Very nice town, but gets a bad wrap. Dunno how
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8/1/2008
Well first off let me say I like, but not love middletown. I am originally from the city. I have been here for one year and my mom has been here for a few. Im a young kid who moved back in with mom so I could attend the college that is not to far from us.
What I have noticed about Middletown is the gossip passed on about it. You will get those people from Goshen, Pine Bush, or other cities and towns that are close by, who make lil judgements and remarks about a city they dont live in. When I moved up here I tried to get a feel about the people and if there was a crime level or any of that stuff. Its very very low up here.
I think in 4 years up here my mom has heard about one murder, and a handful of store robberies. The robberies mostly ended in someone being arrested due to good citizenship. Now coming from queens, nyc. These small numbers are unthinkable even in one week. I lived in a great neighborhood down there but you have to take into consideration that queens is maybe 3 to 4 times the size of middletown.
So I liked the fact that crime was not a problem here. Also there are many city transplants here, as well as some long island ones. Most have been here for a few years, or the kids my age came up during there pre teens. Their parents bring them up for a better life at half the cost.
Cost of living is great. The house my family lived in before was twice the cost in Queens, and but maybe a third as nice and comfortable. You pay an arm and a leg just to have a decent home in the city. In most cases people just get apartments if they do not have a big family.
In response to "the good bad and ugly", well your living conditions are a product of your lifestyle and choices. I will say that mainly the downtown neighborhood, can give you that lower quality of life feel. But then again every city has its areas, and thank god there is no persistent crime in this city despite some of the poorer areas. Most of the time lower income perpetuates crime in a city. But it seems the immigrants who occupy these areas just want a better life that they moved to this country for. Its not like the lower income areas of Newburgh, that are just rife with crime and poverty.
But I have noticed most of the people who move here from the city are professionals with children and they buy houses in new private community areas and what not. Down town businesses are really nice looking and I have not witnessed any illegal activity in the area yet. Do I need glasses? =/
Yet I constantly here gossip about what goes on here. And read in some forums about where you should live and what not, as opposed to middletown, from people who do not live here. One guy went on to say " how comfortbale would you feel as a white male in a town that is maybe 40% white". Then it clicked. It seems that some people just see minorities and automatically make negative assumptions. The town is about 35%latino(mostly mexican but some PR) and they comprise most of the lower wage areas. Whites, Asians and African Americans share a split of the middle income and higher income areas. The private community I live in is fairly mixed with white, black, latino, and some asian.
Everyone gets along great, and all the kids know each other. It seems alot of these new condo or house communities are popping up alot. They all look very upscale with a fraction of city costs but that is changing as more people move to orange county. They are popping up in many other areas. Im a driver and see this alot.
Anyways my point of all this was to dispel Middletown rumors. Yes I know some people have had some weird experiences, but as far as I noticed every town has its areas of idiots. I would have to say middletowns is very small. But even so, most people who move here move to outer areas with new developments like my family did. People need to pick their homes based on the charcter of those around them. Not look around and go "oh different people live here so it must be a certain way". We all know many people have these prevailing thoughts based on stereotypes(even though everyone acts like they dont), but we should all learn to be less ignorant.
New homes for a great price is always great. Btw ours is a 3 Br, 2 and a half bath, with a great kitchen and living room, deck, and huge basement. Was about 212k 4 years ago. Easily 450K plus in the city in a good neighborhood.
Kaylan | Middletown, NY