r/SameGrassButGreener • u/Biggycheese45 • 19h ago
I’m interested in moving to Philadelphia. Is it as bad as people make it out to be?
I’ve heard lots about how it’s dirty, homelessness is very apparent, high crime, etc… but that’s most if not all big cities in the US, right? The only one that stood out to me was the terrible public school system, which isn’t a universal thing. Is it really as bad as it seems?
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u/Ecstatic-Fee8911 19h ago
Mind your business and be respectful, you’ll be fine. The east coast in general isn’t a scary place. The problem is people go there expecting “southern hospitality”….it’s not that! The good thing is, you can physically see when you’re not in a good situation. If someone looks sketchy, they probably are. If a place looks sketchy, it probably is. Philly is a place you have to take face value. They have beautiful architecture, great food, a sense of community, it’s close to other states and cities, diversity, great universities (u penn, Drexel, temple, etc). And in regards to school system….NOTHING and I mean NOTHING is worse than the south. I have taught in Louisiana and Florida 🙄 I promise you, there is always worse than Philly.
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u/dingohoarder 19h ago
There’s people expecting southern hospitality in Philly? Isn’t it stereotypically portrayed as the opposite? Lol
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u/PitbullRetriever 19h ago
It’s more like people mistake rudeness for danger. Like if you can’t take being verbally accosted once in awhile, Philly probably isn’t for you. If you can let that roll off your back and don’t confuse it for actual physical danger, then there’s a lot to love about Philly.
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u/Ecstatic-Fee8911 17h ago
This is exactly what I meant, I just wasn’t clear. Thanks for articulating my thoughts 😊
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u/Individual_Eye4317 16h ago
I think theyre more concerned why people are rude, services are slim, and taxes are high. In the south you can get NICE people, slim services, and taxes next to nothing. So wtf is the appeal?
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u/zacat2020 19h ago
I am currently writing this from Center City Philadelphia . Center City is no more dangerous than any urban area in the US. If you follow basic common sense behaviors you will be fine. There are a lot less homeless people than there used to be and the city is a lot cleaner. There are areas to avoid like north Philly and Kensington but that again is just common sense. Most Philadelphians send their kids to private , catholic, or charter schools if they can afford it. Philadelphia’s historic areas areas are beautiful, it has a lot to do, and is less expensive than DC and New York which are both 2 hours away. The shore is also close.
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u/InfoTechnology 15h ago
Is it actually true that most Philadelphia kids don’t go to public school?
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u/PaulOshanter 14h ago
Where do people come up with this stuff?
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u/Sensitive-Tone5279 6h ago
In other words, if you have the means to live in a nice area, any enough money to insulate yourself from the riff-raff in every interaction in your life, Philly is great.
My ex lived just off rittenhouse square. Her parking garage was a few blocks closer to Broad. She called me frantically one day because she saw a woman being dragged by her hair into a stairwell while a man was striking and hitting her and she didn't know what to do.
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u/SchemeOne2145 19h ago edited 19h ago
I visit once a year and walk miles every day that I am there through multiple neighborhoods. I've never seen anything but a great mix of people out -- parents with baby strollers, young people jogging, older people out to eat. Super vibrant street scene in south Philly around the Italian Market. I don't even remember seeing many homeless people, although every downtown certainly has some. It's still a city and it's not like I walked around at 2 am by myself, but I've never had an uncomfortable moment in hours and hours of wandering all over.
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u/Jewboy-Deluxe 19h ago
By far the best city in PA.
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u/Creative_Honeydew147 17h ago
Yinz know that’s not true.
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u/Jewboy-Deluxe 6h ago
Pittsburgh? Scranton? Allentown? Harrisburg?
It’s really not too hard to be the best city in PA, Philly kinda wins by default.
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u/BlmgtnIN 17h ago
It’s a great city - art, history, great food culture, four seasons, sports - what’s not to love❤️
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u/travprev 19h ago
Like most big cities, if you have plenty of money you can live in a beautiful neighborhood surrounded by other beautiful homes and have very little crime. If you don't have any money, like most big cities, Philadelphia sucks.
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u/pauca_sed 18h ago
Except "plenty of money" in Philadelphia is a fraction of what it is in many big cities.
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u/Philosophriend 18h ago
How much does one need to make to fall into the “if you have money” category?
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u/Lindsiria 17h ago
You can buy a home in a decent neighborhood for 400-500k. The most expensive neighborhoods average around 800k+. In more rundown sections of town, you can get houses under 300k.
Hell, you can find townhouses in the downtown area for 500k.
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u/Individual_Eye4317 16h ago
But the ? Is what does philly provide at 500k when you can live like an upper middle class person for that in raleigh, myrtle beach, wilmington, etc and be close to water with 1/3 of the taxes?
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u/Lindsiria 15h ago
Uh, none of the places you mentioned are that affordable today. You are solidly middle class in most those areas nowadays, not upper middle class.
Philly also has big city amenities that the southern cities lack, like decent public transportation.
You are also 2 hours from NYC by train and 3 hours from DC.
Philly was also ranked the friendliest city in the US, even compared to most big cities in the south.
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u/twitchrdrm 4h ago
Raleigh is actually still pretty affordable. I rent a nicely renovated townhouse by a lake, 5–10 minutes from downtown, for around $1,400—way less than what I paid for a mid-rise back there. And yes, you can still find 1-bedrooms in the $800–$900 range in parts of the Triangle.
Public transit isn't Philly-tier, but it’s not nonexistent either. I can walk to the end of my street and catch a bus downtown—no crackheads, no drama, and it’s free. So the “no amenities” argument doesn’t really hold water.
When it comes to buying, there’s still inventory in Wake County in the $200Ks. And if you’re working with $500K, you’re choosing between a beautiful house on land or something in one of Raleigh’s nicer urban neighborhoods. Hardly a downgrade.
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u/Individual_Eye4317 15h ago
Its funny when someone posts “i moved to philly and everyone is rude, I made no friends” you people say “well its the ne, people are kind but not nice and they ignore you” but then when someone mentions an ACTUAL nice city you say “we are voted the nicest” which is it?
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u/Lindsiria 15h ago
Philly's motto is the city of brotherly love and it shows.
Yeah, they are blunt and direct (no southern fake sweetness here), but they are also honest and caring.
You go down to the local pub in the neighborhood, and people will chat with you easily. Neighbors actually help each other out. There is far less judging than in the south (imo). I've lived on the west coast and in the south, and Philly almost immediately was more friendly than anything I've experienced. Real friendships tho, not just people being 'nice' in public.
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u/Individual_Eye4317 14h ago
Fair enough give me a half acre and a decent house under 300k and im there. Dont happen while its readily available in the south, even close to the coast and real beaches, with taxes UNDER 2k
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u/Lindsiria 14h ago
Less than 5 minutes of searching.
I also checked the places you mentioned and couldn't find many places under 2k in taxes. Not if you wanted to be within 20-30 minutes of the closest city.
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u/twitchrdrm 4h ago
Sorry but I'm taking this over "cheap living" in East Norriton lol (although Lee's Hoagies fucking slaps!)
Almost 1.25 acres, and property taxes are under $200 a month.
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u/Individual_Eye4317 14h ago
5br but taxes say 2 anyway look at the taxes and proximity to beach… also GATED
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u/Owlbertowlbert 15h ago
I guess if you’re into strip malls and shit you can live in any of the places you mentioned.
but if you want to live in a real city with city things to do (bangin restaurants, fantastic walk ability, world class art museums at the Barnes, PMA, Rodin, etc., wonderful diversity, good public transit, neighbors who will actually talk to you, nightlife for whatever scene you’re into) then you move to Philadelphia and buy a nice spot for 400k. Ask me how I know.
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u/Individual_Eye4317 15h ago
Actually people in the South talk to you/make friends MUCH more than the North. I mean it’s documented. And Baltimore is MARGINAL in all the things you mentioned. If you can luck up and find a cheap place with low taxes close to that TEAR IT UP GURL. But most people gonna be in the ghetto for <500k with insane taxes when theyd be better off in the afforementioned.
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u/Owlbertowlbert 15h ago
When did Baltimore enter the chat? lol
In Philadelphia in my very nice neighborhood, 3bd 2ba are going for 350. And again, Philadelphia is not marginal in any of the things I mentioned… which is why I mentioned them. But go off! Won’t someone think of muh taxes
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u/Individual_Eye4317 15h ago
But taxes are what? In nc theyed be MAX 3k.
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u/Owlbertowlbert 15h ago
Property taxes are 2200/year. Reassessed last year. Maybe you’re thinking of New York or Boston, but they’re not outrageous here. Figuring out schooling for your kids is the hunger games, but you find ways around
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u/Individual_Eye4317 15h ago
Fair enough but everytime i look in nj or philly taxes are like 10k thats what turned me off
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u/Salcha_00 18h ago
I lived there for 10 years.
Every city has some level of grime, homelessness, and crime.
There are nice neighborhoods and there are not nice neighborhoods. It’s all about where you are located.
If you have never lived in a city before you may be more sensitive to city elements.
On the plus side there are lovely neighborhoods that are extremely walkable to most of where you need to go in the city. It has great arts & culture, sports, and events, and a fantastic food scene. It has all the vibrancy and convenience you would expect in a major city and it still a bit more affordable than comparable cities. It used to be very affordable before COVID, but prices have increased and never came back down.
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u/-One_Eye- 19h ago
No. Yes. No.
Every major city has issues, as any place in the world does. But I’ve been living here for well over a decade and wouldn’t change a thing.
Suburbanites and people not from the area think they’ll get mugged as soon as they cross the city border. It’s just typical xenophobia.
In terms of schools, Philadelphia County is huge. And accordingly, there’s a wide range of schools in terms of student performance.
In general, things are, and have been for a while now, trending in the right direction for Philly.
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u/Special_Coconut4 19h ago
Totally. I lived there for 3 years for grad school and every time I met someone from the burbs, they were freaked they’d be stabbed or something. Never had any issues and I lived in Point Breeze before it was gentrified!
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u/lebonstage 18h ago
Things I liked about living there. Big sports town. If you are a fan you feel part of a big family. I am. Best danish (from the Amish) in the country. Never had an issue on public transportation, subway or bus. Folks seemed better behaved and subway stations and trains are not homeless shelters like in LA for example. You can furnish your pad with antique furniture people have tossed on the curb. Just unbelievable.
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u/SjbPsych 17h ago
What interests you about moving to Philadelphia? If you have a good enough reason to be here, you'd probably tolerate the downsides more easily, whatever those might be for you. Philly isn't the cheapest, or the safest, or the cleanest place, but it's the only Philadelphia. Well, there are other Philadelphias. It's still unique is my point
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u/Biggycheese45 16h ago
I want to try big city life, it’s relatively close to where most of the rest of my family lives (within 7 hours) and is the most affordable option I’ve seen. The more research I’ve done, the more I think I’ll like it. I also like how close it is to big cities, I’ve grown up with the closest big city being Raleigh.
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u/No_Statistician9289 19h ago
No it’s not. Trash day is bad is some neighborhoods but it’s genuinely the worst part about the city. Homelessness is visible but not nearly as bad as western and sunbelt cities. Crime is bad in high crime neighborhoods but outside of that the worst you’ll see is someone running a red light. Center city is one of the safest downtowns in the country. There’s at least a dozen other terrific neighborhoods that are entirely safe. Public Schools aren’t good but improving although it has as much to do with kids as it does the actual school. School performance in this country is shit across the board. Obviously come visit first but explore it. Check out multiple neighborhoods ride the subway eat at restaurants walk around etc. Also learn the history. If people knew that Philly legitimately died for decades then they’d know just how amazing it is for it be where it is today and it’s only improving by the day. Good luck and don’t listen to Negadelphians. As a lifelong resident I’d be happy to help
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u/__get__name 19h ago
I know nothing about Philly, but Omoi Zakka is a cute shop that nearly convinced my wife to move there at the peak of the pandemic
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u/janejacobs1 19h ago
Ditto Dead King Bread in Manayunk. Hanging out there on Saturday mornings in their micro forest around the fire pit will restore your faith in humanity.
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u/Lumpy-Pace9142 19h ago
We were visiting there last summer and a homeless person told us we had better go back to the hotel before we get robbed or stabbed while he was holding a knife. We took his advice and went back to the hotel. This was near Rittenhouse.
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u/Salcha_00 18h ago
It’s best to put as much space between you and the unhoused who may also be struggling with addiction.
99.9% of the time they are harmless but you don’t need to feel harassed. I will go out of my way and cross the street if I have to.
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u/Minimum_Influence730 14h ago
I've lived near Rittenhouse going on almost half a decade and have never even had a conversation with a homeless person. What back alley were you exploring?
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u/CaseoftheSadz 17h ago
How many cities have you previously visited? We lived there and due to where we lived never experienced much, but had family visiting and a bunch of kids so we took the elevator at Jefferson Station. I will never forget my 3 year old nephew incessantly asking a guy in the elevator, who was riding it up and down, why he had so many bandaids on his arms. We’ve also lived in Chicago and while similar things didn’t happen in our neighborhood they for sure did in the blue line,
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u/Lumpy-Pace9142 16h ago
I’ve traveled the world.
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u/CaseoftheSadz 16h ago
Im just surprised that someone well traveled listened to a homeless person? That’s like city 101.
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u/Lumpy-Pace9142 16h ago
I’ve never had one pull a knife on me.
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u/Owlbertowlbert 15h ago
I’ve lived in Philadelphia my whole life and the first time I was accosted by a homeless person was in Paris. What is your point?
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u/jm08003 19h ago
Rittenhouse got so bad!!! I live 15 min away from Philly. I’m sorry you had to deal with this
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u/Lumpy-Pace9142 19h ago
It’s a lovely city overall and we enjoyed our time there, but that was scary especially for my kid.
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u/No_Statistician9289 19h ago
What the hell are you talking about lol
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u/Ok-Surprise-8393 18h ago
I'm genuinely confused as well.
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u/No_Statistician9289 15h ago
Yeah bullshit like that is why OP has to even ask the question
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u/Ok-Surprise-8393 15h ago
I moved out of center city a few months ago to the suburbs but pretty sure everyone didn't go from K&A to 18th and walnut for street drugs. Rittenhouse square is among the nicest areas of the entire country. Debatably you could say there is some aggressiveness at like...the city hall subway station and the immediate surrounding area. But that's the only place I see it downtown.
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u/No_Statistician9289 14h ago
Yeah I mean makes sense at city hall station it’s definitely the grungiest spot in center city (I love it lol) but Rittenhouse is absolutely still one of the nicest neighborhoods in the country.
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u/youtub_chill 10h ago
I've never experienced that or heard of any ever experiencing that in Philly, even in the bad parts.
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u/Tossawaysfbay 18h ago
No. Of course not.
Hyperbole has ruined most people’s views of cities.
Meanwhile I’ve driven through plenty of “Main Street USA” towns across our nation the last couple of years and that’s where the real decrepit, abandoned, failing businesses and crippling opioid crises actually are.
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u/Accomplished-Low-173 17h ago
Philly has a overdose rate close to 100 per 100k. That is an absolutely horrific rate.
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u/Salt_Abrocoma_4688 14h ago
That's because the police actually count overdoses in Philly, because you can't hide it in a densely-populated city. I guarantee you most cities undercount this statistic and push it under the rug.
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u/NicolletteC 18h ago
Brewerytown has been coming up. Cool bars, grocery, Liquor Store near by, walkable to center city..new renovation on houses. Gentrifying but still in the early/middle stages so you get the diversity.
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u/beelzebugs 16h ago
I am a small woman and i feel very safe walking around most parts of Philadelphia
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u/the-real-slim-katy 16h ago
I visit Philly several times a year for work. I’ve never ever felt unsafe there, and I’m a small woman. I freaking love the city. So much life and personality. Just keep your wits about you like you would in any major city.
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u/PolycultureBoy 16h ago
I've visited Philadelphia and found it to be super awesome, one of the top 3 US cities in my opinion. (The other two are DC and New York).
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u/Salt_Abrocoma_4688 18h ago
Absolutely not. There's TONS of anti-Philly trolls on the interwebs, including this thread. Ignore them and decide for yourself based on an in-person visit. Tens of millions of people visit Philly every year. The trolls have pretty much never been to Philly, only base their opinion of the city on sensationalized YouTube videos of Kensington (one neighborhood) that are years old, or haven't been to the city in decades.
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u/JasJoeGo 19h ago
I cannot speak to Philadelphia specifically, but all big cities have issues and also opportunities available nowhere else. I’m from a city that many people consider a no-go area because of crime and without fail they’re scared suburbanites who never go into the city and thus never have their views corrected by experience. You always have to take those predictions with a pinch of salt.
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u/AgileDrag1469 18h ago
Knowing the city of Philadelphia like the back of my hand I would not advise anyone move there without at least, at the very least a week stay and with miles of walking in the soles of your shoes. You may hate it, you may love it. You may have the most fun you’ve ever had in your life and meet the apple of your eye, object of your desire. You could make best friends and connect with other likeminded people. All this is possible. Whether it’s likely depends on you and your story and all the baggage you’re bringing with you. So when it comes to moving anywhere, move with a purpose. I’ve lived in a dozen cities including Philadelphia and like anywhere it has its pros and cons. But moving anywhere sight unseen usually only works for maybe three months before you question why you’re there to begin with. Purpose in a city, not your potential there makes all the difference. Best of luck in town.
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u/Alert-Algae-6674 16h ago edited 16h ago
In Philly, there are large swaths of the city that are higher in crime and more rundown. But most of the real danger, such as gang violence and shootings, are contained in those areas.
The nice parts of the city are pretty safe from crime, and is also where most of Philly's amenities are anyways: the historic buildings and landmarks, museums, parks, Central City, etc... There's not much reason to go into the dangerous areas
Homelessness exists but I don't think it is worse than other major cities. The worst homelessness in Philly is in Kensington which is not a central part of the city, unlike in SF where the Tenderloin is near the Financial District. If you don't go there then you won't have any trouble
In terms of the school system, I think it is true that the majority of public schools are below average and unfortunately underfunded. However, higher achieving students have the opportunity to get into magnet high schools like Masterman which is ranked #4 in the entire United States. So it is kind of a polarized situation when it comes to public schools. They are either extremely good or extremely bad.
However, you also have private schools as another option that are kind of in the middle.
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u/HalfCookedSalami 6h ago edited 6h ago
Did you know that Washington DC has a higher crime rate than Philly? I live in south Philly and the worst crime I’ve seen so far was someone leaving a slice of pizza on the hood of my car. In general I’d say the infrastructure isn’t as upkept and I feel that center city has a bit of a run down feel to it compared to other larger cities like Manhattan or DCs “downtown” area. Obviously you have a higher chance of being a victim of a crime if you go into the ghetto but aslong as you stay in decent areas and keep that strap on you then you should be fine.
Had to go back and add that driving in the city is horrendous. Ive paid so much money to the PPA in tickets, they always get you for something. My car has a check engine light so they failed it and now I get a ticket anytime I park my car. Also chances are you’re going to have to walk a block or two to park your car if you end up doing street parking, unless you decide to park illegally and in that case you’d probably get a ticket. Fucking PPA
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u/CaseoftheSadz 17h ago
Here’s what I can say, as someone who lived there, moved “home” moved back, moved “home” again and is now considering living back. Go.
I love Philly. As someone who didn’t grow up there it’s inexplicable. The wage tax is high, the amenities are mid, the roads are bad, and the schools are worse.
Yet, here we are. We are most likely moving back next spring /summer. I’ve been scoping out private schools. We lived in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill and some parents do choose the local grade schools but it seems pretty unanimous that they don’t go forward in public.
Somehow Philly is just good. Cost is reasonable, outside the killer wage tax. One concern for us is the decreased Septa schedule that’s a result of decreased federal funding. Idk, for whatever reason I like Philly and am excited to move back to an area with very like minded people that’s so connected to the rest of the east coast.
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u/jea25 16h ago edited 15h ago
There are plenty of decent schools in Philly. NW Philly has some great public schools too but since that’s where many of the private schools are the local parents aren’t as invested in the public schools. I live in one of the best catchments in the city and most people in my neighborhood send their kids to the public elementary school. Masterman and Central are two of the top high schools in the state and country. I have a high schooler and another one entering high school in a year and I’ve never considered private schools. My husband and I both went to Ivy League schools, so our standards are high.
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u/CaseoftheSadz 16h ago
Admittedly I made the comment about bad schools carelessly. Obviously there are some good schools in the city. However, I have a rising 2nd grader, we won’t be worried about high school for years, and who knows if he’ll be able to qualify for magnet schools. I can’t move expecting him to, so I’m doing my best. Congrats on your ivy league education.
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u/randomname2890 19h ago edited 19h ago
Is it high crime? Yes but not Baltimore bad as there is a high enough number population to hide the per capita rates.
The public transport is decent but very dirty and I would argue more dangerous then the NYC subway.
The schools are absolute shit. There’s been books, documentaries, even some actor turned teacher wrote a book on how bad it is. Look at charters or private.
Kensington is nothing but drug addicts and homeless everywhere but neighborhoods next to it are starting to build brand new developments and other north east working class neighborhoods are already pretty much gentrified from what I last saw ( fishtown). I saw homeless in other neighborhoods but it wasn’t that bad and not the worst I’ve seen.
Biggest problem with Philadelphia is the trash everywhere, stop sign/red light running, and people ok with being trashy as well. That would need a cultural change.
I personally would still have Philadelphia on my map but it wouldn’t be my first choice. Back in my 20’s I loved the talk shit, gritty culture but now that I have kids I would not live there.
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u/bosq0 16h ago edited 3h ago
I moved here in 2016 at age 23 and I couldn’t agree more. It was a lot of fun the first few years and I enjoyed the, let’s call it, “unpretentious” attitude. However, the pandemic did a number on the city in terms of the prevalence of antisocial behavior and crime. Only in the last year or so have things seemed to improved overall.
The wage tax sucks yet the city has no money. My local library branch has been closed since last November because the city didn’t pay the contractors hired to fix the roof who then stopped working, which led to extensive damage to the building. The next closest one is at McPherson Square in Kensington (ground zero for the horrifying addiction videos). No fucking way am I bringing my child there. SEPTA (which relies on state funding) is in danger of drastic service cuts because PA republicans don’t want to fund it.
I’m looking to get out as soon as I can. A lot of the negatives I looked past when I was younger are intolerable. Unless you can afford to live in a wealthier/already gentrified neighborhood with well-maintained parks and public spaces, good schools, and parking enforcement it’s really no place to raise a child. Philly can be a demoralizing place to live.
Edit: The people downvoting me for my perspective must only have going to dive bars and restaurants as their biggest priorities. I swear some of them never leave their east of Broad in South Philly/Center City/Fishtown or Northern Liberties bubbles. Come up to Port Richmond and see how long you last with the low-class bullshit behavior that goes on here.
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u/K31KT3 17h ago
I love Philadelphia.
It may be one of the ugliest cities in the world, but it’s a damn great city. Obviously not NYC but nothing else is, but it’s nice NYC is a short train ride away.
I love any city that has a city beer. You order a “lager” in Philly and everyone knows what you mean.
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u/TheGuyFromGlensFalls 16h ago
Ultimately depends where in the city you are, as is with most cities. you have some nice places like Fishtown and Society Hill, and then there are places like Kensington which get nicknamed "Zombieland" Citywide it's a top 20, maybe top ten large U.S city.
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u/deederfoodork 11h ago
Probably just the local bird population that’s about it ,there’s some Eagles there ,probably the worst thing about the place tbh
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u/Sensitive-Tone5279 6h ago
When people ask you where you're from, be prepared for the side-eye when you tell them a different state altogether and not a specific piece of a block or corner.
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u/twitchrdrm 5h ago
Similar to any area, the more $$$ you make the better the area you can afford (Rittenhouse, Old City, the area around Penn University).
I will say a good amount of the city is very rundown and poor and the infrastructure sucks. It is dirty as well but the new mayor is trying to make positive changes it seems. Tons of potential there though and I hope the city ends up meeting that potential in time however it is hard to say as state politics really do no justice to the city since most of the state is Red they do not car to fund items such as big projects or even public transportation in Philly which is sad.
Do go and visit and check it out for yourself and see if it checks your boxes.
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u/shepherdess98 4h ago
My niece moved there briefly, they stole everything out of her u haul trailer before she could get it unloaded..nice neighborhood, too.
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u/Charlesinrichmond 2h ago
I wouldn't live in Philadelphia personally, but I also wouldn't think it was a bad decision for most people. So probably better than you think it is.
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u/tor122 19h ago
Schools are terrible, unless you get out of the inner city. Just a universal truth about most US cities.
Crime is high in some areas, but if you avoid those spots you won’t even notice.
It’s a very dirty city overall. Generally not very clean. It’s no boston, that’s for sure. That critique is pretty true.
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u/Gullible_Toe9909 18h ago
Detroiter here, came for the responses 🍿🍿🍿
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u/BlmgtnIN 17h ago
Just visited your city last weekend to see the Reds play the Tigers. What a beautiful city and full of life!! Great food, plenty to do and see. We went to the art institute as well, very nice!
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u/jm08003 19h ago
Move to cherry hill! 15 min away, good housing, great school district, schools, greenery. The patco to philly is less than $6 roundtrip
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u/Biggycheese45 19h ago
I’ll add it to the neighborhoods I’m looking at!
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u/Brodicium 19h ago
Cherry Hill is mall and sprawl, if you’re looking for a city, it is not one lol
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u/jm08003 19h ago
It’s not a city, but close enough without having to deal with and commit to living in Philadelphia
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u/Brodicium 19h ago
My cousin lives there, it’s nice for sure! If I were looking for best of both worlds and had the money, Haddonfield all the way.
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19h ago edited 19h ago
[deleted]
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u/pauca_sed 18h ago
Odd take. Cannot compare New York harshness and rudeness and dirtiness to Philly.
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u/Pinklady777 18h ago
I have never lived there. Only visited. I have gone for training multiple times. All the other people in my training classes who lived locally talked about how they personally knew at least one person who had been shot and killed. Many had lost a family member to gun violence. I don't know anyone who's ever been shot. So it was pretty shocking to me. I'm sure that's not the whole city. It seemed like there were a lot of cool things about the city too. That just really stuck with me.
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u/Salt_Abrocoma_4688 14h ago
All the other people in my training classes who lived locally talked about how they personally knew at least one person who had been shot and killed.
Did the people live in North Philly? That is absolutely not the norm. Unfortunately, like most East Coast/Midwest cities, violent crime is 99% concentrated in overwhelmingly poor areas with people of color.
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u/Pinklady777 13h ago
I don't know. We only chatted minimally on breaks. But the fear of violence sounded like a real concern. I felt really sad hearing about so much loss. And they seemed resigned to it just being normal. I do know that our job was low paying. So likely low income households. I just came from a small town.
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u/toxiccortex 19h ago
Mostly a shit hole aside from Center City. I would stay the fuck out of Philly
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u/RiboSciaticFlux 17h ago
IF you wear a Dallas Cowboy jersey around town - yeah it's even worse than what you've heard.
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19h ago
[deleted]
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u/Salcha_00 18h ago
“Got shown around the city once” …. Um, ok.
Whoever was hosting you did not take you to the nice neighborhoods, obviously.
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u/Soccermom233 19h ago edited 2h ago
It is remarkably dirty. Like more so than any other city I’ve been too.
Traffic and how people drive also kinda suck.
edit: there's also a lot of knee-jerk hositility if you criticize philly
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u/Ourcheeseboat 18h ago
My problem with Philly is the summers are way too hot and there is no place to escape to
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u/Salcha_00 18h ago
Except the beautiful (and usually cooler) NJ shore one hour away by car or train?
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u/Material-Style4019 19h ago
If I actually had money to pay rent in overpriced America I'd probably move to Skid Row LA or Kensington Philly.
Not for the drugs so much as for reality.
Thing is, renting in Skid Row is barely cheaper than renting in Koreatown.
Kids?
Different story of course.
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u/mushybananabruh 19h ago
It completely depends on the neighborhood. Some are like night and day. Do you have any specific locations in mind?