West or East Windsor in Mercer County? (Princeton, Hightstown: fit in, renting)
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My wife and I both make 180K combined total and are looking for a single family home.
I realize West Windsor is a top tier public school in NJ but we don't want to be house poor by taking a half a million dollar loan or at the same time live in a prehistoric old home which will be a renovation $$$ pit nightmare/ or too small for us.
We're looking at East Windsor which is alot more affordable and looking at hightstown high school test score rating seems the average is 5/10 overall but it seems it's because a specific ethnic group lowers the average based on this chart. https://imgur.com/a/DNjx7cV
Does this mean it's not really education/resources offered by the school is the issue but perhaps rather parent's involvement/environment for the student? Would East Windsor be a good pick for affordability and education?
I lived in East Windsor about 8 years ago It was safe and beautiful. Hightstown is a sanctuary city. It has a large immigrant population.
I don't think it's the home environment that brings down grades because the families are close and the parents concerned, but maybe it's the recent arrival in this country and the language. I'm not sure.
Check out property taxes, however. I thought they were high in East Windsor. I thought nearby Hamilton Square was lower but that might not be the case anymore.
Thanks, when I look at the demographics I guess it makes sense since it seems white/asians have higher academic scores but hispanics are lower which skews the average. We looked into Hamilton Square but it seems even the high school steinhert is only 4/10
Thanks, when I look at the demographics I guess it makes sense since it seems white/asians have higher academic scores but hispanics are lower which skews the average. We looked into Hamilton Square but it seems even the high school steinhert is only 4/10
If schools are important, West Windsor is better. We live in West Windsor and make a little less than you and it can be tough since contractors, etc. all assume you’re wealthy, like in the $300k+ range or higher. Once had a guy tell me shelves for a small room would cost $30k just to build, not including installation. Another company I was trying out quoted me a yard cleanup for $800 on a third acre. I’d previously spent $250. LMFAO!!! They assume everyone has disposable cash, even when I tell them my family doesn’t. . Buy a house that doesn’t need a bunch of work and you’ll mitigate that. As to culture here, people are polite but very much self-absorbed in their own lives. It’s hard to really become friends with your neighbors. Not sure how it is in East Windsor.
Agree with Kiru, if schools are important, WW is the way to go. If a bigger house is important EW would be a good choice. The taxes should also be considered.
I honestly would like to live in West Windsor but it makes me anxious to think I'm spending the next 30 years paying off a mortgage to live in a shack house...At WW townhouses are like 400K to 500K+, SFHs are like 600K - 1M+
Lawrence is next to West Windsor and is much more affordable from a housing/property tax perspective. They have a great school system and its a very diverse community...it may be worth a look.
Have you looked at Hopewell Township/Pennington? A very beautiful area and the Hopewell Valley Regional School District is highly rated (except for diversity).
Lawrence is next to West Windsor and is much more affordable from a housing/property tax perspective. They have a great school system and its a very diverse community...it may be worth a look.
West Windsor resident here. Unless you are Indian, don't bother going to West Windsor. My wife's family is in the WW school district and it's really held them back academically. Sure the school system is better but if you don't fit in and can't match the competition, it's worse. $180k will be a stretch but you can definitely make it work especially renting.
Like others said, there are plenty of good districts nearby (Pennington, Hightstown, Hopewell, Lawrence). East Windsor used to be primarily Hispanic but the longer I am here the more diversity I see within those communities. I have no idea about the school system there, though.
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