Burbs or City!! (Chester, West Chester, Ardmore: apartment, to rent, condo)

[Wishingicouldbe123]

Hello All,

I am looking for some honest advice here. My boyfriend are are looking to move to the Philly suburbs but are unsure of where to look. What are the best most fun Suburb towns for young people? A lot of people have recommended we move into the city due to our life style, but in a few years we want to settle down and eventually buy a house. So i feel like there is no point moving us into a city apartment, to then move in a few years. My commute would be to the Philly Navy yard and his is going to be to Wilmington DE. I am also willing to hear more opinions about living in the city/which areas would make it worth while to move our lifes there. So many people have been telling us to just find a place in the city. Please help!

Suburbs we have concisdered:
-West Chester
-Conshocken
-Media


Neighborhoods in philly:
-South Philly
-University City


NOTES:
When are you moving? July
Where are you coming from? Newark DE
Why are you moving? Close to commute to Navy Yard for work, need equi distant location for SO working in Wilmington
Where will you be working? Navy Yard Philly
Have you been here yet? Haven't explored much of the city or Suburbs other than a few

Will you buy or rent? Rent, eventually buy
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend?
If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend? Apartment $2000 max/month
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? NA

Do you have a preference of living in a NJ or PA suburb? PA Suburb
(If you answered NJ - post your answers here: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-j...-philadelphia/)

Are you married or single? Do you have children? Dating long term, no kids (eventually)
Do you prefer public or private schools? Public
Do you have pets? Dog
Do you want or need a yard? No
Are you keeping a car? Yes, two
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? A mix
What do you want to be closest to? Work, shopping, nighlight a mix
Work
Shopping
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.)
Nightlife
Train or subway stations

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? Diverse
Favorite Beverage - Craft Beer, wine, water? Wine and Craft Beer


THANKS

[FindingZen]

You've already provided a good amount of info but if you would kindly copy and paste the questions in this thread along with your answers, that would be even more helpful.

I'll say that your choices of suburban towns are among the more popular for younger people. It may come down to how often you envision yourselves enjoying your leisure time in the city, how much of a commute you can endure and what your housing budget is.

[Wishingicouldbe123]

Originally Posted by FindingZen

You've already provided a good amount of info but if you would kindly copy and paste the questions in this thread along with your answers, that would be even more helpful.

I'll say that your choices of suburban towns are among the more popular for younger people. It may come down to how often you envision yourselves enjoying your leisure time in the city, how much of a commute you can endure and what your housing budget is.

Are there any other suburbs you recomnmend? Trying to find the best one for young people. Which is the best in your opinion?

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Wishingicouldbe123

Are there any other suburbs you recomnmend? Trying to find the best one for young people. Which is the best in your opinion?

I'm a recently returned Gen X resident so I may not be the best to ask that question. You've likely picked the top three. Manayunk inside the city and close to Conshohocken may also interest you. Both however would be a lengthy commute to work for each of you, especially your boyfriend.

I currently live in University City and love it. Baltimore Avenue offers an interesting mix of local restaurants, bars and retail. Clark Park (when it's warmer) is a great place to relax among the greenery. You're also just minutes away from all that Center City has to offer. If your boyfriend were working in downtown Wilmington, he could even take the SEPTA train there; if not then the commute could be an issue.

Quite a few neighborhoods make up South Philly. Others more knowledgeable can make specific suggestions but this may be the best compromise (besides arguably Media) of a decent commute for both of you.

Assuming you're looking for no more than a 2BR apt, your budget should pretty much accommodate you everywhere you're interested in.

[Mr. Map Man]

If I were in your shoes I would rent in South Philly. The towns you reference check all the boxes, but your commute to the Navy Yard would significantly impact your quality of life.

IF your commute has no weight in the equation, then Manayunk and WC tend to be on the younger & more diverse side (20s/college crowd), while Conshohocken and Media tend to be millenials/gen-x and less diverse. Rent prices reflect the age/income dynamic as well. I would throw Ardmore into the mix as well if the latter sounds appealing to you.

[DXBtoFL]

4% wage tax for city residents, dropping to 3.5% if only working in the city but living in the suburbs. The partner who works in Delaware will still pay the 4% city wage tax if you live in the city but nil if lives in the suburbs.

Just keep this in mind.

[KansastoSouthphilly]

If you live in West Chester you will have a very long commute to the Navy Yard. If you live in Conshy you will have a very long commute to both the Navy Yard and Wilmington. If you want to live in the suburbs Media is clearly the best option.

If you want to live in the City then I would recommend living in South Philly or Fishtown/Norther Liberties to be close to 95. I would rethink having two cars. You can just take public transit to work. $2k is a good budget, maybe use that to rent a parking spot for the other car. Maybe look at University City if you can find a place with parking.

I don't understanding the concern about settling down. If you eventually plan on buying a house in the suburbs then you will have to move to do that anyway. Moving a bit farther when you do move seems to like an acceptable trade off for living a more enjoyable life the next few years. Plus, at your age, there is a good chance one or both of you will change employers in that time and may be considering different commuting locations.

[bigfish1]

If the commute to wilmington can be done via train then I would suggest University City as there is a train there and a shuttle to the Navy Yard. Otherwise South Philly might be the move but I would ditch the car for the commute to the navy yard.
If you both need to drive then Media might be a good in between but Media is a little more geared towards families but a nice place nonetheless.