Moving to Philadelphia summer 2015

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PHLondoner

To the OP, since your wife will be at Drexel you could consider Spruce Hill (university city). It's an old victorian neighborhood on the left bank of the river (same side of the river as Drexel) with great amenities and transit access.

This may be more space than you need, but since you are planning on starting a family maybe you'll fill it out? For $469,000, great Trolley access and across the street from Clark Park (playgrounds, green space, farmers markets, shakespeare theatre in the summer, etc.)
South 46th Street, Philadelphia PA For Sale

It also has the advantage (both personally and for re-sale) of being located in one of the finest elementary schools in the region (Penn Alexander).

The OP did mention that his wife is aiming to do her masters at the medical school campus of Drexel at 15th and Race Sts. not Drexel's main campus. But anyhow, all the above mentioned neighborhoods should still work just fine.

[mosdefinitely]

If you plan to live in West Philly, try not to live past 40th street (even beyond 38th in certain areas is where it becomes red on the safety map). Make sure to check the safety map, even some of the green areas are places I wouldn't want to raise a family in to be honest (robberies every week, assaults every once in awhile but these almost ALWAYS happen very late at night during weekends). Rittenhouse, center city areas are where you want to look for places to settle.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by mosdefinitely

If you plan to live in West Philly, try not to live past 40th street (even beyond 38th in certain areas is where it becomes red on the safety map). Make sure to check the safety map, even some of the green areas are places I wouldn't want to raise a family in to be honest (robberies every week, assaults every once in awhile but these almost ALWAYS happen very late at night during weekends). Rittenhouse, center city areas are where you want to look for places to settle.

Frequent poster Clark Park, who actually lives near Clark Park, would likely dispute your ideas about what living in University City is like.

[Hawaii4evr]

Chestnut Hill is also a nice area, somewhere you may want to check out.

I live in Elkins Park, and go to Banyan Yoga & Ayurveda. It's a nice studio--love it, been going for months. I'd recommend this neighborhood--there's a co-op, a number of restaurants, some churches and synagogues, and a train station (it's like 15 minutes into Center City). Very walkable suburb and not far from Cheltenham, Abington, and Jenkintown.

[Mimidae]

Originally Posted by mosdefinitely

If you plan to live in West Philly, try not to live past 40th street (even beyond 38th in certain areas is where it becomes red on the safety map). Make sure to check the safety map, even some of the green areas are places I wouldn't want to raise a family in to be honest (robberies every week, assaults every once in awhile but these almost ALWAYS happen very late at night during weekends). Rittenhouse, center city areas are where you want to look for places to settle.

Complete and utter B.S. OP, come to the city, walk around 45th and 46th street between Baltimore Avenue and Spruce, and you be the judge. "Not past 40th street" is an old wives tale that people who don't live in the neighborhood have been espousing since the days, decades ago, when it was a blighted neighborhood (although those gorgeous old Victorians, some even mansions, survived and are now back in top shape). And you know what? Look at crime maps of Center City. There's actually not more crime in University City, out to about 52nd.

If your wife is attending Drexel at 15th and Race, you probably should look in Center City or the immediately adjoining neighborhoods, so as to be between campus and the train station. If you did mean the main campus in University City, do look around Powelton Village, or maybe University City around 43rd, 44th. There's a yoga studio on Baltimore Avenue around 45th, there's a city park on 43rd. Lots of restaurants and healthy dining choices.