Why is Philly so often overlooked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Violet crime. Filthy-Delphia.

Agree. The streets are a mess- we visit friends there every year or so and the same streets have had the same cracks and potholes for at least seven or eight years now.

It is also extremely insular. People hang out with their families or their friends from high school and have very little interest in incorporating new people into their friend groups. If you didn’t get out of the area when you went to college (and, no, going to Penn State Main Campus doesn’t count. Because half the students there are from Philadelphia.), you will never break away.

So many people who live there never lived anywhere else. About as far as they will go is New York City, but they tend to come running back to Philly after five or ten years or so. I just can’t imagine living that way.

[Anonymous]

Too busy living life to pay attention to the haters

[Anonymous]

My husband is from there and always talking about moving back with us. No way. That city is very unattractive in my opinion, and it just doesn’t appeal to me. The main line is alright but not enough to make me move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like when you think of East Coast Cities, it's Boston - NY - DC.

Philly is lots of fun but somehow seems to fall beneath the radar, despite being a pretty large and vibrant place. How come?

Philly is the 6th Borough. It’s really part of the NYC metro; Philly is closer to NYC than parts of Long Island!

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2013/12/16/new-york-times-still-thinks-sixth-borough/

Tell that to Hoboken/Jersey City.

[Anonymous]

I was there over Christmas. I found it beautiful and it had an energy I really connected to. I kept thinking I could live there, easily. My son is considering Drexel, and this thread has me wondering a bit.

[Anonymous]

And it’s a quick drive to the beach - “down the shore”!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s a hellhole full of Eagles fans.

This

You're just jealous your team isn't in the playoffs!

[Anonymous]

The Philadelphia suburbs have great housing stock at a lower cost than the DC area, fantastic public schools, and the regional rail system. There's a tech presence in the 202 corridor (King of Prussia, Chesterbrook, etc), pharmaceutical companies, and some finance (Vanguard), but not as much as you'd find in NYC/DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was there over Christmas. I found it beautiful and it had an energy I really connected to. I kept thinking I could live there, easily. My son is considering Drexel, and this thread has me wondering a bit.

The universities in Philly, and many neighborhoods, do have a young, creative, fresh, energy. You can access it without being insanely wealthy in the way you need in boston, nyc, or dc. It’s great for young self-starters.

[Anonymous]

As a Philadelphian, five years ago, I would shout you haters down. I loved my city. But now it is not what it once was. Violence and drugs are out of control. My neighborhood, once lovely, now has car jackings and muggings. The schools were getting better, but what good schools we had are mow turning to garbage.

I think about leaving.

[Anonymous]

Aww, I love Philly. Maybe because all my in-laws are there, but it has great neighborhoods and lots of personality (unlike DC, my Philly DH would say).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Philadelphia suburbs have great housing stock at a lower cost than the DC area, fantastic public schools, and the regional rail system. There's a tech presence in the 202 corridor (King of Prussia, Chesterbrook, etc), pharmaceutical companies, and some finance (Vanguard), but not as much as you'd find in NYC/DC.

I was in Bryn Mawr and Haverford yesterday. They are not what they once were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was there over Christmas. I found it beautiful and it had an energy I really connected to. I kept thinking I could live there, easily. My son is considering Drexel, and this thread has me wondering a bit.

The universities in Philly, and many neighborhoods, do have a young, creative, fresh, energy. You can access it without being insanely wealthy in the way you need in boston, nyc, or dc. It’s great for young self-starters.

+1 much more accessible

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was there over Christmas. I found it beautiful and it had an energy I really connected to. I kept thinking I could live there, easily. My son is considering Drexel, and this thread has me wondering a bit.

Your son will be fine at Drexel. Temple, on the other hand…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was there over Christmas. I found it beautiful and it had an energy I really connected to. I kept thinking I could live there, easily. My son is considering Drexel, and this thread has me wondering a bit.

The universities in Philly, and many neighborhoods, do have a young, creative, fresh, energy. You can access it without being insanely wealthy in the way you need in boston, nyc, or dc. It’s great for young self-starters.

+1 much more accessible

I was considering a fellowship there after grad school and got the same vibe. I ultimately decided against it because it felt like I could get stuck there— professionally, that position would have opened doors in Philly but not elsewhere and I didn’t know anyone there. It felt risky to commit so much to a city I didn’t know at all. But I do like the vibe and sometimes wonder if I might have been very happy there. I especially think about this when house hunting in DC, because the housing market there is much more accessible.