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In terms of NJ; Salem, Penns Grove and Chesilhurst appear to be a few places that meet the less than 10,000/40% criteria. Some others come close in terms of percentage.
In New England, Blue Hills(CDP) in CT(partially in Hartford and Bloomfield) fits the criteria and may have the highest percentage of such places in the region at 85% black. It is also in a sleeper predominantly black, middle class concentration from outer northern Hartford into most of Bloomfield and southern Windsor.
In PA; Colwyn, Sharon Hill, Aliquippa(right there), East Pittsburgh, Rankin, Farrell, Braddock, Collingdale, East Lansdale, Upland, Homestead and North Braddock are some that meet the criteria. Many of these places are in the Pittsburgh/Western PA area too.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 07-07-2023 at 08:12 PM..
In terms of NJ; Salem, Penns Grove and Chesilhurst appear to be a few places that meet the less than 10,000/40% criteria. Some others come close in terms of percentage.
In New England, Blue Hills(CDP) in CT(partially in Hartford and Bloomfield) fits the criteria and may have the highest percentage of such places in the region at 85% black. It is also in a sleeper predominantly black, middle class concentration from outer northern Hartford into most of Bloomfield and southern Windsor.
In PA; Colwyn, Sharon Hill, Aliquippa(right there), East Pittsburgh, Rankin, Farrell, Braddock, Collingdale, East Lansdale, Upland, Homestead and North Braddock are some that meet the criteria. Many of these places are in the Pittsburgh/Western PA area too.
And it continues...
I think the town you are thinking of here is the Borough of East Lansdowne in Delaware County, separated from Lansdowne Borough by a thin strip of Upper Darby Township.
Colwyn, Darby and both Lansdownes all share the William Penn School District, however. That district is generally regarded as one of the worst-performing school districts in the county (though not as poor a performer as Chester Upland, which includes Chester City, Chester Township and Upland Borough. Heavily Black Chester City is the oldest [founded 1644] and poorest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and its municipal finances are in such bad shape that the state has given it a deadline to clean things up lest it face disincorporation (which would mean that either the state ran it directly or its territory got allocated among neighboring municipalities, for there is no such thing as unincorporated land in this state). Lansdowne, which is not as Black as East Lansdowne, has a very attractive downtown and many grand Victorian and turn-of-the-century homes, many of them in a state historic district; the schools are considered one reason this borough hasn't become truly affluent all around.
I think the town you are thinking of here is the Borough of East Lansdowne in Delaware County, separated from Lansdowne Borough by a thin strip of Upper Darby Township.
Colwyn, Darby and both Lansdownes all share the William Penn School District, however. That district is generally regarded as one of the worst-performing school districts in the county (though not as poor a performer as Chester Upland, which includes Chester City, Chester Township and Upland Borough. Heavily Black Chester City is the oldest [founded 1644] and poorest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and its municipal finances are in such bad shape that the state has given it a deadline to clean things up lest it face disincorporation (which would mean that either the state ran it directly or its territory got allocated among neighboring municipalities, for there is no such thing as unincorporated land in this state). Lansdowne, which is not as Black as East Lansdowne, has a very attractive downtown and many grand Victorian and turn-of-the-century homes, many of them in a state historic district; the schools are considered one reason this borough hasn't become truly affluent all around.
Yes, either auto correct is giving me the business or I’m slipping. I meant East Lansdowne.
I’m wondering if many families just go with private schools or are there charter options in that area?
There's only one charter school in the William Penn district, Vision Academy Charter School (K-8) in East Lansdowne.
I've written in Phillymag that city parents should ignore the rankings and grades and consider their neighborhood public school for their grade-school-age children (I acknowledge that the same advice doesn't really apply to high school), but I will note that the charter schools in Delaware County get middling scores at best on the two big rating sites, including Widener Partnership Charter School in Chester.
Vision Academy is the only charter school in the county not located in or near Chester. That means that the main options for parents in the Lansdownes are private and parochial schools.
There's only one charter school in the William Penn district, Vision Academy Charter School (K-8) in East Lansdowne.
I've written in Phillymag that city parents should ignore the rankings and grades and consider their neighborhood public school for their grade-school-age children (I acknowledge that the same advice doesn't really apply to high school), but I will note that the charter schools in Delaware County get middling scores at best on the two big rating sites, including Widener Partnership Charter School in Chester.
Vision Academy is the only charter school in the county not located in or near Chester. That means that the main options for parents in the Lansdownes are private and parochial schools.
Interesting, as I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a push for more charter options in the district. I say this, because black students in charter schools in NY State generally do better than those in regular public schools, if not in general.
Also, in terms of the smaller communities mentioned with under 10,000 people and that are at least 40% black, I know that the school district Wheatley Heights is in(Half Hollow Hills), is highly regarded and the district that Lakeview is in(Malverne) has improved over the years and has good general results.
Interesting, as I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a push for more charter options in the district. I say this, because black students in charter schools in NY State generally do better than those in regular public schools, if not in general.
Also, in terms of the smaller communities mentioned with under 10,000 people and that are at least 40% black, I know that the school district Wheatley Heights is in(Half Hollow Hills), is highly regarded and the district that Lakeview is in(Malverne) has improved over the years and has good general results.
I'd only truly consider moving back north to either the Pittsburgh area, or a select few places in New York: Queens, Albany, Syracuse, Binghamton, Buffalo, or Rochester...
Whether these are all truly "great" places for black folk is subjective, and there are objective trends and data that give reasons many of these places aren't great for us. The only one of these places that my employer doesn't have transferability to is Queens, but there's other options if that's the case...
I've recently begun considering a move back north as I started dating a woman from Plattsburgh NY. I wouldn't be moving for at least a year anyway, so we're talking a year to see how this long distance holds up, and it could be longer because obviously my children are here in NC...
Plattsburgh is outta the question, it's only ~4% black, I'm not doing that **** to myself. But I am open to a potential move back to NY in the future, we'll see how this long distance thing goes. But the place I go to has to have a respectable black population...
Right now Albany would be the leader in the clubhouse, and she's also open to a return back to NC down the line or a place elsewhere we agree to, should this relationship sustain despite the distance ..
I'd only truly consider moving back north to either the Pittsburgh area, or a select few places in New York: Queens, Albany, Syracuse, Binghamton, Buffalo, or Rochester...
Whether these are all truly "great" places for black folk is subjective, and there are objective trends and data that give reasons many of these places aren't great for us. The only one of these places that my employer doesn't have transferability to is Queens, but there's other options if that's the case...
I've recently begun considering a move back north as I started dating a woman from Plattsburgh NY. I wouldn't be moving for at least a year anyway, so we're talking a year to see how this long distance holds up, and it could be longer because obviously my children are here in NC...
Plattsburgh is outta the question, it's only ~4% black, I'm not doing that **** to myself. But I am open to a potential move back to NY in the future, we'll see how this long distance thing goes. But the place I go to has to have a respectable black population...
Right now Albany would be the leader in the clubhouse, and she's also open to a return back to NC down the line or a place elsewhere we agree to, should this relationship sustain despite the distance ..
Interesting…Yeah, Plattsburgh has a visible black population(has a church, you’ll see some kids on HS teams, some college students at the 2 colleges, etc.) and Montreal would be the closest city with areas with a high black population(SW Montreal(Little Burgundy used to be where the city’s black English speaking population was concentrated and now only about 16% black), NDG, etc.). There are about 200,000 black people in the area. Montreal is about an hour north of Plattsburgh.
In terms of within the US/region, the Albany area is the closest in terms of having areas with higher black populations. As mentioned in another thread, Schenectady is about 25% black or so and its black population has quadrupled since 1980. Troy, which is about 20% black is similar in terms of population growth. I Schenectady’s Union Street corridor and some outer parts of Troy will have a black middle class presence. Albany is about 33% black and has a black middle class presence in the neighborhoods in the southwestern 2/3rds(Delaware Ave, Whitehall, Helderberg, etc.). Some are outer North Albany as well. There are smaller cities like Cohoes(seeing some development), Watervliet(has a black middle class presence near the HS) and Rensselaer(across the river from Albany) with decent sized and growing black populations too. Saratoga Springs has a smaller, but long time population west and south of Downtown.
As for suburbs in that area, Menands is a small village north of Albany with a decent black middle class presence and black students are the biggest group in plurality(it is a Pre K-8 school(district) with multiple options for HS: https://www.menands.org/ , https://www.menands.org/about-us/). Historically, the South Colonie SD is the suburban district that black families in the area would initially move to. To illustrate a presence, here is their HS graduation from a couple of week ago(you don’t even have to watch more than 5 or so minutes to notice): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO16...N0cmljdA%3D%3D
North Colonie is another suburban district that is similar in that regard(for old school Basketball heads, former NBA player Sam Perkins is a grad), it’s HS graduation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfkV...4gMjAyMw%3D%3D
Parts of Niskayuna, Guilderland, East Greenbush, Rotterdam(Mohonasen and even Schalmont); among maybe a couple of others, will have a visible/decent amount as well.
While it is technically outside of the metro area and if you don’t mind a small city, Hudson about 30 minutes south of Albany is about 20% black and currently has a mayor that is black native to the city.
I don’t know if it is on the table, but the Hudson Valley has places with good sized black populations and that are generally middle class.
So, some of this may could to where you look nearby.
Interesting…Yeah, Plattsburgh has a visible black population(has a church, you’ll see some kids on HS teams, some college students at the 2 colleges, etc.) and Montreal would be the closest city with areas with a high black population(SW Montreal(Little Burgundy used to be where the city’s black English speaking population was concentrated and now only about 16% black), NDG, etc.). There are about 200,000 black people in the area. Montreal is about an hour north of Plattsburgh.
In terms of within the US/region, the Albany area is the closest in terms of having areas with higher black populations. As mentioned in another thread, Schenectady is about 25% black or so and its black population has quadrupled since 1980. Troy, which is about 20% black is similar in terms of population growth. I Schenectady’s Union Street corridor and some outer parts of Troy will have a black middle class presence. Albany is about 33% black and has a black middle class presence in the neighborhoods in the southwestern 2/3rds(Delaware Ave, Whitehall, Helderberg, etc.). Some are outer North Albany as well. There are smaller cities like Cohoes(seeing some development), Watervliet(has a black middle class presence near the HS) and Rensselaer(across the river from Albany) with decent sized and growing black populations too. Saratoga Springs has a smaller, but long time population west and south of Downtown.
As for suburbs in that area, Menands is a small village north of Albany with a decent black middle class presence and black students are the biggest group in plurality(it is a Pre K-8 school(district) with multiple options for HS: https://www.menands.org/ , https://www.menands.org/about-us/). Historically, the South Colonie SD is the suburban district that black families in the area would initially move to. To illustrate a presence, here is their HS graduation from a couple of week ago(you don’t even have to watch more than 5 or so minutes to notice): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO16...N0cmljdA%3D%3D
North Colonie is another suburban district that is similar in that regard(for old school Basketball heads, former NBA player Sam Perkins is a grad), it’s HS graduation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfkV...4gMjAyMw%3D%3D
Parts of Niskayuna, Guilderland, East Greenbush, Rotterdam(Mohonasen and even Schalmont); among maybe a couple of others, will have a visible/decent amount as well.
While it is technically outside of the metro area and if you don’t mind a small city, Hudson about 30 minutes south of Albany is about 20% black and currently has a mayor that is black native to the city.
I don’t know if it is on the table, but the Hudson Valley has places with good sized black populations and that are generally middle class.
So, some of this may could to where you look nearby.
You probably don't recall as it's been a decade now, but I moved to Guilderland when I left Elmira, before coming back south. I'm somewhat familiar with Albany, though again that was a decade ago and its been since 2018 the last time I visited, so I'm sure it'll be different on a number of levels should I return...
I wouldn't move to the Hudson Valley. Albany is the closest large city to where she's from, and it's also a city I'm comfortable enough in. The other cities I listed, I'm open to, and she is to a degree, but she really would like to leave NY for good (which is how she ended up in Raleigh in the first place). She doesn't have a strong desire to relocate anywhere in NY, but she's leaving the option open as we see how this plays out...
And to be honest with you, I don't have a strong desire to come back to NY, it's probably stronger than her inclination to stay lol. Bit I don't have a strong desire to come back. And if things go well with us I'm going to have to reconcile where I reside with where my kids are and that is a stressful consideration...
So Alb would be my first choice but the other NY cities IL open to as well...
You probably don't recall as it's been a decade now, but I moved to Guilderland when I left Elmira, before coming back south. I'm somewhat familiar with Albany, though again that was a decade ago and its been since 2018 the last time I visited, so I'm sure it'll be different on a number of levels should I return...
I wouldn't move to the Hudson Valley. Albany is the closest large city to where she's from, and it's also a city I'm comfortable enough in. The other cities I listed, I'm open to, and she is to a degree, but she really would like to leave NY for good (which is how she ended up in Raleigh in the first place). She doesn't have a strong desire to relocate anywhere in NY, but she's leaving the option open as we see how this plays out...
And to be honest with you, I don't have a strong desire to come back to NY, it's probably stronger than her inclination to stay lol. Bit I don't have a strong desire to come back. And if things go well with us I'm going to have to reconcile where I reside with where my kids are and that is a stressful consideration...
So Alb would be my first choice but the other NY cities IL open to as well...
This is in terms of other school options not mentioned above.
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