What's the nicest community in the USA?

aimhabanim

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:56 pm

I also suggest Atlanta. Amazing community and girls school (I don’t know anything about the boys school)

amother

Cherry

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:57 pm

amother Purple wrote:

Pine lake park lol and it’s right near lakewood

But where are you sending your kids to school? Lakewood schools, no? If you're looking for oot Lakewood schools aint it.

amother

Snowdrop

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:58 pm

mha3484 wrote:

I think is true in what you call a red state like Ohio or Florida.

I am in a blue state and we have bussing and more resources for special ed.

Yes and no. I'm in a blue state so the funding is officially there, but the schools aren't big enough in our small community to have functional frum special Ed options. Your options are to stay in yeshiva with a lot of private tutoring or go to Public school. There is officially bussing if you live the right distance from the school, but no one does because the community is so small. Don't get me wrong, I love my small community, but if you need special Ed, you're better off in a bigger community. (Not saying that's true of OP, I just wanted to point it out for anyone else wanting OOT

amother

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:58 pm

amother Yarrow wrote:

You mentioned Passaic. What about Passaic?

We’ve looked into Passaic and it’s still possibly a contender. Very hard to find a house.

Amother above, it hasn’t quite been 20 years, but more than 15. We still have little kids and don’t like the trajectory our area is on.

Tichellady, thanks for the suggestions. We’d like a slightly larger and/or growing community.

amother

Calendula

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:59 pm

amother Cerise wrote:

Why are you looking to move after 20 years?

Same thought. I wouldn't uproot a family with teens & preteens unless there's a compelling reason. Unless you mean a new community an hours drive away where you can still visit your old friends/ family all the time.

amother

Junglegreen

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 6:03 pm

I said edison because it's always seemed like a nice community but I don't live there so couldn't advise on housing. It's just always been on my mind as a possibility when I think about ditching lakewood/jackson/toms river and finding a place where I can feel normal. It's not going to happen for me (can't uproot my kids) but go follow your dreams.

amother

Yarrow

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 4:38 am

amother Junglegreen wrote:

Maybe I should make a spin-off but I’d love for a community of Lakewood ppl who feel they don’t belong to form! Not necessarily housing but maybe shiurim or something for this specific crowd. Dh would love a shiur nightly from a OOT type of rabbi or a YU machmir type of rabbi.

amother

Daylily

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 9:26 am

Detroit is a really nice mid sized out of town community with good school options. The housing is well priced and you can get a nice backyard. I have relatives there and whenever I go visit I’m warmed by how nice and friendly everyone is.

amother

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 9:31 am

amother Daylily wrote:

Thank you, and thanks everyone who responded! We have been to Detroit and really liked it too but it isn’t an option for us due to several reasons.

Edison is definitely a strong contender because it is close enough to our current community to make the transition easier. Plus my teens (boys who go to OOT yeshivas) would be able to stay where they are, which is huge).

Still open to other ideas though.

StylishTichel

Fri, Jan 05 2024, 9:37 am

amother Seashell wrote:

Another vote for Edison.

Curious about Edison since I'm also interested in oot and my in laws are in Lakewood and my parents in monsey. Are most Jews in the area in highland park? Highland park seems to be a bit more urban than other parts of Edison and whenever I buy iyh I'd want a bit more rural than that (I grew up in Pomona/Wesley hills, so something like that)

amother

Aconite

Sat, Jan 06 2024, 10:01 am

The places that came to mind in the NY/NJ area are Passaic, Edison/ Highland Park, Waterbury.

If you don't mind urban and finances are not in issue (which is what it sounds like) Queens is also an option.

Also haven't seen Cleveland mentioned - I think its the ideal OOT community if you have jobs that you can bring with you.

You mentioned you are from OOT - wouldn't you want to go somewhere close the your parents?

rockinmom

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 6:26 pm

I am from highland park. It is a great community. Highland Park/Edison are really one walking community. It is not urban! However, you can walk into the one main street in town. Also people drive to nearby Lakewood all the time.

amother

Leaf

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 7:56 pm

OP can you try to find a different neighborhood in the city you are currently in that would better suit your family hashkafically? Then you wouldn't be uprooting your kids from their schools etc.
your neighborhood makes a big difference, those neighbors' kids are the ones your kids are playing with on shabbos and yomtov, and each neighborhood has different shuls
eg in Baltimore where I live, the neighborhoods are spread out. Ranging from Beazer, Ranchleigh, Indian village, Greenspring, park heights, seven mile area, TA neighborhood. (All of these have a range of family types except for the last which is more yeshivish)

amother

Clover

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 8:01 pm

amother OP wrote:

Thanks! I forgot about Chicago Very Happy

somehow I always pictured it as a big urban city. What’s the housing like? I should mention that we value privacy and would love a decent backyard as well.

I would look very closely into the schools. They are a mess to put it lightly.