Before deciding which city to move to, there are a lot of factors that individuals need to learn about and consider. It is important that individuals are able to not only learn about the positive aspects of these cities but also learn about the negative aspects. So, what are 17 reasons why individuals should not move to Allentown, Pennsylvania?
Researching the negative aspects of a city can be extremely overwhelming for many individuals. Figuring out where to start can be extremely intimidating. After conducting research, the following information has been compiled to help individuals begin their research process pertaining to the negative aspects of living in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
1. Low-Paying Jobs
Whether or not an area has good-paying jobs is something that should be considered before an individual decides to move to a new city. However, Allentown is a city that is unable to offer most of its residents good-paying jobs. As a result of this, many individuals in this area are forced to work low-paying jobs.
Without a well-paying job, individuals are forced to have to work longer hours and more jobs as a way to attempt to be able to provide for not only themselves but also their families.
The lack of jobs that make living affordable is extremely frustrating to the residents of Allentown. The low-paying jobs have had such a negative impact on the individuals living in the Allentown area.
2. High Poverty Rate
As a result of the low-paying jobs, many individuals in this area are unable to provide
for themselves and their families. Not being able to meet the basic needs causes many individuals in Allentown to fall into poverty.
Roughly 26% of the residents in Allentown are living lives that are plagued by poverty. Struggling with poverty is something that is able to greatly impact the lives of the individuals in a specific city.
Individuals in Allentown struggle with the fact that so many individuals in this area are plagued with poverty and are unable to provide for the basic needs of their families.
3. Many Rundown Neighborhoods
When a city is plagued with poverty and low-income jobs, it is extremely common for its neighborhoods to become rundown. This is exactly what happens in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
While there are some neighborhoods in the area that allow individuals to feel safe and secure, there are many neighborhoods in Allentown that cause its residents to feel unsafe in their own homes.
In these rundown areas, many abandoned homes cause many individuals to feel scared and unsafe in these neighborhoods.
The rundown buildings in these neighborhoods are also a result of landlords that do not actively keep their property looking nice and clean.
4. Third Largest City in Pennsylvania
There are downsides that come along with living in a larger city. Allentown is the 3rd largest city in Pennsylvania, which causes it to have many things that the residents of this city are not fond of.
One of the biggest things that residents of Allentown dislike about living in a larger city is the traffic. Rather than being able to quickly get to and from work each day, these individuals are forced to sit in traffic in order to get to and from their locations each day.
Another issue that many individuals living in Allentown, Pennsylvania dislike is the competitive job market. The fact that these individuals live in a city that has low-paying jobs doesn’t stop residents from being competitive when it comes to the workforce. Individuals are extremely competitive when they are applying for a job and when they are working for a specific business.
5. Limited Options for Restaurants
Most larger cities have a variety of options for individuals to dine out, however, this is not the case in Allentown. Many individuals struggle to find good options for restaurants in town.
The limited amount of restaurant options is something that is disliked by many residents in Allentown. Individuals are forced to travel outside of Allentown if they want to have more options for places to go to for dinner.
6. Not a Kid-Friendly City
Before moving to a new city, it is important for most individuals to know whether or not a city is kid-friendly. This is beneficial for individuals who are already parents as well as individuals who hope to become parents in the future.
Residents in this city have discovered that in recent years, Allentown has stopped being kid-friendly. It is no longer safe in all parts of the city for children to be playing outside, even in their own yards.
Allentown is unsafe for children to be walking to and from school on their own, which is something that parents can struggle with, as they have to ensure their children get on the bus safely or drive them to school before work, which is not always easy to do.
7. Only Sketchy Hotels Available
Being able to have family and friends come visit is something that is important to many individuals. For some, having these visitors stay with them is not an option. Some people have homes that are too small to be able to comfortably host guests.
For individuals in Allentown, it might be difficult to have family members or friends come to visit as a result of the available hotels. There are only sketchy hotels that are available in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Many individuals do not feel safe or comfortable staying in a small hotel that is not known by many other individuals. The small rundown hotels that are available in Allentown cause many individuals to feel a lack of security and as though they are in danger.
8. Many Nonviolent Crimes
Every city has crime that happens, it is unavoidable. Luckily, Allentown has a higher number of nonviolent crimes than violent ones.
Annually, Allentown has roughly 3,445 property crimes that are committed every year. Property crimes are a broad category that includes crimes such as theft, arson, robbery, and burglary.
9. Lots of Drug Use
Drug use has become something that is extremely common throughout cities in the United States. Allentown is no exception to this.
There are many individuals in this city that have been experimenting with drugs. If an individual wants a specific kind of drug, there is someone in the city that is able to provide them with it.
In nearly every city throughout the country, there are areas in each city where individuals can go to gain access to any type of drugs that they have an interest in.
10. Unsafe for Single Individuals
Before single people move to a new city, they must learn whether or not it is a place that is safe enough for them to be walking places on their own.
For single individuals, specifically women, Allentown is not a location that is always safe. Throughout the day, it is perfectly safe for individuals to be traveling on their own. However, at night, it is suggested that individuals do not travel on their own.
It is suggested that single individuals in this ensure that they lock not only their doors at night but also close and lock their windows each night. This ensures that no intruders are able to get into their homes and is a way to help these individuals feel some form of security.
11. Gang Activity
While Allentown is not the largest city in Pennsylvania, it is between two extremely large cities, which has resulted in there being many active gangs located in this city.
While gang activity is not always violent, gang members are often violent, which makes Allentown an unsafe place for many people, even for those that are not involved with gang activity in any way.
Parents in this area worry that their children will get involved in these gangs and spend a lot of time worrying about the impact these gangs could have on the futures of their children.
12. Vandalizing Teenagers
One of the specific nonviolent crimes that plague Allentown, Pennsylvania is vandalism. Locations throughout the city are often vandalized by teenagers living in Allentown.
For some teenagers, vandalism is done in an attempt to be able to express themselves as a form of art. For others, it is a way to defy authority figures.
Many residents in Allentown dislike the amount of vandalism that is happening. Not all graffiti is placed on public property or even buildings. There are some instances when these teenagers graffiti cars within their neighborhoods, and it can be expensive to remove.
13. Prostitution
An issue that is dealt with throughout many larger cities in the United States is prostitution. Many individuals in Allentown resort to prostitution in an attempt to make ends meet. The low-paying jobs force individuals to look into other ways to provide for not only themselves but also their families.
For many young mothers, the easiest way for them to make money outside of their day job was through prostitution.
Prostitution is something that many parents in the area worry that their children will be exposed to. No parent wants their child to sell their body in order to provide for themselves.
14. When there is a Violent Crime, it’s Aggravated
While Allentown mostly has nonviolent crimes, when there are violent crimes they are extremely aggravated. On average, there are about 600 violent crimes that happen annually in Allentown.
The violent crime that does happen in Allentown is often a result of either gang activity or drugs This causes many parents to be scared for their children in less safe neighborhoods.
The number of homicides that are committed in this area each year is 9% of the overall crimes that occur. This shows that the number of violent crimes that occur is not extremely common compared to other types of crimes. Luckily, throughout the years, the number of violent crimes that are committed each year in this city has decreased.
15. Extremely Bad Reputation
While there are many bad aspects of Allentown, Pennsylvania, there are many residents who believe that these bad aspects are sometimes blown out of proportion. There are many that think that individuals have made Allentown look a lot worse than it actually is.
While there are gangs, drugs, sex workers, and crime, this is something that occurs in every city throughout the United States. The majority of the individuals who focus only on these aspects are part of the reason that Allentown has such a bad reputation.
The city having a negative reputation is something that steers a lot of individuals away from moving to this city. A bad reputation is something that causes family members to fear coming to visit, which is something that can be extremely difficult for individuals in Allentown.
16. Many Absentee Landlords
Many residents in Allentown, Pennsylvania say that the biggest issue that is experienced by individuals in this area is absentee landlords.
Rather than having landlords who are present and are willing to keep the homes and apartments looking nice and clean, these landlords rarely ever visit the property that they are renting out. This makes many of these rentals to looks run down and unkempt.
Individuals living in these rental properties that have absentee landlords struggle with the fact that these individuals are unable to do renovations on their own or upkeep many of these properties.
17. Loud Neighbors
Something that many individuals complain about in Allentown is the fact that all of the neighbors seem to be very loud. Each neighborhood has at least one neighbor that has a loud car they are often driving late at night or dogs that will not stop barking.
Residents of Allentown have no problem setting off fireworks at various times throughout the year. People who have moved into this city struggle with the fact that there seems to constantly be something that is going on in the neighborhood.
Hearing sirens throughout the night is extremely common throughout cities, and it is a part of living in Allentown. Whether these are police cars responding to accidents or fights, it is something that tends to frustrate individuals living in a specific area.
