Newark, NJ

[RCE2624]

Does anyone have any knowledge about the current safety of Newark NJ? I am considering attending school there.

[sykora25]

Does anyone have any knowledge about the current safety of Newark NJ? I am considering attending school there.

it's much safer than it used to be, but some places are still safer than others. you're really fine in general, but in terms of getting a cultural social experience, i would recommend spending your free time in the city (new york) and hoboken.

Edited March 6, 2010 by sykora25

[RCE2624]

it's much safer than it used to be, but some places are still safer than others. you're really fine in general, but in terms of getting a cultural social experience, i would recommend spending your free time in the city (new york) and hoboken.

What about apartments? Should I look for somewhere within the city or is it best to live in Hoboken?

[sykora25]

What about apartments? Should I look for somewhere within the city or is it best to live in Hoboken?

Umm it depends on what you're able to afford. if you can afford to not live in newark, then you may be happier living elsewhere (not so much because of safety but more in terms of quality of life).

a lot of people in their 20s/30s live in Hoboken and commute to Manhattan to save money, but I'm not sure how much money they actually save because Hoboken is really up and coming. That being said, you could also find an apartment in other nearby towns in North Jersey and commute to Newark for school (with a car or without--Amtrak and NJ Transit both stop in Newark, and there are also buses I'm sure) while still having the benefits of the city (New York) for a culturally-enriching social life. Having grown up in North Jersey, I can vouch for the public transportation into the city from the suburbs as being top-notch.

[jsade]

This fall I'm going to be going to Rutgers, currently I live in Brooklyn and I want to move. Though I would love to enjoy my last brooklyn summer, I'm curious as to whether anyone has any advice as to when the best time to move is. I was thinking end of July. Also I'm interested in living in the Ironbound neighborhood, if anyone has any opinions about that I would welcome that too!

[gdfr7]

Anybody could help me with some info about Newark, NJ in terms of crime, beauty, weather, people...?

thx in advance

[long_time_lurker]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Newark is one of the most crime ridden cities in the US. My cousin went to RU-Newark and I am friends with someone who works in Newark. It is not a comfortable place to be, especially at night. With that being said, it is easy to get to, so commuting is not a problem. They also have campus housing (at least for undergrads) so you may get lucky. The campus area is not that bad (though not good) especially during the day.

There are some gentrified areas like the Ironbound district the OP mentioned. The main issue is that you need to be very careful with where you move to, because the downtown area is a work in progress, so from block to block things change very quickly, and the bad areas of Newark are very dangerous.

(edited for weather)

If you look up the weather in New York, it's almost the same in Newark, except a few degrees hotter in the summer, and a few degrees colder in the winter.

Edited August 20, 2011 by long_time_lurker

[OH YEAH]

I try to never step foot in Newark.

Edited August 20, 2011 by OH YEAH

[dimanche0829]

I am graduating from Rutgers after this semester and will be living on the Newark campus again. I recommend living on campus whenever possible because you'd be neighbors with other universities (UMDNJ, NJIT, etc) and you'd have the added comfort of campus police - who are always happy to escort you where you need to go. Oh, and the shuttles are right there, which will take you to the other Rutgers' campuses and to Penn Station. At to no point in time have I ever felt that I was in any kind of dangerous or threatning situation.

The Ironbound is a fun place to be and is a big hit with students and corporate employees. You'd be close to a lot of shops and great restaurants/bars. End of July would be a good time to move, but housing demands tend to pick up around that time. Unfortunately, Rutgers-Newark is experiencing a student-housing shortage again. They are planning to build more residence halls, but that will take years. In the meantime, students enter a point-based lottery for a room and those who luck out have to find their own housing around town. This shouldn't affect you too much if you're looking at the Ironbound, but it is something to consider when picking a time to move. You don't want to be stuck with the worst that Newark apartments have to offer.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions about the area, etc.

[SooperStudent]

I'm attempting to bring some life back to this thread, as it looks like I'll be moving to the area for the Fall. I've heard good and bad things about Newark, so I'm not really sure where I wanted to look for a place yet. I was thinking of locating a place nearby in Hoboken, West NY, Jersey City, etc... Does anyone have suggestions about commuting into Newark from NYC? Are there any other places in addition to Ironbound in Newark that are worth looking at?

[stevn7]

Gonna bring this thread back from the dead.... I might be going to Rutgers in Newark. Can anyone recommend good neighborhoods to look for an apartment (studio or 1-bedroom)? When is a good time to make the move? Someone here said end of July (what I was planning on) but that comment is from 4 years ago...

 

Also, does anyone have any general comments about Newark? I've only been there once before, to visit the school. The area around it seemed okay but other than that I have no firsthand experience with the city.

[Merlin91]

I'm also attending Rutgers in Newark this Fall and need to find some information on where to live.

[Jumanji]

Stuck with the same problem myself. Moving to Rutgers this fall for PhD. To be honest I haven't heard the greatest of things about Newark. Online blogs and websites keep mentioning that petty crimes happen quite frequently.  

I was thinking of living somewhere within a reasonable distance from the campus like Ironbound, Jersey City, Hoboken etc.

[stevn7]

Stuck with the same problem myself. Moving to Rutgers this fall for PhD. To be honest I haven't heard the greatest of things about Newark. Online blogs and websites keep mentioning that petty crimes happen quite frequently.  

I was thinking of living somewhere within a reasonable distance from the campus like Ironbound, Jersey City, Hoboken etc.

I'm thinking like that too, looking at those same areas. Hoboken is getting kinda expensive though, so I wouldn't be keen on that. Jersey City, so far, seems like the best choice to me - it's a bit safer than Newark and it's really close to NYC, which is great. Getting to Rutgers from Jersey City isn't that bad, whether you're taking the PATH or driving. I've still got a few months until I officially start apartment hunting though so I've got time to do more research on it.

[Jumanji]

Thanks stevn7. I was looking up on-campus housing for Graduate students. Convenient because of proximity to department but sort-of expensive. I am an International student so driving down to campus the first year isn't a likely option.  Have to start apartment hunting sometime soon. 

[breadwinner]

Bumping to ask if anyone has any updated advice on Newark, but mainly pertaining to surrounding areas. My partner is moving there in the fall and I will hopefully follow subsequently, but we're both unfamiliar with the area beyond knowing the reputation of Newark. He's thinking of looking for places with a 30 minute or so commute to live in a nicer area. Any recommendations or thoughts on how the area has changed in the past 5 years? 

[PsyDuck90]

1 hour ago, breadwinner said:

Bumping to ask if anyone has any updated advice on Newark, but mainly pertaining to surrounding areas. My partner is moving there in the fall and I will hopefully follow subsequently, but we're both unfamiliar with the area beyond knowing the reputation of Newark. He's thinking of looking for places with a 30 minute or so commute to live in a nicer area. Any recommendations or thoughts on how the area has changed in the past 5 years? 

Some parts of Newark are nice, like the Ironbound section. South and West Orange are really nice, Orange is ok, and East Orange is about on par with Newark. Union and Hillside are good. Irvington is on par with Newark and East Orange. Montclair is really nice, but also really expensive. There's a lot towns within 30 minutes of Newark, so there's a lot to choose from. Also, I'm not sure if you or your partner have ever lived in NJ, but traffic can make something typically 30 minutes away turn into an hour plus commute. The Garden State Parkway exits for Newark and the Oranges get pretty backed up especially, so you can be waiting for 30 minutes just to take your exit during rush hour. 

[IAAJ]

I live in one of the surrounding suburbs of Newark and went to Rutgers for my MPH.

I suggest 1) having a car. Newark is accessible by public transportation (bus, different NJ Transit rails) - but since COVID, you may not feel sage with the area.

Surrounding suburbs are the Oranges, Kearny, Arlington, etc... Essex County itself has some cute areas (including where I grew up). Newark is also still very much up and coming. Newark and the surrounding suburbs are building new (and nice) apartments everywhere. Anywhere on the "Midtown Direct" gives you direct access to NYC within 45 minutes or less by train. Rents for a 1 bedroom will probably run you anywhere between $1250 for a less safe area (but still might be renovated!) up to 1900 for a one bedroom... It all depends on the budget.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out via PM.

Also - if someone is worried about crime, just always be aware of your surroundings. That's for any major city. Watch your surroundings and get to know your neighbors. If you get to know your neighbors, folks will look out for you.