Originally Posted by
artist
A lot of people have the same idea. Crossing the water to NJ only helps a little bit. Hoboken is a nice town but not cheap to live there. Long Island used to be nice but surely you have read of the ms-13 gang members by the thousands there now thanks to obama. Not all of Long Island but once again a lot of people want to be in NY - the wages are higher than elsewhere, the arts are there, Wall st, fashion businesses, etc.
Some people choose the Connecticut route via commuter train or along the Hudson River, north of NYC, is very nice but the closer to NYC, the more expensive. NY state overall is very expensive and NJ has the highest property taxes in the nation.
A lot of areas in NJ close to NYC are age old industrial pollution dumps from industries w/o enough regulations. NJ has many sites that need to be cleaned up. The taxpayers get stuck with the bill - if gov christie decides to actually use the money allotted for that and not use it for something else. Some people like Easton Pa with NYC @ an hour away but you are in fracking land, once pristine forests, waters in PA and pretty much rural all about.
Count on paying at least $60 to park you car while you take in a play. And every bridge, tunnel is jammed day and night.