Williamsport, PA? (State College, Lock Haven, Lewisburg: crime rates, home, school districts)

[belliezj]

I got a job offer in Williamsport, PA and am looking to move there in two months.
I have r
ead articles talking about the rising crime rates in Williamsport so I am hesitant about living in there.Is there any small town around Williamsport a better place to live, preferable one that is between Williamsport and State College.
Also I have a 4 year old so I am much concerned about school districts.
We are Asians and would like a school with diversity (although I know there is not much diversity to be expected up there)

[ki0eh]

Lock Haven has a state college and might be worth looking into since that will bring a smidgen more ethnic diversity than other nearby communities have. Pending highway improvements will hopefully soon finally finish the conversion of US 220 into I-99.

Loyalsock Twp (suburban Williamsport) and Montoursville have generally well regarded schools but relatively little ethnic diversity.

If you are not having a need to go specifically to State College, you might look into Lewisburg as an alternative commutable town to Williamsport, home to Bucknell University.

[pman]

Originally Posted by belliezj

I got a job offer in Williamsport, PA and am looking to move there in two months.
I have r
ead articles talking about the rising crime rates in Williamsport so I am hesitant about living in there.Is there any small town around Williamsport a better place to live, preferable one that is between Williamsport and State College.
Also I have a 4 year old so I am much concerned about school districts.
We are Asians and would like a school with diversity (although I know there is not much diversity to be expected up there)

have you looked at city data's crime info? it would seem there's more bark than bite in those claims.

[Honest Bob]

Originally Posted by belliezj

I got a job offer in Williamsport, PA and am looking to move there in two months.
I have r
ead articles talking about the rising crime rates in Williamsport so I am hesitant about living in there.Is there any small town around Williamsport a better place to live, preferable one that is between Williamsport and State College.
Also I have a 4 year old so I am much concerned about school districts.
We are Asians and would like a school with diversity (although I know there is not much diversity to be expected up there)

WOW = you are kidding me!

Really - there is hundreds of people every day moving into the Williamsport area for the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas industry and just as many people leaving.

I highly doubt if you are going to find any diversity anywhere in central Pennsylvania - unless you move to State College proper and send your child to school there.

As you bring in a new wave of out of state workers - that has grown exponentially over the last 24 months, the people moving into the area brings the crime with them, until they force the level of crime to escalate to the point of where it was at the place where they came from.
Things such as fights and stabbings and shootings and drugs and crime has been on the rise ever since the Natural Gas people have moved into there.

There was 5 stabbings in State College last weekend, just in one weekend - over homecoming weekend.

[toobusytoday]

You might not have the diversity you want, but I don't think the schools look too bad on paper. SchoolMatters (http://www.schoolmatters.com/schools.aspx/q/page=sr/txt=Williamsport/ust=PA/p=1/fp=1 - broken link) Lycoming College is right in Williamsport Lycoming College as is Penn Tech Pennsylvania College of Technology both are very good colleges.

[Honest Bob]

You are right Toobusytoday,
One of my Uncles graduated from Penn Tech in the early 60's and became the head of all the salespeople for Eaton Controls 30 years later and retired a millionaire. Without the formal training that Penn Tech gave to him 50 years ago - with the GI Bill - there is no telling what he would be doing today or where he would have lived or how well he would have done in life.

I love Williamsport, I just don't like what the drillers are doing to the place.

Most people don't realize this - but in 40 years, it is probably going to be the next Love Canal. All the people in the USA will be talking about all the people who got sick after drinking the frac water and how the kids ended up stunted or mentally challenged and deformed from all the chemicals in the water.

It's just a darn shame!

[cingella]

Yes, there are other places to live: you have Lock Haven , Montoursville, and some areas in williamsport are still alright to bring up a family. Over in the east side of williamsport, or further to the west end of town also.

[Honest Bob]

Originally Posted by cingella

Yes, there are other places to live: you have Lock Haven , Montoursville, and some areas in williamsport are still alright to bring up a family. Over in the east side of williamsport, or further to the west end of town also.

But they are not diverse and they do not offer oriental or foreign populations of any significance. That is what this person is looking for.

[belliezj]

Thanks for the input.
I am concerned about diversity but really diversity is not the most important thing for me. On the very top of my list is a nice community where my kid can grow up happily.
Lock Haven might be a good choice since it's at the mid point between state college and Williamsport.
I will look into that.

[toobusytoday]

I really wouldn't rule out Williamsport before you see it, and I'm guessing you won't. I don't really think that Lock Haven is better then Williamsport, it's just a smaller town.