Is Philadelphia that bad? Which are best areas? (Scranton, Chester: apartments, insurance)

[gmagg]

To all- I have been wondering about Philadelphia, It seems to have affordable condos and apartments compared to NYC area. Its one city that looks interesting and considering, but with all of the negativity- I wonder is it really that unsafe, dirty and depressing. Are there some nice parts of the city thats safe to experience city living or would it be better to look elsewhere. Just looking for honest feedback, thanks

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by gmagg

Its one city that looks interesting and considering, but with all of the negativity- I wonder is it really that unsafe, dirty and depressing.

National Geographic Travel Magazine declared Philadelphia Americas Next Greatest City. If you are using this board as a gauge your going to get predominantly negative reviews. For whatever reason its the nature of the beast, not just with Philly but with every city.

Some parts are unsafe, dirty and depressing. Other parts are world class neighborhoods that could rival anything in Manhattan, Boston, or DC.

Are there some nice parts of the city thats safe to experience city living or would it be better to look elsewhere. Just looking for honest feedback, thanks

City living at its best. Closest thing you will see in the usa to a Manhattan lifestyle imo.
Center City, Soceity Hill, Old City, Queens Village, Bella Vista,Washington West,Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square, University City, Spruce Hill, Fairmount, Spring Garden, Manayunk.

Suburban type neighborhoods. gems like Chestnut Hill, West Mt Airy, Andorra, Upper Roxborough, East Falls.

[newmarlig]

What Rainrock said. There is a bus that runs in Center City called the Philly Phlash. It was set up for tourists, but I used to take it home at night with other people who lived in Queen Village (I have since moved to Center City) since it was very convenient. Anyway, the tourists on the bus were always very enthusiastic about Philadelphia. It's too bad that some of the residents of this city don't feel the same way. I don't hear people from other areas criticize their cities as much as the people here do. Hence the name Negadelphia.

[ScranBarre]

Trust me, NewMarlig, Scranton's residents are just as downright miserable and nasty when it comes to our city as well. You'd think Scranton were on a level playing field with Camden by the way the local "Chicken Littles" run around proclaiming that the sky is falling! Scranton has not had a single homicide since mid-2005, and we're the safest of the state's ten largest cities. Nevertheless, the locals whine left and right about the "major violent crime issues." WHERE?! Scrantonians proclaim that there are no decent, family-sustaining career opportunities in NEPA. Why then is the parking lot of the shopping center I work at consistently dominated by BMWs, Audis, Lexuses, etc.? Are these people all "struggling to survive?" For every one person who says something nice about the city on most online forums, two others chime in and call the city a "dump."

Most of those who berate the city were the losers who dropped out of high school or simply obtained their diploma without either learning a skilled trade (carpentry, plumbing, masonry, auto mechanics, etc.), joining the armed forces, or heading to college for a degree. If you have no marketable skills beyond a basic high school education, then OF COURSE you're going to be struggling financially! DUH! I can clearly see that's the case with the local naysayers, as the grammar that erupts from their typing is downright HIDEOUS and nearly impossible to comprehend. As a future entrepreneur, I'd never consider hiring someone who expressed themselves so unintelligently. If you have nothing to offer to a prospective employer, then why should you expect to earn a decent living? That's just the way capitalism works, my friends! If you weren't ambitious enough in life to specialize yourself in any way, shape, or form, then that is by no means the fault of the city. I can easily rattle off a large number of "well-off" (earning $50,000+ salary) people in the Scranton area, and every one of them either went to college or trade school (or Vo-Tech). Stop blaming the city for your own intellectual shortcomings (I'd assume that this paragraph applies to many from Philadelphia as well, as all I'm hearing about from these people online is "I can't afford this or that" when your city is teeming with great career opportunies!)

[MoonlightMadness]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

Trust me, NewMarlig, Scranton's residents are just as downright miserable and nasty when it comes to our city as well. You'd think Scranton were on a level playing field with Camden by the way the local "Chicken Littles" run around proclaiming that the sky is falling! Scranton has not had a single homicide since mid-2005, and we're the safest of the state's ten largest cities. Nevertheless, the locals whine left and right about the "major violent crime issues." WHERE?! Scrantonians proclaim that there are no decent, family-sustaining career opportunities in NEPA. Why then is the parking lot of the shopping center I work at consistently dominated by BMWs, Audis, Lexuses, etc.? Are these people all "struggling to survive?" For every one person who says something nice about the city on most online forums, two others chime in and call the city a "dump."

Most of those who berate the city were the losers who dropped out of high school or simply obtained their diploma without either learning a skilled trade (carpentry, plumbing, masonry, auto mechanics, etc.), joining the armed forces, or heading to college for a degree. If you have no marketable skills beyond a basic high school education, then OF COURSE you're going to be struggling financially! DUH! I can clearly see that's the case with the local naysayers, as the grammar that erupts from their typing is downright HIDEOUS and nearly impossible to comprehend. As a future entrepreneur, I'd never consider hiring someone who expressed themselves so unintelligently. If you have nothing to offer to a prospective employer, then why should you expect to earn a decent living? That's just the way capitalism works, my friends! If you weren't ambitious enough in life to specialize yourself in any way, shape, or form, then that is by no means the fault of the city. I can easily rattle off a large number of "well-off" (earning $50,000+ salary) people in the Scranton area, and every one of them either went to college or trade school (or Vo-Tech). Stop blaming the city for your own intellectual shortcomings (I'd assume that this paragraph applies to many from Philadelphia as well, as all I'm hearing about from these people online is "I can't afford this or that" when your city is teeming with great career opportunies!)

I have to disagree with you. I went to trade school and have 2 skilled trades under my belt. The only way I could make a living wage in the city is to work under the table. The bosses want to avoid paying taxes any way they can. Otherwise, I have to start close to minimum wage. And forget joining a union; the union dues eat up any pay increases. The best bet would be to work in the 'burbs (if you own a car & can afford the insurance & gas). The taxes are lower and the pay is higher. As for poor grammar, I am posting on another forum in Philly with "college-educated professionals" and you wouldn't believe the crude spelling and grammar. And the "chicken little" mindset is from the 400+ murders we experienced here in various parts of the city (not limited to the "ghettoes" or including the surrounding 'burbs).

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by joyce65

And the "chicken little" mindset is from the 400+ murders we experienced here in various parts of the city (not limited to the "ghettoes" or including the surrounding 'burbs).

95% of the murders in Philadelphia had an intended target. Drug wars, neighborhood riff, looking the wrong way at a gangstas girlfriend, domestic disputes etc.. 75% of the victims had prior criminal records. Except for very rare occasions, innocent people don't get killed in Philadelphia. I believe 1 person has been killed in center city in the past 5 years and that was by a psychopath who shot a nurse, he was later caught and is now off the streets.

The surrounding suburbs have a murder rate on par with a Scandinavian country, its probably below 1 per 100,000.Random murder simply doesn't exist in the suburbs except for the poverty stricken isolated areas like Camden or Chester.

Please get your facts together and stop with your wild accusations concerning rampant murder in every neighborhood in Philadlephia and the surrounding suburbs. Check your facts and you will see that 98% of the murders are occurring in the ghettoes

[Adream]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

Anyway, the tourists on the bus were always very enthusiastic about Philadelphia. It's too bad that some of the residents of this city don't feel the same way. I don't hear people from other areas criticize their cities as much as the people here do. Hence the name Negadelphia.

I've lived in the Philly area since 1972 and it seems to have always been this way. Don't know why you have to move away from the area to look back and appreciate it.

[MoonlightMadness]

Originally Posted by rainrock

95% of the murders in Philadelphia had an intended target. Drug wars, neighborhood riff, looking the wrong way at a gangstas girlfriend, domestic disputes etc.. 75% of the victims had prior criminal records. Except for very rare occasions, innocent people don't get killed in Philadelphia. I believe 1 person has been killed in center city in the past 5 years and that was by a psychopath who shot a nurse, he was later caught and is now off the streets.

The surrounding suburbs have a murder rate on par with a Scandinavian country, its probably below 1 per 100,000.Random murder simply doesn't exist in the suburbs except for the poverty stricken isolated areas like Camden or Chester.

Please get your facts together and stop with your wild accusations concerning rampant murder in every neighborhood in Philadlephia and the surrounding suburbs. Check your facts and you will see that 98% of the murders are occurring in the ghettoes

You must not be following the news. There was just a murder in center city last month. And innocent victims don't get shot?! Talk to those parents that had little children caught in the crossfire! And I wasn't including the suburbs. I was just talking about Philly. What happens in the 'burbs isn't what concerns me. Wild accusations?! You must not see or read the news! Pick up a Daily News. Everyday there's a new murder on the front page and they keep a running total on how many people have been killed so far this year. And if you lived in Philly, you'd be concerned also.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by joyce65

You must not be following the news. There was just a murder in center city last month.

Link please.

Pick up a Daily News. Everyday there's a new murder on the front page and they keep a running total on how many people have been killed so far this year. And if you lived in Philly, you'd be concerned also.

And this differs from every other city in the usa east of the Mississippi in which way?

Your not telling us anything new here. Murder happens everyday in every city. Philadlephia isn't any different than DC, Atl,Chicago,Cle, NYC, even Boston. Do innocent people in the lower socio economic hoods get caught in the crossfire occassionally? Unfortunately yes. That happens in other cities all over the globe.

When was the last time an innocent person was killed walking down Pine, Walnut,Packer park,Old City,Chinatown, Overbrook,Chestnut Hill, Far northeast,manayunk,City Line, East falls,Bella Vista ? It doesn't happen.
95% of the crime is happening in 5% of the city.

[Mrs.Bewitched]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

Trust me, NewMarlig, Scranton's residents are just as downright miserable and nasty when it comes to our city as well. You'd think Scranton were on a level playing field with Camden by the way the local "Chicken Littles" run around proclaiming that the sky is falling! Scranton has not had a single homicide since mid-2005, and we're the safest of the state's ten largest cities. Nevertheless, the locals whine left and right about the "major violent crime issues." WHERE?! Scrantonians proclaim that there are no decent, family-sustaining career opportunities in NEPA. Why then is the parking lot of the shopping center I work at consistently dominated by BMWs, Audis, Lexuses, etc.? Are these people all "struggling to survive?" For every one person who says something nice about the city on most online forums, two others chime in and call the city a "dump."

Most of those who berate the city were the losers who dropped out of high school or simply obtained their diploma without either learning a skilled trade (carpentry, plumbing, masonry, auto mechanics, etc.), joining the armed forces, or heading to college for a degree. If you have no marketable skills beyond a basic high school education, then OF COURSE you're going to be struggling financially! DUH! I can clearly see that's the case with the local naysayers, as the grammar that erupts from their typing is downright HIDEOUS and nearly impossible to comprehend. As a future entrepreneur, I'd never consider hiring someone who expressed themselves so unintelligently. If you have nothing to offer to a prospective employer, then why should you expect to earn a decent living? That's just the way capitalism works, my friends! If you weren't ambitious enough in life to specialize yourself in any way, shape, or form, then that is by no means the fault of the city. I can easily rattle off a large number of "well-off" (earning $50,000+ salary) people in the Scranton area, and every one of them either went to college or trade school (or Vo-Tech). Stop blaming the city for your own intellectual shortcomings (I'd assume that this paragraph applies to many from Philadelphia as well, as all I'm hearing about from these people online is "I can't afford this or that" when your city is teeming with great career opportunies!)

Scranton, I have been in some posts that you have as well, which is why I am surpirsed at some of your comments in this post. I am one of the ones who berate the city, being as I am 34 and was born and raised and only left 2 years ago, therefore I know what I am talking about. I am not a "loser", or someone who is broke, or without skills. I am college educated with 2 degrees, am close to earning my Masters AND board certification, AND am a teacher. Therefore I have made something of myself, have my skills, have my career, and have my income. I never once complained about not having a job, or not being able to afford anything. All of that has nothing to do what I did complain about: punks, thugs, dime bags, car being stolen, carS broken into, my mother's house broken into, held up with a shotgun at a local eatery, needles, neighborhood odors, hookers, horrible public school grades, locked down in public schools...I r e a l l y could go on with what I have experienced. This is from an educated, financially secure person.