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Philly, and by a mile over the other options--I also chose Boston and Seattle.
Unlike some of the other cities in the same class as Philly, I can actually afford to live in Center City. I pay $1200/mo for a completely renovated luxury apartment in a neighborhood considered to be within the boundaries of "Greater Center City", and I could easily move into into what's traditionally considered Center City if I wanted to. In Boston, I would easily be paying a LOT more for what I have now--an apartment with stainless steel appliances and a full kitchen, a full skyline view from my bedroom, proximity to an all-stop (local and express) subway stop, and much more. Same situation with Seattle, along with other West Coast city centers.
Philly is also more of a 24/7 city than others in the list. Not only can certain bars and clubs stay open until 3AM, but SEPTA also has several lines that run all night. I can go out, have a great time, and not have to worry about calling an Uber or Lyft to get home.
The criteria didn't mention price though. If you are loaded you have many options.
The OP wrote "options to rent/buy". From context, I assumed at least somewhat affordable. That strikes my top-5 from the list. New York tops my list but that penthouse on Central Park where I can walk the dog is off budget. On the east coast, DC and Boston make my list. San Francisco and Seattle would round out my top-5. I'd love to live in San Diego but I'd do La Jolla which isn't urban downtown.
When you inject financial realities into the mix, Philly Center City kind of wins the affordability thing while checking all the other check boxes. A couple of years ago, I was spending 3 nights per week in a highrise a block from Rittenhouse Square. If I wanted to live urban, that was a good location. A 2/2 1,200 square foot condo on an upper floor with a good view is sub-$550K. Garage under if you want a car. Swimming pool on the roof. Pretty stiff condo fees but that's true of any building with those amenities.
You're getting a micro Chicago/NYC with better natural scenery. If you go about a mile from downtown, you could probably get a HOUSE for 100k. I didn't say San Diego because its not affordable, plus you would have nothing even close to the high culture of DT Pittsburgh in downtown San Diego (if you add La Jolla it gets closer, but that is 15 miles away). Other than that, San Diego has an amazingly livable urban downtown.
I'm not even sure, as big as Atlanta and Houston are, for example, if they even have legit grocery stores (places that close at 6PM don't count)in their downtowns. A grocery store.... I'm pretty sure Midtown has one, maybe. Other than that, pretty sure you have to drive to a place with a large surface parking lot or maybe one of those new urban-style retail developments with a couple big box retailers wrapped around a parking deck. I mention that because my point is, Im not sure someone in say downtown Atlanta is going to have an earth shattering different urban lifestyle than say someone in Austin. Despite the yuge size difference.
Hmm... I disagree. Atlanta can certainly provide a good urban lifestyle, particularly if one also works downtown/midtown. There are 2 Publix stores in the area: One at Piedmont (midpoint of Downtown/Midtown) and one IN Midtown. Midtown also has Atlantic Station, which has, well, everything, including yet another Publix, (that makes THREE Publix...) a Target, clothing stores, bars, restaurants, gyms, parks, etc. etc.
Atlanta has lots of strange design layouts, but Midtown is certainly one of the major highlights, and an example of a city center well done.
I know I'd be able to live pretty comfortably without a car in Atlanta. The urban footprint is pretty large and developed. It's just overshadowed by the massive sprawl built around it.
Last edited by Arcenal813; 10-17-2019 at 09:21 AM..
I picked Bosotn because if you lived Downtown in say, the Theatre District... you are within a 40 minute walk to, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, the Seaport District, the whole Financial Center District, Haymarket, The Italian neighborhood known as the North End, Public Garden, the Boston Common, Beacon Hill, the Back Bay, Newbury Street, Copley Square Mall, the South End, Southie, Fenway Park, Kenmore Square, MIT, Kendall Square, TD Banknorth Garden, the Fens, Museum District, etc ...
You really have the world at your hands with many different cultural and aesthetic neighborhoods to chose from. To me, out of eveyr city in the US... Boston's core is my favorite, and its getting drastically better too. The shear beauty, culture, food scene, and vibrancy win it for me. Yet you feel cozy or small town like, when you truly arent in a small town. Its also collegiate with sophistication as well.
Also, theres a saying I like ... and its 100% accurate.
LA is about how much fame you have.
DC is about how much power you have.
NYC is about how much money you have.
Boston is about how much knowledge you have.
Obviously this has to be tiered out. Boston and Philly are probably the best and most vibrant however there are some GREAT mid sized city downtowns in this bunch.
A much easier choice is the worst. Jacksonville has easily one of the deadest downtowns I have ever seen. You take that city off the FL coast and remove Jax Beach from MSA, and suddenly I think that city doesn't do very well if it were in somewhere like Michigan.
I picked Seattle, Washington, SD. Although Philly, Boston, Sac and Portland are good choices as well.
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