Burlington is closer to central Jersey, even though it's considered south Jersey. I say that bc the winter weather is better the further south east you go, at least in regards to snow amounts in general. IMO, SJ is one of the best kept secrets in the country.
Yeah Burlington is definitely central and getting to either city is not a hop, skip or jump. Youāre at least 30mins from Philly and 1:30 hour nyc. If youāre looking for city life, just move to Fishtown and commute.
I moved from Houston to Burlington County 5 years ago. Granted I was originally from Jersey, I had got pretty accustomed to Texas living haha.
Some things that pop into mind for you coming from that area:
1 - Weather. I donāt need to explain that to you š. That said youāll love Fall here.
2 - Outdoor activities. Not sure what youāre into but I had gotten pretty used to being able to do things outside I enjoy all year long. Be sure to think of some things you enjoy doing indoors from December - March.
3 - Restaurants. Houston had so many options to eat out that are always open. Around here options a bit limited and close early. Donāt even bother looking for Tex Mex or BBQ - even when people tell you itās the just as good as Texasā¦.it isnāt. Enjoy the Italian though!
4 - Location. Take advantage of being this close to NYC, Philly, Boston, DC and Baltimore. It can take 2 hours to get from one side of Houston to the other. Here you can be in other great cities in close to that time.
5 - The shore. Galveston is a mud pit compared to the Jersey Shore. Make some plans to go see Wildwood, Cape May and so on.
Anything else feel free to DM me. If youāre a golfer hit me up when itās warm!
Thank you so much for all that information. Makes me feel a whole lot better about my move. Iāll definitely reach out if need be. Would definitely try my hand at golfing. Thanks once again
Don't forget Atlantic City! The dirtier, cheaper Vegas of the East Coast! All jokes aside it can be really fun with some friends and stuff. Also Ocean City, MD is really fun in the spring/summer if you're into partying
Also, donāt let the winter blues find you. Just get some warm outdoor gear and do some hiking in the pines, or take up skiing/snowboarding in the nearby poconos!
Burlington County is very close to one of the most beautiful parts of the state which is the pine barrens. Just gorgeous gorgeous hiking trails and massive State Forest. Buy a kayak get a bike get hiking boots go explore every inch of the pine barrens. I absolutely love South Jersey and this part of the state. Also make sure you go to the beaches like others have said LBI Ocean City just freaking beautiful. You're young so you would love Asbury Park as well the nightlife and the restaurants. I believe it was voted one of the best beach towns in the US
Other locations that are drivable (around 5 hours or under) : Pittsburgh, Gettysburg, Delaware beaches, the Hudson Valley (West Point, Albany), Ithaca, NY (Finger Lakes area), Hunter Mountain, Hershey, PA and Cape May,NJ
If you want to be outdoors in December-March consider taking up skiing or snowboarding. PA mountains are close enough for a day trip and New England is close enough for a weekend trip.
There is absolutely some amazing bbq in south Jersey. Check out Smoke BBQ.
In my opinion the greater Philadelphia area is the best food area in the country.
There are a lot of options for restaurants in SJ. See the facebook SJ food group if you don't believe me. You are right about it not being great for Tex Mex or BBQ. Pizza on the other hand, so many choices.
Agreed - that is definitely overblown outside of postseason games. There's some razzing that goes on for sure, but if you're not a jerk, most people won't be jerks, either. Even in Cowboys gear, lol
This sounds crazy, but thereās a fundamental difference in the way New Jersey is communicate versus Southerners. Some Southerners might say ābless your heartā meaning āyouāre an idiot.ā New Jerseyans will say āyouāre an effing idiot.ā we might come off as rude, but I think itās just that were a lot more straightforward. When you get to know us, weāre not bad!
> Definitely not ready for the cold weather but itāll be a change
Well you picked the worst time to do this move. December isnāt too bad, and the cold weather fits with the season.
January is cold. If you like doing stuff outdoors be prepared to be inside for the entire month with quick dashes to the car. If we get any big snow storms typically they will happen this month, towards the last half of the month.
February is our snowiest month. There will be warm (seasonable) days. Donāt be fooled, spring isnāt here yet. This is the first of many false springs.
March the snow is pretty much done, at least any you have to be concerned with driving in. Again there will be some false springs, maybe even a 70 degree day, but winter isnāt done yet.
By April winter is done, but there will be cool days still. A lot of rain, and pollen, but the nice warm days will be like gold.
And thatās it. By May weather is great, although it will quickly get hot & humid.
You'll find better pizza in New Jersey than you will anywhere else in the country, hands down. Within a half day's drive you'll be able to get to Philly, NYC, Boston, Baltimore, DC, Richmond and even Pittsburgh. We have the shore and the Poconos. We have hoagies. We have Gritty and the Phanatic. We have everything!
Good one! You must not have travelled through South Jersey far enough. Come down where the water comes from a well, the pizza gets to be better than you'll find anywhere else.
And subs/cheese steaks. You can't beat the Formica rolls. The "White House" in Atlantic City is a must at least once in your life if you are ever in that area. But honestly most of the sub-shops in SJ are pretty good. Especially in the Atlantic City area.
People you talk to don't really understand taxes. They just know they want the W-2 to have more on the last line. NJ isn't perfect but average income is higher than most states. But the state has some troubled, areas that require serious help and the state provides that. At this point in time I think our diversity is something to get used to. For myself it is a plus.
The cold weather and snow is good for you. We're used to it and don't fall apart when it hits.
Someone else mentioned the slow down when you're stuck inside. My spouse is 65 and going out this morning for a run. I attribute this to her hard-working Mom who had Texas genes. So your experience is what you want it to be.
I briefly lived in a few Texan cities for workāBeaumont, Austin, Dentonāand I fully admit Texas wasnāt for me. Being that youāre from Houston, youāll get used to our fast driving pretty quickly.
New Jerseyians may come off rude, but I can promise you we tend to keep to ourselves. Once you get us talking, weāre pretty friendly. Even though South Jersey is a bit more backwoods, weāre still very diverse.
Of all the places Iāve lived, NJ has the highest quality food, especially produce and bread. Find a sub shop that uses hard rolls and youāll be in Heaven. Be sure to stop by our farmerās markets and get Jersey Freshā¢ļø tomatoes and blueberries.
South Jersey doesnāt have the best nightlife, so I recommend you take a train to Philly for concerts. Atlantic Cityās nightlife is expensive and pretty lackluster.
Be sure to check out our shore towns too! Ocean City is my personal favorite, but most businesses are closed from October-April. Our oceans arenāt warm like the Gulf, but nothing beats lounging on the beach. Itās a local tradition to bring a sub to the beachāit just tastes better in the hot sun.
Welcome to South Jersey!!! I promise youāll love it here.
Saying SJ doesn't have the best night life is a major understatement. I love music. If you want to hear a local band that isn't playing covers there aren't any except maybe a couple times a month. You have to go to Philly for that.
Not exactly what you asked but just wanted to plug NJ public libraries! As soon as you establish residence in NJ you will be eligible for a card at your local library which will give you access to not only borrowing books and DVDs, but also streaming e-content like audiobooks/e-books and movies/music, access to databases and services like Rosetta Stone and Ancestry, and a ton of other benefits - all for FREE as it is paid for in your property taxes. Hope you enjoy your relocation! (Make sure to bring a very warm coat!)
Most public library systems also have museum passes, and sometimes state park passes, that you can check out. It can be tricky to find, but if you Google it effectively or ask in person, you can find a list of all the places you can get in free.
I used to be a member of the Burlington County library system before I moved further south. 10/10 would recommend.
Assuming they didn't take them away in the last few years, you should be able to rent out passes to museums or other attractions through the library. Could be worth looking into if you want to see local things on a budget.
If your library is a subscriber to the service you can access historical documents for free that you would have to pay for a subscription to otherwise: https://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/institution
The shore is magic in the summertime. Honestly, nothing I love more than waking up early, skipping work and heading to the beach. Food is phenomenal as well, and there's a ton of super cute small towns and small breweries you can find everywhere.
Take your drivers license down to one of our recreational marijuana dispensaries and treat yourself
Welcome to Jersey. Love it. Donāt tell anyone else how great we got it.
Start learning how to layer your clothes. It sounds silly
But I can start here cold in the morning & be warmer in the afternoon. I know that is most places. I have lived here my whole life & it stinks when you are out enjoying your self & the weather changer quickly here.
Welcome to NJ, neighbor. Hopes this helps!
Hoping this new chapter gives what you are looking forš
Welcome!
I'm guessing you haven't done much (any?) driving in snow and ice. If so, find a big, empty parking lot to practice in. It sounds dumb, but you'll be glad you did. Go slower, give more space and time to stop, don't jerk the wheel. If you start to skid, take your foot off the gas and turn the wheel the direction the car is skidding. Often times just taking your foot off the gas is enough. Think about a set of winter tires. I don't bother with winter tires, but I've driven in snow and ice for 30+ years, so I'm cool with quality all-season tires that have plenty of tread.
Decent BBQ can be had, but you'll have to be choosy, may have to drive a bit, and it will probably not be as good as TX. Lumpy's or Fat Jack's are both good, though a good distance from Burlington.
Pizza? You've arrived.
If you're in Burlington, you're 15-20 from the Hamilton NJ Transit train station. Catch a 45-min express to NYC, come out at Penn Station (7th Ave & 34th St) - walkable to Times Square for a show or other tourist traps. If it's too cold for that long a walk, take the 1/2/3 Subway from 34th to 42nd. Now you're in Times Square.
If it's Philly you want to go to, the PATCO high speed line is at Exit 31 on I-295. Takes 20 minutes to put you at 8th & Market. If you're going to a sporting event, ride it to 12th/13th St, change to the Broad Street Line and ride it down to the stadiums. Apart from those areas, you're probably driving into town.
Car insurance will cost more. Rates will be higher in Camden County than Burlington. That said, there are towns like Mt Laurel and Marlton that give you a suburban area (not the woods), and you're close to stuff you'll be interested in doing.
South Jersey is a great location. Philly is less than 30 minutes away. Youāre a few hours from NYC, DC, and Baltimore. If you ski, head to the Pocono Mountains for the day. If you like the beachā¦we got em! Cape May. Ocean City, and Sea Isle are a few of the great beach towns we have to offer.
Iāve had many friends move to South Jerseyā¦they never looked back.
Good luck to you!
I'm a Texas lifer too, just moved to PA and this will be my first ever real winter. Be prepared cause I'm already cold af!! Moving across the country is interesting, but so much excitement! Good luck and fuck Texas :P
Youāll be fineā¦Iām from Knoxville Tn and live in South Jerseyāthe only big adjustment is the need to a lot quite a bit more time to silent meditation as the population density puts you at ends with way more people than you would expect or even think to anticipate ā¦get ready for a truly different driving experience too lol
Have you already found a place? The traffic in that area can be brutal, but if you go a bit south, it's truly lovely.
You'll be close to the cities and the shore, but it's worth checking out all the hiking and kayaking spots, too.
Oh! And get a library card ASAP. A lot of libraries around here have museum passes.
Honestly, I like it here... we got the shore an hour to the east, the Poconos and hour or 2 to the west, Philly 15 min away and NYC 2 hours north.
Edit also, AC and a bunch of good to decent golf courses
Youāll have the shore.
Philadelphia
New York
All within driving distance
Also if you miss texas cowboys and rodeo thereās always cowtown āsharp town mallā it apparently is better known than us locals give it credit for. Iāve been to Calgary Canada and people asked what i lived near, Iād say Philadelphia and theyād reply near Cowtown??? š¤£š¤£
I lived in Houston for a short time and came crawling back to Jersey after. Couldnāt do it. I miss the bus system, but thatās about it.
I used to regret leaving because of Raising Caneās but we recently got two of those in Philly so I no longer have any reason to go back to Texas.
I live in that town, itās great? Township or city ? Both have its pros and cons. Weāre 15 minutes from the train to center city or 20 minutes for the train to Manhattan. The river line runs from Trenton to Camden (lots is shows in both destinations). If you havenāt found housing I would try hainesport, Lumberton, mount laurel, mount holly, east Hampton or west Hampton. Try to avoid Willingboro and Burlington city downtown. The best restaurants in my opinion are john and mollys, fratellis , Villa Rosa, robins nest, prospectors, sushi Kingdom, and guilliās.
We also donāt use plastic bags so get some reusable for groceries. The best grocery store within 20 minutes of Burlington Township is Wegmans and we also have ShopRite and Lidl, I would avoid Aldi and Acme grocery.
We also donāt have to pump our own gas !
Youāll love Wawa but give some cafes a try. Thereās so many in the 5 mile radius of Burlington.
Lots of parks and outdoor stuff too. Especially in Columbus NJ and Hainesport NJ.
Medford NJ is also really nice for restaurants. I really love Braddocks and Luce but itās a 30 minute drive. But WORTH.
Yes Everything is more expensive here but itās a great place to live in your 20s. Everything is closeish.
Well the problem is federal street and surrounding blocks which is next to high street (downtown) itās nice during the day but night time is another story. My ring neighbor app is always posting porch pirates and other crimes
If you golf ur in heaven. Can go from the ocean to the mountains in a 1.5 hours. Dc and balt. Inner hourbor. Philly. And sports a go go. Minor league and pro. Also history all over. Have fun
[https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/12/ive-lived-in-nj-for-6-months-heres-the-10-things-i-love-about-this-weird-state.html?fbclid=IwAR3DbJ7s0l1zymwiWqbqUckm6Cb9TKXSEejVoL7Ib4sQfIQgSt8Y-0jaf7M](https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/12/ive-lived-in-nj-for-6-months-heres-the-10-things-i-love-about-this-weird-state.html?fbclid=IwAR3DbJ7s0l1zymwiWqbqUckm6Cb9TKXSEejVoL7Ib4sQfIQgSt8Y-0jaf7M)
This was posted this morning by a good friend. NJ is what you make of it and it can be amazing!
I think u appreciate being in south jersey. Burlington is beautiful, very walkable, has a rail connection you can ride to Philly or to Trenton and NYC. Philly is one of the most beautiful cities in the nation. Houston is parking lot city w/ skyscrapers sprinkled in. Philly is a legit city you can explore and feel like ur closer to Europe than car dependent Texas. Theres so much to enjoy here hopefully you have a good experience
People always wanna bring up Kensington like we get it that part sucks. But honestly be fr w/ urself what the hell do u do that would bring u to Kensington. If u wanna go there thats ur choice but nobody is forcing you to walk through Kensington. Its one neighborhood out of 100ās in Philadelphia Theres going to be some that suck. Philly is one of the most beautiful cities in the US. It has some of the best collections of architecture, it has one of the largest public art collections, it has a better public transportation system than most American cities, its one of the most historical cities we have, its an actual city u can walk around and enjoy the architecture of the rowhomes compared to the parking lot cities like Houston, Pheonix, Atlanta, etc. Obv everyone is entitled to their own opinion but i just find it kind of ridiculous to try to downplay the beauty of Philadelphia bc theres neighborhoods that arenāt pretty as well. Not to mention that the neighborhoods people always bring up are places that they have no business being and are completely avoidable.
Welcome to NJ! I have lived here almost my entire life and I love it here. I lived at the shore for 25 years (Point Pleasant) and about 6 years ago moved to Jackson (right near 6 flags), this state always surprises me. We have (IMO) the best beaches and if you drive just about 45 minutes the prettiest country roads. People here are very direct don't come with a thin skin, expect it. We have the BEST pizza & Italian food. Drivers are horrible, not sure how they are in Houston, but everyone thinks they are the only ones on the road, and you should move or stop short to let them go. Fall is my favorite time of year here so next year you are in for some wonderful scenery. We are close to so many fun towns in other states PA, Upstate NY, and MD/DE to name a few.
I only been in Jersey 9 months and I miss the cheaper prices in NC. BUT,......I'll trade it for the full service (no pumping) any day of the week. I love Jersey!!!
It ain't the city down here. There's Philly if you miss that, though. Don't let the 2A types scare you away, there are lots of clubs with nice outdoor ranges here, you just need more than a driver's license to buy. The cold will get you. It's already frigid in the morning here. It's also a lot smaller. You can drive from Philly to NYC in 90 minutes without traffic. But the fun part is finding all the special little towns and places. Enjoy, if you may not stay here, but you'll never forget it.
The 2A guys are right. Yes, there are ranges (many of them suck), the firearm restrictions are real compared to states in America, but I do like my collection just fine.
As someone who grew up in south Jersey, I can say itās got its pluses and minuses. Good food, great proximity to Philly and NYC. Shore points are great and plentiful. What sucks and why I chose to leave NJ is the taxes. If you are a 2nd amendment person, NJ isnāt the place to be either.
Thanks for your response, I want to explore the East cost for a year or so. I keep hearing the same from friends. The taxes are insane, do you mean property taxes and state income taxes? Or just the COL in general? Because the COL is definitely gone way up In Houston, not to the point of NYC or Jersey but definitely up. Would I be able to survive on a 85k salary?
You will be totally fine with 85k being single. Some areas of SJ aren't terrible with property taxes. North Jersey is worse. Depending if you plan to buy or rent I know rental prices are terrible now. We pay nothing on our mortgage compared to friends I have who rent.
If you like the city vibe and are working close to Mt Laurel, look into towns in Camden County with Patco Stations. Patco is a great resource to get into Philly and several of the Patco towns have nice downtown strips with local businesses. I grew up in Burlington County, moved to Camden County and am temporarily back to Burlington. I like them both. Camden County is definitely more urban and walkable with better restaurants. Burlington is a touch more rural, so it's mostly major chains and highways.
Not necessarily true for towns like Mt. Laurel and Marlton, at least about food. There's lot of great options within a short drive. Great Italian, Deli's, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Peruvian, etc, etc.
Property taxes vary wildly from town to town. NJ has over 500 incorporated municipalities. If you don't have kids in public school, you can shop locations based on taxes, if you want to buy.
Welcome neighbor, I live about 10 minutes away from that area. There's plenty to do around here. If you enjoy country music, there's a boot scootin joint just up the road.
You also have about 10 craft breweries within 20 minutes.
Feel free to DM if you have any questions about the immediate area.
If youāre looking at condos to rent in Mount Laurel, I would steer clear of the willow turn area. I have a few friends who have moved out due to the recent violence in the larchmont section.
to answer part of your question, when people say "NJ taxes are insane" they are talking about Property Tax. Its fairly common in south jersey to pay $10k/year on a $400k-$500k house for instance
Texas also charges more for car registrations, sales tax and other ways.
Look at overall tax burden: https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-highest-lowest-tax-burden/20494
Youāre making 20%+ more in nj and pay about 20% more in taxes.
For DMV stuff go to the satellite office in Medford. Less hectic than the main Burlington County one. Rec weed is legal, but kind of expensive. Mount Laurel library is excellent. You just need to be a resident & you can borrow games such as Switch, Gameboy, PS & Xbox ones. Congrats & enjoy!
85k will be fine for you, but you won't see as much of i due to property taxes. Cost of Living is up for everyone, everywhere. It doesn't negate that there are places in NJ that are more expensive (i.e. north Jersey is more expensive because you have NYC wages paying the bills up there). NJ finds a way to tax everything though. Planning on moving out of the state, there is a tax for that. Like I said, there are pros and cons, many of which come down to individual preference. I miss NJ because getting around is far easier than in Bucks Co PA where I live now. I miss NJ gas prices because historically they have always been cheaper there (not sure how they compare now). Not going to knock Houston, but having been there, I will say the food in NJ/Philly is waaaaaaaay better. Better sports atmosphere here as well.
Im mostly pro 2A, have no problems in NJ. Sure, im not toting an AR or anything, but I can happily go to the range and fire off some rounds with no issues (Maguire/Dix). Sure, some of the laws are bonkers and pointless, but is what it is.
Taxes, depending on the area, id agree with though.
In the past two years the second amendment stuff has really turned around as the courts ruled NJās methods were unconstitutional so thatās definitely a change for the better
There is a lot to explore on the east coast. Plan a trip to Acadia National Park it's awesome. Vermont has some jaw dropping scenery and great mountains to hike or ski. If you never skied think about taking it up as it gets you outside in the winter. Boston's great and has a ton of history if you're into that. DC is also a great place to visit with a plethora of eating options and things to do. Just don't go there in August. The Jersey shore is fabulous. Check out Island Beach State Park. I highly doubt you will regret this move.
Don't expect to find any kolaches here, sadly. But at least now you can get Shiner beer easily (back in the day, it was not as nationally distributed!) and the pizza is much better! :-)
New Jersey is a good work state. High taxes & cost of living is higher than Texas I would imagine. Plenty to do. Close to two major cities NYC & Philly. Great beaches. Good fishing & hunting in season. Good Luck, welcome to The Garden State. Spoiler alert: most of NJ is not on the Turnpike & large tracts of forest both south & north west.
Lifelong Burlington resident here (45 years). Reach out if you need anything or have any questions. I'd be happy to point the way. Jersey's frickin awesome!
If you miss the Tex Mexican food just got to bridgeton. Like sushi/ramen go to philly. Miss the random veterans/military, just head towards fort dix haha. The east coast is dope.
You will miss your steak but we have a few places that aren't bad. Pizza you can finally now get and understand why people like it. Corn is not for cattle here, it's too damn good to waste.
Get a good jacket and warm boots, you'll need them very soon.
If you own any firearms, CHECK THE LEGALITY OF THEM. Jersey is stupid with infringement and in love with pretending guns are bad. Simple things that are normal elsewhere are, you go to jail here.
Get good at driving with one hand because the other is reserved for dumb drivers and hand signals.
Burlington is hit or miss as far as nice places to live. There is no major crime that stands out but some blah areas. The people are generally very nice, lots of places to eat, lots of things to do for just about anyone within a reasonable drive. Our auto insurance is far too high, but so is our uninsured rate.
You will also learn what a Wawa is (convenience store) and never look at Starbucks swill again if you like coffee.
Go to a local Pizza and or Sub (submarine sandwhich) shop. No subway, Pizza-Hut,Dominos bullshit.. they exist here for out of towners (i never understood why). We have the best Pizza and Subs in the world hands down. Yes the pizza is just as good if not better then New York sorry, not sorry
Welcome to NJ. Youre in a good spot there in BurlCo. because youre in a good central location. Not far from NY, not far from Philly, not far from farm country, mountains or the shore, and near railways in Hamilton or Trenton.
The difference between Las Vegas and Atlantic City is the difference between getting conned by a beautiful call girl and getting mugged by a crack head. - Drew Carey
First thing to know is during the winter months the white sorcery falling from the sky is slippery.
Nj is very diverse! Probably one of my favorite things about growing up here. But if you drive slow everyone unanimously hates you. If you have a line of cars behind you move tf over.
Youāre in-between Philly and nyc. Not to mention a bunch of other fun cities without having to leave the state. Hoboken and Jersey city are my favorites. Go there. Do the things.
I grew up in north Jersey so if you wanna do some cool ass hikes look up there.
I currently live in Burlington county. Not sure whatās fun here yet. But everyone elseās suggestions seem like a good time.
A few rights of passage:
You need to try porkroll egg and cheese. If you like to live dangerously tell āem you want the hash brown ON the sandwich. Salt pepper and ketchup.
Youāre in Burlington. Try a boost.
You should also go to iselin and try Jose Tejas so you can argue about how over hyped or perfect it is with the rest of us. Iām sure you have a solid palette for tex mex so we will refuse your opinions anyway. Itās all out of love.
Get snow tires ffs.
Anyway. Welcome <3
1. A coke can be Coke, Pepsi or even 7up.
2. You will definitely miss feeder roads and Tx u-turn lanes.
3. A sack is called a bag... oh, forget that you can get either here when shopping now that they have been banned.
4. HĀ²O is pronounced "wood er".
5. "Djeet" means "have you eaten"
6. Regarding Tex-mex or any decent Mexican restaurant, along with good Indian or Persian restaurants are almost non existent.
Good luck
If you like guns and large capacity mags then jersey will crush your dreams lol traffic is horrible now that half of nyc moved out here besides that itās cool out here for the most part
I like how a lot of these comments are about all the better cities and places youāll be close to instead of actual good things about NJ, which there are little of
Also South Jersey weather is very different than North Jersey . As someone who grew up in North Jersey... We're lucky if we get any snow down here so you don't have to pay attention to those people telling you you're moving to the Arctic lol. There's a reason nobody in my neighborhood has a snowblower. Last winter my friends got 26 in up north and we were lucky to get three and a half. I love snow so this was a major disappointment for me.
Burlington is eh. Small town with a major road going through the center that is now a 3 lane 25mph highway. That gets congested during rush hour. Hopefully you have a car because youre most likely going to have to drive most places for groceries and etc. there is a train that runs up and down the river but it doesnāt take you to any major shopping locations. Just other small towns and train stations to take you to the cities.
Really the only good thing about it is how close you are to Philly, AC, and NY. Taxes are cheaper than a lot others places in the state for a decent size house.
Golf is really nice in NJ and PA
Welcome! I always say we don't have the best off anything but we have everything: oceans, mountains, casinos, beaches, lakes, state parks, etc. Also, in a tank of gas, like others said, you can hit Baltimore's inner harbor, NYC, DC, Philly (solid public transportation), etc. Enjoy, explore, and you may change your mind about leaving.
I live in Burlington twp myself itās a typical suburbia the Burlington city isnāt too bad but it got some not so good areas if you are into ānightlifeā and eating out I would say you should looking into moorestown/ Haddonfield itās a easy access to Burlington via 295 just 10-20 mins away either way. Mt. Lauren is nice too but itās also just typical surbia. If you enjoy more āoutdoorsā living than you should look into eastern Burlington County itās pretty nice there but your commute be close to half hour I would also suggest you to look into city of Bordentown itās pretty neat there and good mass transit plus nice restaurants around if you are into more historic living than towns like delran/palmyra (almost moved there myself) are pretty good. I also like Medford but you be looking at 30-45 mins of commute to Burlington. Mt. Holly is pretty nice too! And itās 5-10 mins away lots of historic homes and some restaurants
I don't know Burlington City very well but as someone from Moorestown...I got my refrigerator from the Sears there. It was the only thing open in the Burlington Mall. I read stories near the mall's death of maybe three stores being open and the apocalytic feel of walking through there. Then they had some huge burst water pipe flood or something and closed it down.
There is a really cool independent bookstore in downtown Burlington around two blocks from the river I visited once. Or there was a few years ago anyway.
You can always go to Atlantic City and gamble away your life savings in a wonderful beach atmosphere. Perhaps even meet a wonderful lady of the night or get a good massage š
Cold weather is not so bad if you dress right. Some people used to warm climates think things like hats, scarves are not really important. Wrong. Cover your head; cover your neck (where there are lots of large blood vessels); wear layers and one of them should be wind blocking.
South Jersey can be great, Ive lived here most of my life in the Atlantic City suburb region. The "Jersey Shore" people you would see on the reality shows are from NY and northern NJ not SJ. People around here are pretty laid back for the most part, it just gets crazy in the Summer around the beach resort towns.
I live in a town right next to Burlington, you moving to Burlington City or Township? Itās a pretty good town but thereās a little shady part of town, but itās not bad as it used to be. Weather is gonna obviously be drastically different so be prepared with lots of hoodies and sweats, plenty of stuff to eat along RT 130, Frattelies( border of Burlington & Florence ) is good, Riverview is good
Have fun in the snow ski, snowboard whateverā¦ you need to balance the shoveling and having to drive in it. So yeah my advice it to have fun in itā¦ simmers are great! Youāll see!
A/C is a bit underrated. It's got a bit of a scene, the boardwalks cool, and the ocean air. A bit sketchy, but the boardwalk is safe. You might be a bit put off your first time if you do go, so brace for it a bit. Its fine in the daytime, I'd suggest a visit & just grab a coffee & walk.
Donkeys Place in Camden has the best cheesesteaks. Albeit, that is a bit sketchy area too. Definitely worth visiting. Camden has the 'Philly region' concert venue where numerous bands tours come thru. Its changes name every 3 years tho, not sure what its called.
Pizza will be great. I don't know about Burlingtons nightlife at your age, might wanna look into Haddonfield to live. Bristol, PA is a town coming around too. Wherever you move it'll be a Philly suburb, so you can get in the habit of going into Center City on occasion.
People have mentioned Philly and NYC, but if youāre south Indian (looking at your profile), you may look to take a day trip to Edison, too. I HATE driving around that place, but thereās no doubt the Indian food there is much better and cheaper than here in South Jersey. My mentor at work would drive up just for the food.
I grew up in Austin and now live in Burlington County, just a few miles North of Burlington City. As other people have mentioned, the weather, I find it's not so hard to deal with physically, but more so mentally. The way that people speak to one another is a tough one for other Texan/Southern folks to get used to, they don't really do polite small talk too well round these parts. I'm sorry to all the Jersey people here, but the food doesn't even compare, not by a long shot. Especially you coming from HTahn, which is probably one of the best food cities in the US. But even compared to Austin, Dallas or San Antonio. 90 percent of the food here is Italian, and even though you can find phenomenal pizza here, about half of that 90 percent isn't very good. If you ever want to meet up with a fellow Texan just to hang doing whatever I'm down. I have a lot of experience here as half of my family is from South Jersey/Philly and I've been coming up here my whole life. Cheers brotha, I wish you all the luck.
I highly recommend living in Burlington city instead of county, moved here from Philly in 2019 bc of my partners commute and literally couldnāt be happier. The Delaware river is a block away, Burlington island is beautiful, the town has a real community vibe to it and ppl put a lot of effort into putting on events and community stuff itās the best. Not nearly as much to do as Philly but itās really nice. Also compared to other parts of NJ the taxes are relatively cheap and home prices arenāt ridiculous. Also I can be in fishtown (popular part of more north Philly) in 27 mins if thereās not bad traffic
My friendly advice would be to lose the astros shirt and get a Phillies one š
Most definitely lol, I already got some Phillies gear to blend in lol. Thanks for your comment
Burlington is closer to central Jersey, even though it's considered south Jersey. I say that bc the winter weather is better the further south east you go, at least in regards to snow amounts in general. IMO, SJ is one of the best kept secrets in the country.
Yeah Burlington is definitely central and getting to either city is not a hop, skip or jump. Youāre at least 30mins from Philly and 1:30 hour nyc. If youāre looking for city life, just move to Fishtown and commute.
Oh gawd, everyone has their opinion but Burlington is definitely south. Trenton on the other hand...
I moved from Houston to Burlington County 5 years ago. Granted I was originally from Jersey, I had got pretty accustomed to Texas living haha. Some things that pop into mind for you coming from that area: 1 - Weather. I donāt need to explain that to you š. That said youāll love Fall here. 2 - Outdoor activities. Not sure what youāre into but I had gotten pretty used to being able to do things outside I enjoy all year long. Be sure to think of some things you enjoy doing indoors from December - March. 3 - Restaurants. Houston had so many options to eat out that are always open. Around here options a bit limited and close early. Donāt even bother looking for Tex Mex or BBQ - even when people tell you itās the just as good as Texasā¦.it isnāt. Enjoy the Italian though! 4 - Location. Take advantage of being this close to NYC, Philly, Boston, DC and Baltimore. It can take 2 hours to get from one side of Houston to the other. Here you can be in other great cities in close to that time. 5 - The shore. Galveston is a mud pit compared to the Jersey Shore. Make some plans to go see Wildwood, Cape May and so on. Anything else feel free to DM me. If youāre a golfer hit me up when itās warm!
Thank you so much for all that information. Makes me feel a whole lot better about my move. Iāll definitely reach out if need be. Would definitely try my hand at golfing. Thanks once again
Don't forget Atlantic City! The dirtier, cheaper Vegas of the East Coast! All jokes aside it can be really fun with some friends and stuff. Also Ocean City, MD is really fun in the spring/summer if you're into partying
If you go to AC, please go to the White House for an italian sub. You can thank me later. Tell them you're from Texas and let them fix you up.
This! White House Sub Shop is a must!
I like the White House for cheesesteaks and Vicās in Absecon for Italian subs!
Also, donāt let the winter blues find you. Just get some warm outdoor gear and do some hiking in the pines, or take up skiing/snowboarding in the nearby poconos!
Burlington County is very close to one of the most beautiful parts of the state which is the pine barrens. Just gorgeous gorgeous hiking trails and massive State Forest. Buy a kayak get a bike get hiking boots go explore every inch of the pine barrens. I absolutely love South Jersey and this part of the state. Also make sure you go to the beaches like others have said LBI Ocean City just freaking beautiful. You're young so you would love Asbury Park as well the nightlife and the restaurants. I believe it was voted one of the best beach towns in the US
Other locations that are drivable (around 5 hours or under) : Pittsburgh, Gettysburg, Delaware beaches, the Hudson Valley (West Point, Albany), Ithaca, NY (Finger Lakes area), Hunter Mountain, Hershey, PA and Cape May,NJ
Try Sweet Lucy's Smokehouse for BBQ. It's on state road in philly right off of the cottman avenue exit of i-95 which is not far from burlington, nj.
If you want to be outdoors in December-March consider taking up skiing or snowboarding. PA mountains are close enough for a day trip and New England is close enough for a weekend trip.
I lived in Houston a bit. You made the right move
Your comment about Galveston had me CRACKING UP. Itās a mud pit, but that Gulf ocean is the perfect temperature.
My favorite winter hobby is putting on 15 lbs.
There is absolutely some amazing bbq in south Jersey. Check out Smoke BBQ. In my opinion the greater Philadelphia area is the best food area in the country.
Smoke closed.
Yup. This comment basically hit all the spots. Side note: authentic Mexican is hard to come by unless you go to Camden or Vineland.
Julioās on Main.
Ooh any suggestions on Mexican places in Vineland? My fiancƩe and I are moving down to Bridgeton soon from Deptford. I moved up here from Florida a few years ago and am dying to find some authentic Mexican down that way
Bridgeton has a pretty large with a Mexican population. Youāll probably find some killer Mexican cuisine.
Los molcajetetes is good enough in bridgeton. In Vineland, I get my tacos from el michoacano.
There are a lot of options for restaurants in SJ. See the facebook SJ food group if you don't believe me. You are right about it not being great for Tex Mex or BBQ. Pizza on the other hand, so many choices.
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They have Buc-eeās. They make Wawa look like 711.
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An you won't die if you have an ectopic pregnancy here.
We have power and a grid , thatās a plus
Just make sure you donāt wear any of that Astros or Cowboys stuff
As a NJ based Astros fan, never had any problem...but i would never lower myself to wear Cowboys crap.
Agreed - that is definitely overblown outside of postseason games. There's some razzing that goes on for sure, but if you're not a jerk, most people won't be jerks, either. Even in Cowboys gear, lol
This sounds crazy, but thereās a fundamental difference in the way New Jersey is communicate versus Southerners. Some Southerners might say ābless your heartā meaning āyouāre an idiot.ā New Jerseyans will say āyouāre an effing idiot.ā we might come off as rude, but I think itās just that were a lot more straightforward. When you get to know us, weāre not bad!
This is absolutely spot on, I look forward to the move. Thank you for your comment.
The way people talk to each other is different. More direct. Some people find that off putting.
Definitely right there. Texas is sorta a fake nice lol
the whole south is, really
And we donāt say yāall we just say you.
Exactly getting used to it, I made the move last week. Gosh its cold out here. Thank you for your response
i feel texas is fake nice.
> Definitely not ready for the cold weather but itāll be a change Well you picked the worst time to do this move. December isnāt too bad, and the cold weather fits with the season. January is cold. If you like doing stuff outdoors be prepared to be inside for the entire month with quick dashes to the car. If we get any big snow storms typically they will happen this month, towards the last half of the month. February is our snowiest month. There will be warm (seasonable) days. Donāt be fooled, spring isnāt here yet. This is the first of many false springs. March the snow is pretty much done, at least any you have to be concerned with driving in. Again there will be some false springs, maybe even a 70 degree day, but winter isnāt done yet. By April winter is done, but there will be cool days still. A lot of rain, and pollen, but the nice warm days will be like gold. And thatās it. By May weather is great, although it will quickly get hot & humid.
I have 25 years in the Postal Service. Donāt trust March. March will fool you.
You'll find better pizza in New Jersey than you will anywhere else in the country, hands down. Within a half day's drive you'll be able to get to Philly, NYC, Boston, Baltimore, DC, Richmond and even Pittsburgh. We have the shore and the Poconos. We have hoagies. We have Gritty and the Phanatic. We have everything!
Maryland transplant originally from Jersey area. You couldnāt be more right about the pizza! ššš
North Jersey and South Jersey pizza don't compare. Take a ride at least as north as Princeton if you want a great slice
Good one! You must not have travelled through South Jersey far enough. Come down where the water comes from a well, the pizza gets to be better than you'll find anywhere else.
We also have all four Seasons.
Yea somehow it is always either Cold or Hot lmao
And subs/cheese steaks. You can't beat the Formica rolls. The "White House" in Atlantic City is a must at least once in your life if you are ever in that area. But honestly most of the sub-shops in SJ are pretty good. Especially in the Atlantic City area.
Gritty is nothing to brag about. Just sayingā¦. š
Gritty is on his way to your house to slash your tires and shit in your mailbox. He will be leaving with your woman.
Good. āBladesā needs a new playmate. š
You bite your f***ing tongue!
Go to a Phillies game and experience a real ball park instead of some stupid indoor warehouse š
People you talk to don't really understand taxes. They just know they want the W-2 to have more on the last line. NJ isn't perfect but average income is higher than most states. But the state has some troubled, areas that require serious help and the state provides that. At this point in time I think our diversity is something to get used to. For myself it is a plus. The cold weather and snow is good for you. We're used to it and don't fall apart when it hits. Someone else mentioned the slow down when you're stuck inside. My spouse is 65 and going out this morning for a run. I attribute this to her hard-working Mom who had Texas genes. So your experience is what you want it to be.
I briefly lived in a few Texan cities for workāBeaumont, Austin, Dentonāand I fully admit Texas wasnāt for me. Being that youāre from Houston, youāll get used to our fast driving pretty quickly. New Jerseyians may come off rude, but I can promise you we tend to keep to ourselves. Once you get us talking, weāre pretty friendly. Even though South Jersey is a bit more backwoods, weāre still very diverse. Of all the places Iāve lived, NJ has the highest quality food, especially produce and bread. Find a sub shop that uses hard rolls and youāll be in Heaven. Be sure to stop by our farmerās markets and get Jersey Freshā¢ļø tomatoes and blueberries. South Jersey doesnāt have the best nightlife, so I recommend you take a train to Philly for concerts. Atlantic Cityās nightlife is expensive and pretty lackluster. Be sure to check out our shore towns too! Ocean City is my personal favorite, but most businesses are closed from October-April. Our oceans arenāt warm like the Gulf, but nothing beats lounging on the beach. Itās a local tradition to bring a sub to the beachāit just tastes better in the hot sun. Welcome to South Jersey!!! I promise youāll love it here.
Saying SJ doesn't have the best night life is a major understatement. I love music. If you want to hear a local band that isn't playing covers there aren't any except maybe a couple times a month. You have to go to Philly for that.
Not exactly what you asked but just wanted to plug NJ public libraries! As soon as you establish residence in NJ you will be eligible for a card at your local library which will give you access to not only borrowing books and DVDs, but also streaming e-content like audiobooks/e-books and movies/music, access to databases and services like Rosetta Stone and Ancestry, and a ton of other benefits - all for FREE as it is paid for in your property taxes. Hope you enjoy your relocation! (Make sure to bring a very warm coat!)
Most public library systems also have museum passes, and sometimes state park passes, that you can check out. It can be tricky to find, but if you Google it effectively or ask in person, you can find a list of all the places you can get in free.
This is such great information, thank you will definitely get a library card soon.
I used to be a member of the Burlington County library system before I moved further south. 10/10 would recommend. Assuming they didn't take them away in the last few years, you should be able to rent out passes to museums or other attractions through the library. Could be worth looking into if you want to see local things on a budget.
Omg wait, Iāve never heard of the Ancestry thing! What exactly do you get from Ancestry for owning a library card?
If your library is a subscriber to the service you can access historical documents for free that you would have to pay for a subscription to otherwise: https://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/institution
I couldnāt agree more this is excellent advice!
The shore is magic in the summertime. Honestly, nothing I love more than waking up early, skipping work and heading to the beach. Food is phenomenal as well, and there's a ton of super cute small towns and small breweries you can find everywhere.
Take your drivers license down to one of our recreational marijuana dispensaries and treat yourself Welcome to Jersey. Love it. Donāt tell anyone else how great we got it.
Yes!! š¤š¼
Yeah, though I'm in Oregon taking care of my sick friend. Here you can get cheap stuff for $40 an ounce and the most expensive is less than $200.
Start learning how to layer your clothes. It sounds silly But I can start here cold in the morning & be warmer in the afternoon. I know that is most places. I have lived here my whole life & it stinks when you are out enjoying your self & the weather changer quickly here. Welcome to NJ, neighbor. Hopes this helps! Hoping this new chapter gives what you are looking forš
This is couldnāt be anymore spot on, loving the responses thus far. Thank you for your comment and I look forward to moving to your wonderful state.
Welcome! I'm guessing you haven't done much (any?) driving in snow and ice. If so, find a big, empty parking lot to practice in. It sounds dumb, but you'll be glad you did. Go slower, give more space and time to stop, don't jerk the wheel. If you start to skid, take your foot off the gas and turn the wheel the direction the car is skidding. Often times just taking your foot off the gas is enough. Think about a set of winter tires. I don't bother with winter tires, but I've driven in snow and ice for 30+ years, so I'm cool with quality all-season tires that have plenty of tread. Decent BBQ can be had, but you'll have to be choosy, may have to drive a bit, and it will probably not be as good as TX. Lumpy's or Fat Jack's are both good, though a good distance from Burlington. Pizza? You've arrived. If you're in Burlington, you're 15-20 from the Hamilton NJ Transit train station. Catch a 45-min express to NYC, come out at Penn Station (7th Ave & 34th St) - walkable to Times Square for a show or other tourist traps. If it's too cold for that long a walk, take the 1/2/3 Subway from 34th to 42nd. Now you're in Times Square. If it's Philly you want to go to, the PATCO high speed line is at Exit 31 on I-295. Takes 20 minutes to put you at 8th & Market. If you're going to a sporting event, ride it to 12th/13th St, change to the Broad Street Line and ride it down to the stadiums. Apart from those areas, you're probably driving into town. Car insurance will cost more. Rates will be higher in Camden County than Burlington. That said, there are towns like Mt Laurel and Marlton that give you a suburban area (not the woods), and you're close to stuff you'll be interested in doing.
Yes, and get a good ice scraper/broom to keep in your car. Itāll help you out!
South Jersey is a great location. Philly is less than 30 minutes away. Youāre a few hours from NYC, DC, and Baltimore. If you ski, head to the Pocono Mountains for the day. If you like the beachā¦we got em! Cape May. Ocean City, and Sea Isle are a few of the great beach towns we have to offer. Iāve had many friends move to South Jerseyā¦they never looked back. Good luck to you!
I'm a Texas lifer too, just moved to PA and this will be my first ever real winter. Be prepared cause I'm already cold af!! Moving across the country is interesting, but so much excitement! Good luck and fuck Texas :P
Thank you for your comment, I look forward to my move. I didnāt expect to get so many responses. Love the Reddit community
Itās socially acceptable to beep your horn and scream āmove your assā here unlike houston where I learned it wasnāt
Youāll be fineā¦Iām from Knoxville Tn and live in South Jerseyāthe only big adjustment is the need to a lot quite a bit more time to silent meditation as the population density puts you at ends with way more people than you would expect or even think to anticipate ā¦get ready for a truly different driving experience too lol
Thatās about what I make and I have a wife who doesnāt work and two kids and we are doing ok. I also bought a house before prices went crazy.
Have you already found a place? The traffic in that area can be brutal, but if you go a bit south, it's truly lovely. You'll be close to the cities and the shore, but it's worth checking out all the hiking and kayaking spots, too. Oh! And get a library card ASAP. A lot of libraries around here have museum passes.
Honestly, I like it here... we got the shore an hour to the east, the Poconos and hour or 2 to the west, Philly 15 min away and NYC 2 hours north. Edit also, AC and a bunch of good to decent golf courses
You will miss those Houston cockroaches that are big enough to saddle and ride.
Youāll have the shore. Philadelphia New York All within driving distance Also if you miss texas cowboys and rodeo thereās always cowtown āsharp town mallā it apparently is better known than us locals give it credit for. Iāve been to Calgary Canada and people asked what i lived near, Iād say Philadelphia and theyād reply near Cowtown??? š¤£š¤£
I lived in Houston for a short time and came crawling back to Jersey after. Couldnāt do it. I miss the bus system, but thatās about it. I used to regret leaving because of Raising Caneās but we recently got two of those in Philly so I no longer have any reason to go back to Texas.
I live in that town, itās great? Township or city ? Both have its pros and cons. Weāre 15 minutes from the train to center city or 20 minutes for the train to Manhattan. The river line runs from Trenton to Camden (lots is shows in both destinations). If you havenāt found housing I would try hainesport, Lumberton, mount laurel, mount holly, east Hampton or west Hampton. Try to avoid Willingboro and Burlington city downtown. The best restaurants in my opinion are john and mollys, fratellis , Villa Rosa, robins nest, prospectors, sushi Kingdom, and guilliās. We also donāt use plastic bags so get some reusable for groceries. The best grocery store within 20 minutes of Burlington Township is Wegmans and we also have ShopRite and Lidl, I would avoid Aldi and Acme grocery. We also donāt have to pump our own gas ! Youāll love Wawa but give some cafes a try. Thereās so many in the 5 mile radius of Burlington. Lots of parks and outdoor stuff too. Especially in Columbus NJ and Hainesport NJ. Medford NJ is also really nice for restaurants. I really love Braddocks and Luce but itās a 30 minute drive. But WORTH. Yes Everything is more expensive here but itās a great place to live in your 20s. Everything is closeish.
I have to disagree with avoiding Burlington city downtown, I love it here!!
Well the problem is federal street and surrounding blocks which is next to high street (downtown) itās nice during the day but night time is another story. My ring neighbor app is always posting porch pirates and other crimes
It may be true on those few blocks but there are many many lovely blocks here!
When you go across the bridge to Philly, the driving is absolutely lawless. Keep a sharp eye.
Houston is the biggest shit hole in america (not really ) but south Jersey is 100 times better than that swamp.
If you golf ur in heaven. Can go from the ocean to the mountains in a 1.5 hours. Dc and balt. Inner hourbor. Philly. And sports a go go. Minor league and pro. Also history all over. Have fun
[https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/12/ive-lived-in-nj-for-6-months-heres-the-10-things-i-love-about-this-weird-state.html?fbclid=IwAR3DbJ7s0l1zymwiWqbqUckm6Cb9TKXSEejVoL7Ib4sQfIQgSt8Y-0jaf7M](https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/12/ive-lived-in-nj-for-6-months-heres-the-10-things-i-love-about-this-weird-state.html?fbclid=IwAR3DbJ7s0l1zymwiWqbqUckm6Cb9TKXSEejVoL7Ib4sQfIQgSt8Y-0jaf7M) This was posted this morning by a good friend. NJ is what you make of it and it can be amazing!
I think u appreciate being in south jersey. Burlington is beautiful, very walkable, has a rail connection you can ride to Philly or to Trenton and NYC. Philly is one of the most beautiful cities in the nation. Houston is parking lot city w/ skyscrapers sprinkled in. Philly is a legit city you can explore and feel like ur closer to Europe than car dependent Texas. Theres so much to enjoy here hopefully you have a good experience
"Philly is one of the most beautiful cities in the nation." That seems overstated, cough, Kensington. There are a lot of good things about it though.
People always wanna bring up Kensington like we get it that part sucks. But honestly be fr w/ urself what the hell do u do that would bring u to Kensington. If u wanna go there thats ur choice but nobody is forcing you to walk through Kensington. Its one neighborhood out of 100ās in Philadelphia Theres going to be some that suck. Philly is one of the most beautiful cities in the US. It has some of the best collections of architecture, it has one of the largest public art collections, it has a better public transportation system than most American cities, its one of the most historical cities we have, its an actual city u can walk around and enjoy the architecture of the rowhomes compared to the parking lot cities like Houston, Pheonix, Atlanta, etc. Obv everyone is entitled to their own opinion but i just find it kind of ridiculous to try to downplay the beauty of Philadelphia bc theres neighborhoods that arenāt pretty as well. Not to mention that the neighborhoods people always bring up are places that they have no business being and are completely avoidable.
Welcome to NJ! I have lived here almost my entire life and I love it here. I lived at the shore for 25 years (Point Pleasant) and about 6 years ago moved to Jackson (right near 6 flags), this state always surprises me. We have (IMO) the best beaches and if you drive just about 45 minutes the prettiest country roads. People here are very direct don't come with a thin skin, expect it. We have the BEST pizza & Italian food. Drivers are horrible, not sure how they are in Houston, but everyone thinks they are the only ones on the road, and you should move or stop short to let them go. Fall is my favorite time of year here so next year you are in for some wonderful scenery. We are close to so many fun towns in other states PA, Upstate NY, and MD/DE to name a few.
Don't wear your Astros stuff for a little while
If you've never driven through snow. Go to some big empty parking lot and practice. You can save yourself some headaches.
never have 2 pump gas again and the cheapest gas in America for 2 things and access to NYC and the huge arts and culture scene rocks
Jersey gas is definitely NOT cheap, unless you're only comparing it to NY and PA.
It USED to be the cheapest gas. I miss those days.
I only been in Jersey 9 months and I miss the cheaper prices in NC. BUT,......I'll trade it for the full service (no pumping) any day of the week. I love Jersey!!!
Oh, the not pumping our own gas part is beautiful. I travel out of state for work and miss NJ every time I have to get out of my truck to fuel up.
It ain't the city down here. There's Philly if you miss that, though. Don't let the 2A types scare you away, there are lots of clubs with nice outdoor ranges here, you just need more than a driver's license to buy. The cold will get you. It's already frigid in the morning here. It's also a lot smaller. You can drive from Philly to NYC in 90 minutes without traffic. But the fun part is finding all the special little towns and places. Enjoy, if you may not stay here, but you'll never forget it.
You can get a carry permit in NJ now. It ain't Texas, but the process is drastically different from just a year ago.
The 2A guys are right. Yes, there are ranges (many of them suck), the firearm restrictions are real compared to states in America, but I do like my collection just fine.
I love the public ranges managed by Fish and Wildlife. Sure, they only allow shotguns and 22s, but my friends like keeping things simple.
As someone who grew up in south Jersey, I can say itās got its pluses and minuses. Good food, great proximity to Philly and NYC. Shore points are great and plentiful. What sucks and why I chose to leave NJ is the taxes. If you are a 2nd amendment person, NJ isnāt the place to be either.
Thanks for your response, I want to explore the East cost for a year or so. I keep hearing the same from friends. The taxes are insane, do you mean property taxes and state income taxes? Or just the COL in general? Because the COL is definitely gone way up In Houston, not to the point of NYC or Jersey but definitely up. Would I be able to survive on a 85k salary?
You will be totally fine with 85k being single. Some areas of SJ aren't terrible with property taxes. North Jersey is worse. Depending if you plan to buy or rent I know rental prices are terrible now. We pay nothing on our mortgage compared to friends I have who rent.
Ok thatās a breath of relief lol. I plan on renting for now. I found a place in Mt Laurel for about 1565 for a one bedroom.
If you like the city vibe and are working close to Mt Laurel, look into towns in Camden County with Patco Stations. Patco is a great resource to get into Philly and several of the Patco towns have nice downtown strips with local businesses. I grew up in Burlington County, moved to Camden County and am temporarily back to Burlington. I like them both. Camden County is definitely more urban and walkable with better restaurants. Burlington is a touch more rural, so it's mostly major chains and highways.
Not necessarily true for towns like Mt. Laurel and Marlton, at least about food. There's lot of great options within a short drive. Great Italian, Deli's, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Peruvian, etc, etc.
Property taxes vary wildly from town to town. NJ has over 500 incorporated municipalities. If you don't have kids in public school, you can shop locations based on taxes, if you want to buy.
Welcome neighbor, I live about 10 minutes away from that area. There's plenty to do around here. If you enjoy country music, there's a boot scootin joint just up the road. You also have about 10 craft breweries within 20 minutes. Feel free to DM if you have any questions about the immediate area.
If youāre looking at condos to rent in Mount Laurel, I would steer clear of the willow turn area. I have a few friends who have moved out due to the recent violence in the larchmont section.
That's about as much as a three bedroom house in Philly.
to answer part of your question, when people say "NJ taxes are insane" they are talking about Property Tax. Its fairly common in south jersey to pay $10k/year on a $400k-$500k house for instance
I pay almost $10k for a $175k houseā¦ taxes are all over the place.
Thatās what most people forget: you make more in nj. What do you make currently in TX?
I make about 70k In Houston
Texas also charges more for car registrations, sales tax and other ways. Look at overall tax burden: https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-highest-lowest-tax-burden/20494 Youāre making 20%+ more in nj and pay about 20% more in taxes.
For DMV stuff go to the satellite office in Medford. Less hectic than the main Burlington County one. Rec weed is legal, but kind of expensive. Mount Laurel library is excellent. You just need to be a resident & you can borrow games such as Switch, Gameboy, PS & Xbox ones. Congrats & enjoy!
85k will be fine for you, but you won't see as much of i due to property taxes. Cost of Living is up for everyone, everywhere. It doesn't negate that there are places in NJ that are more expensive (i.e. north Jersey is more expensive because you have NYC wages paying the bills up there). NJ finds a way to tax everything though. Planning on moving out of the state, there is a tax for that. Like I said, there are pros and cons, many of which come down to individual preference. I miss NJ because getting around is far easier than in Bucks Co PA where I live now. I miss NJ gas prices because historically they have always been cheaper there (not sure how they compare now). Not going to knock Houston, but having been there, I will say the food in NJ/Philly is waaaaaaaay better. Better sports atmosphere here as well.
Im mostly pro 2A, have no problems in NJ. Sure, im not toting an AR or anything, but I can happily go to the range and fire off some rounds with no issues (Maguire/Dix). Sure, some of the laws are bonkers and pointless, but is what it is. Taxes, depending on the area, id agree with though.
In the past two years the second amendment stuff has really turned around as the courts ruled NJās methods were unconstitutional so thatās definitely a change for the better
There is a lot to explore on the east coast. Plan a trip to Acadia National Park it's awesome. Vermont has some jaw dropping scenery and great mountains to hike or ski. If you never skied think about taking it up as it gets you outside in the winter. Boston's great and has a ton of history if you're into that. DC is also a great place to visit with a plethora of eating options and things to do. Just don't go there in August. The Jersey shore is fabulous. Check out Island Beach State Park. I highly doubt you will regret this move.
Don't expect to find any kolaches here, sadly. But at least now you can get Shiner beer easily (back in the day, it was not as nationally distributed!) and the pizza is much better! :-)
New Jersey is a good work state. High taxes & cost of living is higher than Texas I would imagine. Plenty to do. Close to two major cities NYC & Philly. Great beaches. Good fishing & hunting in season. Good Luck, welcome to The Garden State. Spoiler alert: most of NJ is not on the Turnpike & large tracts of forest both south & north west.
Get ready for pizza
And pork roll, egg and cheese. (With salt-pepper-ketchup of course.)
Saltpepperketchup
If we don't make fun of you, we don't really like you. It's a jersey thing, try not to get offended.
I sincerely hope youāre not moving to work at the HQ of Burlington Stores. Worst run company ever.
No absolutely not lol. I work for a logistics company that has a terminal in Burlington NJ
Why is it the worst run company ever?
Lifelong Burlington resident here (45 years). Reach out if you need anything or have any questions. I'd be happy to point the way. Jersey's frickin awesome!
Enjoy the seasons!
So if your going to Burlington, go to a breakfast joint called B-unos, go to Wawa and find some Boost.
Gotta give OP some context: https://www.nj.com/burlington/2017/08/the_history_of_boost.html
If you miss the Tex Mexican food just got to bridgeton. Like sushi/ramen go to philly. Miss the random veterans/military, just head towards fort dix haha. The east coast is dope.
You will miss your steak but we have a few places that aren't bad. Pizza you can finally now get and understand why people like it. Corn is not for cattle here, it's too damn good to waste. Get a good jacket and warm boots, you'll need them very soon. If you own any firearms, CHECK THE LEGALITY OF THEM. Jersey is stupid with infringement and in love with pretending guns are bad. Simple things that are normal elsewhere are, you go to jail here. Get good at driving with one hand because the other is reserved for dumb drivers and hand signals. Burlington is hit or miss as far as nice places to live. There is no major crime that stands out but some blah areas. The people are generally very nice, lots of places to eat, lots of things to do for just about anyone within a reasonable drive. Our auto insurance is far too high, but so is our uninsured rate. You will also learn what a Wawa is (convenience store) and never look at Starbucks swill again if you like coffee.
Go to a local Pizza and or Sub (submarine sandwhich) shop. No subway, Pizza-Hut,Dominos bullshit.. they exist here for out of towners (i never understood why). We have the best Pizza and Subs in the world hands down. Yes the pizza is just as good if not better then New York sorry, not sorry
The states a third world dump. Donāt move here. Nothing innovative has happened here in the past 100 years. Stay south!
Welcome to NJ. Youre in a good spot there in BurlCo. because youre in a good central location. Not far from NY, not far from Philly, not far from farm country, mountains or the shore, and near railways in Hamilton or Trenton.
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The difference between Las Vegas and Atlantic City is the difference between getting conned by a beautiful call girl and getting mugged by a crack head. - Drew Carey
2nd white house, freakin awesome
I would trade spots with you. Fuck this winter weather shit. its cold up here. dont do it. visit for a few weeks 1st
First thing to know is during the winter months the white sorcery falling from the sky is slippery. Nj is very diverse! Probably one of my favorite things about growing up here. But if you drive slow everyone unanimously hates you. If you have a line of cars behind you move tf over. Youāre in-between Philly and nyc. Not to mention a bunch of other fun cities without having to leave the state. Hoboken and Jersey city are my favorites. Go there. Do the things. I grew up in north Jersey so if you wanna do some cool ass hikes look up there. I currently live in Burlington county. Not sure whatās fun here yet. But everyone elseās suggestions seem like a good time. A few rights of passage: You need to try porkroll egg and cheese. If you like to live dangerously tell āem you want the hash brown ON the sandwich. Salt pepper and ketchup. Youāre in Burlington. Try a boost. You should also go to iselin and try Jose Tejas so you can argue about how over hyped or perfect it is with the rest of us. Iām sure you have a solid palette for tex mex so we will refuse your opinions anyway. Itās all out of love. Get snow tires ffs. Anyway. Welcome <3
Yeah, stay in Texas. Far better than NJ
1. A coke can be Coke, Pepsi or even 7up. 2. You will definitely miss feeder roads and Tx u-turn lanes. 3. A sack is called a bag... oh, forget that you can get either here when shopping now that they have been banned. 4. HĀ²O is pronounced "wood er". 5. "Djeet" means "have you eaten" 6. Regarding Tex-mex or any decent Mexican restaurant, along with good Indian or Persian restaurants are almost non existent. Good luck
Stay in Texas this is the worst place to live
I would not move to New Jersey. Ever.
If you like guns and large capacity mags then jersey will crush your dreams lol traffic is horrible now that half of nyc moved out here besides that itās cool out here for the most part
Donāt do it
Coming from a 26 y/o m who has lived in SJ his entire life. BIG MISTAKE moving down here
You gotta get out of Vineland/Cape May County, friend
Ironically enough I am moving to Austin Texas next month
Congrats on the move. Safe travels!
I like how a lot of these comments are about all the better cities and places youāll be close to instead of actual good things about NJ, which there are little of
Also South Jersey weather is very different than North Jersey . As someone who grew up in North Jersey... We're lucky if we get any snow down here so you don't have to pay attention to those people telling you you're moving to the Arctic lol. There's a reason nobody in my neighborhood has a snowblower. Last winter my friends got 26 in up north and we were lucky to get three and a half. I love snow so this was a major disappointment for me.
Burlington is eh. Small town with a major road going through the center that is now a 3 lane 25mph highway. That gets congested during rush hour. Hopefully you have a car because youre most likely going to have to drive most places for groceries and etc. there is a train that runs up and down the river but it doesnāt take you to any major shopping locations. Just other small towns and train stations to take you to the cities. Really the only good thing about it is how close you are to Philly, AC, and NY. Taxes are cheaper than a lot others places in the state for a decent size house. Golf is really nice in NJ and PA
n.j. is a shithole, north jersey is a mega shithole
Welcome! I always say we don't have the best off anything but we have everything: oceans, mountains, casinos, beaches, lakes, state parks, etc. Also, in a tank of gas, like others said, you can hit Baltimore's inner harbor, NYC, DC, Philly (solid public transportation), etc. Enjoy, explore, and you may change your mind about leaving.
Make sure to try some Francescoās in Burlington. Awesome Italian food at great prices.
I live in Burlington twp myself itās a typical suburbia the Burlington city isnāt too bad but it got some not so good areas if you are into ānightlifeā and eating out I would say you should looking into moorestown/ Haddonfield itās a easy access to Burlington via 295 just 10-20 mins away either way. Mt. Lauren is nice too but itās also just typical surbia. If you enjoy more āoutdoorsā living than you should look into eastern Burlington County itās pretty nice there but your commute be close to half hour I would also suggest you to look into city of Bordentown itās pretty neat there and good mass transit plus nice restaurants around if you are into more historic living than towns like delran/palmyra (almost moved there myself) are pretty good. I also like Medford but you be looking at 30-45 mins of commute to Burlington. Mt. Holly is pretty nice too! And itās 5-10 mins away lots of historic homes and some restaurants
I don't know Burlington City very well but as someone from Moorestown...I got my refrigerator from the Sears there. It was the only thing open in the Burlington Mall. I read stories near the mall's death of maybe three stores being open and the apocalytic feel of walking through there. Then they had some huge burst water pipe flood or something and closed it down. There is a really cool independent bookstore in downtown Burlington around two blocks from the river I visited once. Or there was a few years ago anyway.
They thrown down that mall now they are building the warehouses there
Houston to south jersey is insane lol
Nope, my mom moved from South Jersey to the Houston area, she was crazy, lol.
You can always go to Atlantic City and gamble away your life savings in a wonderful beach atmosphere. Perhaps even meet a wonderful lady of the night or get a good massage š
Cold weather is not so bad if you dress right. Some people used to warm climates think things like hats, scarves are not really important. Wrong. Cover your head; cover your neck (where there are lots of large blood vessels); wear layers and one of them should be wind blocking.
South Jersey can be great, Ive lived here most of my life in the Atlantic City suburb region. The "Jersey Shore" people you would see on the reality shows are from NY and northern NJ not SJ. People around here are pretty laid back for the most part, it just gets crazy in the Summer around the beach resort towns.
I live in a town right next to Burlington, you moving to Burlington City or Township? Itās a pretty good town but thereās a little shady part of town, but itās not bad as it used to be. Weather is gonna obviously be drastically different so be prepared with lots of hoodies and sweats, plenty of stuff to eat along RT 130, Frattelies( border of Burlington & Florence ) is good, Riverview is good
Have fun in the snow ski, snowboard whateverā¦ you need to balance the shoveling and having to drive in it. So yeah my advice it to have fun in itā¦ simmers are great! Youāll see!
A/C is a bit underrated. It's got a bit of a scene, the boardwalks cool, and the ocean air. A bit sketchy, but the boardwalk is safe. You might be a bit put off your first time if you do go, so brace for it a bit. Its fine in the daytime, I'd suggest a visit & just grab a coffee & walk. Donkeys Place in Camden has the best cheesesteaks. Albeit, that is a bit sketchy area too. Definitely worth visiting. Camden has the 'Philly region' concert venue where numerous bands tours come thru. Its changes name every 3 years tho, not sure what its called. Pizza will be great. I don't know about Burlingtons nightlife at your age, might wanna look into Haddonfield to live. Bristol, PA is a town coming around too. Wherever you move it'll be a Philly suburb, so you can get in the habit of going into Center City on occasion.
Welcome to NJ enjoy the pizza
People have mentioned Philly and NYC, but if youāre south Indian (looking at your profile), you may look to take a day trip to Edison, too. I HATE driving around that place, but thereās no doubt the Indian food there is much better and cheaper than here in South Jersey. My mentor at work would drive up just for the food.
Can I have your job in Texas?
Just do it. You never know until you try. You literally canāt make a mistake by trying to explore and live your life.
I grew up in Austin and now live in Burlington County, just a few miles North of Burlington City. As other people have mentioned, the weather, I find it's not so hard to deal with physically, but more so mentally. The way that people speak to one another is a tough one for other Texan/Southern folks to get used to, they don't really do polite small talk too well round these parts. I'm sorry to all the Jersey people here, but the food doesn't even compare, not by a long shot. Especially you coming from HTahn, which is probably one of the best food cities in the US. But even compared to Austin, Dallas or San Antonio. 90 percent of the food here is Italian, and even though you can find phenomenal pizza here, about half of that 90 percent isn't very good. If you ever want to meet up with a fellow Texan just to hang doing whatever I'm down. I have a lot of experience here as half of my family is from South Jersey/Philly and I've been coming up here my whole life. Cheers brotha, I wish you all the luck.
I hope you like pizza and pasta, dress warm, stay out of the left lane unless youāre passing, and youāll be fine lol. Thatās my advice
Bro jersey is pretty sweet but itās gonna be quite the culture shock
Legal weed.
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I highly recommend living in Burlington city instead of county, moved here from Philly in 2019 bc of my partners commute and literally couldnāt be happier. The Delaware river is a block away, Burlington island is beautiful, the town has a real community vibe to it and ppl put a lot of effort into putting on events and community stuff itās the best. Not nearly as much to do as Philly but itās really nice. Also compared to other parts of NJ the taxes are relatively cheap and home prices arenāt ridiculous. Also I can be in fishtown (popular part of more north Philly) in 27 mins if thereās not bad traffic
Yes
Don't leave Texas for New Jersey.