As noted in the previous post, not the news topic they once were.
I’m going to sneak into this thread and ask for any other advice on living in Philly. I will be starting work at Penn in August and am trying to figure out the best place to live with a bike-able commute.
I can’t speak for the city–I left in 1975 and it has changed a lot since then (those damned skyscrapers, for one thing). But I can still sing the praises of those western suburbs.
If you live along the Paoli Local stops (Merion, Narberth, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr) you will barely need your car. Lots within walking distance, good shopping, great apts. for rent, some gorgeous old buildings (some going back to the early 19th-c., others terrific art deco).
I love the Main Line–it’s what suburbs *should *be. But if you want to live in the city, I can only give you 1960s/70s advice . . .
I’m moving to Spruce Hill in West Philly on the 22nd, and I am really excited to be there. It’s one of the cutest neighborhoods in the city IMO, and affordable (I make… almost nothing). I am only subletting for the summer, come September I will need a new place, and I am going to be looking mostly in the same area (University City/Spruce Hill), and in South Philly as well. Both have many reasonably safe and attractive areas (and rentals), lots to see and do, are easy to travel via public trans and bicycle, and many of my friends have or are moving there.
If I had complete freedom to choose, I especially love much of Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy, but I don’t drive a car and due to my work situation it just wouldn’t be feasible.
Fairmount and Northern Liberties have fun stuff to do, I go there, but rentals are expensive, and they aren’t the safest.
I do like East Falls and Manayunk, they are safe and cheap and fairly attractive. My boyfriend lives in the former, my best friend in the latter, so I find myself traveling there regularly… but they’re just not centrally located. Manayunk is bro central, plus if you drive a car parking is IMPOSSIBLE. My friend spends more time at home than she should because she doesn’t want to lose her spot!
I’ve lived in Montgomery County for the last 10 years - some of that time right outside the Fox Chase/Rhawnhurst area of Northeast Phil, some of it a bit farther from the city limits. It’s pretty cool, for the burbs. I am not a big fan of Northeast Philadelphia though… as a carless 20-something. Some of the residential areas are quite nice but it mostly just feels like a big, boring burb to me - but with city wage tax. No thank you.
I have never heard anyone call Conshohocken ‘Conshy’, boy do I wish I had though!
I am no Philadelphian, so this is not intended as advice to the OP – especially regarding price range.
But I had to mention that my family and I just last week sent a delightful day in the Bella Vista neighborhood, an extension of Society Hill in Center City Phila. The neighborhood seemed rather like NYC’s Greenwhich Village used to be, but less pretentious, more kid-friendly (but lots of 20-somethings as well), low-key, and funky yet quite safe. Just thought I’d point this out.
My son lived in Philly for two years and he bought a house in Mt. Airy. He bought a 4 BR house for around $200,000 (about ten years ago) and sold it for about the same. He was about two blocks from the Chestnut Hill train on SEPTA (Allen Lane stop, I believe) and about five from a stop on the Chestnut Hill East train, which means he was at 16th and Market in maybe 20 minutes. It was a mixed race neighborhood and has been for at least 50 years. The description as genteel-bohemian is probably pretty accurate.
A friend of mine lives in an apartment overlooking Rittenhouse Square, but that would be much more expensive, but that’s where I would choose to live if I were in Philly and could afford it.
Yeah, that’s the area I think I’m heading to as well (going apartment-hunting this weekend). I was looking for a place that reminds me of my beloved Takoma Park, MD or Madison, Wi and this seems to fit the bill. I hate that Philly landlords want you to pay 3 months rent upfront- very annoying!
i live in fairmount, it is a good neighbourhood. most of the crime, unfortunately is muggings. it is a very walkable neighbourhood with lots of restaurants.
the rates for renting are 900+ for a studio, 1 bedrooms can go to 1500. houses are around 250,000 up to 7 million (that would be a stand alone brownstone mansion).
condos go from 125,000 for studio up to 500,000 for 3 or more bedrooms.
What a coinkidink! I’m in Takoma Park now.
I used to live there. I was like 1 year old, so I don’t remember anything though. But stayed in the DC area til I was 13 so I’m familiar with it.
Don’t you mean TKPK 
Still one of my favorite places I’ve ever lived, and I’ve lived in a lot of places!
It’s still a great place to live, and I’ll be sad to leave if we have to, but I do think I’ll enjoy a new town.
Well hey, neighbor! 
And agreed.. I forget that’s not usual everywhere.
Search several areas, not just one.
I worked on Independence Mall; my apartment was 6 blocks away, less than 900$/month. Apartments of the exact same size, exact same qualities, but close to the museums, were going for upwards of 2K - and they would have meant a commute rather than a walk.
If you’re going to have a car, be careful about parking conditions. They had areas where the side of the road you can park on varies by date or time of day; at the same time, in those zones I saw cars which got covered by snow and weren’t moved in weeks. Apparently the fine wasn’t high enough to justify the work of clearing out the car to tow it.
I lived in Lansdowne for four years. It is just west of west Philly, right on both a bus and train route.
SEPTA is generally good. If you’ve riding every day, the $90 monthly pass is a good deal.
That was actually their second home. Consider your Philly cred officially revoked.
You may as well live in University City if you’re working at Penn. My experience with University City is that it’s easier to get a bus into University City from downtown than vice versa. I’m speaking specifically about Walnut and Chestnut.