How is York as a city?

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  • squirrels

    Who cooks for you?
    Jan 25, 2008
    4,021
    I've been looking for houses in rural southern PA, but I'm wondering if I should also consider something closer to York. I've heard some rumors that crime is getting bad there. People who know...what is your opinion of York as a city?
     

    slybarman

    low speed high drag 9-5er
    Feb 10, 2013
    3,074
    Downtown York is crappy, but York itself is a nice town. I was born and raised there, though no longer live there.

    Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    From all I've heard, and the bit I've seen, the city itself is a total ********.

    Sort of a wannabe Baltimore.



    Check out PAFOA if you're interested in PA.

    http://www.pafoa.org/

    Pretty much. probably 90% of all crime in York county is perpetrated within a square mile area of York city. Fortunately there really isn't much in that area, most of the things to do are away from the hood, and once you are outside of city limits, it's pretty decent. It's an odd place, you can go from The Wire to Green acres in a 5 minute drive.

    this looks fairly accurate:
    http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/pa/york/crime/
     

    hdatontodo

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2012
    4,073
    So. Central Balto Co
    I lived a little while near Jefferson, PA. It was OK and about 1/2 hour from Hanover and not far from Codorus.

    From Westminster, you'd take 27N to 30. Left on 30. Rt on 86. At end turn left.
     

    StantonCree

    Watch your beer
    Jan 23, 2011
    23,932
    My partner when I was in patrol was a former York police officer. He wanted more action so he came to the bricks but he says that he wouldn't allow his parents to move there!! They have a decent little crime problem for their size.
     

    gamer_jim

    Podcaster
    Feb 12, 2008
    13,233
    Hanover, PA
    I've been in and around downtown York many times. I feel safer there than Baltimore city, heck I felt safer in Haiti then Baltimore city. Like anywhere else you need to be alert. Last time we were in downtown York we stopped for dinner. I missed my turn and had to park a block away. A young gentleman was walking alone and followed us to the restaurant. I wasn't carrying at the time but gave him the eye that his attention wasn't welcome. He left us alone but I could tell he was eyeing us. I think the biggest difference is that in York you can at least ccw if properly licensed (or else OC). With the college being in town there are lots of artsy stuff to do, parks, coffee shops and the like. There is a commuter bus that runs from york into Baltimore (stopping in hunt valley and Towson I believe) so it wouldn't be a bad place to live and work in MD still.
     

    -Z/28-

    I wanna go fast
    Dec 6, 2011
    10,649
    Harford Co
    Like has been said York itself isn't great. There are lots of little towns around it that are nice. Dover, Red Lion, Shrewsburry, Stewartstown, Glen Rock, etc...
     

    Goateggs

    Active Member
    Jan 27, 2013
    411
    Annapolis
    If you are thinking of buying anywhere in York Co, but particularly within York city limits, make d*** sure you know exactly what your property and school taxes are going to be. I looked at a really nice Victorian right by York University -- 8 bedrooms, 6 baths, over 4K sq ft, impeccably maintained, beautifully landscaped yard. Couldn't figure out why they were asking less than $300K for it -- until I saw the tax history. Over $12K per year. The taxes would have been more than the mortgage payment.
     

    ShoreShooter

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 27, 2013
    1,042
    I used to live in York. Outside the city limits, but within what one would call the "metropolis area".

    If you are moving up from MD, you need to make a mental adjustment before you get too far in looking for a home. The school districts each have their own taxing authority, a real estate tax. The tax rates differ, and differ greatly. The school tax is / was substantially greater than the county level real estate tax.

    There are, or were, 17 different school districts in the county. Each one has a VERY different educational profile, and very different tax rate. Families choose school district first, then community within the preferred school district. Families get to choose how much education they are willing to bite off in terms of cost.

    Homes in "preferred" school districts sell generally at higher prices, and are easier to sell.

    The city district has all of the problems of any urban center city. Lower income of the residents. Poor education. Crime. And so forth.

    I lived in the York Suburban school district, which is the close-in suburb on the south side of town. My kids got a fantastic public school education there. Comparable to many private schools. In fact, private schools there do not thrive, because the better public schools are so good.

    Dallastown district was also good, and on the southern side. Central was good, on the northeastern side. When I was there the Shrewsbury area was just beginning to boom, the schools were good compared to Baltimore County, but not as good as Suburban / Dallastown / Central, but having said that the boom will have changed the composition of the school population in some fashion in Shrewsbury so don't take that as any gospel.

    The whole taxing scheme is different there. You really have to get a grip on taxes at the state, county, township, and school levels before you can understand what you are getting into. Both real estate taxes and income taxes.

    Other than center city York, or areas close to center city where the crime can bleed over, the York and York County area is a great place to live, to work, and raise a family. Its pretty. Great people. One of the weird things is there are FEW decent restaurants.

    The culture is very German. Before WW I there were several German language newspapers in town. Most folks cook roast pork and sauerkraut for holiday meals instead of turkey. The grocery stores sell more brands and varieties of sauerkraut than I ever knew existed. There is a local holiday called something like "fastnacht day", which involves eating a sort of doughnut that is heavy as hell, consisting of a lot of lard and a bit of flour fried and sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar. Not bad at all, but so heavy and fat you won't ever eat two in one sitting.

    A downside to know. If you are black, don't move there. I'm white, but I'll tell you it is one of the more racist places you can find. If you are black I'd simply say it isn't a safe place for you. Periodically there are troubling incidents. Years ago (1990's?) the Mayor of the city was tried for murder committed during the race riots in the 1960's. The folks I knew who were around then felt he probably really was guilty; I don't recall the outcome of the trial.
     

    ShoreShooter

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 27, 2013
    1,042
    One more thing ...

    Like many places, York has its own language oddities. Like Baltimore has the whole "hon" thing going on.

    Yorkers use the word "awhile" as a form of punctuation to end a sentence. In Baltimore you might hear a waitress say, "Can I bring you a glass of iced tea, Hon?" In York you will hear, "Can I bring you a glass of iced tea awhile?"

    You don't turn off the light. You "out-ten" the light.

    Modified Penn Dutch pig latin.
     

    ADR

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 17, 2011
    4,171
    There is a local holiday called something like "fastnacht day", which involves eating a sort of doughnut that is heavy as hell, consisting of a lot of lard and a bit of flour fried and sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar. Not bad at all, but so heavy and fat you won't ever eat two in one sitting.

    Those would be Kinklings, they're a long standing tradition in Frederick County as well. (At least for those of us who grew up here and/or have lived here long enough.)
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Fastnachts on Fat Tuesday, Pork and kraut on holidays, especially new years, and all the subtle German stuff, there are a lot of small cultural differences. A wild kid is a snickelfritz, you outen the/ outenzie lights, no = neigh, throw dad down the stairs his hat, spread me all over the busser(butter) some bread, tie the dog loose, I'll take $5 to eat myself, or $10 to eat us full some dippy ecks(eggs), bring me a drink awile, I'm thirsty yet, red up a dirty room, need an umbrella it's spritzing, we need to hurrieder or we're late, the soda is all(means gone) and a lot more. Ice cream shops on every corner, mini-golf and a shooting range in every town, many buisnesses and schools close for the first day of deer season, muscle car shows, camo shorts and t-shirts, might not be the most fashionable place, but it's fun.
     

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