PA vs. NJ

[Anonymous]

Overall, which would you rather live in? We are relocating and have narrowed our options down to a few suburbs in PA and a few in NJ. Commutes are roughly equivalent. I'm just thinking broadly - in state college options are better in PA. More voting power in PA. I know property taxes are way more in NJ (right?) but not sure about overall tax burden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Overall, which would you rather live in? We are relocating and have narrowed our options down to a few suburbs in PA and a few in NJ. Commutes are roughly equivalent. I'm just thinking broadly - in state college options are better in PA. More voting power in PA. I know property taxes are way more in NJ (right?) but not sure about overall tax burden.

Which parts of PA and NJ are you considering?

[Anonymous]

Pa, bit it really depends on the area. Could be nice with low taxes or pennsyltucky with no infrastructure and high taxes

[Anonymous]

Wow those are two very different states op. Which parts?

[Anonymous]

Not OP, but Philadelphia has suburbs on both sides of the river, so I assume OP is talking about those areas.

OP, which specific areas are you considering? The areas can be very different beyond just the PA/NJ differences.

[Anonymous]

I am from the tri-state area and husband is from Jersey. I would never ever live in NJ.

[Anonymous]

This really depends on where in PA and where in NJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am from the tri-state area and husband is from Jersey. I would never ever live in NJ.

Pa is so much better??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from the tri-state area and husband is from Jersey. I would never ever live in NJ.

Pa is so much better??

No, I just really hate Jersey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am from the tri-state area and husband is from Jersey. I would never ever live in NJ.

Please inform us why. Throw us a bone here please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from the tri-state area and husband is from Jersey. I would never ever live in NJ.

Pa is so much better??

No, I just really hate Jersey.

I'm not too familiar with NJ but am thinking of moving there too because there are houses and we're I live houses are scarce. Why do you not like NJ generally asking pp.

[Anonymous]

Do not move to Pennsylvania. The schools are terrible. Why? Tiny school districts funded almost entirely from property taxes (which are incredibly high) and in some places, separate school taxes.

Because there are so many tiny school districts with very high salaries and pensions you have two problems: First, the teachers get tenure and never leave, so everyone's teaching 30 years in the past. Second, there's usually one high school, one middle and one elementary. Stifling. You pay a crazy amt of property/school tax for schools, and then you still don't get the breadth and depth of schools in places like the DMV where you have magnet schools, bilingual schools, and AAP classrooms/centers. There is one option for all, and you better like it because it's not going to change.

Also check out how much public college costs in PA, it's ridiculously high. I'd rather send my kid to College of NJ versus the incredibly dangerous neighborhood of Temple U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not move to Pennsylvania. The schools are terrible. Why? Tiny school districts funded almost entirely from property taxes (which are incredibly high) and in some places, separate school taxes.

Because there are so many tiny school districts with very high salaries and pensions you have two problems: First, the teachers get tenure and never leave, so everyone's teaching 30 years in the past. Second, there's usually one high school, one middle and one elementary. Stifling. You pay a crazy amt of property/school tax for schools, and then you still don't get the breadth and depth of schools in places like the DMV where you have magnet schools, bilingual schools, and AAP classrooms/centers. There is one option for all, and you better like it because it's not going to change.

Also check out how much public college costs in PA, it's ridiculously high. I'd rather send my kid to College of NJ versus the incredibly dangerous neighborhood of Temple U.

I thought the separate school taxes were for every county in pa. and yes the taxes are high for what you get. Teaching is not up to date and well I've heard PA has some of the worst schools in the country testing.

[Anonymous]

OP is MIA. What part of PA? Three Mile Island, the power plant is reopening. It was the scene of the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history. So pretty sure you're not going to want to live anywhere near there...

[Anonymous]

Both states have townships/towns that add an extra layer of government/taxes. An interesting thing is that PA/NJ feel far less connected than around here, maybe due to the bridges bring tolled. As a kid in the PA suburbs, I never visited the NJ side unless we were driving to the shore.