Your favorite(s) of PA's top 10 cities. (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: violent crime, neighborhoods)

[jFug]

Hey everyone. Let's get some positivity in this PA forum.


Of PA's largest top 10 cities, which one's are your favorite and why. This is not a "which city is the best economically" thread. It's more just a thread of which cities you like the most! Have at it!

[Deluy]

I'm going with Erie since it's the only one on the list I've never been to. I'm a country person and I've never been in a city in the US which I liked.

[PAhippo]

Also not a city person here. I'm in PA for the country part, not the city.

Scranton is the only one on the list I've been to; Williamsport is another. Not impressed with either. They've got more than 2 stoplights.

but thanks for trying a positive post about the state.

[JakeinChina]

I think the obvious are with Philly and Pitt, but it would be interesting if you took those two cities out, which other mid to small size cities would poll well.

[SteelCityRising]

Erie: Presque Isle State Park, Wegman's, Krispy Kreme, Tim Horton's, Wine Country, Lake Effect Snow, No Traffic, Frog Statues

Pittsburgh: Intriguing historic neighborhoods, professional sports, National Aviary, Andy Warhol Museum, Rivers Casino, Carnegie Science Center, Phipps Conservatory, Frick Park, Schenley Park, Skyline Views, Active Young Population, Growing Tech Scene, Zillions of Great Restaurants, Low Violent Crime (outside the bad neighborhoods)

Bethlehem: Moravian Historic District, Sands Casino, Lehigh University campus, proximity to NYC/Philly/Poconos/Jersey Shore

Lancaster: Gorgeous historic architecture, robust economy, agricultural surroundings, Park City Center, proximity to Philadelphia & Baltimore

[MarketStEl]

What's Levittown doing on this list?

For starters, it's not an incorporated municipality. It's a Census Designated Place (CDP) that spreads across three townships and one borough in Bucks County.

Second, it isn't even among the top 10 communities in population. Its population of 52,983 (2010 census) is outdistanced by several other municipalities in the suburbs of Philadelphia, including Upper Darby Township, the state's most populous township, with a population of 82,795 in 2010.

If this list is supposed to be composed only of cities in Pennsylvania (i.e., no boroughs or townships), then the 10th spot belongs to Altoona.

[MarketStEl]

Now as to the merits of the cities:

I'm a Philadephian and it's the city I'm most familiar with, so that should explain my vote. So far, I'm the only self-identified city-lover posting on this discussion, though I suspect that term also describes SteelCityRising.

And besides what that poster listed, the Steel City also has the most spectacular topography of any city in the United States with the possible exception of San Francisco.

But I can also check off several items on that list for Philadelphia as well, including an active young population (ISTR the city ranked first in the increase in the percentage of Millennials living there since 2010), a large and vibrant downtown (the city has the second-largest downtown residential population of any US city, having just nosed past Chicago on that metric), a huge and diverse restaurant and culinary scene (augmented by one of the greatest public markets in America, the Reading Terminal Market), several top-notch museums (Philadelphia Museum of Art, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Franklin Institute), Fairmount Park and its historic mansions, and a full array of pro sports teams.

Plus, it's the birthplace of the nation.

[Dequindre]

I like both Erie and Lancaster.

[jate88]

Scranton, Pa I guess. Northeastern Pennsylvania (wyoming valley, lehigh valley, poconos, coal country etc...) always seemed fascinating to me for some reason.

[fisheye]

I always liked Matamoras, PA. The avenues are laid out A thru S and streets 1 thru 10. It is very easy to find your way around. Many of our larger cities are broken up with rivers or other terrain features and do not have this kind of 'quick index' street system. For anybody that is terrible with directions; this is the PA city for you!

PS I know that it is not in the top ten - sorry!