got a job near the Philly airport, where do I live? (Philadelphia: crime, houses)

[Carolinemjm]

Hi everyone!
I got a job near the philly airport, and I have no idea where I can live.
I currently live in Miami, so I know and I am prepared for an extreme change, but I still want to live in a nice place, I have a 5 year old girl that will start kindergarden pretty soon and I need to know where to go!
so this is what i want.
Very good school district
Affordable and excellent housing
Not too far from work (willing to commute 40 minutes tops!)
Suburbs
it can be NJ as well
please I need advice and guidance, never lived here before (lived in NJ for a couple of years)
also, not that much money as I am a single mom.
thanks!

[RightonWalnut]

Check out Media, Pennsylvania. It's a great place to raise children and close to the airport.

[drive carephilly]

I would look at the towns clustered along Route 30 just over the Walt Whitman Bridge - particularly Collingswood, Oaklyn, Westmont, Audubon, Haddon Heights, Barrington, etc.

[toobusytoday]

Carolinemjm, What's your price range? Without that you'll just be getting names of places that are within your driving range.

[NJT 9801]

I recommend Cherry Hill, NJ. It's an upscale suburb with good schools, and you will have easy access to all major highways and Interstates that will make you commute to Philly Airport a breeze. You can even live in Delaware that has a lower cost of living, and no crime issues, and still be able to commute to Philly Airport in under 30 minutes via Interstate 95. Stay out of Southwest Philadelphia, and West Philadelphia. There are some quiet neighborhoods surrounding the Airport such as Pennrose Park, and Eastwick which is a 5 minute drive, or bus ride to airport, however, these neighborhoods are located in Southwest Philadelphia just like the Airport, and have terrible public schools. Good luck.

[Carolinemjm]

Thanks eveyone!
@toobusytoday: my price range $1,200.00 tops
I've been looking in mooresville and towns near cherry hill..
I don't know if it's worth living in PA, the schools don't seem that great, but I don't know that's why I need advice!
I really apreciate all the responses!!! Keep 'em coming!!!

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by Carolinemjm

Thanks eveyone!
@toobusytoday: my price range $1,200.00 tops
I've been looking in mooresville and towns near cherry hill..
I don't know if it's worth living in PA, the schools don't seem that great, but I don't know that's why I need advice!
I really apreciate all the responses!!! Keep 'em coming!!!

Where in the world did you get this information? Some of the schools in Chester County, Montgomery County and Bucks County PA are some of the best in the country and the rest are usually above average. It's only in the city of Philadelphia and in Delaware County where you need to be a little more selective. Still there are good schooling options in both of these areas. Masterman in the city constantly ranks as one of the best schools in the nation.

Again, don't know where you got this information from but it is just not true.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

Check out Media, Pennsylvania. It's a great place to raise children and close to the airport.

I agree. And the schools are great.

[UDResident]

Ridley is a great township with a great school district. The houses are a lot more affordable because Ridley is in the southern portion of Delco as opposed to being up further north but it's got neighborhoods that go from working class all the way to middle and upper-middle class. Ridley Park is another great place to live, and it's a part of the Ridley School District. Really anywhere in Southern, Eastern, or more centralized Delco is a great location when it comes to your commute to the airport.

The only school districts to avoid are William Penn, Southeast Delco, and Chester-Upland. Any other school districts you hear people saying to avoid are places they don't know anything about. Interboro is a great school district but I don't know how long Tinicum will stay solid given the way so many other working class areas have eroded over the years so I can't suggest that township. The majority of school districts in Delco are very good to great.

Depending on how far out you're willing to live (considering you're considering living in Jersey, which is way on the other side of the city unless you're talking about Gloucester County), you might like Havertown because it's more affordable in parts than the Main Line but is a part of a Main Line school district thanks to it being a part of Haverford township. It's also very close to the city and a short drive down West Chester Pike to the 69th street terminal, with great bus access. At the same time, it stretches far enough (from bordering the part of Upper Darby that's nearest the city all the way to the furthest west portion of Upper Darby in the Pilgrim Gardens section) that you can very easily escape to a part of it that's much more suburban in character and is very close to Springfield if that's more your preference.

Another suggestion could be Springfield given its connection by trolley to 69th street and to Media but its position west of Upper Darby that keeps it from being all that connected to the city. Of course there's also Media as others mentioned. Really you can take your pick of great neighborhoods in Delco.

The one place I would not live in any part of if I were you is Southwest Philly. I know Kingsessing is seeing gentrification even as far south as Woodland Ave going towards the 50s these days but it's in far too much of a transition for it to be "there" yet, in my opinion. The fact that it borders Darby sure doesn't help either. The "nice" part of Southwest, Eastwick, has lost a lot of industry and has a lot of deep-seeded problems due to the way it was RDA'd among other reasons.