Thinking about moving to Philadelphia area - what are the best/worst neighborhoods to live in?

Question

I will be renting an apartment if I decide to move to the Philly area.

Answer 1

See! You have already learned from the first answers to your questions, mostly from folks who do not live in Philadelphia, how terrible Philadelphia is.
They know this because they come into the city for restaurants, museums, theater, opera, and almost any other cultural amenity an educated person could ask.
So if you cannot get accustomed to people telling you how stupid you are for living in the city from people who work , play, visit , get stuck in traffic jams coming here and pay outrageous parking fees and live outside the city ,then, you should not live here.
On the other hand if you like being in the thick of it and enjoy the vibrancy of city living, Philadelphia has much to offer.
Housing here has always been less expensive then in many other large cities, such as New York, Boston, San Francisco etc..
Prices have gone up and so those who are familiar with the area have a knee jerk reaction that prices are too high, but comparatively speaking that is just not true. They are kicking themselves for not buying when the prices were lower.
Good neighborhoods in the city are Rittenhouse Square area, Art Museum Area, Spring Garden, Old City, Fairmount, Logan Square, Fitler Square.....way too many to list.
The very center of the city is most expensive and as you expand it gets less expensive.
But each neighborhood has its own character. You need to do a lot of research, driving and walking around, and talking with neighbors and other residents.
That all said. What you consider a best quality I may not rate as high and what you consider a worst quality I may not rate so low.
So come into town and find out for yourself, you will enjoy yourself regardless of the outcome.
Should you choose one of our many lovely suburban communities we will look forward to seeing you when you visit each weekend.

Answer 2

One neighborhood in philadelphia which gets little mention is roxbourgh. It is safer than almost all of the other neighborhoods and the prices are still modest. A quick commute to the either by bus or train and close to Manayunk.

Answer 3

Philadelphia is a beautiful city. But it is also a ridiculously expensive city. Some of the best houses are in South Philadelphia, near the historic section, but they can go for 2 million... I live outside of Philadelphia in a smaller suburb called Newtown Square. Newtown Square is a really great place to live if you are looking to be outside the city more.

Answer 4

I would suggest New Hope, PA or Lambertville, NJ it is about 30 minutes w/ no traffic north of the city. These towns are artsy & filled w/ great boutiques art galleries, cafes, gelaterias, etc... They are seperated by the Delaware River and a quant little bridge you can walk across. There is a great music scene and the stores are really diverse. There are state parks all around where you can canoe, mountain bike or walk through, Check it out. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Stay out of the city. Try to find a place in the Western suburbs. If you want to reside in the city stay out of Kensington, Olney, Frankford, Fishtown, Juanita, North Philly, West Philly, Logan, Lawncrest, Lawndale and the lower Northeast ( a lot of home intrusions)

Answer 6

don't live in the city. Some suburbs outside that are good is Bryn Mawr, Rosemont, Gladwyne, Paoli/Valley Forge, and others in that general area. These neighborhoods are good because there is a lower crime rate, better schools (public and private), the doctors are very good, more activites like sports, arts of crafts, shopping, etc. to do in those areas and its more pleasant than the city.

Answer 7

Bryn Mawr is a great place to live. Its only like 40 minutes from the city, and it has nice neighborhoods and is close to the King Of Prussia Mall.

Answer 8

If you don't mind the commute or taking the train to Philly, look in Chester County. It's a gorgeous area.

Answer 9

the genius that say stay out of this and that sound like my folks. If I hadn''t listened to them, I be rich. And when someone said. Fishtown, Port Richmond, and Kensington, especially the east side, I almost choked on Peanut Butter. You have to visit, see a Realtor, and know what you want and how much you want to spend. Don't ask questions to a bunch of idiots.

Answer 10

I live in a beautiful spot right outside phila area. Its Cheltenham, Pa.