Commute from West Chester to Newark, DE? (Philadelphia, New Castle: rent, home) - Pennsylvania (PA) - City-Data Forum

Knitty · 09-13-2012, 02:26 AM

I'm an about-to-be new college grad who is starting her very first "grown-up" job in Newark, DE, this February. Delaware was a serious compromise on location for me--I interned there for two summers, and basically I'm taking a job that I love with a boss that I love on a team that I love in a location I am less than thrilled about (to say the least). Northern Delaware's strip mall and highway feel is really just not my cup of tea, and I've been searching for alternatives.

I've all but ruled out Philadelphia because of the commute, but if Google directions can be believed, it would be about 45 minutes from West Chester to Newark every day. I think I could handle this length (I commuted a half hour to work for the last two summers, so 45 minutes really isn't a huge stretch). Much more than that (or bad traffic, ugh) would be a big deterrent for me.

I've spent some time in West Chester visiting friends, and I like the small town vibe (I'm really more of a big city girl, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards right now). So, I have two questions: is it really 45 minutes from West Chester to Newark, DE, and are there any other small/medium sized towns I could look at that might give me a little shorter a commute?

FindingZen · 09-13-2012, 06:53 AM

Well there's Media whose State Street is as active - if slightly more family-oriented - than West Chester's Gay Street where you can extend your college experience to some degree with the WCU seniors and grad students. Of course 202 and especially 95 can be a crapshoot as far as traffic.

Have you considered Wilmington? Trolley Square is supposedly the "trendy" neighborhood there. The nearby riverfront is likely picturesque if one's budget can accommodate it. What about Newark itself? If the idea of West Chester appeals to you, you won't mind the mix of students and locals at the University of Delaware. Main Street is the "main drag".

toobusytoday · 09-13-2012, 08:44 AM

Knitty, Since you will most likely be renting anyway, why not just rent in Newark for a year and see if you can find your niche there? There are a lot of benefits of living where you work and if you truly don't like it, you can spend the last few months sorting out a place you'd like to move to. And no, I doubt that 45 minutes is realistic.

tom_567 · 09-13-2012, 09:09 AM

I would agree with valuing your time over your location during the week. If you're in the car all week long, you don't have time to catch up on laundry, go food shopping, and all of the other boring stuff you can quickly get accomplished when you live near where you work. What fun will it be to be located in West Chester, when you're going to be stuck in traffic all week and have a pile of stuff to catch up on during the weekend? Also, gas is $4/gallon plus bridge tolls. This will put a serious dent in your bottom line as well. I'd skip PA's slightly lower state income tax, go beyond your comfort zone, and try out Newark or Wilmington as suggested. If yiou like big city, I hear that Trolley Square is a decent compromise. You can always travel to Philadelphia or DC on the weekends! Good luck!

LibraGirl123 · 09-13-2012, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom_567

I would agree with valuing your time over your location during the week. If you're in the car all week long, you don't have time to catch up on laundry, go food shopping, and all of the other boring stuff you can quickly get accomplished when you live near where you work. What fun will it be to be located in West Chester, when you're going to be stuck in traffic all week and have a pile of stuff to catch up on during the weekend? Also, gas is $4/gallon plus bridge tolls. This will put a serious dent in your bottom line as well. I'd skip PA's slightly lower state income tax, go beyond your comfort zone, and try out Newark or Wilmington as suggested. If yiou like big city, I hear that Trolley Square is a decent compromise. You can always travel to Philadelphia or DC on the weekends! Good luck!

Just curious...what bridge tolls would you encounter driving from West Chester to Newark?

BTA88 · 09-13-2012, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LibraGirl123

Just curious...what bridge tolls would you encounter driving from West Chester to Newark?

The Route 1 toll just before the suspension bridge.

Knitty, I'd check out Elkton, MD. It's a decent little town, about 20 minutes from Newark. It's the only town of any respectable size in its area, so it's more happening than its size would let on.

toobusytoday · 09-13-2012, 05:29 PM

Suspension bridge?? Newark is in New Castle county. North of the canal bridges. https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...ed=0CCAQ-A8wAA

But the gas prices are a good point.

BTA88 · 09-13-2012, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Suspension bridge?? Newark is in New Castle county. North of the canal bridges. https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...ed=0CCAQ-A8wAA

Mea Culpa, thought the bridges were further north.

scosm · 09-14-2012, 02:09 AM

If you took back roads, it would be a pretty drive on PA 52 and other roads. 202 to 95 would be a sucky drive. Kennett Square is a little closer and has a nice downtown and really good Mexican restaurants. Still a country town with all the mushroom farms around there. I will echo what others have said that Wilmington does have some nice parts with a younger crowd of people so might be worth a look.

Knitty · 09-14-2012, 02:20 AM

Gas prices are a good point, and definitely something that I had thought of previously. I will say a good part of my desire to live in West Chester is that I have friends there, and I'm nervous about meeting people when I graduate. I'd have a ready-made social life in West Chester, with people I love to hang out with--people who are also no longer in school. Maybe living near work and going up on weekends is a more reasonable plan

I will say that most people in the area seem to have a negative attitude towards Wilmington, though my personal experience with it has been literally limited to the Amtrak station (getting there and back didn't paint a super flattering picture of Wilmington as a city, however). Trolley Square seems to be the big suggestion, so I'll definitely check that out. I hadn't considered Elkton, but I'm open to it. I've just never been there, or really heard anyone talk about it. Guess I'll search the Maryland forum and see what people have to say.

It sounds like the West Chester commute is not terribly realistic. I think I'm still going to try the drive a few times during rush hour during my one month gap to see what it's really like before I completely decide against it, but I appreciate all the advice!

Also: Just saw the Kennett Square suggestion. Kennett is home for me--parents, high school, the whole shebang. Even if it weren't so very, very familiar, it's not exactly a place for young people. State Street is really the only "downtown", and it's probably smaller than Main Street Newark. Which is saying something. I will be happy to be able to pop over to La Michoacana for some corn ice cream whenever it strikes my fancy, and I'll be back for the Mushroom Festival next year for the first time since leaving for college. I think I've had quite enough of waking up to funky mushroom soil smells to last a lifetime, though, thank you very much.