Newbie to Philly area--Where should I live? (Philadelphia, Chester: apartments, houses)

[Jettsen]

Hi All, I'll be moving to the Philadelphia area in about three weeks for a job. I'm trying to decide whether I should look for a place to live on the outskirts of the city (maybe Manayunk area), or in the burbs (job is near King of Prussia). I'm a single, white, 27 year old female (not trying to sound like a dating ad, just thought the info might help).

My biggest priority is affordability. I'm going there pretty blind, having never experienced the city. Any advice would be great!
Here's my info:

When are you moving? Week of January 23-28, 2012
Where are you coming from? Michigan
Why are you moving? Job in KOP
Have you been here yet? No
Will you buy or rent? Rent, looking for a 1 bedroom/1 bath. $800/mo.
Are you married or single? Do you have children? Single, no kids
Do you have pets? No
Do you want or need a yard? Not important
Are you keeping a car? yes
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? Either--I'm adaptable
What do you want to be closest to? I don't want TOO long of a drive to work (45 minutes max.) But it would be nice to have decent access to the city as well (not sure both are possible--like I said, I'm really not familiar with the area).
Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? If it's a SAFE neighborhood, I'm perfectly fine with anything.

Thanks in advance!

[Marius Pontmercy]

Manayunk could do, but the commute might be a pain. It's not really long, but you may have to sit in traffic which is frustrating. I think generally you'd find better apartments in that area though for your price point. Manayunk is a good neighborhood, somewhat detached from the city itself but still fairly convenient to Center City if you want to go downtown. There's a nice little main street and you have great access to both Fairmount and Wissahickon Parks. You could maybe also look into Conshohocken. The suburban towns out that way are fairly pricey since you'd be out near the Main Line. I'm not sure what $800 will get you and where. Somebody who knows Chester and Montgomery Counties can fill you in on that.

[Jettsen]

Thanks for the info. I'm also looking at Norristown--from what people know, would it be cheaper cost of living than KOP?

[cowboycountry]

I'm from the area and am actually looking myself so I thought I'd chime in. First off, $800 is kind of on the low side for a 1BR if you're looking to get close to KOP. Manayunk is a pretty popular area, especially for finding a roommate, but as someone mentioned traffic will be a killer (especially coming home). Price wise you could certainly find a roommate for under $800. If you want easy access to the city and work, Conshohocken/Plymouth Meeting/Lafayette Hill/Valley Forge are probably your sweet spots. Again, $800 is probably a tad low however. As for norristown, it's neighboring KOP so you'd be seconds from work, but norristown has some "undesirable" sections so be careful. It probably is a bit cheaper for that fact.

Good luck and I'd be happy to answer more questions as I'm actively looking in the same areas as yourself.

[Jeanie Beanie]

A former coworker who left 6 months ago for a job in Philly stopped by work yesterday to say Hi to the gang while he was in the area. He's single and in his mid-20's and he moved to Manayunk when he got his job. Well, he LOVES Manayunk. He has a car which he uses for his commute, but he has the whole main street, nightlife scene, which he LOVES. He also now has a girlfriend (not to sound like a dating ad.)

Apparently, if you're a 20-something, Manayunk is still the place to be. (If you should have non-traditional commute times the commute to KOP is not that bad at all. But, sometimes the traffic does just inch along.)

Good Luck.

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by Jettsen

Thanks for the info. I'm also looking at Norristown--from what people know, would it be cheaper cost of living than KOP?

stay far away from Norristown proper.. Where the courthouse is.. Bad area.. I would look around K of K where you job is. Close to work and a great area.

[Jettsen]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

stay far away from Norristown proper.. Where the courthouse is.. Bad area.. I would look around K of K where you job is. Close to work and a great area.

About how long would it take for me to get into the city by car if I lived in King of Prussia? Is there a train that has easy access to the city from there?

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by Jettsen

About how long would it take for me to get into the city by car if I lived in King of Prussia? Is there a train that has easy access to the city from there?

K of P to Center city on off hours(non rush hours) is a 25 minute undertaking. During rush maybe 45-60 minutes.

[ThisGirlBuildsIt]

As another young female, I would absolutely recommend Manayunk for you, as a newcomer to the area. Its a really nice place to live, the people are friendly, good amenities in the area (grocery, shops, banks, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc) and parking is pretty much always available. Its roughly 1/2hour from KoP and 20 minutes from Center City. There is a regional rail (Septa) that runs into the city, however its a lovely drive down Kelly Drive into the city. I lived in Manayunk for 6 years (during and after college) and loved how it was a neighborhood, yet so close to the city! And its a great transition area if you live there for a bit to get familiar with the area, then move into the city or out toward your job. Also, its right near a ton of good parks, hikes, outdoor areas, biking paths, etc... $800 will get you a nice place in this area. Check out "East Falls" and "Roxborough" for housing.. You can find houses/apt or apt building. Alden Park is a nice big, old, complex, gated, and safe. I lived there for a few years and liked it very much, a complex might help an out-of-towner meet people too!!

Good luck with your search!!

[Marius Pontmercy]

Originally Posted by Jettsen

About how long would it take for me to get into the city by car if I lived in King of Prussia? Is there a train that has easy access to the city from there?

You'd have to park at Norristown Transportation Center.