Hello, honey! East Orange may be a paradise for guys, thanks to its no. 3 ranking on the City-Data list of top 100 cities with the highest percentage of women.
In addition to its high percentage of female residents, East Orange also has a way above average percentage of renters and slightly higher-than-average cost of living index when compared to the rest of the nation. East Orange sits about 13 miles inland from New Jerseys eastern coast, making it about 13 miles from New York City. Not a bad commute of about 90 minutes on the PATH train if youd rather steer clear of the Big Apple bustle and nab yourself a neighborhood feel and possibly even a yard. Maybe. This Essex County city of more than 64,000 folks is pretty packed, with all those folks living in less than 4 square miles, calculating to a population density of more than 16,000 people per square mile. Well, maybe youll have to forget the yard.
Renting an Apartment in East Orange
East Orange rents are generally affordable, especially if you compare them to its not-to-far-off neighbor of Manhattan. Due to its generous lineup of groceries, convenience stores and other amenities, you may be able to do plenty of errands while walking or on a bicycle, although most East Orange residents do get around by car.You may be able to find yourself a cozy home below the national average, at least when it comes to studio apartments for rent, and may shell out a bit more for larger quarters.Being choosy can definitely pay off in East Orange, thanks to the high availability of area rental property. Nabbing the first offer you see may make you kick yourself in the knee when a better deal pops up down the road. Scope out plenty of apartments before signing on the dotted line, and make sure to come prepared with proper documents. Landlords and Realtors are typically thrilled when potential tenants contact them armed with reference letters, a copy of their credit report and proof of income. Go ahead and thrill them.What if I dont have a car? Dont fret. East Orange is loaded with bus routes, with New Jersey transit showing at least seven routes that snake through the citys four square miles. The buses can take you all the way to Penn Station if you wish, where you can pick up dozens of other bus lines or trains.
East Orange Neighborhoods
More than 40 business make East Orange their homes, usually making it easy to find, buy or eat what you want and need. Due to the small 4-square-mile size of the overall city, walking to the other side of town wont even take you that long. Just be sure to be courteous no matter where you walk or live in East Orange as the area is highly populated and good neighbors are usually quiet and polite ones.
Hoffman Boulevard/N. Grove Street: One of the lowest-crime areas in East Orange sits on the northeastern corner in the form of the Hoffman Boulevard/N. Grove Street zone. Here youll find a good number of smaller, one bedroom and studio apartments for rent along with single family homes and a vacancy rate of about 10 percent. $$
Sanford Street/Tremont Avenue: Hop to the opposite corner of East Orange and youll find another low-crime area of Sanford Street in the southwestern area of town. Rents are a bit higher, but you also get a high walkability rating from NeighborhoodScout, putting it in the top 5 percent of walking-friendly towns in America. $$$
S. Harrison Street/Central Avenue: Shift a smidgeon to the west and you end up in a higher crime area on the western edge of East Orange that also sports a high vacancy rate for apartment rentals and other rental housing. $$$$
N. Munn Avenue/William Street: Even higher vacancy rates abound in the center of town, with a 24 percent vacancy rate in the low-crime zone of N. Munn Avenue and William Street. This may be an excellent place to start your search for apartments in East Orange as there are generally plenty available. $$
Steuben Street/Sussex Avenue: Take a trek to the southeastern corner of East Orange, the area closest to New York City, and youll find a vacancy rate that averages around 11 percent and a notable number of mass transit users. NeighborhoodScout reports more area residents ride the bus to work in the Steuben Street zone of East Orange than 98 percent of other neighborhoods in the U.S. $
Living in East Orange
If you like hot, spicy and tickle-your-throat ethnic foods, you may dig some of the homey restaurants that dot the East Orange landscape. You may also enjoy the freedom to walk about to your destination without always needing to hop in your car to go somewhere or get something done.
East Orange has several local organizations, such as its area YMCA that offers a lineup of activities and programs. Sure, some of the stuff is for school-age kids, but others are for adults and people of all ages. Sign up for one of the sports or enrichment programs if you need somewhere to go and something to do. You can also check out its farmers market that is part of the Americas Grow-A-Row Free Farm Market program that lets you pick deliciously fresh veggies for free.
Four local libraries and six parks are part of East Orange, making it easy to read a book, sit under a tree or read a book while sitting under a tree (provided you get a library card). Plenty of schools are also part of the city, making schools the largest government employer in the area and perhaps setting up a chance for you to volunteer to read to kids or something.
As mentioned, your new home in East Orange puts you less than 15 miles away from New York City where wing-stretching is all the rage. Thanks to the city and its environs, youre not far from the Statue of Liberty, Yankee and Shea stadiums and all the restaurants and shopping of the Big, Juicy Apple. Youre also already in Jersey, giving you easy access to Meadowlands Sports Complex, Newark Symphony Hall, Thomas Edison Museum, New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the rollicking Paper Mill Playhouse that features bright lights, a ginormous stage and Vegas-style shows. Is that wing-stretching enough for ya?