OK, I guess I'll do the poll (event though I still hate borough vs city comparisons!), simply because I have lived in both places pretty extensively (Philly for 30 years, Brooklyn for 7 years), and know them both very well.
- Nightlife - Brooklyn. At least for my kind of nightlife. I dont like casinos
. Also many more things are open later than in Philly.
- Diversity (economy) - this seems kind of bogus, but I'll say Philly, only because of the prominent presence of some corporate HQ's (which in NYC tend to locate in Manhattan, which is where Brooklyn's main CBD is located...). But in other aspects of the local economy, I would say that Brooklyn's economy is actually more extensive and more diverse, largely due to size.
- Diversity (culture/people) - Brooklyn, pretty easily.
- Languages spoken - Brooklyn.
- Higher Education - Philadelphia, only because of Penn being in the city proper.
- Lifestyle - Philadelphia is a lot cheaper which means that most people can afford a better standard of housing (which is more or less important to different people). But I think cost aside, Brooklyn given half a chance offers everything Philly does, and much more. So I guess that's a tie.
- Friendly people - Brooklyn, only because there is this particular ingrained aggro attitude among many poor & working class people in Philly that is markedly absent in Brooklyn, and is one thing that I do not miss about Philly.
- Climate - it's the same climate.
- Medicine (Hospitals, clinics, health related things) - Philadelphia easily. Brooklyn hospitals are awful.
- Natural scenery - In the city? I guess Brooklyn because there's beaches and an ocean and more vistas and whatnot.
- Shopping - Philly by a nose, but this is sort of silly. I think Philly has slightly more diversity (eg: there's an apple store in the city proper), but Brooklyn has more volume and variety.
- Economy overall - how do you fairly compare this? I'll say n/a
- Population city proper - , if bigger means better, then Brooklyn since there's a million more people.
- Benefits from location - Brooklyn, because it's part of NYC.
- Public Transportation - Brooklyn. Septa is good, but the MTA is more reliable and a better system in nearly every aspect.
- Airports - Philadelphia, because Brooklyn doesn't really have one.
- Skyline - duh Philly, but before 1986 they were very similar. There are some new tall buildings in Brooklyn, but they're pretty forgettable.
- Vibrancy of downtown - Brooklyn, if you compare apples to apples with Center City and count the downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods (Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Fort Greene, DUMBO, and arguably Prospect Heights and Park Slope) along with the political/business center.
- Museums - Philadelphia. This one is easy.
- Theater, Music, & Arts scene - Brooklyn, by a lot.
- History - Philly. Both are pretty interesting historically, but much Brooklyn history has been erased and built over, whereas in Philly it's right in your face.
- Parks - Philly is no slouch, but I have to say Brooklyn by a nose. Philly really has nothing to compare to Prospect Park in terms of the combination of design, good maintenance, many activities, accessibility, and (c-d's favorite term...)vibrancy. And Brooklyn has lovely small parks as well, not to mention beaches. Philly has some gems, but many of its parks really should be better, considering how much acreage per capita is there.
- Food - this is close. Philly has a definite edge for fancy food, but Brooklyn has an edge for cheap & ethnic foods, as well as overall choice & variety.
and if I can add:
- Safety - Brooklyn. Coming from Philly I was almost tickled by what "bad" neighborhoods in present day Brooklyn are considered to be.
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