Name: Philadelphia, PA
Rating: 0.0

( 89 Ratings )

Living in Philadelphia, PA

Ranks better than 76% of areas Follow

Population

1,581,531

Median Age

34.6 Years

Philadelphia Area Facts

Philadelphia has a Livability Score of 76_/100, which is considered exceptional
Philadelphia crime rates are 204% higher than the Pennsylvania average
Cost of living in Philadelphia is 5% higher than the Pennsylvania average

What do the locals think about Philadelphia?

29%

Family friendly

78%

Public transit is accessible

72%

Walkable to grocery stores

17%

Yards are well-kept

57%

Lots of parks

68%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

17%

A quiet area

31%

Sense of community

Based on 72 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

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Philadelphia Reviews

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The Perfect Combination of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jan 11, 2022) Philadelphia is called the "City of Brotherly Love," which is highly accurate. Where America was born, Philly remains a cultural hub with a fantastic culinary scene and tons to do. Anyone claiming Philadelphia to be boring isn't leaving their home. You can't be bored in a city so ...Read More big with so much to do. I think a large qualm with a city like Philadelphia is that it is culture-rich and diverse. This isn't a city of white millennials and avocado toast, there are a variety of races and cultures here. There's a huge Italian population in South Philly and one of the best Chinatowns in the country. Additionally, Philadelphia is highly tolerant and even has a neighborhood called the Gayborhood.

The pretentious aspects that come with the Northeast shine through in pricey neighborhoods like Rittenhouse Square, the Gayborhood, and an Ivy League school on the river. If you're looking at the suburbs, you'll find that Westchester county, NY esque pretentious on the Main Line in Ardmore, Haverford, Gladwyne, and Villanova. There are the five-star hotels, Michelin-star restaurants, members-only clubs, and all boys and girls prep schools. Depending on what circle you're running in, your friends could nearly all be doctors. Philadelphia, specifically the University of Pennsylvania, is world-renowned in medical research.

On the other side of that coin, there is the grit of the Mid-Atlantic. There is the industrial past of the city that shines through in the adaptive reuse of many of the buildings like breweries and factories. In fact, there is still a shipyard that still builds ships to the South. There are a number of massive companies that are Philadelphia-based that I often forget about. Most famously is Comcast which owns NBC Universal. There is also a huge pharmaceutical and chemical company presence like GlaxoSmithKline, FMC, DOW, etc.

There's the obvious cultural importance of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, City Hall, and the Art Museum but, much like cities of similar size, there are many niche museums and art installations. What I love the most about Philadelphia is the extensive Mural Arts program which commissions local artists to create murals. There are also a number of parks throughout the city. There are the four squares (five is you include City Hall), Franklin, Logan, Rittenhouse, and Washington Squares which are all public parks. There is also Fairmount Park which is five times the size of Central Park in NYC. As far as the community, I would say you get out what you put in. Growing up there, it's easy to build relationships with your neighbors but, it's also so easy to make friends if moving there when you're older. I will at least mention crime. It does exist. There are generally no random crimes and I would say the amount of crime is proportional to the population and on par with other cities of this size. People have qualms with Philly PD, I have not had issues with them, not to discredit their experiences. They don't have the high-profile racial killings you find in the South and Midwest but, that's obviously nuanced.

Also worth pointing out is that Philadelphia is relatively massive. There are of course the skyscrapers downtown where people definitely live but, there are also culture-rich neighborhoods. As mentioned, the Italian market but, also, there are suburban ish neighborhoods that feel like suburbs like Chestnut Hill and trendy main streets like Manayunk. There are heavy young and student populations in University City where Drexel and Penn are and also in North Philly where Temple is but, elsewhere is mixed. There are a fair number of families and young professionals.

The location of Philadelphia is also incredible. New York is 1.5 hours away, DC is 2.5, and the beaches of New Jersey are 2. PHL has a ton of flights but, JFK in NY is sometimes cheaper internationally or has better times so, you can fly out of there. Amtrak also cuts down the time between all the Northeastern cities making it super convenient. It's an expensive area of the country to live in but, it definitely has quality of life benefits. Read Less

Philly is not what people claim it is... 4 rating By Anonymous ( Dec 14, 2020) I see a lot of reviews on here saying the city is unfriendly, ugly and unwelcoming. None of this is true. Yes, Philly is FAR from perfect, and I know we, as residents, have a reputation for being hard or even mean (snowballs at Santa, and all that), but there is a sense of commun ...Read More ity that you notice when you live in the neighborhoods, instead of Center City, Old City or Society Hill. For example, I live in Pennsport, and everyone knows one another and there is a true sense of community, at least amongst the locals. The transplants that live in the gentrifying neighborhoods, on the other hand, generally tend to exclude themselves from the neighbors, and look down on the locals, as though they're better than us. And yes, the cost of living is insanely high now, but that is due to gentrification. Since New Yorkers figured out that they could move here, buy a house for what they were paying for a studio while in New York, and commute to work, housing prices have SKYROCKETED. Developers have taken advantage of the influx of transplants, and used it as a reason to throw up crappy, ugly buildings and charge outrageous prices for said housing. Landlords followed the trend and rental prices for already existing properties went through the roof. This made the homeless population jump, as locals were priced out of their homes. And along with the transplants and skyrocketed housing prices, came trendy restaurants and cafes, which the locals also can't afford. So, many of the issues people who have temporarily stayed in the city have spoken about are actually NOT local issues, but are issues that have just occured in the last 10 years. As far as violence, I have lived in the city for the entire 38 years I have lived on this planet, and yes, I have experienced violence, but it has actually been in the "safer" areas of the city. I grew up in what is widely considered to be one of the most dangerous parts of the city, and have never felt unsafe. Just mind your own business, keep your eyes open and your mouth shut, and don't walk around looking like a deer in the headlights and you will be fine. Or, as I generally tell people "Walk with confidence, NOT cockiness... Read Less

I've lived here forever.... it's something else. 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Feb 12, 2019) So, I'm born and raised in Philly, and it's something to get used to. It sorta gross and the subway always smells like piss but after a while you don't mind. I used to ride the subway to my middle and high school because it didn't have a school bus and my parents didn't have a ca ...Read More r so obviously they couldn't drive me, but the subway is pretty efficient in certain areas so when you're trying to get somewhere most of the time you're fine. There's only a few trains so it's nothing like the absolute maze of New York.
The weather sucks. It'll be 60 degrees one day in February and then around 10 the next (this happened like last week) and it's been described on the news as weather whiplash. As I'm writing this there is snow on the trees but it's also pouring rain. It's so cold outside.
The school system is trash. I was lucky enough to go to a school that actually taught me things but it was because I lived in a nicer area when I was young. If I had been from North Philly or South West or further West it would have been a whole different story. But even in my nicer school everything was broken. We had tons of pests and pieces of the ceiling would fall and the old marble stairs were chipped in places. In some rooms there were exposed lead pipes and in the winter they would shake and rain lead flakes down onto the desks and we just had to move the desks around in the room to avoid that part. In one room (on the roof because why not), every time it rained a strange rusty fluid would leak from the ceiling and get all over our desks, coating them with this mysterious probably poison. We had six floors of rooms, basement, 1, 2, 3, 4, and the roof (where recess was held as well) and we weren't allowed to use the two elevators unless disabled. And one was always broken. My textbooks often didn't have covers. At all. They had been torn off and were just a stack of papers. The Chemistry Lab was only redone about a year ago and had poor ventilation before that, and the Biology Lab still has very poor ventilation which was a big concern when we did dissections (for which the teacher paid out of pocket for materials). The school only regarded us as test scores. Even after a kid in the grade above me killed himself they didn't really do much to take care of us. We did get lunch and breakfast for free though. Everyone qualifies for free meals at the public schools. Also I don't know what this site is talking about, Masterman (the school I went to) was a magnet school and it sucked I hated it. I was forced to take AP courses and I was so depressed because of that school I ended up in a psychiatric facility for over a week. Only once though because I was too scared to go back that I never told people when I was suicidal.
The teachers in the public school district here did not have a contract for 6 years.
We do have a lot of cool restaurants in the more gentrified areas. And there are fun shopping areas on Chestnut and Walnut in center city and on South in south philly.
Nice museums too, highly recommend the Mütter Museum it's amazing. There are a lot of University hospitals so it's a good city for medical training and for public health studies as well, which is what I do. There's a ton of inequality here and also is super dangerous but like, only if you're stupid. Just be smart and keep your head on straight and don't be dumb and you'll be good. ;3 Plus the trolleys and the MFL are pretty safe so. The buses suck.
Philly sorta sucks over all but I love it and I will die defending it. Go birds. Penn sucks. Temple U is a lot better. Read Less

Philadelphia is like the high school football player living in past glory years 1.5 rating By Anonymous ( Aug 23, 2018) Philadelphia has no vision of itself as a city. There are parts of the city which are historic and should be amazing, but are surrounded by new uninspiring architecture which makes the city bland and disgusting. The best places for food here aren't much better than fast food, the ...Read More attractions are limited. For living, public spaces are still viewed through a historic lens and lacking about one hundred years behind modern times. And this is the best description of the city, a place which had some unique and innovative thought and contributions to culture which all stopped in the early 1900s and the city is currently trying to live off it's history.I came here for a job and I am counting the remaining 311 days until I leave. I have lived in over 20 cities and have never wanted to leave a place so desperately. I'm ashamed this was the historic capital of our nation. Read Less

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I've lived here forever.... it's something else. 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Feb 12, 2019) So, I'm born and raised in Philly, and it's something to get used to. It sorta gross and the subway always smells like piss but after a while you don't mind. I used to ride the subway to my middle and high school because it didn't have a school bus and my parents didn't have a ca ...Read More r so obviously they couldn't drive me, but the subway is pretty efficient in certain areas so when you're trying to get somewhere most of the time you're fine. There's only a few trains so it's nothing like the absolute maze of New York.
The weather sucks. It'll be 60 degrees one day in February and then around 10 the next (this happened like last week) and it's been described on the news as weather whiplash. As I'm writing this there is snow on the trees but it's also pouring rain. It's so cold outside.
The school system is trash. I was lucky enough to go to a school that actually taught me things but it was because I lived in a nicer area when I was young. If I had been from North Philly or South West or further West it would have been a whole different story. But even in my nicer school everything was broken. We had tons of pests and pieces of the ceiling would fall and the old marble stairs were chipped in places. In some rooms there were exposed lead pipes and in the winter they would shake and rain lead flakes down onto the desks and we just had to move the desks around in the room to avoid that part. In one room (on the roof because why not), every time it rained a strange rusty fluid would leak from the ceiling and get all over our desks, coating them with this mysterious probably poison. We had six floors of rooms, basement, 1, 2, 3, 4, and the roof (where recess was held as well) and we weren't allowed to use the two elevators unless disabled. And one was always broken. My textbooks often didn't have covers. At all. They had been torn off and were just a stack of papers. The Chemistry Lab was only redone about a year ago and had poor ventilation before that, and the Biology Lab still has very poor ventilation which was a big concern when we did dissections (for which the teacher paid out of pocket for materials). The school only regarded us as test scores. Even after a kid in the grade above me killed himself they didn't really do much to take care of us. We did get lunch and breakfast for free though. Everyone qualifies for free meals at the public schools. Also I don't know what this site is talking about, Masterman (the school I went to) was a magnet school and it sucked I hated it. I was forced to take AP courses and I was so depressed because of that school I ended up in a psychiatric facility for over a week. Only once though because I was too scared to go back that I never told people when I was suicidal.
The teachers in the public school district here did not have a contract for 6 years.
We do have a lot of cool restaurants in the more gentrified areas. And there are fun shopping areas on Chestnut and Walnut in center city and on South in south philly.
Nice museums too, highly recommend the Mütter Museum it's amazing. There are a lot of University hospitals so it's a good city for medical training and for public health studies as well, which is what I do. There's a ton of inequality here and also is super dangerous but like, only if you're stupid. Just be smart and keep your head on straight and don't be dumb and you'll be good. ;3 Plus the trolleys and the MFL are pretty safe so. The buses suck.
Philly sorta sucks over all but I love it and I will die defending it. Go birds. Penn sucks. Temple U is a lot better. Read Less

Philadelphia is like the high school football player living in past glory years 1.5 rating By Anonymous ( Aug 23, 2018) Philadelphia has no vision of itself as a city. There are parts of the city which are historic and should be amazing, but are surrounded by new uninspiring architecture which makes the city bland and disgusting. The best places for food here aren't much better than fast food, the ...Read More attractions are limited. For living, public spaces are still viewed through a historic lens and lacking about one hundred years behind modern times. And this is the best description of the city, a place which had some unique and innovative thought and contributions to culture which all stopped in the early 1900s and the city is currently trying to live off it's history.I came here for a job and I am counting the remaining 311 days until I leave. I have lived in over 20 cities and have never wanted to leave a place so desperately. I'm ashamed this was the historic capital of our nation. Read Less

Nice city...Dreadful Hotel, be warned! 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jun 28, 2018) I stayed here for 3 nights as a tourist. Loved the toours, sites and historical aspects. Sadly I was duped by the RODEWAY CENTER HOTEL on Walnut St. When we booked there ws no mention in the confirmation of a SEPARATE bathroom (down the hall !). Arrived, told I had paid for th ...Read More e room 2 days before on Credit card I booked with (??) There was NO mention of SEPARATE bathroom made at check in (This is the 21st century!!...which hotel does NOT have en-suite nowadays??). Got to room to discover SEPARATE bathroom down the hall. Went to the front desk asked to upgrade and willing to pay extra told by CALVERT 'No, they were fully booked'. Went onto website, could book another twin in same hotel for $XX a night more. SO CALVERT LIED TO US. I said I can book this alternate room there and then, CALVERT tells me to go ahead but I will not be refunded the money for the bathroomless room. NO TEMP CONTROL in room, last day there NO TEA COFFEE replenished. I am 60 yrs old, travelled the world and this was the WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. Left a bitter taste in what could have been a lovely tourist visit. Read Less

Hate this place 0.5 rating By Abcdef ( Dec 17, 2017) I've never been to a place more unwelcoming in my life. Do not come here. The people are rude (not all but most) and they have terrible customer service wherever you go. Will definitely never come back. ...Read More Read Less

Never again living here 0.5 rating By TH86 ( Dec 08, 2017) I have lived here for nearly a year now. What a dump. Horrendous city. I came here for a job, and I feel like my prayers have been answered now my company are moving me out of the city to a new location. Filthy, unsafe, rude, depressing city. Roads are horrible too. I have also ...Read More been driving for thirteen years without one incident. Within ten months I have had three incidents in this city. Oh my red zone app I usually get daily notifications of some kind of crime nearby. There are some interesting historical sights in the downtown, and a few nice restaurants. You could do it all in one day and move on. A city of zero value and inspiration, overall. It will take a miracle to turn the place around. I will never return once I move on. Pennsylvania (a pretty state) should consider selling the city off to integrate it with all the other undesirable cities in NJ and NY, and preserve its dignity. Read Less

Philadelphia is dying on life support fast. 0.5 rating By Anonymous 444 ( Nov 17, 2017) PHILADELPHIA was a nice city back in the day now it's a crime infested city with trash everywhere. If you like rude and ghetto ignorant people this is the city for you, there's no job opportunities and homeless people constantly asking for change. This city has a very dark cloud ...Read More over it's head, it's okay to visit Philly but not to live by any means. Philadelphia will judge you and bring you down with its sorrow, if you're single don't move here or date anyone from here this city is fourth in aids and hiv in the entire country. The transportation system called Septa is over crowded with ghetto people being loud and always try to fight someone, the city it's self is really boring there's nothing but bars and clubs everywhere for people to shoot each other up in. The downtown section of Philly is nice but don't get comfortable parking downtown because the Philadelphia Parking Authority will give you a ticket in a heart beat if even you're only five seconds in the store. Sadly this was my home but now it's dying at a fast pace, if the people here were more friendlier and if the crime wasn't so bad I would stay. One more thing the cost of living here is outrageous even if you live by yourself it's not worth the money living here for what you pay for. Read Less

Strong's Cleaning Service 5 rating By jeanette morgan ( May 28, 2016) I was referred, by a friend, to Strong's Cleaning Service for Tile and House Detailing. The Owner was very curteous and to the point when he took the estimate. On the day of the actual job him and his small crew came and did an excellent job. When the tile work was done, they ...Read More cleaned my house emmaculately... I strongly recommend Strongs Cleaning Service..... Read Less

Amazing nightlife, poor overall 2 rating By violet87 ( Dec 11, 2015) Philly has some amazing attributes. This city has fantastic nightlife and a lot of things to do. The museums are superb and constantly have interesting new exhibits. There are a lot of unique restaurants to check out, second-hand book stores, boutiques and shops. Catch a cool ind ...Read More ie flick at the Ritz, go to the Philadelphia Zoo or check out the Italian market and have a great afternoon with friends, family or an SO. The arts scene in Philly is pretty strong, and there are many amazing art schools here [like Moore]. This is the bright side of Philly.

That being said, Philly is NOT the city I'd recommend someone to move to. If a friend was looking to move and asked me, 'is Philly a good choice?' I would say "absolutely not"!

As others have noted here, it's fair to say that the entire structure of Philadelphia is falling apart. The streets are often littered, polluted and buildings are kept in poor condition. There's a polarizing mix of highly safe areas with extremely sketchy and dangerous areas, and it can be difficult to draw clear boundaries as to which area is which. For example, Drexel is an amazing school and living in close proximity to Drexel is safe, but go 9 or 10 blocks beyond the campus and you hit sketchy territory. It's not unfair to say that the safety level of the city varies from block to block. There are quite a few unsafe areas in Philadelphia. That being said, it's a big city, so you can't expect it to be like suburbia at all. But, it's also important to be realistic.

In terms of friendliness, Philadelphia is not a very friendly city, but it's not overly hostile. You'll get a typical northeastern welcome here - a reserved air of friendliness or plain old indifference. If you're coming up from down south, do not expect it to be appropriate to make conversation with strangers or even exchange a few friendly words while in the market, on the bus, etc. Don't make it a point to hello to anyone you don't know while in the city. Most people in this area and on the Main Line [Devon, Malvern, West Chester etc.] do not take kindly to interacting with strangers. Most people are rushed, usually in a hurry when they drive [tail gating and dangerous driving is a huge drawback to this area] and look down or on their phones [of course] while they walk. It's fast paced living, and for sensitive types, it can be cold. I, personally, am tired of this attitude and would like to get away from it. Although I don't like anyone intruding on my personal space, it's nice to see friendly faces when you're out and about. If by some miracle, Philly could get a heart transplant and be injected with some spirit, it would be the ideal city! Sadly, this doesn't seem to be possible any time soon. If ever. Maybe it's just a northern thing.

Shopping isn't extensive. If you love to hit up a big mall, you'll have to drive into King of Prussia [anywhere from a 30 to 90 minute drive depending on 1-76 traffic, which is pretty severe]. That being said, KOP is an acclaimed mall: there's just about every speciality store and chain shop under the sun in that mall. It doesn't disappoint. Restaurants are plentiful and diverse, but customer service is a hit or a miss [like any other big city].

Unfortunately, despite its thriving cultural scene, Philly is an exhausted city with a lot of re-building to do and crime and garbage to clean up, and you won't find a lot of enthusiasm or optimism here. It's a 'survival of the fittest' themed city great for young professionals with goals to achieve, but terrible for anyone who is naturally kind and not accustomed to cold city life. It's great for an interesting visit, but a bad place to permanently move to. Read Less

@ night was safe to me 5 rating By fordsheri ( Jun 20, 2013) I just read a bad review on Philly. They said Good luck if your car brakes down. Well 2X's this has happened to me in downtown. 1st AAA was great. Needed a jump at 1am. not a problem 2nd I was @ the car show on the last day and came out ...Read More only to get a flat 5 blocks away. a local guy helped me. Again around midnight and no problems. I think philly is a place where if you walk with confidence and are POLITE the city will respond in kind. I also enjoy the artwork on the buildings. I was walking around down by the Hard Rock one day and missed the last SPLASH bus back to the art museum. MY BAD. LOL. Anyways, some guy was sleeping on a bench so I walked up to him and said excuse me sir. How do I take the bus back to the art museum? He looked me up and down said take the 32 bus and have 2$ even they don't give change and sit in the front if you can.Now I take the bus like a pro when I go to PHILLY. I have yet however to venture underground. When I do I will post. Read Less

Amazing City 5 rating By fordsheri ( Jun 20, 2013) I have always enjoyed philly. Nothing made me relize how much till yesterday. See, I go to do alot of stuff in Philly. You can spend the whole day doing things for free or spend some money and do even more. i have always said I have never had a problem in Philly. With any of the ...Read More worker, or ppl in general. I go to alot of concerts in Philly and have never had a bad experience. I guess I didn't realize how good Philly has been to me until I went to the READING EAGLE yesterday for a concert. Now... I have seen this band many of X's in Philly. So it's NOT the group of ppl that were there. 1. I have NEVER been kicked off the property before the doors are due to open. 2. The staff has NEVER told me to back to the other side of the street with a train on the tracks and the GATES DOWN.
3. The STAFF IN PHILLY were personable.
4. The STAFF IN PHILLY knew what doors were going to be used.
5. The STAFF IN PHILLY gave us all water on hot days.
6. PHILLY HAS PORTTA JONS!
To say I will NEVER GO BACK TO READING and will always spend my hard earned $$$$$ in PHILLY with a smile on my face is an under statement. GO PHILLY you guys are the true representation of BROTHERLY LOVE. Read Less

Filthadelphia 0.5 rating By Captain Crunch ( Jun 04, 2013) During the 13 months that I had the misfortune of living in Philadelphia, the city got voted "ugliest in America". I don't disagree. The survey was referring to the people of Philly, but this could easily be said of the trash covered sidewalks, car bumpers laying in the middle of ...Read More streets for weeks on end, broken windows, graffiti, and general run down condition of this once great city. The unemployment rate is sky high, the crime rates are sky high, and the politeness factor is non-existent.

You can drive down any major street with on street parking and see numerous rear view mirrors dangling from the cars they were once attached to, because other drivers hit them as they drive along, and think nothing of this.

I have never lived in a city where store shelves are bare for no apparent reason. The people were unbelievable. My husband calls it "aggressive ignorance". So much attitude, and adults bragging about how many fist fights they have been in. No respect for other people's property. My sweaty gym clothes (really drenched and disgusting) got stolen out of my locker at the gym on Christmas Eve. That to me was the essence of Philly.

In the city we live in now (on the West Coast) my husband dropped his ipod in our drivway by accident, and it lay there for two days with no one touching it. I'm sticking to the West Coast. Read Less

Clean City, very diverse, amazing local culture 3 rating By only1jesus1 ( Apr 01, 2013) I don't think the whole city of Philadelphia is riddled with crime. Crime occurs in specific areas as with any city. I have lived in the northeast area for some years and find it to be a diverse and safe place to live. The cost of living here is also reasonable. If your intereste ...Read More d in nightlife or attended major attractions on the weekends, downtown Philadelphia has a huge variety. I will say this however, if you are a family looking for a quality education for your children, this would not be the best place to live. Philadelphia has a very poor education system, with the exception of charters schools and schools in the more suburban areas. Philadelphia is a city that is a lot cleaner than say, New York and there isn't a great amount of unattractive building structures, unless you go downtown. Read Less

MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE.... 0.5 rating By momboss4 ( Mar 12, 2013) I have lived in numerous places and decided to take a job in Philadelphia about 8 years ago. The worst mistake ever. I have four children who are school age and since I left North Carolina their grades have slipped I ended having to quit my job and began volunteering at the schoo ...Read More l to see what was going on. Absolutely nothing but a bunch of screaming at kids, kids cursing like it was nothing, I felt like I was in a juvenile prison instead of a school. Walked in a class were a teacher was doing nothing but playing on her computer while all her kids were huddled in a court laughing and carrying on. When I took the approach to contact someone I was told I could no longer volunteer there anymore. I was also told if in the city of Philadelphia I wanted my kids to have a good education I would have to pay for it or get on a lottery list for the charter schools. I also have a child who had some mental health issues and never received any help until after he was in trouble and 18 years of age, but then it was to late. You have no human rights in this city everyone is considered a criminal not unless you are a Philadelphia cop or a family member of one. My son was severally beaten one night cops were called and they did nothing because they would have to chase down the persons who did this and backup for this time was unavailable, WHAT? The city is so unsafe there are three to four bars on each street corner and the most violent come out of there either walking or driving irraticly. I have vented with coworkers and philadelphia cops in reference to this and the statement was I should leave as fast as I could because the city has gone to hell. These cops now live in my home state of North Carolina and as soon as I sale my home which I purchased 5 years ago at the price of $278,000 which is now valued at $153,000 I will leave. You can tell just how bad things are when home prices drop almost $100,000 in your area in less than a 5 year span. I am afraid to leave my home so I purchase all clothing, groceries, etc. online. My 18, 16, 15 year old kids have a strict 9 oclock curfew and can only be the area of our home when out with their friends. I feel as if I am living in total hell. May God help my family until we can leave this most God awful place. If you are stranded or need help, you are not gonna get that here. The areas are getting more and more filthy by the milisecond here. I am ashamed to bring most family to visit due to the conditions and never ask them to come here I always visit them, because of safety and health concerns...... If you are planning a trip here or planning to take a job here, PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!!!! Read Less

Phila stinks!!! 2 rating By angel83 ( Feb 23, 2013) negatives of phila: ALMOST EVERYTHING!!!
I absolutely HATE phila!! It is overcrowded with disgusting nasty no class citizens! Over the top crime. SUPER dirty! I cant WAIT to make enough money to RUN FAR AWAYY!!! the property taxes outside philly would be paid by absolute NUTS. A ...Read More tiny ghetto house cost $250000!! In suburbs u wont find anything nice and spacious under 400000$$ plus taxes of min 7000/yr!!! sales tax in phila is 8%!!! nasty run down schools...nasty roads...horrible!!! WORSE THAT UNDERDEVEOPED countries!!! the parks have rapist...murderes...fairmount park has rapes every weeks...drugs like CRaZYY..absolutely no good schools!! check greatschools.org...impossible to raise kids without them using drugs...obese etc

positives
decent paying jobs if u have a BAchelors degree in a marketable field like IT, healthcare etc...great colleges/universities...many quality hospitals.

the NEGATIVES outweight the POSITIVES=(((( Read Less

Do Philadelphia Philly Style 5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 25, 2011) Philadelphia is not just a city, but it is instead a vibrant energized community filled with excitement, sensuality, fun and tranquility. I loved moving here from the desert city of Tucson, Arizona, and here's why. I love strolling through South Street Philly where the sounds are ...Read More electrifying. I hear the beats of local bands blazing out of the local pubs, and there along the sidewalk, a group of college boys clink their bottles of Yuenglings, a Pennsylvania brewed beer. Shrieks of laughter waif out the pubs and local restaurants. Along the busy sidewalks a hip and vibrant crowd swarm the streets with the chatter of gossip, gaiety, and howls of laughter. I'm drawn into this noisy inviting crowd as I allow the sound of music and laughter thrill and entice me along, and eventually I find myself ordering a Philly Cheese Steak. Nothing is better than a Philly Cheese Steak, and with great anticipation I gobble up the warm cheesesteak as it melts into my mouth - pure bliss. The cheesesteak has been cooked to perfection with a chewy toasted bread, delicious and tender steak, caramelized onions, and cheese making it a perfect blend of harmony. When in the city of Brotherly Love you have to indulge Philly style, and residents all over Philly indulge, because it's the uniformity of each bite that makes the cheesesteak irresistible.

I absolutely love walking into the Old World which is the 9th Street Italian Market district in South Philly, because it makes my mouth salivate, and my eyes are captivated by the many colorful and enticing sights. Spurts of Italy are splashed everywhere with over thirty authentic shops, and more than forty produce stands line the streets, and your nose will lead you there as enticing aromas fill the air.

Across the parkway there is the majestic Philadelphia Museum of Art, and when you climb its lofty 72 steps, especially in Rocky Balboa style, you emerge on top of the world as you find yourself overlooking the Ben Franklin Parkway outlined with the world's flags, and just above the horizon peaks of the city's skyline mark the sky. Exhilaration and joy always floods over me as I look out at this magnificent sight while pausing to catch my breath. Behind the Museum of Art lies the beautiful Schuylkill River. I love to walk along the river and see Boathouse Row where racks of kayaks, canoes, and boats line up in front of the Victorian style crew houses. Along the way I come to the peace and quiet of the huge Fairmount Park. I can linger here for hours just blocks away from the noise and crowds of downtown. Fairmount Park makes it easy to forget you are in a major metropolis with its tranquil and lush setting. Yes this is Philly, and it's a place of intense excitement, fun, sensuality, and also tranquility. And this is why I moved here. Read Less

A Mother's Take on Philadelphia, PA 2.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 23, 2011) I live about an hour north of Phillie, we've been in the area for about four years now. A few times a year we've traveled to Philadelphia for one reason or another. Sometimes we go with the kids, sometimes just adults.
The Philadelphia Zoo is definitely the kid's favorite destina ...Read More tion. Each year they have a school trip there, and then they always want to go again. I've traveled to Philadelphia on my own mostly for job fairs. It can be frustrating or rewarding depending on how the fair goes - an hour travel with nothing to show for it can really be annoying. Once I'm down there, even if the job fair doesn't go well I can take the rest of the day to enjoy a good restaurant, visit a museum or stop by one of the synagogues.

There are some parts of Philadelphia that aren't safe. I don't know the city well enough to know what is safe and what isn't, so I stick to pre-planned routes and don't go exploring much.

The 'bad' reason we go down to Philadelphia is doctors' visits. Twice in the last year I've been referred to doctors in Philadelphia, because some of the best pediatric doctors in the country are there. I should be reassured knowing that there are great doctors available if we need them, but I really hate that we need to go to specialists for the kids at all. When we do go on doctors' visits, we try to make the trip a special treat for the kids, going out to a restaurant or visiting the zoo.

I'm not a city person, so I don't enjoy visiting Phillie. I do enjoy taking the kids on fun trips there, and eating in the restaurants. Read Less

The best kept secret in the US 5 rating By Mr. USA ( Apr 21, 2011) I've traveled the country, and still I can't think or a better city in the US than Philadelphia, PA. The culture and history abound throughout the city, the restaurants (of which there are many) rank in the top of the nation. The entertainment choices are tops. This is a city ...Read More of class and elegance you will encounter from the beauty and splendor of Rittenhouse Square, to Logan Circle, and Penn's Landing. Fourth of July, and New Year's Eve and day are unsurpassed in this city as far as celebration and elaborate shows. This city is a power house among cities, but really, other cities such as NYC and Boston are threatened by what it offers and tend to down play its significance. The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Art Museum are unsurpassed for their international excellence. This city has the largest collection of Rodin outside of France! I could go on and on about what you can do and find here, but see it for yourself. I will always cherish and love this city. It has the class and charm I mentioned but it also has grit. What's a city without grit? Read Less

Not on the top of my list of recommendations 2 rating By ebr1975 ( Mar 21, 2011) My bottom line is that I tell my friends that if they find themselves in Philly, I can tell them all of the great places to go (and stay away from). If they're looking for their next vacation spot, Philly doesn't even come up in the conversation.

I've been a Philly native, born ...Read More and raised, until last year. The city does have a lot to offer, but I grew tired of the downsides and it was time to leave.

The city does have a rich history, a plethora of museums, performing arts, a talented and lively music scene and many great restaurants. The city is, however, dirty and its infrastructure is crumbling and decaying all around town. The cultural districts are small and surrounded by areas that lack culture and in many cases, are unsafe. Many of the quaint historic neighborhoods quickly blend into higher crime areas run down neighborhoods (e.g., Chestnut Hill blends into Mt Airy/Germantown).

I've been all around the US and Philly's 'up and coming' neighborhoods are some of the sketchiest I've seen. It is getting better, but a lot still has to change (it's been tried and failed in the past). It's proximity to Camden doesn't help much either.

Philly is not a very walkable city. The culture and dining hotspots are spread out across the city. The distances between these spots is often great enough to warrant hailing a cab or moving your car. Additionally, it's not uncommon to choose one of these options at night for safety reasons as well.

Shopping in the city is sparse. There are a few pockets worth noting - Old City, Chestnut Read Less

Philadelphia - The City of Brotherly Love 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Apr 26, 2010) For over thirty years, I called the City of Brotherly Love home. From Penn's Landing on the Delaware River to the Philadelphia Art Museum on the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia is a wonderful city. Theatres, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philadelphia Ballet, scores of great rest ...Read More aurants (not to mention Philly cheesesteaks), clubs, and hotels are all accessible by walking, taking a quick cab ride, or using SEPTA, the excellent public transportation system.

Philadelphia is known as the "Cradle of Liberty" and there are many historical places to visit. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross house, Elfreth's Alley, the Benjamin Franklin museum, and the entire Old City area are fascinating, not just for history buffs, but for tourists and residents alike. America's oldest zoo is in Philly, and the aquarium is a ferry ride across the Delaware in Camden.

Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods, from the affluent Society Hill and Old City areas downtown to quiet suburban-like Bustleton and Somerton in the Far Northeast. You'll love it. Read Less

Compare Philadelphia, PA Livability

Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia is the 6th largest city in America. The city is made up of a large downtown area surrounded by many different neighborhoods to the south, west, and north. It is similar to other northern east coast cities such as New York and Washington DC. Philly, as it is commonly called, is one of the oldest cities in America. The neighborhoods that surround Philadelphia are diverse.

There are great restaurants and places to shop, historical monuments to visit, and colonial neighborhoods to visit. Phildelphia is also known for its sports teams and its passionate fan base. Each team has its own unique style. There's never a dull moment when it comes to each sports team in the city.

Philadelphia has many notable attractions. The city is known for its historical landmarks and also its food. Historical landmarks include Independence National Historical Park, which contains the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There are also many great places to eat. Aside from the great food that exists across many neighborhoods, there are also great places to eat like the Reading Terminal Market. The city is also known for its attractions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which is famous for the Rocky statue. There is also The Barnes Foundation, which is located on the Ben Franklin Parkway.

Transportation in Philadelphia is convenient. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, better known as SEPTA, runs throughout the city and the suburbs of Philadelphia. SEPTA has a variety of buses, trains, trolleys, a subway, and an elevated line. Travel to and from the city is accessible using the historic 30th Street Station.

Philadelphia is a big city without the high cost of living in cities like New York City or San Francisco. Housing in Philadelphia is more affordable than other big cities. Having said that, you will pay more to live in Philadelphia than you would pay in a much smaller city.

Philadelphia is a great place to live because one can have all the activities of a big city without the extremely high cost of living. Once you're comfortable in Philadelphia, there's so much to see in the different neighborhoods that flank the downtown area. Each neighborhood has its own unique style, and the food is great. If you are in a Latino neighborhood, you will get a taste of Spanish food. If you visit South Philadelphia, you can enjoy the Italian Market. West Philadelphia and North Philadelphia also have great African-American cuisine. One downside to Philadelphia is that there are high crime rates in pockets of the city. Overall, Philadelphia is a great place to live. One thing is certain you will never get bored in Philadelphia.