Clifton Heights (Drexel Hill, Springfield, Lansdowne: apartments, crime, houses)

[beachbunny]

Hello-

My boyfriend and I are about to make an offer on a row home in Clifton Heights. We are relocating from Maryland and loved the area when we went to visit.

What is the local reputation of Clifton Heights near the R3 line and the surrounding area?

[passdoubt]

I don't think Clifton Heights has much of a reputation... it's so small that most people outside of DelCo probably haven't heard of it.

I think it's a nice place. Not flashy or very affluent, but stable. I think you'd find a lot of "old timers" who've lived there all their lives.

I used to commute by the R3. It's convenient.

[Tone509]

I echo passdoubt's sentiments. It's a solid neighborhood, neither as flashy nor as gritty as some surrounding communities. I would feel comfortable making that choice.

[joebart]

My wife and I love Clifton! We have lived in Clifton with our 8 yr. old son for 6 yrs. Tons of kids to play with, great ssports programs, awesome restaurants and bars, just a cool place to live.

[Wanna Leave Penciltucky]

Get used to sitting on Baltimore pike as crawling down it. Used to take me 35 mins to get from the Target to the home depot on Saturdays.

[mirancs8]

Clifton Heights is your working class area. Solid, friendly, and near to lots of places. I think your like it.

[metmom006]

Hey penciltucky! how was your move? I think clifton is still ok. But like pencilturcky said, the traffic on Baltimore pike can be aweful

[coourtney xoxo]

I've lived in Clifton Heights my whole life, and I couldn't ask for a better place to live. My neighbors are like my family, and I love my row home and hanging out in my alley. I live in Westbrook Park a smaller part of Clifton but I wouldn't want to live anywhere. The people they are so incrediable, go to the poorest neighborhoods, or the richest and you can't find these people. The Catholic schools are very excellent as well. The shopping is great, and it's near everything. It's an awesome place to live.

[orrmobl]

Having grown up in Clifton and recently moved from Drexel Hill right over the Clifton border, I have to respectfully disagree. Driving up Baltimore Pike from the Lansdowne border you see all kinds of riff raff just hangin out in front of their houses and apartments, lots of out of business places and the place just looks trashy these days...the crime spillover from West Philly has worsened in recent years...about a year or two ago there was daylight holdup of the 7-11 across from the car wash...the only successful new business in years btw...a few years before that, there were several afternoon robberies further up Baltimore Pike...the Pizza Hut and some other business I can't recall...

The Kmart down the hill has become a real dump, serving people from poorer areas with all the bad attitude that comes with it...ultimately it became people who didn't give a **** serving people who didnt' give a ****...the few times I convinced myself to go there for something I would always think "I should have my head examined for coming back here." The shelves would be empty, disorganized, and most of the registers closed...

So basically I have little love for Clifton, or that section of Drexel Hill even though I found the people nicer. Both of those towns have seen better days and are experiencing an influx of people from poorer sections looking for cheap housing...that is good for them but ultimately bad for the neighborhoods as the residents age or move away leaving the towns down a rung on the socioeconomic ladder, with a smaller tax base and an increased burden on police due to crime and domestic calls...

I would look to Springfield or Havertown if you wan much nicer...or Drexel Hill over by Township Line Road...

[Smokeybutt]

I agree Clifton Heights is a dump