St. Mary's

I live and work in the Pittsburgh area. For a lot of different reasons, I really am thinking about taking a look at moving towards St. Marys when I'm done with law school. I don't know anyone up there, but I know they have the brewery (Straub is the only beer I drink) & it seems like a safe town, with good affordable housing, not a lot of urban problems. Definitely got the fresh air & a lot of outdoor activities. I sense maybe a lot of young people up that way want to "escape" but I'm trying to "escape" to St. Mary's and away from all the problems I see around me. Any advice? What is housing like? I've seen houses on realtor that look great. I'm looking for advice here. I am hoping to take a road trip up there in the next 2 weeks to look at the brewery but also to look and see if maybe this is somewhere I'd like to move to next year. Advice please!!

Unemployment is currently 13.2% and heading up fast Metaldyne just annouced Chapter 13 most of our local industry is tied to the big three auto companies. We currently have quite a few lawyers cann't see much oppertunity, unless you are able to negotiate to bring work to our area and known who to contact to make it all happen. We are a drug pipeline from Ny to all areas south and the reverse and are starting to see the changes associated with that. House values are holding but long term that market is about to head for freefall nation wide read www.hsdent.com . Other wise it is a slow town with out a lot going on except long walks in the woods and such.

Thinking wrote:

I live and work in the Pittsburgh area. For a lot of different reasons, I really am thinking about taking a look at moving towards St. Marys when I'm done with law school. I don't know anyone up there, but I know they have the brewery (Straub is the only beer I drink) & it seems like a safe town, with good affordable housing, not a lot of urban problems. Definitely got the fresh air & a lot of outdoor activities. I sense maybe a lot of young people up that way want to "escape" but I'm trying to "escape" to St. Mary's and away from all the problems I see around me. Any advice? What is housing like? I've seen houses on realtor that look great. I'm looking for advice here. I am hoping to take a road trip up there in the next 2 weeks to look at the brewery but also to look and see if maybe this is somewhere I'd like to move to next year. Advice please!!

st. marys is a very nice town to drive thru an look at but as soon as ur a resident in the area ererything goes down hill. my quess is you wont find any work down there either. drugs are a huge part of that area thats why i left. DONT EVER leave ur house without locking ur doors and windows too. all junkies have is time to watch an learn your every move so as soon as u turn ur back they take everything. Jus take my advice dont move to st. marys find a diff nice town.

your advice sucks i've never heard of people walking into a house and taking everything although unemployement is high i'm sure that a job wouldnt be so hard to find in or around elk county ive lived here all my life went to catholic school which was a great choice there are alot of good people here and it for the most part is a great town

St. Marys is a nice town if you have money. If your just common folk, forget it. I lived in St. Marys for 2 years and never knew my neighbors, I tried talking with them, they pretty much ignored me. If your not, so called a big name in the city forget it, then your a no-body. I moved back to Fox Twp. where at least people talk to each other whether your from here or not. St. Marys is a small hick town trying to be a big city. You want to pay outragious taxes, and living expenses then go for it. If your going to be a lawyer, then you might make it with the snobby people and enjoy it. If your just a normal everyday, down to earth person then forget it. And yes the drug problem is big, even though the city counsel and law enforcement here won't admit it.

I know of several people from ST Marys, I live in Ohio, and every time I have ever visited there, the people seemed quite nice, and receptive. I think some time the new folks expect too much though. Small towns tend to be a little like that, because they are less transient than these larger cities. How's things at Keystone PM? Hope they are hanging on.

Thinking wrote:

I live and work in the Pittsburgh area. For a lot of different reasons, I really am thinking about taking a look at moving towards St. Marys when I'm done with law school. I don't know anyone up there, but I know they have the brewery (Straub is the only beer I drink) & it seems like a safe town, with good affordable housing, not a lot of urban problems. Definitely got the fresh air & a lot of outdoor activities. I sense maybe a lot of young people up that way want to "escape" but I'm trying to "escape" to St. Mary's and away from all the problems I see around me. Any advice? What is housing like? I've seen houses on realtor that look great. I'm looking for advice here. I am hoping to take a road trip up there in the next 2 weeks to look at the brewery but also to look and see if maybe this is somewhere I'd like to move to next year. Advice please!!

Don't bother with St.Marys....especially if you have something going for yourself like a law degree.
I lived there for years.
The people aren't friendly...if you are not born and bred in St. Marys with the right family name, you are nobody....VERY "clicky".
Big shots never let anything they couldn't control come into the town,now, with the car industry down and the main business PM, the unemployment rate is through the roof.
Drugs are plentiful with the usual rif-raf that goes along with it.
With so many people moving out or planning to move out, the tax base is way down....pretty soon the big shots will find themselves living around a bunch of low income people and the "city" won't have enough money to plow the roads in the winter.
Do yourself a BIG favor....drive through, look at the leaves in the fall but DON'T live there....there are SO MANY better places to live....I KNOW!!!!

Dear Advice please!!
Do not waste your time with the BIG city of St. Marys. Heroin is king and taxes are queen. A select few run the city and although it may look pretty, you would be lucky to actually talk withe the cauld-e-sac crowd. You are not a native and would be treated accordingly. The rest of the county does not tolerate St. Marys attitude, and they are neighbors. The saying goes, Well, they are from ST. Marys and everyone understands, enough said. Good luck.

I was born in St.Marys PA, and currently live near by in Weedville. I disagree with most of the comments posted here.Yes there are alot of drug issues there, but show me somewhere that there isnt.It depends on what kind of life YOU live. If you wish to find drugs,you can.If you dont want to, you dont have to. If you want good neighbors, then be one. Being a lawyer, I could almost gaurantee your success, just the same as if you were a doctor or even an electrician for that matter. The economy sucks everywhere right now, so if you took the chance and simply threw a dart at a map of the USA, chances are you wouldnt find a better place to call home than Elk County Pennsylvania.

Weedville Chic,

YOU were BORN in St. Marys PA, the OP was not...BIG difference.
Being BORN in ST. Marys, and maybe having the right last name, YOU would not see OR FEEL what others have who were not born there.... or those that are commonly called "IMPORTS" by the NATIVE people of St Marys.
I was born in ELK COUNTY and moved to St. Marys and lived there for 14 years....I KNOW ST. Marys.
The people are some of the most negative, jellous people I have ever met and not very friendly....they took EVERY chance they could to let you know you were not a native of St. Marys....this kind of thinking is even present in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL were some children are affected and feel the sting of " your not as good as us".
It is present in all the plants when only those that have the right last name are given the best jobs....been there and seen it.
The drug problem IS HUGE for such a small town.
In St. Marys, people gossip all day long, the police and powers that be, KNOW who is who and nothing gets done....want to know who the big dealers are?? just go to the bars and look around...everybody knows the story but many hide it.
The law and the court system is a JOKE with offenders getting slaps on the wrist only to go out and offend again, sometimes with terrible results.
ELK county has the highest unemployment rate in the country right know according to the news....like over 14%....yeah, the economy REALLY sucks in St. Marys.
So, you went to school and came back to the area, YOU are one of the few that did...MOST do not...
THERE ARE MANY better places to live than ST. Marys PA.
I would make sure MY dart didn't land there!!

This is all wrong all so very wrong st. marys is gorgeous its great here your out in the wide open and no one is there to start a big fight about stupid things the people are just dont no what its like here in the fall it is so pretty summer is kinda hot spring is gorgeous and winter you get alot of snow its just gorgeous here and the elk you will see alot of them but its fun to watch them and who cares about all the hicks thats the best art!!

St. marys..The so called "city " that isn't. So where does one begin to talk about St. Marys...Hmm I know..lets begin with the Pro's.......... the woods...ok lets talk about the Con's...high taxes, DRUGS EVERYWHERE, high cancer rate(black lung) from all the carbon in the air and the powdered metal(which has carbon in it), poor healthcare (lots go to dubois or they get flown out by chopper),snobby people (there is actually an area called "snobs knob")unemployment..well its outta control...can you see a pattern here?...and not to mention the housing market...there are more houses for sale in St. Mary's then one can count!!...makes you wonder why...crime rate is HIGH and so are the DUI's...stay in Pittsburgh, at least its a REAL city!!!!

Simply it is a beautiful area. It simply has the same issues most small towns or cities have. The big issue to consider is un-employment. I moved from that area because of no work. But, when I retire, I'm headed back.

St marys is the nastiest little corrupt town I know of.
The police are the biggest problem. They seem to be on call for whatever local elected officials want them to do. There is lttle or no community policing - just police reacting to whatever complaints or pet peeves the current mayor or council member have at the time. Policing activities seem to be single issue activities -- drugs or dui. We have a beautiful piece of property on the extreme north end of the city limits. We shop and socialize mostly in communities north of St Marys. where policing is not so intrusive.

The St Mary's Officers are HOT!!!!

Wow!!! I have to comment on this ridiculous thread, because that is
exactly what it is, ridiculous!!!!!

Everyone please get your facts straight before writing these nonsense
posts about how expensive it is to live and work here. St. Marys is a
very prosperous town, one with little crime and lots to do if you are
creative.
I currently live in Bradford, and to even compare Bradford, Dubois,
Ridgway, Clearfield or Kane to St. Marys is ridiculous, because there is
no comparison. The income and housing prices in St. Marys are above
state and slightly below national average. The median household income
in St. Marys is $50,267 as of 2007. Compare that with the income level
of Dubois -$32,096 or with Bradford -$31,676.(State median household
income is $48,500)
According to the cost of living index, the cost of living is 86.1% of
national average; meaning that living in St. Marys is about 15% cheaper
than else where in the country.
For someone living in Pittsburgh, where the average value of a home is
$84,000, the average home price of $144,000 in St. Marys might not seem
so cheap.
Another issue that seems to be heavily debated here in this thread is
the fact that there is a huge crime problem. That St. Marys, somehow,
is a dangerous and crime-ridden place, unfit for living or raising a
family. Well, according to the city-data.com crime index, St. Marys is
111.1. Compare this with the national average of 320.9 and you will see
that these claims are exaggerated. For a regional comparison: Bradford -
270.1, Clearfield - 363.8, Ridgway - 258.7, Warren - 487.9 and
Pittsburgh - 558.2.
Compare these statistics with the given percentage of residents in a
certain town living in poverty and things become even more clear.
The percentage of residents living below poverty level in St. Marys is
roughly 4.8%. Compare that with the rate in Dubois of 15.9% or with the
average percentage for the state of 11.0%.
And as several others have mentioned, the unemployment rate is quite
high at 13.2%. This however is a very recent trend. Just look at the
unemployment statistics from 2008 and you will see that unemployment
levels were in the 4-6% range. The current recession has hit this
region very hard, but signs that the economy is stabilizing are
evident.
I wish you all the best in deciding where you want to live. I myself am
a college student and will find myself facing these same decisions very
soon. I hope you find your visit to St. Marys a pleasant one!:)