Best Philly area for us (Philadelphia, Chester: crime, homes, neighborhoods)

[localguy87]

Hi,

Long time reader, first time poster. My wife and I recently had a child, and we're starting to look at smaller suburb towns around Philly. The two biggest factors for us are walkability and schools. Willing to spend more for value, but don't want to get taken for a ride. Very interested in the Mainline area and Southern NJ. Any recommendations? Places like Wayne, Media, Ardmore and Haddonfield keep coming up but I guess I'm just worried we'll move to an area where you can only walk 5 blocks, and go stir crazy. Not sure I'm underselling these areas. Having the rail line to Philly seems like a huge bump too. Any other downsides to those types of areas? Is there more to those towns then you initially see driving through? Thanks for your input!

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by localguy87

Hi,

Long time reader, first time poster. My wife and I recently had a child, and we're starting to look at smaller suburb towns around Philly. The two biggest factors for us are walkability and schools. Willing to spend more for value, but don't want to get taken for a ride. Very interested in the Mainline area and Southern NJ. Any recommendations? Places like Wayne, Media, Ardmore and Haddonfield keep coming up but I guess I'm just worried we'll move to an area where you can only walk 5 blocks, and go stir crazy. Not sure I'm underselling these areas. Having the rail line to Philly seems like a huge bump too. Any other downsides to those types of areas? Is there more to those towns then you initially see driving through? Thanks for your input!

Where do you work? That will help narrow down some possible choices.

[localguy87]

Near Plymouth Meeting, but not sure will stay there beyond a few years. Being able to get to Philly via rail would be good to expand job options.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by localguy87

Near Plymouth Meeting, but not sure will stay there beyond a few years. Being able to get to Philly via rail would be good to expand job options.

If you worked in Center City, South Jersey is a good option because you can make the trip in about 15 minutes from the preferred PATCO stops. Since you work near Plymouth Meeting, you should look at the Pennsylvania suburbs.

[briantroutman]

I concur with the above comment. I don’t know how familiar you are with this area, but Haddonfield and Plymouth Meeting are on opposite sides of Philadelphia, so driving from one to the other would take you either right through Center City (or on a very circuitous route around). On the other hand, either Media or the Main Line towns you mentioned would afford you a pretty straight shot up I-476 (a.k.a. the “Blue Route”).

My wife and I are in a fairly similar position: We’re relatively new parents and want to locate in a walkable area with rail access to the city and decent schools. What’s different about our situation is that we’re both self-employed and work primarily from home, so commuting is not an issue for us.

Our list of candidates was basically the same as yours, plus a few others. We liked Doylestown but decided it was just too far from the city (and the airport). We liked both Phoenixville and West Chester in their own unique ways, but the lack of rail access was a major negative.

Overall, I think Media offered us the best combination of features: in-town amenities, walkability, transit, proximity to the airport, access to freeways, schools, and a sense of community.

As to your comment about possibly going “stir crazy” (if I’m reading it correctly): I don’t think that any one of the towns you mentioned is large enough that you’d be happy just staying in town for weeks on end. Eventually, you will have eaten at all of the restaurants, gotten coffee from all of the coffee shops, etc. But as I see it, the only antidote—the only place where there would always be something new, different, and exciting within steps from your door—would be Center City. And obviously, while an exciting prospect in some ways, it’s not without its challenges, too.

As to hidden downsides to Media, only a few come to mind immediately.

One is that I enjoy bicycling—for recreation, for fitness, and for functional transportation—and despite Media’s progressive aura, it’s a not a great town for biking. The low speed limits help somewhat, but there aren’t any bike lanes anywhere in town, and nearly all the roads in an out of the borough are all downright bike hostile. There are decent paths nearby—the Chester Creek Trail and in Ridley Creek State Park—but you almost have to transport your bike there by car.

The other is that there are a few nagging gaps in Media’s business lineup. For example, a bookstore—I’m surprised we don’t have one. I know it’s a largely dying business category, but it’s one I enjoy patronizing. And a bakery; I’d love to walk down to State Street for a midmorning pastry some day. Still, we have one of the more complete lineups I’ve seen in any one town.

[ionlyused59]

I vote for Media or Haddonfield if I had a family and was looking for good schools and a walkable area. Haddonfield is a beautiful town with beautiful homes and a walkable area. I hear the property taxes are killer though. I also hear there's a keeping up with the jones' mentality but I may be off base on that. It is really close to Philly on the Patco where you have access to all of the city but not that close to plymouth meeting.

I also keep hearing awesome things about Media but have never personally been there. I've been meaning to go check it out. Media would give you a walkable area with good schools closer to plymouth meeting but further from Philly.

Ardmore,from what I saw at least, did absolutely nothing for me and I know nothing about Wayne.

None of these areas can match CC in terms of vibrancy and the true big city feeling so I can't say you won't go stir crazy eventually within the confines of the town you pick.

[chessimprov]

The commute on I-476 N is real bad if you leave like at 7 AM or after. So, if you moved to Media, and then commuted up, if you like to get up early, you are good. I feel Haddonfield is quite far from Plymouth Meeting. Wayne doesn't have the walkability you're looking for.

Conshohocken might be good as a location, but then for schools, it might be worth considering cyber or private instead.

Also, right in Plymouth meeting or Blue Bell would work. Any place just east of Plymouth meeting should be fine too. Public transportation may not be so optimal in these areas though.

[localguy87]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It does sound like Media may be the best bet. One thing I've heard is that it can have rougher areas. Not sure if this is accurate or hyperbole (likely the latter). Are the schools there good, is crime low?

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by ionlyused59

I vote for Media or Haddonfield if I had a family and was looking for good schools and a walkable area. Haddonfield is a beautiful town with beautiful homes and a walkable area. I hear the property taxes are killer though. I also hear there's a keeping up with the jones' mentality but I may be off base on that. It is really close to Philly on the Patco where you have access to all of the city but not that close to plymouth meeting.

I also keep hearing awesome things about Media but have never personally been there. I've been meaning to go check it out. Media would give you a walkable area with good schools closer to plymouth meeting but further from Philly.

Ardmore,from what I saw at least, did absolutely nothing for me and I know nothing about Wayne.

None of these areas can match CC in terms of vibrancy and the true big city feeling so I can't say you won't go stir crazy eventually within the confines of the town you pick.

There are certain myths that abound about Haddonfield. They were based in the 60s & 70s, & haven't applied for about 30 - 40 years & didn't totally apply then. If someone works in the city, the wage tax is applied to state taxes. It works out. However, a commute to Plymouth Meeting would be miserable.

[briantroutman]

Originally Posted by localguy87

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It does sound like Media may be the best bet. One thing I've heard is that it can have rougher areas. Not sure if this is accurate or hyperbole (likely the latter). Are the schools there good, is crime low?

You heard that Media has rougher areas? I haven’t heard that one before. Based on my searches through crime stats, it’s about as safe and low-crime as any town in the Philadelphia area. And in a superficial sense, walking around town through various neighborhoods, nowhere does it look or feel “sketchy”.

The local school district is Rose Tree Media, which perennially ranks highly on various “best schools” lists and in student performance. As with many things in Pennsylvania, jurisdictions tend to be small and have odd boundaries, so you have to look closely at school district maps. For example, some homes within a short walk to the center of town (and with Media mailing addresses) are actually in Nether Providence Township and part of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. I understand that’s a good school system too, but property taxes may be significantly different, and obviously schools have an impact on your sense of being part of a community.