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it's another moving to Princeton area thread. As such I read the posts before posting and I have not exactly found my answer.
I am a 28 years old single male, moving from upstate NY to Princeton for a new job. I am looking for a place to rent, either a one or two bedroom apartment, but also I am open to sharing an apartment or house with one or two roommates. I am also willing to rent the floor of a house. My budget would be $1200 +/- 100.
I am considering Princeton because of the University there. I have an advanced degree and I still very much enjoying learning and meeting with people who can engage me in a good conversation and from whom I may learn a lot/new things, so I am hoping to be able to find my niche there and possibly a good group of friends with whom to mingle (grad students not excluded).
Ideally, I would prefer a place in Princeton, but my readings have suggested that this may not be feasible. So as such, I am also considering the neighboring areas. Many of you have suggested being careful about the areas that share a border with Princeton, though it seems that it brings the prices down considerably.
As such, I am asking if you could give me your feedback on the following options, as well as any additional information that you are willing/able to share? Thanks.
1) Princeton (feasibility, given budget and what it would take to find a single occupancy place).
2) Plainsboro (same as above, plus safety, standard of living, access to parks for runs and occasional pick up basketball courts (indoor and/or outdoor).
3) Lawrenceville (same as above)
4) PA-Where to live to be close to Princeton, while working in Trenton area.
5) How "bad" are the places sharing a border with Trenton, could you rank them in terms of safety or standard of living?
Thank you. I realize that this is a lot, so if you can only answer one, it is much appreciated.
I don't know for sure about a 1BR in Princeton at your price point but you should certainly be able to find a shared apt if interested at that price. I don't think Lawrenceville is too good a choice, very variable areas (though some are beautiful and safe). This kind of falls into the part with people having concerns with the areas that border Trenton. It is a really complicated situation, so I guess that since you are not familiar with the nuances, I would probably just take that off the table.
I would add West Windsor (alias Princeton Junction) where there are some newer aprt complexes where you could find waht you are looking for. I am not too familiar with Pa but would say that Newtown, Yardley (Bucks county) would be fine choices = nice areas. Try looking at Craigslist (Central NJ) area just to get an idea.
Kingston may be a good option for you; it's very close to Princeton (~3 mi.) and you could ride a bike to town. I did a quick search for apartments in Kingston and I noticed they use the same zip code as Princeton, so you have to check the map to know where the places are physically located.
I think that you would be able to find a shared apartment in Princeton for $1200+/-. Princeton is beautiful, has a great downtown, very safe, vibrant and lively. IMO, the problem with the other places that you're looking at (Plainsboro, Lawrencevile etc) is that they are more like the suburbs with little do to, not much of a real downtown etc. I think in large part it depends on where you're coming from and what your expectations are. When I moved to Princeton, I was coming from the city so was (and am) willing to pay a premium to live in the centre of town for more of an urban feel. If you're coming from a suburban environment, or like that kind of feel, the surrounding towns will be ok for you.
Ideally, I would prefer a place in Princeton, but my readings have suggested that this may not be feasible. So as such, I am also considering the neighboring areas. Many of you have suggested being careful about the areas that share a border with Princeton, though it seems that it brings the prices down considerably.
5) How "bad" are the places sharing a border with Trenton, could you rank them in terms of safety or standard of living?
Thank you. I realize that this is a lot, so if you can only answer one, it is much appreciated.
The areas that border Princeton are fine, but they are very suburban as sarahs20 has said.
There are some areas of Lawrence and Ewing (that abut Trenton) that are sketchy.
You might try looking at the various schools' web sites under off campus housing. TCNJ (Ewing), Rider (Lawrence), Rutgers (New Brunswick) as well as Princeton, for students looking for roommates.
I found a couple of ads on Craigs List for shared housing opportunities in Princeton. Might be worth a look.
Your best bet would be Lawrenceville. Stay north of darrah lane and you will be fine ( typical upper middle class neighborhoods). For the small part below darrah the neighborhoods start to decline but are still relatively safe, just lock doors at night. Also remember Princeton has a ghetto area with concerns of gang activity, probably the only neighborhood u would find in your price point. I would scratch plainsboro off the list. The affordable area, I think it's called ravens crest, is where all the crime is. Also it's slightly more difficult to get to Princeton from there compared to Lawrence. PA is well just gross in every capacity lol.
Look at the avalon complexes. Both minutes from each other. One off Quakerbridge in Lawrence and one on clarksville in west Windsor ( more luxury more $$$). They both provide the easiest commute to downtown princeton and route one within your price range.
As far as I know, craigslist is really the place to look for rentals/shares/sublets. If you do find something of interest, feel free to post here asking about the area if you want. I am confident you will get opinions.
Plainsboro does not have any problems with crime. It does have; Lots of parks, a town square with coffee shop, italian deli, pizza place and restaurant. Across the street you have post office, UPS store, Mcdonalds, Indian restaurant, Stop and shop, gym, bagel place and few more stores.
It has a great new library, running and biking trails, and a nice lake that you can enjoy, and some of the best schools in the state. Also a fantastic softball leauge to join.
You have several apartment complexes to choose from, Hunter's Glen, Fox Run, Quailbrook, Raven's Crest, and few others. Tons of singles as well as families living in these complexes.
It's less than 5 miles to downtown Princeton for work and more upscale shopping, dining and nightlife. I would put the local cab company on cell phone favorites (it's a $15 ride) and sample the fresh beer at Triumph's Brew bup and catch some live music there.
I promise you this is the way to go. You won't be dissapointed.
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