Newark, New Jersey

charlesdv10
Living in Newark
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

TLDR - Newark is awesome.

I’m a white, European (M), who lives and works in Newark - it’s safe, the rent is affordable (relative to NY / Jersey city), and it has amazing access to NY and EWR airport. Newark is on the up and up.

Your friend group is what you make it: Newark makes it easy for that given its diversity. In my case multiple folks with PhDs, lawyers, educators, engineers, creatives including musicians, comedians. Portuguese, Brazilian, Indian, Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan, Haitian, and all flavors of American to name SOME of the folks here (in my friend group).

You have Rutgers Newark, NJIT, Seton Hall, all with a major presence: the corporate headquarters of prudential, Panasonic, audible, NJPAC, and the prudential center. the city has hosted the MTV VMAs, the North To Shore festival, Halsey Festival, and Newark Arts Festival.

You have the ironbound - largest Portuguese population in the US and 300+ restaurants in a 1.5square mile radius, a Whole Foods, Seabras, and too many smaller independent food establishments to list. Breweries, distilleries, places to get cocktails, and music playing outside in the summer time.

If you don’t want to enjoy these things - then don’t move here 😄

charlesdv10
Living in Newark
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Newark has past and a perception that is hard to shake off - white flight is part of the history here. There is a lot of growth and development happening in Newark: it doesn’t have volume of amenities that a NY, or Jersey city has, but they are adding all the time but I view this a net positive, let me explain:

In places like NY there is FOMO; you want to try every new place, and explore everything, which means you rarely go back to the same places. This transient aspect means everyone is anonymous, you may never see a person again after they serve you at say, the coffee shop.

Using coffee shops as an example: there is variety in black Swan, method cafe, sihana, kanela (this does not including listing Starbucks or Dunkin etc). You quickly get chatting to the people In there (all awesome), and they are all multi talented and live in the community. If you are a good human and engage with them, they start inviting you to events and giving you ideas of things to do, and you meet like minded people and there you go!

Newark has a fantastic COMMUNITY. Because of the size you can’t be a shitty person - it just won’t fly! On the flip side, if you are good person, it’s the most welcoming, engaging, diverse place you can be!

bookishballerina
Living in Newark
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I think Newark is a great place to live, it’s a city with its own identity outside of NYC but still in public transit distance of NYC. Speaking of public transit, because there is NJ Transit and PATH, (and buses and lightrail in addition to trains) the city has robust options. I’ve found great friendships in this city, thru becoming a regular at local businesses (distillery, coffee shops etc) and attending arts events. There are naysayers in the comments who are offering places that are smaller and more homogeneous; I think your original instinct that Newark is a good place to move is correct. Good luck with the move whatever you decide!

Nwk_NJ
Living in Newark
3mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

New Brunswick is a much better option imo, as far as amenities. They aren't THAT far off though….The train from there to NYC isn't bad either.

Newark has better train options - the PATH to WTC or even the 33rd st PATH before 23rd are options to get to lower manhattan….and it will be easy for both of you to get to work in NYC and New Brunswick. We have a cool community here, but if you love New Brunswick, than you'd probably be down there or in JC alot. Downtown Newark is spotty.

Newark is cool, and has some stuff, esp if you are from the outer boroughs it won't be culture shock, but New Brunswick is substantially ahead in terms of dining and social options, and its a bit more broadly walkable. If you in any way think NB has any seediness to it, forget Newark. If you think NB is a cake walk (like i do), Newark could be an option.

Fwiw, I regularly contemplate moving to NB, but I work further north and am kinda engrained in Newark now. Newark will suck you in, but NB is probably better for what you're looking for. Come hang in Newark a few times and see what u think. I'd also consider the ironbound close to the train and not just downtown.

Exploring New Jersey - Exploring Downtown Newark | Newark, NJ