Considering Lancaster, PA from FL

[PA_Mom]

I would stay out of Lancaster City and Columbia. Most areas surrounding the city are fine. 'The more expensive the house, the better the neightborhood' is a good gauge. I've lived here all my life and it is hard for people moving into the area to get to know people. It takes a while for people to warm up to new people because most have lived here through generations. They all want to know who you're related to and if you're not from around here-why are you here? You'll probably have to start talking first. They will warm up tho. It just takes awhile.
It is a conservative community, but becoming more liberal the last 10 years. Lots to do (for kids and adults alike), a good way to meet people is thru church. People let down their guard more at church.

[enviroman]

Originally Posted by PA_Mom

I would stay out of Lancaster City and Columbia. Most areas surrounding the city are fine. 'The more expensive the house, the better the neightborhood' is a good gauge. I've lived here all my life and it is hard for people moving into the area to get to know people. It takes a while for people to warm up to new people because most have lived here through generations. They all want to know who you're related to and if you're not from around here-why are you here? You'll probably have to start talking first. They will warm up tho. It just takes awhile.
It is a conservative community, but becoming more liberal the last 10 years. Lots to do (for kids and adults alike), a good way to meet people is thru church. People let down their guard more at church.

Here's one of the reasons I dislike Lancaster County. Most of the people you meet will assume you are a church-going Christian. If they discover you are not, well prepared to be alienated and judged.

I worked a job in high school where they had regular prayer during work. Needless to say, being a liberal kid from Philadelphia, I didn't appreciate that. The job was in banking, for crying out loud...

Lancaster is fine for conservative, church-goers that enjoy the quietude of the countryside. If you are a white-collar, college educated city-type...well, you probably won't like it so much. At least, I didn't.

[mjk1093]

Normally, I'd be the last person on Earth to stick up for Lancaster, but the Klan is not "all over." People there tend to be bigoted in the religious sense, not the racial sense. There's even black Amish people (believe it or not!)