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Luca Patel
housing
Rent vs buy in Plainfield -what makes sense?
Been living here since 2014. It's a a smaller city city with about 35,783 people. What do you all think?
3 upvotes
28 Replies
Reagan
lol so true
39 upvotes
Reagan S.
Came here for weather and stayed because it exceeded my expectations. The cultural scene is honestly underrated and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
38 upvotes
Quinn Johnson
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want community vibe, then yeah this place is great. But if public transit matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
35 upvotes
Levi R.
underrated comment
34 upvotes
Isla Hill
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value school system, you'll love it. The cost of living is genuinely hit or miss and I've found I love the pace of life here. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is manageable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Pittsburgh, be prepared for the culture shock. community vibe is completely different here. And Winters are long and cold.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
If you value school system, you'll love it. The cost of living is genuinely hit or miss and I've found I love the pace of life here. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is manageable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Pittsburgh, be prepared for the culture shock. community vibe is completely different here. And Winters are long and cold.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
33 upvotes
Vivian Thomas
If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. it's improved dramatically in recent years. Internet is hit or miss in most areas.
33 upvotes
Teresa C.
haha yep pretty much
32 upvotes
Abigail T.
I'm a software engineer and I've found I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The community is better than expected and there's always something going on.
32 upvotes
Zoey Wilson
Renting here right now, paying about /mo for a 2-bedroom. I genuinely enjoy living here. Compared to LA it's pretty good.
32 upvotes
Lucas Nelson
yep
30 upvotes
Johnny W.
this is the way
29 upvotes
Lisa W.
I've been living here for 1 years and I'd say I love the pace of life here. The walkability is excellent compared to other places I've lived. Overall Feel free to reach out with questions..
28 upvotes
Gianna
The food scene here is surprisingly good. Tons of great Italian places. it's exactly what I was looking for.
26 upvotes
Eliana Lopez
Saving this thread
26 upvotes
Evan
The food scene here is surprisingly good. Tons of great craft beer places. it was the best decision I ever made.
26 upvotes
Wyatt Flores
Weather-wise, the summers are challenging and winters are stable. You get used to it after the first year.
26 upvotes
Austin Young
wish I knew this sooner
23 upvotes
Lucas Taylor
I've lived in West for about 13 years now, so I can give you a pretty detailed perspective.
it exceeded my expectations. When I first moved here from Chicago, I was surprised by dating scene. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Good healthcare facilities
- Good internet infrastructure
- The weather scene is average
The downsides:
- Winters are long and cold
- Not a lot of cultural diversity
Overall I'd rate it 9/10 for young professionals. Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
it exceeded my expectations. When I first moved here from Chicago, I was surprised by dating scene. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.
A few things worth knowing:
- Good healthcare facilities
- Good internet infrastructure
- The weather scene is average
The downsides:
- Winters are long and cold
- Not a lot of cultural diversity
Overall I'd rate it 9/10 for young professionals. Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
22 upvotes
nola_camila
Used to live on the Lakewood side, now on the Riverside side. Completely different vibe. I genuinely enjoy living here.
20 upvotes
Jaxon H.
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a data analyst, 30, moved here 2 years ago from Phoenix. I've lived in Uptown and Westside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Active local events and festivals
3. Diverse dining options
4. The people are generally hit or miss - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Traffic during rush hour is rough
2. Not a lot of cultural diversity
3. The community vibe situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for young professionals. surprisingly good vibes, walkable.
- Westside: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Phoenix, everything felt better than expected. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are stable. Gas is competitive. You can live comfortably on $90K-$110K here.
**Final verdict:**
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a data analyst, 30, moved here 2 years ago from Phoenix. I've lived in Uptown and Westside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Active local events and festivals
3. Diverse dining options
4. The people are generally hit or miss - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Traffic during rush hour is rough
2. Not a lot of cultural diversity
3. The community vibe situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for young professionals. surprisingly good vibes, walkable.
- Westside: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Phoenix, everything felt better than expected. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are stable. Gas is competitive. You can live comfortably on $90K-$110K here.
**Final verdict:**
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
17 upvotes
Everett Price
accurate
15 upvotes
Caleb Long
great question, following
10 upvotes
Emmett Cook
great question, following
10 upvotes
Naomi Howard
hard disagree but ok
9 upvotes
Dominic
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem hit or miss.
I've been here 8 years and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The thing nobody mentions is cultural scene. It's established and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the school system is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is pretty good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Uptown side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Happy to answer more specific questions..
I've been here 8 years and I'm still on the fence after all this time. The thing nobody mentions is cultural scene. It's established and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the school system is legit. And if you're into golfing, this place is pretty good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Uptown side vs the Meadowbrook side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Happy to answer more specific questions..
7 upvotes
Daniel G.
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a social worker who relocated here from Houston about 13 years ago. The main reasons were school and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Lots of new development happening
- Good internet infrastructure
- Diverse dining options
Cons that are real:
- Limited public transit options
- Summers can be brutally hot
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. The market is competitive but not impossible. Groceries are manageable, gas is decent.
Socially, it's been a really good experience overall. Feel free to reach out with questions..
I'm a social worker who relocated here from Houston about 13 years ago. The main reasons were school and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Lots of new development happening
- Good internet infrastructure
- Diverse dining options
Cons that are real:
- Limited public transit options
- Summers can be brutally hot
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. The market is competitive but not impossible. Groceries are manageable, gas is decent.
Socially, it's been a really good experience overall. Feel free to reach out with questions..
7 upvotes
Roman Robinson
glad someone said it
5 upvotes
Zoe Wright
The food scene here is challenging. Tons of great Vietnamese places. I'm still on the fence after all this time.
0 upvotes