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Been through there several times. Real nice next to dorado.  Miles and miles of beaches really deserted on the beaches. They have 1 blue flag beach. ( which means you pay to park and it's has bathrooms.  Really nice.  But I prefer Rincon due to the lay back people. Lots of English speaking. Lots of schooling choices for English speaking kids. 30 mins away from mayaguez and aquadilla ( bigger towns with shopping malls. Sam's clubs etc) mayaguez has a small airport that has direct flights to San Juan. Aquadilla has a major airport bqn. Also if you have a military card you can shop at the coast guard exchange

Thanks For your input. We Will be arriving in Puerto Rico mid November. Kind of nerve wrecking.

Welcome to the island, sit back and enjoy the experience! We are here to help......

I have lived in Vega Baja for a year, what would you like to know?

Is it a good neighborhood?  How is the crime rate compared to the rest of the island? Is it  a good place to raise a family?  should I have any concerns?

I lived there for awhile also. So why are you choosing Vega Baja?  Work related? Do you already have a place to live? Vega Baja is a decent sized town...not a neighborhood. There are some good areas and some not so good areas. A few Urbanizations. Not a lot of expats in my experience.  Not sure if there are any really good schools...I know there are some private, but I am not sure if they are good. There are a couple of nice beaches. There is also a mall close by. There is an ok Dr.'s Center Hospital fairly close in Manati.

This site has a little info on the area and may be useful.

Vega Baja is spread out and you'll find pockets of good and bad neighborhoods. I live near Laguna Tortuguero which has some families, some section 8, a little bit of everything really. Mostly I feel pretty safe. On the weekends there is a lot of cycling/running activity due to the trails around the nature reserve. Would I go by myself running? No. Down the street is a newly refurbished sports facility with track, exercise areas, a pool, etc etc. There is also a pretty nice community center.

Near by is a corner market that opens at 5 am that is kind of the hub of the area, residents, the police, atheletes, etc stop in for their morning cuppa and some breakfast. I get by on my limited spanish but most ppl do not speak english. I would say maybe 20%. I did forget to mention the best part though, I am about a mile from some gorgeous beaches that never seem to get crowded. One town over in Manati, barely a 10 min drive has Reserva Natural Hacienda La Esperanza, a beautiful sanctuary featuring a remodeled plantation/mill, stunning beaches and many trails.

We only have the (SuperMax) grocery store and their produce/meat is dismal. I usually end up at Costco in Bayamon for groceries. About 30 minutes door to door. There is a Walgreens, CVS, Ace Hardware, Walmart Superstore and various fast food restaurants within a 2 mi radius. There are also a few good restaurants, including one AMAZING sushi  place, an awesome deli/restaurant, a bakery or two and a few garden centers as well. Though tbh, I generally head over to Byron Pike Nursery in Arecibo.

Is it a good place to raise a family? That's up to you. You really need to check it out for yourself. I have lots of neighbors that are doing just that.

I agree, I have yet to meet one expat here, so that is something to consider. If you get lonley easily and do not speak spanish, this will probably not be the place for you.

I actually had to use the emergency services in Manati and I was very happy with my care and the price. I was evaluated, treated and given a prescription to fill elsewhere for $125.00. I do not have any health coverage.