Camden, NJ

[bg_77]

Hello All-

I've been accepted into a graduate program at Rutgers-Camden. I'm originally from the west coast and know nothing about the area. Apartment hunting has been difficult. I am limited to the listings I can find on larger sites, such as apartmentguide.com. Does anyone know of any local listings (other than on craigslist) that might offer more housing options? Names of trustworthy landlords, rental agencies, apartment complexes that you have lived in yourself etc. would also be extremely helpful. Thank you for your assistance.

[vtstevie]

Having been to Camden for concerts a handful of times, all I can tell you is that the town is notorious for high crime. The waterfront is nice though and it's directly across from Philly, so you may want to consider living in Philly and commuting...

[LouWho]

Having been to Camden for concerts a handful of times, all I can tell you is that the town is notorious for high crime. The waterfront is nice though and it's directly across from Philly, so you may want to consider living in Philly and commuting...

This is solid advice. Camden has been on the most dangerous cities in the US list consistently since 2002 (almost always in the top 3 at that). There's a significant level of poverty and unemployment which contributes to the crime. If it were me, I'd look at on-campus housing options or thoroughly read reviews of apartments before deciding where to live.

[bg_77]

This is solid advice. Camden has been on the most dangerous cities in the US list consistently since 2002 (almost always in the top 3 at that). There's a significant level of poverty and unemployment which contributes to the crime. If it were me, I'd look at on-campus housing options or thoroughly read reviews of apartments before deciding where to live.

Unfortunately, on-campus housing is not an option for me, as I will be moving with my significant other who is not a student. It sounds like a commute may be in order. I'm still trying to get the names of trustworthy rental agencies/landlords, though. It has proven difficult thus far.

Edited March 9, 2011 by bg_77

[bg_77]

Unfortunately, on-campus housing is not an option for me, as I will be moving with my significant other who is not a student. It sounds like a commute may be in order. I'm still trying to get the names of trustworthy rental agencies/landlords, though. It has proven difficult thus far.

Does anyone have experience renting with Morgan Properties or Korman Residential in the NJ area or Philly, PA?

[TonyB79]

There are some nearby communities (like Haddonfield, NJ) that may be a possibility.

 

So what is the crime like? Is it a serious issue for those going to school at Rutgers? Do you have to pass through the dangerous areas, etc. in order to get there?

[kstubbs11]

As a current student at Rutgers Camden I can give you first hand advice. I would suggest looking in Philadelphia to live somewhere near the PATCO line. (8th and market) (12, 15th and Locust). The actual Rutgers area is nice and nothing of worry. Camden gets a bad rep and although it is warranted just like any city there are areas where you should stay out of. Luckily these aren't in close proximity to the campus. Also 3 police forces (Rutgers, Port Authority, and Camden ) should keep you at peace as a presence is ALWAYS visible. If you choose to live in NJ Cherry Hill and Haddonfield are fantastic choices however it depends how much you are willing to pay as these areas can get very expensive. For ease of commute I suggest Philly. But like I said the small little campus is actually pretty nice. Any other questions feel free to ask.

[TonyB79]

What would be the lowest I'd pay (in Philly, NJ, anywhere) for a one-bedroom or a small (fit for a single person) house? I'm planning on applying to Rutgers for the fall, and I'm wondering whether my 21k/yr stipend is going to be livable or not.

[Amory]

What would be the lowest I'd pay (in Philly, NJ, anywhere) for a one-bedroom or a small (fit for a single person) house? I'm planning on applying to Rutgers for the fall, and I'm wondering whether my 21k/yr stipend is going to be livable or not.

 

The lowest you would pay in the surrounding NJ towns is probably around $600-750 for an apartment (depends on if you want a one bedroom apartment or studio, whether you will have a car or want to be near the PATCO, etc).  Houses in the area usually start at $1000+.  The $21,000 stipend could be livable (you'd get the most for your money living on campus - they have new Grad Housing available), but you may have to take some out in loans.  Even in the water front area of Camden rents are expensive.  Moving into Philly will also cost more and you have to pay out of state tuition at that point (though some people do it). 

 

I'd look into Collingswood, Westmont, Haddonfield (all along the PATCO line if you're taking the train).  You could also look a bit further north around the Riverline if price is an issue (Palmyra area), but there is less to do and it would take longer to get into Philly.  If you have a car, try Cherry Hill (tons of rentals), Haddon Heights, and Audubon.  All are close to campus.  I would also look into renting an apartment in a duplex, triplex or other multifamily home.  The most inventory tends to be in May/June.

[TonyB]

Hey -- sorry for not replying before!

 

I'd have a car, so don't have to worry about being on the busline. And I'd only go if I got an assistantship, so out of state fees shouldn't be an issue.

 

What I'm mostly concerned about, as a kid from the Midwest, is the crime and the cost of living out there. I'd most likely be living alone, and I'd want to live somewhere I could commute to and from school without passing through the dangerous areas. (Also somewhere livable, on my 21k/yr stipend). I realize there's going to be some culture shock, financially and otherwise, moving from Dayton, Ohio to somewhere a stone's throw from New York City, and I'm just trying to figure out how difficult a transition that's going to be.

Edited August 2, 2014 by TonyB

[juilletmercredi]

I used to live a few towns over from Camden, and I have some family that lives in that part of South Jersey and Philadelphia that I visit frequently.  I'm pretty familiar with the area.

 

South Jersey may be close to NYC and Philadelphia, but it's still pretty suburban - so I wouldn't worry about culture shock too much.  The cost of living is a little bit higher, but it's not quite like moving to NYC or even into the heart of Philadelphia (unless you really wanted to live in Philly).

 

So the crime reports about Camden are true - it's really not a good place to live, and I wouldn't move there.  My cousin lives about 10-15 minutes from the Walter Rand transportation center in Camden and before I had a car, I would take the train in from NYC to see here; I wouldn't arrive in Camden after 9 or 10 pm, and my cousin always made sure she was sitting on the block right there when I came out.  I feel less safe there than I do in NYC.  I would imagine that as a student at Rutgers-Camden you're going to be fine during the day - as there will be campus security and lots of other students.  Not having spent extended periods of time in Camden at night I don't know what that feels like, but if your program is a traditional MFA most of your classes will be during the day anyway.

 

If you do have a car, there's really no need to move into Philadelphia.  You could if you really wanted to live in the city, but I would be careful about choosing which area in Philly - some are better than others, and some aren't a whole lot better than Camden re: crime.  I personally don't know the neighborhoods well enough to recommend.  Also, Philadelphia's public transit is...not great.  Of course, I am comparing it to NYC and in some senses DC's system, but personally I wouldn't want to rely on it to get to school every day.  PATCO's pretty okay though!

 

I second the recommendation of Cherry Hill - really nice neighborhood/town and about a 15-20 minute drive to Camden in no traffic.  Lots of shopping centers and restaurants (including the Cherry Hill Mall, which I love for some reason, lol).  It's a little expensive compared to other areas in South Jersey, though.  I also agree with the recommendation of Haddonfield; it's going to be cheaper than Cherry Hill and is the next town over so you can still benefit from the shops and restaurants in CH.  A caveat is that the quickest way to get to Camden from Haddonfield is by one or two interstates (depending on where you live - either I-295 to I-76/676 or just taking back roads to I-76/676) that will probably be congested if you travel during rush hour.  I-76 in particular leads to the bridge to Philadelphia so you'll run into morning commuters.  There's also a PATCO station in Haddonfield that will get you to Camden in 30 minutes.  Collingswood is a closer town - really close to Camden, but I don't know a whole lot about it.

 

Other recommendations are Deptford Township and Woodbury - nice areas, cheaper than Cherry Hill, still lots of shops and restaurants, and there are sort of things to do there too (my cousins go out in Deptford sometimes...where, I have no idea).  Both 15-20 minutes to Camden, although also on highways (I think that may be somewhat unavoidable).  Maple Shade and Pennsauken are both kind of close and to the north/east of Camden, and you can take state roads instead of interstates to get there.  Maple Shade is pretty nice; I don't know a whole lot about Pennsauken.