted by Pat_in_Pa

Here's one person's observations from a town near Yardley. It's a "lower class" town, so you may not be interested, but the diversity is a bit better than Newtown.

My daughter attends a school (not public) in Bucks County. Her class size is 21. I think (but am not sure) that there are five black kids and one Hispanic. [I know one kid teaches everybody a Spanish word once a week, so I'm assuming one Hispanic.] In other grades are several children adopted from China, but none in her grade. There are several mixed couples with kids in her school.

In her swimming class of 12 are two Indian immigrant children (non-English speaking?) and two adopted kids either from China or somewhere near Vietnam.

In our grocery store, I've seen only two sets of gay/lesbian parents either pregnant or with kids. All the gay couples I know personally are childless. So it's not as common as in some NNJ towns.

Yardley is "low class?"!! I lived in Newtown for several years and found Yardley to be more of a high class kind of place.

[DanniGirl]

Originally Posted by Pat_in_Pa

Here's one person's observations from a town near Yardley. It's a "lower class" town, so you may not be interested, but the diversity is a bit better than Newtown.

My daughter attends a school (not public) in Bucks County. Her class size is 21. I think (but am not sure) that there are five black kids and one Hispanic. [I know one kid teaches everybody a Spanish word once a week, so I'm assuming one Hispanic.] In other grades are several children adopted from China, but none in her grade. There are several mixed couples with kids in her school.

In her swimming class of 12 are two Indian immigrant children (non-English speaking?) and two adopted kids either from China or somewhere near Vietnam.

In our grocery store, I've seen only two sets of gay/lesbian parents either pregnant or with kids. All the gay couples I know personally are childless. So it's not as common as in some NNJ towns.

Are you calling Yardley lower class?? haha
Newtown and Yardley are beautiful and that is because of the people that live their! They are all upper class and take care of their community. Great place to raise a family

[Tracysherm]

Both towns are middle-class, with some areas in both quite affluent or at least upper-middle class. Yes, there are lots of white people, but there is definitely a decent mixture of races and ethnicities, including african-americans, east-asians, south-asians, etc. And aside from whatever racial/ethnic group they are in, the people tend to be higher educated professionals.

The townhomes tend to be younger couples, with more diversity. But the single-family homes aren't exactly full of people you'd consider old-fashioned or conservative. I know of gay couples with and without kids in both towns.

The area is quite liberal politically (unfortunately for me). Even those who are politically conservative, like me, are very accepting of different lifestyles, and are certainly not racist. We just hate high taxes and the schools valuing "increasing self-esteem" over silly things like reading and science But that's for another thread.

[transplant2009]

Originally Posted by marble530

Kimba235,

I am curious to know what town in NJ you are moving from. I am Asian and my husband is Caucasian and we just bought a house in Doylestown because we like the area. I don't think it's the most diverse town, but I think/hope people are not against diversity.

Hello, I was just reading this thread and was wondering how is it going so far for you in Doylestown? My husband is caucasian and I'm hispanic, and we have a two year old son, we were thinking about moving to Doylestown maybe next year, if not NJ or NY. When we were there we really liked it and people, albeit not very diverse, was fine with us. I wonder what is your experience so far. Thanks-