Moving (Philadelphia, Washington, Girard: 2009, apartments, crime)

[mnmarty03]

Hey everyone.

I've decided a move is in order for my career and Philadelphia is one of my top choices out of the large cities on the East Coast (Washington DC up to Boston).

I wanted to ask how safe Philadelphia really is. For my career and the cost of living there, it seems ideal. There's also great public transportation it seems, lots to do, and has a great location in comparison to other places. But how safe is it? I know it's got high murder rates and all that stuff.. but the other large cities I'm looking at all have their problems too.

As a 23 year old woman who would be living alone there until early 2009 (when my fiance would join me), would Philadelphia be a safe spot for me? I would like honest opinions. If I were to get an apartment in a safer neighborhood and safety conscious (not going to worse neighborhoods/being aware of my surroundings/etc etc) would I be safe?

Thank you for your input. My two top choices right now for a place to relocate to is Washington DC and Philadelphia - with Philadelphia in spot number one.

Also - how expensive will it be to set myself up in Philadelphia do you think? I know the average costs of everything..(apt/transportation/utilities/etc) but other than that, are there costs that I may be missing unique to Philadelphia.

Thank you!

p.s. I'd be going out there Mid May and would want to find a studio apartment starting around that time or June 1st.

[phillytoaustin]

Hi, I have lived here my whole life. I am a 22 year old female. When I go into the city, I do not walk alone at night no matter what neighborhood I am in. I sometimes see other girls walking alone and they are usually ok. If you have to walk a short distance at night it is ok but keep your head up and carry mace. During the day it is safe for a girl to go out, depending which neighborhood you are walking in and you will be able to tell. You will get a strange feeling if you wander into a bad neighborhood. And you can walk onto a bad street very suddenly and unexpectedly and then two blocks from it, it is "safe" again. Philadelphia does have good public transportation. However I would never take the subway alone. I would probably not take a bus alone either. I would take the regional rail trains alone, they are very convenient and go all over the place. If your fiance is joining you then you will enjoy the city with him. There are great places to go including china town, the avenue of the arts, art museum, reading terminal market which has every food that you can think of and it's all so fresh. As you said, you just have to check out the area you are moving to before you go there. There is a lot of crime and murder here and yes I myself would like to get away from that, I am going to be honest. I am hoping to move out of Philadelphia but I don't hate it here. Take the right precautions and you will be fine. As far as hidden costs, I can't think of anything you wouldn't have heard about. There is a 7% tax in the city. That's all I can think of. I hope this helped a little. Good luck!!

[mnmarty03]

Thank you for your input.

If you don't take the subway or bus alone... how do you get around? Are you close enough to walk to things or do you have a roommate/friends you always travel with? I wouldn't want to take a subway alone at night, but I always thought daytime travel would be safe. Of course, my experiences in big city subways is in Europe where crime is a lot lower than here.

I do think my fiance and I would enjoy the area... but I'm not sure yet where we'll be moving. If anyone else has any input, I'd appreciate it!

[juniperbleu]

I grew up in Philly, and now live in DC, and as far as crime goes I've found them to be pretty much the same. Just be aware of what area you're in and what's going on around you. I love DC, and for this point in my life and career it's perfect for me. However, in terms of an actual city, I like Philadelphia a lot more. DC is largely transient, so it's difficult to get an actual feel on the "real" city. It's also extremely compact, so rush hour can be hell and most of the city is very "block-to-block".

As far as Philly public transportation, I took the bus by myself in high school without a problem, as did most of my friends. Besides that I tended to drive, but the friends I have who remained there take the subway and train all the time (both together and by themselves). The subway can get a little creepy later at night, but if you're concentrating on day travel, it's fine.

[Tone509]

Not too long ago, someone - perhaps orrmobl- brought up the idea that the perception of safety for a female can be different than that of a male. As a member of the male species, I have grown to appreciate that point.

That said, if you are used to larger urban environments, then I believe Philly can be fine for any single female. Of course, like anywhere, it does depend on where you live. Center City (aka downtown) is a walkable, affluent area that is generally busy day and night. The only section I might be wary of at night is the Convention Center area at night as it turns into a dead zone. Even then, you are more likely to encounter mild-to-moderately aggressive panhandlers than violent opportunists. However, there aren't a whole lot of apartments in this area so you'd only be passing through at most. Other areas like the Art Museum and Northern Liberties border neighborhoods in the early-to-mid stages of gentrification. The closer you are to Girard Avenue, the more likely you are to encounter negative spillover. Otherwise, there are many other areas in or near Center City (e.g. Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square West, Fitler Square, Bella Vista) that I feel you would find comfortable. There are other neighborhoods further removed but still commutable to Center City. Let us know if you'd like information about those.

I agree that the Regional Rail commuter train is safe any time of day. While some find the presence of train conductors to be "antiquated", the silver lining is that it does provide a measure of safety. I do believe that both the subway, buses and light rail trolleys are safe during the day. Stepping into the shoes of a solo female traveling at night, perhaps I would be uncomfortable on the subway - the Broad Street Line more so than the Market-Frankford Line - but with the bus, I'm on the fence. Assuming you're travelling within Center City, I wouldn't anticipate any issues... but I suppose it wouldn't hurt for a young lady to find a seat close to the bus driver.

I'm a relative rookie to the DC area myself, but I can say that there are more "safe" areas in that city, particularly in the NW section... but you will literally pay the price for that. You'll get more bang for your buck in Philly.

[phillytoaustin]

I am 2 blocks from the convention center and that must be why I always feel like it's creepy at night. I always pass through that area when going somewhere at night. As for how do I get around, I am almost always with someone since I have rooomates and my boyfriend lives in the city. I still feel that you should never take the subway alone, but I think you will be fine, thousands of young women live in the city, but just know the areas and keep your head up. Have fun in your travels!

[mnmarty03]

Thank you all very much for your input!

Like I said before, I am very aware of my surroundings and don't do anything stupid when alone - especially in a big city. From what you all are saying, it sounds like I'll be fine. Thank you again!

I still don't know if I'll be going to Philladelphia or not. I could end up out East somewhere...or I could end up in Arizona. I just found out today that I have an interview for a position in my field our there. If I don't get the job though, I'll be coming East.

If I need any more advice or input I'll definitely let you all know! Thanks again!