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This is just one of a few rabbits I see regularly in my neighborhood!

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The presence of wildlife, which includes an abundance of rabbits, families of deer, birds, and the occasional fox, tells me that our community feels habitable to them. They like to make their homes in people's gardens and well-manicured lawns. Almost every lawn in my neighborhood is decorated with shrubbery, seasonal plants, and tall, almost oppressive trees.

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Local park, about 2 minutes walking distance from my house.

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At first glance, this park looks very well maintained, and it is! However, despite the wealth of trees and wildlife, it is not immune to pollution. If you look closely you can see a wrapper of some kind floating amongst the ducks! This park is on one of the busiest roads in my town. I heard an almost constant "woosh" of cars speeding by. I also heard the sounds of children playing, the patter of runner's feet against the pavement, and an older couple remarking on how lovely the breeze was. Such a tranquil setting to juxtapose a busy street. All of this shows that the people in my area are active, and feel safe enough to run on their own amongst the rest of the townspeople. We are lucky to have a green space for recreational activities. I always think of how amazing physical activity is for mental health.

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While I was here, I sat for a while. All of the benches are clean, which made me realized that this may not be the case in other communities. As I surveyed my surroundings, I noticed people fishing in the pond, another indication of cleanliness. There are also water fountains throughout, which people drink from regularly. It's a privilege to have clean water in our community!

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If you can see in the reflection of the "Little Free Library", I have a friend with me! He is my neighbor who I frequently go on morning walks with. Walking around my neighborhood is part of my daily routine and something I do regularly. I see people walking for pleasure, running, walking their dogs. I see landscapers, school buses, and lots of large houses. A lot of houses in my town are upper-middle class homes with two cars in the driveway, a well-groomed lawn, a two, sometimes three-story house, a white picket fence, a dog or two barking out the window. All to me are more indicators of wealth and privilege. People in my community are people with time and money to be wasted, for lack of a better word.

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One of many signs promoting traditionally left-leaning ideologies

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This sign, nestled in some blooming hydrangeas, exemplifies this home's political views. I was particularly interested in the "science is real" stanza, as this reminds me of the ongoing COVID-related vaccine debates. There are many signs like this in my neighborhood. I counted at least 5 saying "Biden-Harris" "Hate Has No Home Here" , and "Black Lives Matter". I live in a very left-leaning, liberal town, and signs like these tell me that my neighbors are most likely pro-vaccination, and anti-political violence, and believe that COVID is a real deadly illness, not something falsified by our government. Additionally, hydrangeas to me are a symbol of wealth. There are bushes in almost every yard. Wealth = access, which means access to quality healthcare.

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My first impression of the rural landscape of my neighborhood was that there was absolutely no shortage of greenery. The homes are all older, between 50-150 years old, with a good amount of space between them. The sidewalks are all paved, and the area is safe and walkable, which bodes well for overall community health. I went out earlier in the morning and noticed that most people were out walking their dogs or on their morning run. I passed many people but everyone was silent, nobody said hello. I listened to the chirping of birds, crickets, and the rustle of squirrels darting about. Although my street is busy, all of the side streets are tranquil and don't have the same constant "woosh" of cars.

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Two minutes to my right, there is a park and an established suburb. Two minutes to my left, there is a grouping of businesses that are normally very busy. There's a butcher, a spa, a nail salon, a bagel store, a tutor, a quick check, and a tavern all within feet of one another. The majority of these are independent businesses, something that my town has a lot of. This tells me that the people in my area are willing to, and have the money to spend on high-quality experiences and food. Additionally, the salons and spas tell me that there is a population that cares about wellness in a more aesthetic sense. Everyone in this area seems very frenetic and consumed in their own agenda.

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Its hard to believe that just 50 feet away from this towering Victorian Era home is a bustling restaurant parking lot. The old home is well-maintained, which tells me that the owners are in good health, and have the ability to take care of their home as well as themselves. The restaurants and shops show growth of the community. There is no food scarcity or shortage of health options. Every once in awhile the smell of frying bacon will waft over from the bagel shop next door to this house.

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One of many little free libraries in town

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A few people around town have built these "Little Free Libraries", where people can donate used books to the community for anybody to take. This, to me, shows connectedness and compassion among community members. This is a community that has time for leisure activities such as reading for pleasure. Even the act of constructing this little book house is indicative of wealth, and most likely health as the people who built this have disposable income, and time that is not concerned with survival, work, or other necessities.

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I happened to take my stroll on garbage day. I noticed that every person on my block had separated their plastics and paper recycling impeccably. There was no garbage strewn about. When I took a peak at the discard, I noticed Amazon boxes, wine bottles, furniture boxes, and a container for organic strawberries. Whoever lives on this block is consuming produce that is not only fresh, but they are paying the extra dollar or two to make sure it's organic. It's clear that everyone who lives in my radius pays attention to the beautification and cleanliness of our community.

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The pleasant smell of this bed of wildflowers attracted buzzing bees and butterflies of all sorts. Many people in my area garden, which tells me that the population is not only able-bodied, but interested in organic gardening and adding beauty into our streets.

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https://www.christiesrealestate.com/nnj/localguide/montclair-new-jersey-essex-county#:~:text=Montclair%20is%20one%20of%20New,with%20scenic%20views%E2%80%94all%20just

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Behind a local restaurant, there is an eye-catching mural featuring the following quote by Leonard Cohen, "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in". The credit for this mural was given to two Montclair High School students, completed in 2018. My town is filled with artists and musicians, and I think this mural is a good representation of how community-oriented and creative my town is. I also noticed the lack of graffiti. Since its completion in 2018, I haven't seen any evidence of vandalism of this mural. Additionally, it's not something that is very common in the surrounding businesses.

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I am grateful to call my hometown a community that is beautiful, colorful, and thriving. I think the health of my community is reflected by the wealth of the individuals that live here. Montclair is only 30-45 minutes away from NYC, so it is home to a handful of celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Patrick Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers in addition to some Brooklyn transports. According to Census data, the median age is 40.7, with a median household income of about $160,000 and a home value of $790,000. Also, 70% have a bachelor's degree or higher and 5.5% are below the poverty line. For reference, Montclair's population is about 40,000. These statistics tell me that this is a well-off community of thriving, intelligent individuals. It continues to grow, with young families with children filling parks and playgrounds near my house. There are no concerns for safety, and I never feel as if my town is unclean or not cared for. The people of my community care about their own wellness, and their health gives them the ability to invest time into the wellness of our community.

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Census profile: Montclair township, Essex County, NJ

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Census data for Montclair township, Essex County, NJ (pop. 39,783), including age, race, sex, income, poverty, marital status, education and more.