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PHILADELPHIA
Welcome to the Birthplace of a Nation
Philadelphia is more than the city of cheesesteaks, the Liberty Bell and a make-believe boxer named Rocky. It's a hopping, urban city with many distinctly diverse (and affordable!) neighborhoods.
Located across the Delaware River from New Jersey, Philadelphia thrives from its central location. Just 2 hours from NYC, 2 hours from Baltimore and 2.5 hours from DC, it has the bustling energy of a large city without the pretension and congestion.
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While Philly has an exciting and emerging arts scene, it is less expensive than NYC and cities of comparable size.
Philadelphia's music and restaurant scenes are of the highest caliber, and with professional sports teams such as the Eagles, Phillies and 76ers, it's easy to become Philly proud. As America's birthplace, Philadelphia hosts a week-long 4th of July celebration.
The elaborately costumed Mummers Parade takes place every year on New Year's Day, and many
other free concerts and events are held throughout the
year.
Philadelphia has the advantages of urban city culture and nightlife with
the ability to escape.
It's an hour to the New Jersey shore, and the luscious Fairmount Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country, expanding over 9,000 acres. The city is experiencing a much-needed revitalization, and while its growth is exciting to see, the city remains rich in history and charm.
Neighborhoods
Hint: Try to find a place with heat included - the winters get cold and heating bills can add hundreds of dollars to your monthly cost of living.
 West Philly/University City
University City is part of West Philadelphia generally defined by the area directly surrounding the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. While association with the universities is meant to insinuate greater safety, at times this label triggers heated debates over gentrification or as some locals call it, "Penntrification."
The area east of 42nd Street is patrolled by Penn security. It has many college students and apartments that would be considered "college housing." These streets are more likely to be lined with red cups from the latest frat party, but the area just west is more diverse with a community feel, and still affordable. Finding a summer sublet or shared housing with roommates would be very easy in West Philly.
While generally safe, the blocks become more "sketchy" as one heads north of Chestnut, south of Baltimore and west of 46th Street. It is important to check out the neighborhood in person before finding an apartment as one's sense of safety can change dramatically from block to block. Similarly, apartment prices can also vary greatly-one bedrooms can go anywhere from $700 to $1,200. Street parking in West Philly is not particularly difficult, but one could easily live here without a car. The neighborhood is conveniently connected to Center City by SEPTA's trolley lines, but it has the feel of a smaller town with tree-lined streets and several large parks.
Northern Liberties/Fishtown
Just North of Old City, Northern Liberties is home to a large community of artists, but some consider this up-and-coming neighborhood, up-and-came, and too expensive for artists now. Hipsters flock to the neighborhood's trendy restaurants, bars, art galleries and shops. Condos keep going in, and old warehouses continue to be converted into luxury lofts, but residents still complain about a lack of grocery stores.
NoLibs is walkable to Center City, but a bicycle or trip on SEPTA's elevated train will get one there in a matter of minutes. Neighboring to the northeast, the working class neighborhood of Fishtown is up-and-coming, but still transitional. It's a little further away from Center City, a little more expensive and perhaps less safe in areas. While one bedrooms in NoLibs generally range from $1,100 to lofts at $1,900, most one bedrooms in Fishtown are under $900. When looking to move to this part of the city, have a sense of the neighborhood boundaries, and beware of potential landlords who try to pass the crime-ridden Kensington neighborhood off as Fishtown or Northern Liberties. Fishtown is generally considered to be between Delaware Avenue and Frankford Avenue, with Norris Street as the northern border. Northern Liberties is east of 5th Street between Spring Garden and Girard Avenue.
South Philly
The neighborhood of South Philly is geographically expansive because it is actually made up of many smaller neighborhoods. Areas such as Queen Village and Bella Vista are very charming and conveniently accessible to Center City by foot. Areas further south have a more neighborhood feel and are less expensive to rent, but with "cheap" comes "sketchy." One-bedrooms in the area north of Washington Avenue and east of Broad Street average between $950-$1,400. Further south it is possible to find one-bedrooms priced between $600 and $800. Buses are the most prevalent form of public transportation in South Philly once one deviates from SEPTA's Broad Street subway line, but parking is so horrendous in parts of South Philly, that parking on medians and in turn lanes has become acceptable practice.
Manayunk
Nestled along the east bank of the Schuylkill River in northwest Philadelphia, once a textile and papermill town, Manayunk is now home to many boutiques, galleries and restaurants. With its own bustling nightlife on Main Street, and a good 20-minute drive from Center City, some consider Manayunk more of a small town than a neighborhood of Philadelphia. Still, Manayunk is a very attractive area for many young people moving to Philly. It has a yuppie, frat-boy feel with large populations of recent college graduates and young professionals in their twenties. The area is predominately white, middle class and considered low in crime, but it is reasonably affordable. One bedroom apartments average around $800. Finding parking in Manayunk can be difficult, and the streets are steep and narrow, but access to Interstate 76 is very convenient. SEPTA buses and the Regional Rail both run to Center City, making for a simple daily commute.
Center City
Center City is where most suburban residents work and where most tourists come to visit. Most people who live in CC live in high rise apartments or expensive townhouses. People who both live and work in Center City would not need, or even want, a car. Parking can be a nightmare. What one saves in auto insurance and car payments, could be spent on higher rent. Studio apartments in Center City go for around $800 a month, with one bedrooms ranging from $1,100-$1,600.
Center City is the hub of Philadelphia shopping with many museums and theatres. Old City, the part of Center City east of 4th and north of Chestnut Street, is home to Philly's First Friday gallery night. The Great Plaza at Penn's Landing hosts free riverfront concerts and films throughout the summer. There are bars and restaurants galore-everything to see and do within walking distance. Center City may be perfect for the person who wants to be in the heart of the city's action, but what Center City offers in convenience, it lacks in diversity and sense of community. Although there are many urban green spaces, the trees of other neighborhoods are replaced with concrete. Center City residents are primarily white, middle to upper class, and getting to know one's neighbors can prove difficult.
Transportation
SEPTA's motto says it all: "We're getting there." It sounds more like an apology than an affirmation. Different from other East Coast cities such as Boston and NYC, the average middle class person is not your average SEPTA rider. When riding the trolley to Center City from West Philly, you're likely to see your share of Penn students, but most riders are working class residents.
Whether you need a car is largely dependent on where you live in comparison to where you work. Center City is very walkable, and bicycling, while potentially dangerous in Center City, is a definite possibility when one wears a helmet and follows the rules of the road. It is absolutely feasible to live in Philadelphia without a car, and membership programs such as PhillyCarShare make it even easier.
Local Lingo
The University of Pennsylvania has an entire department dedicated to studying the linguistic innovation of Philadelphia - the fastest changing dialect in the United States. Non-natives have been known to say Philly-speak is more of a garble, even if they're rooting for the Iggles too (Eagles, to the unrefined Philadelphian). However, once you're hip to the jive, there are some slang terms to ease your transition.
Don't walk in the street while you eat your beggel (bagel); walk on the pavement when in Philly - otherwise known as the sidewalk to the rest of America (except New Orleans).
Want to take a trip to the wooder (water)? Go downtheshore - that's where you'll find Philadelphians basking by the surf and sand along the New Jersey coastline on a hot summer day.
Speaking of wooder and hot summer days, how about a wooder ice? That would be a snowcone or an Italian ice to the rest of youse.
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Insurance
• CIGNA
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• ACE Casualty Risk
• Colonial Penn
Pharmaceuticals/
Medical
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Merck & Co
• Siemens Medical
Education
• University of Pennsylvania
Why do you love about working here?
I like Manayunk because it's pretty young - a lot of people college aged to mid-twenties. It's a five minute walk for me to get to everything on Main Street, and there's an active night life there.
Brandy, 22
Lehigh, Counselor at a Residential Treatment center
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