Should we move to Maplewood from SFO?

No.

We've been here almost 19 years, so obviously we really like it here. For people commuting to NY, it's hard to find anyplace in the tristate area more convenient. the express train from the city gets me from my office at Columbus Circle to my front door in 50 minutes.

We lived in SF for three years, then moved to Brooklyn and then to South Orange. I must be honest that it took me a while to adapt to living in a small town - I used to think SF was small, but now after a little over a year here I can say this is the place for us! There is no better town where you can commute to the city reasonably and find such a nice, diverse and creative community like Maplewood and SO!
Oh, but I do miss SF!!

susan1014 said:

Adele said:

Yep, or South Orange. Or Montclair. Or the river towns in Westchester County, NY. Where is your partner's office in NYC?

And no, jeffl was not serious. We permit dissent. Mostly.

One of the major differences between MSO and Montclair (now that they have Midtown Direct train service to Manhattan) is the organization of the school systems. We have schools mostly zoned by location, while they have a district-wide system of somewhat specialized/themed magnet schools.

I don't know enough to judge but would also be looking carefully at Montclair if I were a first time buyer now (BaristaNet is their equivalent of MOL, I believe). Maplewood, South Orange and Montclair are all wonderful towns that fit your description of what you are looking for.

(When we were in SF, we lived in the district downhill from UCSF...)

We lived there too, inner sunset?

Btw, coming from SF I'd say one would live either in park slope in Brooklyn, or here

Yes!!!
My bro,s boss moved here in 60s. Bro in 1970 . We moved here 1978. Sil moved here a few yrs later. All on rec of previous folks and our own eyeballs and exper. And we have wonderful librarIES both of them.
Sorry LL I couldn,t resist.
When will you be moving?

jeffl said:

Calilo, please ignore Soul29. He knows not what he writes. He's the Message Board problem child. Those of us who know him, just ignore him, as should you. You know the type. Never had any friends growing up. Attention seeking. Oppositional. Frightening, but harmless. Sort of like a spider.

Sorry for the thread drift. You'll love it here. It sounds like it's perfect for you and your partner.

ditto. And his wife will find you a house

Do you have kids? You might want to look into Millburn/Short Hills.

I might say the same thing about Maplewood/South Orange. Raised two kids here, who are now in college. Very happy with their experiences here growing up.

Apollo_T said:

And we have wonderful librarIES both of them.
Sorry LL I couldn,t resist.

Actually all three of them, but who's counting especially since anyone in either town can use them all!!

@kmt Is Millburn/Short Hills heads above Maplewood/SO for schools?

Well, here we go again... Millburn/Short Hills is very different from Maplewood/SO, even though I love going to their restaurants and parks. But I'll let the other MOLers elaborate here, they are more experienced than I am.

calilo said:

@kmt Is Millburn/Short Hills heads above Maplewood/SO for schools?

If you look at test scores, or popular magazine "ratings" lists, yes. But dig deeper. The demographics of the two districts are vastly different. (And similar cohorts test very similarly between the two districts.) Both are outstanding districts, but neither is "head and shoulders" above the other. Based on your original post, it sounds like you are more of a M/SO (or WO or Montclair, etc.) type family, but ultimately YOU should make that judgement, not any of us. (And most of us are at least somewhat biased toward our own towns.)

I'm very thankful that my family ended up in M/SO and that my daughter is coming up through the excellent public schools here. Most people will be boosters for their respective towns and the Millburn/Short Hills people will be no exception... and I had relatives who lived in Millburn/Short Hills for many years and one cousin who was raised there and then went back to raise her own family there... so I know a little something about the place and I know that M/SO is a much better fit for me and my family.

Gioamorim said:

susan1014 said:

(When we were in SF, we lived in the district downhill from UCSF...)

We lived there too, inner sunset?

Fourth Street, I think, near the N-Judah. My commute to the lab was about three blocks over and two elevators up one of the UCSF towers....it has been a long time, but we did enjoy our few years there (as well as our time down in Palo Alto/Menlo Park)...back in the long distant years B.C. (before children).

calilo said:

@kmt Is Millburn/Short Hills heads above Maplewood/SO for schools?

It has its math and programming enthusiasts. On the other hand:

calilo said:

We're looking for a diverse, interactive, welcoming community for us and our elementary school aged child with decent schools.

kmt said:

Do you have kids?

;-)

The water problem in SO is easily solvable if you install a water softener. The Board of Trustees wouldn't be a problem if people would get off their tushes and vote.

Demographically Millburn is quite different from MSO. It is a majority White with a growing East and South Asian community and very few Blacks and Latinos while Columbia High School in MSO is majority Black (52% I think) and very few Asians and Latinos. South Orange used to have the highest median income for Blacks in the nation (not sure if this is still true.)

dg64 said:

Columbia High School in MSO is majority Black (52% I think) and very few Asians and Latinos. South Orange used to have the highest median income for Blacks in the nation (not sure if this is still true.)

To add to that...last time I looked at district stats (3 yrs ago?), the entire 6500 student population was essentially 40%black, 40%white, 20% Latino, Asian, Other.

No
taxes too high
more bang for buck in other towns see above

We rented in Maplewood for a year before we bought. It's a good place to start exploring this area of New Jersey, which has a lot to recommend it.

Personally, I was charmed by the elementary and middle school students having a school-organized Peace March near one of commemorative days in the Spring. That and the School Board meetings, which showed very strong public involvement in the educational system. We have the usual crowd of educrats and political posers to contend with, but their leashes are shorter here.

I don't know if they're still doing the Peace March, what with Common Conformity being all the rage now, but that's the way it was. Your best bet is to come and see for yourself.

The march happened on MLK day as per normal.

Come on in, the water's great. Taxes are horrible,but compared to the rest of the area and what we get, you will love it.

Although the Millburn/Short Hills schools are excellent, I have heard that the bar is being set so high by many of the new residents that "perfect" in the school is not good enough. The kids are quite stressed. Many of my friends wish they could move where there kids could be "big fish" in a little pond instead of the other way around.

@honeydo I dont know if that's necessarily bad... i went to one of the nation's top high schools and quickly switched from being the top student in middle school, but that only made me work harder. Yes I felt stressed, but in the end I think it was a good thing because when I came out of there I felt I have learned much more than I would have if I was the big fish with little challenge.

There's plenty of academic challenge available at Columbia High School. My 17 year old has chosen many of those challenges for herself but still managed to immerse herself in meaningful activities outside of school as well. I like the balance that she has achieved in her life already. Seems like a great preparation for adulthood.

More fun in SFO.

Millburn is a wealthier community than SOMA, so many parents pay for expensive tutors for their kids to supplement the public education. It's one of those "dirty little secrets" that no one talks about in Millburn. So in that sense trying to compare the schools in Millburn versus SOMA is not easy. But if you are a parent who values education and willing and able to pay for extra tutoring then your kids' experience will be comparable to kids in Millburn. In fact your kids will have an advantage with many good schools as they specifically target SOMA kids in this area given the diversity factor of the community. (Millburn is not diverse at all, relatively speaking)

Actually most people I know who hire tutors, regardless of the town, seem to be more than willing to talk about it. Not sure this a secret anywhere or why it would be.

It doesn't surprise me that some Millburn High students experience a high level of stress, but I think that would be the same with any driven student in any district taking a high level of honors and AP courses. If you have your sights set on an Ivy-level education (or the tiers near it), that is a highly competitive and usually stressful situation, regardless of what zip code you're in.

Agree with those who say, given the OP's priorities, to focus on Maplewood, South Orange, Montclair, and if time/energy for the search allows, to not necessarily rule out Millburn or West Orange.

seaweed said:

I'd also throw in some parts of West Orange as a good option, especially the Gregory area which is close to the South Orange border. I moved here last year and all the neighbors have been very kind, approachable, and friendly. I love being close to all the shops and restaurants in South Orange and very frequently spend time in Maplewood as well. Really you can't go wrong with this whole area, I've been wanting to live here since I was a teenager and it is every bit as wonderful as I had imagined. The community on these forums is also super helpful and extremely welcoming--really makes you feel like you are part of a neighborhood, not just a town full of strangers