Are couples with young kids still leaving Philly? (Reading, York: city hall, houses)

[selhars]

Years ago I know they did....but I read -- here I think -- that numbers show more (a greater percentage) are staying, even after their kids are school age. (And I suppose, just making sure their kids get in the best schools they can.)

I ask because I was walking in Northern Liberties yesterday morning early. And saw a fair number of parents with strollers....going to the gym, or juice bar, or a breakfast place.

And I thought to myself, "I wonder how many of these people who just loooove city living will move out when this kids in the stroller is 5 or six?

(I've seen the same in the "Graduate Hospital," Rittenhouse- and Washington Square areas.)

=======================

It was also on my mind because a new acquaintance who lives in Radnor (DelCo) butthisclosetoVillanova -- has sent her kids to private school from kindergarten on. And I thought if you live in Radnor and sent your kid to private school for her entire life...you REALLY must not think much of ANY public school. But they've got the 30K a year to do it, so...whatever. She bemoans that if she were just literally on the other side of the street, she'd be in Villanova. (To which I think..."poor thing lives in Radnor, DelCo.....")

Any way that's why the city school system was on my mind.

[DXBtoFL]

Yes.

More are staying but most do leave eventually. I have coworkers with young children living in the city but they all anticipate moving for the schools.

[Redddog]

It's a decision parents make and it's not for the faint of heart. It comes down to whether you feel like you can advocate for your child through the relatively limited choices of good school situations vs the relative ease in which you can achieve that, scholastically, in the burbs. For us, it was down to the question of whether we wanted to have a more culturally rich experience for our children vs a more "sterile" experience you typically find in the burbs. I grew up in the latter (in a burb outside of the city) and vowed that I would try for something different for my kids.

Then there's the whole perceived "safety" thing. I have a different opinion on this as I am someone who grew up in the burbs. There was probably more drugs, alcohol and bad actors in the burbs than you find in the city - they're just wearing polo shirts and vans. Again, you have to find the right situation but when we stayed in the city, we found that there were several parents who were devoted to staying in town and felt as though they received a great education for their kids - as well as a cultural benefit that you can't find elsewhere.

Again, you have to work a bit harder but, in our case, it was well worth it.

[skintreesnail]

have child who will be starting kindergarten in the fall. We plan to stay. Being able to walk to work/grocery store/museums is a huge draw for us. I do miss nature from time-to-time, but there are plenty of nice parks nearby and we can take road trips whenever. We like row houses as opposed to the huge (mostly mcMansion style) houses you get in the suburbs and the need to battle traffic every day. Some of the older suburbs with the defined main street are nice, but you still miss out on the culture aspect and still are for the most part car-centric. There are obvious downsides to living in the city too, but for us it tips towards staying in the city.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by skintreesnail

We like row houses as opposed to the huge (mostly mcMansion style) houses you get in the suburbs and the need to battle traffic every day.

That's not really the choice people need to make. There are shades of gray on both sides. You can live in a McMansion in an auto-centric neighborhood in the city with bad schools and you can live in a rowhome in a walkable suburb with good schools.

[DavePa]

Sadly, this is a common trait of most of our large cities. Even many booming sunbelt ones. But especially up North. So my point is ..... this is not unique to Philly whatsoever. Some chose private schools very costly or Parochial schools. What are left of them. If families stay.

To go into details of why and public schools themselves. Will only degrade the thread and we all know how.

[KoNgFooCj]

Originally Posted by DXBtoFL

Yes.

More are staying but most do leave eventually. I have coworkers with young children living in the city but they all anticipate moving for the schools.

Damn. It sucks they're leaving just for the schools. Does this happen in cities like Chicago and New York too?

[skintreesnail]

Originally Posted by PHL10

That's not really the choice people need to make. There are shades of gray on both sides. You can live in a McMansion in an auto-centric neighborhood in the city with bad schools and you can live in a rowhome in a walkable suburb with good schools.

sure, I'm not saying you can't find a rowhouse outside of the city, that's just one of the reasons I listed we like the city. It's really taking into account everything that makes us stay in the city. Media, West Chester, Ardmore, etc. are all nice walkable suburbs with good schools and pretty housing. But there is no PMA, no Reading Terminal Market, no ice skating at city hall, Blocktoberfest, Italian Market festival, Spruce street harbor, Rittenhouse square, Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, TLA, etc. They don't have the same energy with the slew of sidewalk cafes, shops, restaurants, tourists. That's the stuff that makes us stay. The mcMansion comment was really just a general expression of annoyance that I have that they even exist. I know that many of the older towns don't have as many and I know that you can find some in the city. And though a suburb might be considered walkable, how walkable is it really? Would I have several grocery stores, parks, playgrounds, schools, museums, theaters and my office all within a 10-minute walk? I get that not everyone's experience of living in the city is the same, but I'm just sharing the desirable qualities that I see and what influences our decision to raise a child in the city.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by skintreesnail

sure, I'm not saying you can't find a rowhouse outside of the city, that's just one of the reasons I listed we like the city. It's really taking into account everything that makes us stay in the city. Media, West Chester, Ardmore, etc. are all nice walkable suburbs with good schools and pretty housing. But there is no PMA, no Reading Terminal Market, no ice skating at city hall, Blocktoberfest, Italian Market festival, Spruce street harbor, Rittenhouse square, Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, TLA, etc. They don't have the same energy with the slew of sidewalk cafes, shops, restaurants, tourists. That's the stuff that makes us stay. The mcMansion comment was really just a general expression of annoyance that I have that they even exist. I know that many of the older towns don't have as many and I know that you can find some in the city. And though a suburb might be considered walkable, how walkable is it really? Would I have several grocery stores, parks, playgrounds, schools, museums, theaters and my office all within a 10-minute walk? I get that not everyone's experience of living in the city is the same, but I'm just sharing the desirable qualities that I see and what influences our decision to raise a child in the city.

OK, that's great and I know all that but you described the suburbs as "mostly McMansions" as if your only two options are Center City and the exurbs - completely untrue.

For the record, I have never lived in the suburbs but I call them like I see them and mischaracterizing an area where about 4 million people reside, living every time of lifestyle imaginable, doesn't help the conversation.

[skintreesnail]

Originally Posted by PHL10

OK, that's great and I know all that but you described the suburbs as "mostly McMansions" as if your only two options are Center City and the exurbs - completely untrue.

For the record, I have never lived in the suburbs but I call them like I see them and mischaracterizing an area where about 4 million people reside, living every time of lifestyle imaginable, doesn't help the conversation.

You're kind of zeroing in on one thing I said, but I really just meant that whenever I see a really large house in the suburbs, more often than not it's a mcMansion. I'm not saying that's the only type of house in the suburbs and if I'm still misrepresenting then I'll need to just chalk that up to my own experience. In any case, that wasn't meant to be the focal point of what I was trying to say.