East Stroudsburg, PA 18 Apartments for Rent

Once it was called Dansbury, named after founder Daniel Broadhead, it was renamed thanks to a rail service that no longer runs through town -- and no, there is no West Stroudsburg.

East Stroudsburg is a small borough of 9,950 citizens, located in the lush Delaware River Valley of eastern Pennsylvania. It is an area well-known for its fall foliage and outdoors activities. The borough has deep historical roots, with plenty of residents tracing their history in the region back to the early 1800s. Home to East Stroudsburg University, it certainly is affected by the college, but it is in no way a "college town," having its own personality away from the school.

Moving to East Stroudsburg

Getting Started

The lead time necessary for finding a place can vary depending on the time of year - during the school year, many of the rental properties will already be rented out, so you'll likely only have slim pickings left. You can get a leg up on the process by having all your paperwork ready to go when you decide to start looking - having the right references and a couple of pay stubs will help the property manager out and get you in their good graces.

Moving in and Getting Around

You really can't make it in East Stroudsburg without a car - the only other way in and out of the borough is by Greyhound or Martz bus service, and these aren't the most consistent. Around the borough, you can take a ride on the Pocono Pony, operated by the Monroe County Transit Authority. That is, unless you want to go somewhere on a holiday or on the weekend. The Pony is more for convenience than it is for commuting, and it's not even that convenient. Walking and biking is possible, but the terrible winters can make it a real pain. So make sure that when you are looking at an apartment to rent that it comes with a parking spot.

Weather

The Pocono region can get a gnarly fix of weather, including nasty winter storms that come with winds that cut to the bone. If you can find some all bills paid apartments, great, you don't have to worry about the next few sentences. If you can't find all-bills-paid apartments, make sure you check the weather sealing around the doors and windows. A faulty window can raise your bills sky high, even worse if you have multiple sources of drafts. As half of the units in town were built before 1970, this can be a common problem.

Neighborhoods of East Stroudsburg

East Stroudsburg is not big enough to demand having neighborhoods, but there is a differentiation between the two major areas of the town - the Borough Center and the East Stroudsburg University area.

Borough Center: This neighborhood is almost entirely owner-occupied, so you may have some difficulties finding one- or two-bedroom apartments for rent in this neighborhood. You are more likely to find apartments and houses that are individually owned in this area, instead of large buildings or complexes. This is an area with more permanent residents, and is also home to most of the business and commercial units in the town. Take a stroll in one of the numerous parks, or go relax by the water at Zacharias Pond.

East Stroudsburg University: This neighborhood is almost entirely renter-occupied, so there are plenty of opportunities. However, it means there is plenty of competition and demand for units, meaning the rental prices will be higher and the property managers can be a bit more choosy. This area does have one of the larger concentrations of apartment complexes in East Stroudsburg - start by checking out Prospect Hills or Madison Green Valley apartment complexes. While you're hunting for your apartment, stop by The Roasted Tomato for lunch.

Living in East Stroudsburg

One of the major advantages of living in a town with a college in it is that college kids love to eat and drink and can support some great bars and restaurants. You've got plenty of choices in East Stroudsburg and the surrounding area, from Peruvian at Inca's Wall, to jerk goat at Island Delights, to the burritos at Holy Guacamole, along with the usual droves of pizza and Chinese restaurants. You can wander over to Stroudsburg itself, and check out the highly-regarded Sarah Street Bar and Grill for solid, if not slightly eclectic, pub fare and drinks. If you've got a hot date and want to go somewhere upscale and slightly trendy, Liquid Restaurant and Martini Bar provide some interesting choices you won't find anywhere else in town, in terms of food or in terms of their carefully crafted cocktails.

Once you've gorged yourself -- or maybe before you do it -- you can take part in the great outdoors that makes the East Stroudsburg area such a popular destination for residents and vacationers alike. The Delaware River provides some great waters for rafting and kayaking, or if you really want to get your heart racing, there are even some breakneck rapids you can take on. The Delaware Water Gap provides great opportunities for hiking and fishing, while there are a number of parks in town, like Zacharias Pond Park, that can give you plenty of nature without the drive.

If you want to do a different type of driving, East Stroudsburg has some high-quality golf course for driving -- and putting and pitching. Terra Greens Golf Club is right in town, while to the south is Cherry Valley Golf Course and Glen Brook Golf Course. So hack away, and go on and try and bring your handicap down a bit.

If you delight in some retail therapy, the downtown area along Courtland and Crystal streets is home to a number of boutiques. Larger stores, including big box retailers and chains, have found a better foothold in areas like Pocono Plaza, near the university, or the Eagle Glen Mall in the northern part of town.