Syracuse - Where are the GOOD areas to live?

[mkim]

I would say to rent, look on or really close to campus, meadowbrook dr close to Barry Park area, and the Drumlins area is nice. Don't look along E. Genesee just because some parts are not good. Those are areas I would maybe consider. If anything, maybe Drumlins preferrably, as I think the city in general is getting sketchier.
Drumlins is borderline to Dewitt (a suburb) which is fine and not far, maybe like a 10-15 min drive all together to campus. The meadowbrook area is not dangerous but not where I would walk at night anymore just because I am no longer familiar with that area so don't know how safe compared to in the 90s. Has always been one of the safest parts of the city, as the East side is in general. Lots of families there. Along Euclid Ave. close to the University should be okay but pretty much student housing like.
Definitely, do NOT go towards the South part of town just past campus by Manley Field House and that neighborhood area. I think they have married student housing which should be fine there, but the side streets are not safe, at least at night. I nearly had some sort of crime incident once in highschool at night because I pulled over and I knew something was about to happen as a man was walking down the street and I heard him say "These are the people tonight" whatever that was supposed to mean. So I got back in the car as soon as I could. In general, the South side is just bad, although that was within a block of Manley Field House, not considered the southside.
Its tough to say because there are always pocket sections of the city area that are okay. But as a rule, Dewitt is fine, and of course Fayetteville is safe.
Now as far as living for real, I do not know what it is like to live in Liverpool, or other outlying suburbs, but if I were to choose to buy a home it would probably be Fayetteville, and ONLY because of the schools. I don't know if you have kids, but the city schools are bad now. I say now because I went to Nottingham on the east side of town on E. Genesee st. which was not bad then. My sister is nine years younger than me and it was already bad I'd say when she went. There were still similar excellent students like her but not many.
My daughter is a first grader and the only public school I would probably think of is Fayetteville, Jamesville-Dewitt, or the West Genesee District. The W. Genny district is in the city but the academics have been consistently comparable to Jamesville-Dewitt. I understand they have a strong working class/value based community. However, the surrounding areas are not great. At least the housing would be more affordable. Fayetteville-Manlius still rated somewhat higher. From Fayetteville, it would be about a 15-20 minute drive in but I don't know how morning traffic is, and from Manlius, maybe a half hour. Cazenovia is also pretty good but too secluded. That's even further east and no highway to get there, but interstate roads. Its a small secluded white bred based kind of area, past Manlius. I like Fayetteville for the convenience to everything, as they have their own shopping areas, and an awesome YMCA there now from what I understand.
Like I said, I don't know living in Liverpool/N. Syracuse, but I do like the liverpool parkway playground and walkway. Don't know about the schools.
Without kids, I would probably live within the city limits on the East side. No sense in paying the high taxes in the suburbs for nothing and house space not necessary.
Good luck!

[bellafinzi]

mkim, where did you go?