I love NJ's density. The numbers are so impressive for such a small state with few big cities. If NJ were a country, it would rank 94th in population, squarely in the middle of the pack and ahead of such countries as Ireland, Israel, Libya, Norway... three times the population of Mongolia.
OT: 15 Reasons To Absolutely Hate New Jersey
- Thread starter IMARUFAN
- Start date
I love NJ I'm never going to move even after I retire. We're a little different from most. We own a small farm and all the houses around us are farms larger than ours. Our taxes are low due to farm assessment(we do work for it). Our area is designated ARE2, so no problems with overcrowding.
We're 10 minutes from the Manasquan reservoir and Allaire St park, 20 minutes from the shore. Just a mile from us is a movie theater, shopping, restaurants, Lowe's, BJ's. From our house you would never know it's just down the road. 45 minutes to High Points stadium, a little less when my wife drives and it's a 12 pm kickoff. We kind of lucked out with our property and location. About the only time in my life luck was on my side. They're going to have to bury me on my farm when I die.
We're 10 minutes from the Manasquan reservoir and Allaire St park, 20 minutes from the shore. Just a mile from us is a movie theater, shopping, restaurants, Lowe's, BJ's. From our house you would never know it's just down the road. 45 minutes to High Points stadium, a little less when my wife drives and it's a 12 pm kickoff. We kind of lucked out with our property and location. About the only time in my life luck was on my side. They're going to have to bury me on my farm when I die.
Born in Jersey, live in Jersey, will die in Jersey. This stuff is all very subjective, but I love NJ. Some family and many friends here, Rutgers (including football, hoops and other sports, of course) and NB are right in my backyard, there's the Shore, there's the "mountains," there's incredible culture, NYC and Philly are really close by, the ethnic diversity is awesome, which means the food/restaurants are awesome, and the people are great for the most part, but that's true anywhere. And while I wish it snowed more, we at least get some snow and the summers aren't too brutal, like they are in the south. I've traveled extensively in the US and been to a decent number of other counties, although I've never lived somewhere else, other than Ireland (for several months at a time), and I have no desire to live anywhere else.
Howellbama a couple miles from the Jackson border. We love it out here, moved about 5 years ago. Looked at Wall, taxes there are insane. Howell is very nice, you get more for your money, school systems very good and taxes are reasonable.
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Ha ha. Haven't heard Howellbama in a while. That area and the area bordering Bricktucky (Herbertsville section of Brick) are still pretty country for New Jersey.
I was born in Somerville grew up in Highland Park went to college in Gainesville Florida hve lived and worked in eastern Massachusetts South Jersey Frederick Maryland north county San Diego and back here. Loved them all.Except Denver. I don't ski. I hate the Broncos and like my oxygen and air to be thick...All things considered I'll take San Diego. But at my age I am just glad to be anywhere.
Texas is soooo calling you. Save a bunch on taxes. Notice the grass, too. But keep in mind that all work and no RU football makes Mrs. Screw a dull girl.
Grew up in NE PA less than an hour from NJ. Loved it then and still think it was a great place to grow up, also a great place to be from. Spent most of my life after that in NJ. Went to RU. Have lived in NY, Nebraska, Texas and Georgia, too. Last 24 years in California. I know everyone has their prejudices and loyalties, but I can't imagine one thing NJ has that CA does not do better. Start with the weather and multiply by 10. If you still live in Jersey after 50 and still love the winters, more power to you. I found myself taking more and more "business" trips in February and March just to get away.
Yeah I know there is some food you find in NJ that is hard to find in CA. So what? CA has its own special food, too. Beaches? You have got to be kidding? Want to know the difference between clean and dirty? Move from NJ to CA.
I am not knocking everything about NJ. As many have said it is a great place to grow up. The things you learn about people, life and hard work are invaluable. However, after you have learned those things and turned them into a successful life you have earned a reward. Try California.
Yeah I know there is some food you find in NJ that is hard to find in CA. So what? CA has its own special food, too. Beaches? You have got to be kidding? Want to know the difference between clean and dirty? Move from NJ to CA.
I am not knocking everything about NJ. As many have said it is a great place to grow up. The things you learn about people, life and hard work are invaluable. However, after you have learned those things and turned them into a successful life you have earned a reward. Try California.
I absolutely love what NJ has to offer and think it's in my top 5 places I'd want to live in the country. Is it the best? After visiting La Jolla, Maui, and even Clearwater Beach, FL, I don't know. However, taking schools and other factors into account, those places may be best for retirement, but not while I have young kids.
I love the fact I don't have to deal with earthquakes or tornadoes in Jersey. Wish the damn ocean water would warm up a little quicker. Was down the beach two weekends ago and the water was 58 degrees.
Sorry for delay. Used to live in Howell, Monmouth Ridings, taxes are reasonable for you because you're farm assessed. School system is good, 9 schools made our taxes increase from $5,700 to $8,500 in 3 years. Work in Freehold, prefer the beach, ran the reservoir Monday. Beautiful place. Only farm family I know is twin pond.
Love New Jersey. I lived in Seattle, Santa Cruz, Phoenix, Houston, Washington DC, Philadelphia,and San Antonio. Only Seattle and San Cruz are better than NJ. At some point I will live in NJ during April-Nov and live somewhere warm during Dec-March.
Some complain about the high cost of living but if you want to go to a 5 star hotel, you have to pay for it.
Some complain about the high cost of living but if you want to go to a 5 star hotel, you have to pay for it.
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Live across from Herbertsville reservoir. I can make a left out of my development and see all the farms or make a right and hit 70 in a few miles.
Same plan for my wife and me. We'll head to Clearwater Beach after the last RU home game and back north once the Phils wrap up spring training.
Fantastic area. Went to Allenwood School K-4. Love Allaire State Park, Brice Park, Allenwood General Store, the Reservoir, and the bike path which can take you from farms to the beach.
Don't forget, we have horrible golf courses both public and private.
Who in their right mind would want to play Ballyowen, Hawk Point, Twisted Dunes, Howell Park or Hominy Hill.
I can't imagine any golf enthusiast having any desire to play Pine Vally, Ridgewood, Baltusrol, Plainfield, Somerset Hills, Liberty, Bayonne. Hundreds more by the way!
Who in their right mind would want to play Ballyowen, Hawk Point, Twisted Dunes, Howell Park or Hominy Hill.
I can't imagine any golf enthusiast having any desire to play Pine Vally, Ridgewood, Baltusrol, Plainfield, Somerset Hills, Liberty, Bayonne. Hundreds more by the way!
Texas is soooo calling you. Save a bunch on taxes. Notice the grass, too. But keep in mind that all work and no RU football makes Mrs. Screw a dull girl.
She can fly back anytime she wants. Besides now Tenn is looking good.
You sound close to me. I`m in Farmingdale/Howell. As for the state of NJ, I love living in Monmouth County. My favorite past time is striking out for hours or even a day at a time riding my motorcycle. When a friend and I do this it is always awesome to ask, "do you feel like going to northwest jersey and the beautiful rural winding roads, the Pine Barrens for the solitude, the beaches for the beauty or other ?" Not too many states offer all these options. And even fewer states lay claim to having these options so close to each other.
The other thing i always enjoy in this state is the passion for sports and food. When I lived in Charleston SC, a beautiful place but it drove me nuts that there was not a single professional team to watch and no passion whatsoever for sports in general. Clemson vs USCjr? Fine. Up here its CRAZY how many awesome sports rivalries there are. Where I have been very impressed with Charleston the last several years is the HUGE growth in the quality and diversity of food. But Im reminded that the rest of the state does not enjoy these things where they are plentiful throughout NJ.
I played A ball in Charleston in 1976, you couldn't get a drink it was a dry town.
How things have changed…We were offered a piece of property on Kiawah Island for $25,000, now worth 5 million.
Grew up in Hyde Park NY, Lived in that area most of my life and then moved to CT and RI for a couple of years. Loved all of those places except for Ct...Moved to NJ in 2004 and love so much about what this state has to offer. I work in Manhattan and live on a beautiful(park like) acre in Mahwah. Ocean, Mountains, hiking, NYC etc etc etc. Everyone in the country should take the time to get to really see the real NJ some time in their life.
But I can't wait to get the F out! Work so damn hard and so damn much just to keep up on my house, taxes, cost of living...that I have no damn time or money to enjoy any of it. I also don't know about everyone else but in my neighborhood- no one socializes, everyone peeks and talks behind your back and many are so damn jealous of everything.
But I can't wait to get the F out! Work so damn hard and so damn much just to keep up on my house, taxes, cost of living...that I have no damn time or money to enjoy any of it. I also don't know about everyone else but in my neighborhood- no one socializes, everyone peeks and talks behind your back and many are so damn jealous of everything.
Being that I am from Cali, there are parts in Cali that I love - La Jolla for example. But as a state, as a whole, I hate Cali. All the negatives you find in NJ is amplified in Cali - Cali is exactly what you don't want NJ to become. Uncontrolled govt spending, taxes, the disappearing middle class, entitlement state and full of absolute pretentious, plastic and fake people. Also, the standard of living in Cali is very high - the salaries are not commensurate with the cost of living. You see a 28 year old driving a BMW in NJ, chances are that person can legitimately afford it. You see one in Cali, chances are that 28 year old lives with his Mom.
But hey, it's different strokes for different folks. This thread is really more of a defense of NJ than anything else. Just sick of the Jersey bashing that always goes on nationwide.
Oh, while we're at it, here is a quick story. I was in Disney the past spring. All you heard in the "comedy shows" were Jersey jokes. The host would usually ask - "where are you from?" and it's almost guaranteed that someone will be from Jersey - then the Jersey jokes come out. Only for NJ - not for Nebraska, or from Montana - noooo, New Jersey. Finally, in one of the shows - someone from New Jersey finally had enough and yells back at the host - "Ha ha Jersey joke again. FYI in case you didn't notice, there's a reason why many of your patrons are from New Jersey - it's because we can EFFING afford it!!!"
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Neighborhood socialization seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur. Kids used to play outside all the time and simply meet up in a park or on a street corner, and things would evolve from there-whether it was riding bikes, building a fort in the woods, a pickup game of baseball, wiffle ball, football, etc. Parents of kids would get to know each other through their kids' friends. Parents used to go to their kids soccer and baseball games and socialize there. After years of coaching baseball and soccer, I saw fewer parents attending games, and many stood alone staring into their phones.
When we lived in townhouse in North Brunswick, NJ back in the early 1990's, we regularly talked with our neighbors. In 1995, we moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, which to this day, in my mind, is the least friendly place in in the US. We moved back to North Brunswick for a year and then upstate New York in the late 1990's where neighbors seemed to socialize more. Think all of the socialization was lost with the mobile phone and mobile device.
There isn't a kid in suburban New Jersey who has ever uttered the words "we got next" or "we got winners" or "right field is dead"
We are very close to Farmingdale just south. We have lots of friends who live in Farmingdale, we almost bought a house there. But this property was just to good to pass up . Great area, quiet, sparsely populated and rural. Still has that small town feel.
I'd hate Cali weather, especially SoCal, where the weather is simply boring and there's no snow (and mountains an hour away don't count). NJ weather is way better.
Cali beaches are certainly pretty, but NJ beaches are way cleaner - perhaps you should educate yourself on water quality testing and systems in place in both states to protect ocean water quality before spouting off as if you know something about it. NJ beaches are also way warmer in most of summer (usually above 70F), while California beaches rarely get above 70F (except San Diego, really) and most never get above 65F.
NJ had 7 of the top 35 beaches in the 2014 data, while California had - count 'em - one. And NJ has far cleaner beaches overall (tied for the best in the US), as measured by fewest percent exceedances of the beach action values (~3%), whereas California's overall ranking was #11 out of 30 states, with 9% of its beaches exceeding BAV targets.
http://ecowatch.com/2014/06/26/35-superstar-beaches-and-17-you-might-want-to-reconsider/
https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/ttw2014.pdf
NJ 2 - Cali 0 for me, on weather and beach cleanliness/temperature.
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