How well will $60,000/Year fare (Live in PA or DE) (Philadelphia: apartment, renters)

[jaxtigers]

Hey all,

Excuse me if this has been asked to death but I'm contemplating taking a new job in a city outside of Philly called Chadd Fords. I would be making 58k a year with a 2k sign on bonus. I am 23 years old and I don't go out like crazy but I like to not have to worry about my finances for sure. I have been working around a year down here in Florida as a Transportation Engineer and have been offered a role up there as a Geotechnical Engineer. Completely different discipline, but I'm looking to make that switch and get out of the South.

I have no debt to speak of right now, car paid off, etc. I would like to save a good amount each month and continue to grow savings. I would want to live alone, at least for the first year. What area would you guys recommend I move to? I've heard the commute from Philly can be kind of rough. I know there's several options including Wilmington, Philadelphia, Media, etc. Just trying to figure out the best place to make everything work and have a good time here and there too. Thanks!

[KansastoSouthphilly]

Chadds Ford is an affluent, family oriented suburb. Might not be the most interesting place to live in. Nearby I would look at Media or the Trolley Square neighborhood of Wilmington if you are looking to find an area with some nightlife and single people your age. I agree Philly may be a bit far to commute especially if you are not used to our horrific traffic. You would also have to pay an extra just under 4% tax on your income if you live in city limits. I don't think you will have much difficulty affording that area on your salary without debt.

[chessimprov]

Wilmington is far if you have to be at work by a certain time unless you love getting up early, etc.
I'd recommend Media, nearby Media, another suburb like Conshohocken, or Philadelphia proper whether it's downtown or outside like East Falls, Fishtown, Manayunk, East Passyunk, or Queen Village.

Since you're from the South, living right in the city might be a difficult adjustment to start with.

[PHL10]

^^^^ You sure you mean Conshohocken considering you shot down Wilmington due to the commute?

[1ondoner]

If you're going to be working in Chadd Fords, you should look into living in West Chester. At 23 yrs old 58K is good money but it also depends how much you are making now. The COL is not cheap in Philly.

[ElijahAstin]

I second West Chester, Media, and Wilmington (in approximately that order).

Philadelphia proper, even hip neighborhoods south of Center City like East Passayunk, will be a rough commute unless you’re willing and able to commute during off-hours (for you, that would probably mean arriving early and leaving late).

$58,000 is fine for a young, single person fresh out of college, assuming ordinary debt levels. Unless you’re looking to squeeze every penny, I wouldn’t be too concerned with the minor to moderate wage/income tax differences between areas. Just find somewhere you like with a commute you can stomach.

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by jaxtigers

Hey all,

Excuse me if this has been asked to death but I'm contemplating taking a new job in a city outside of Philly called Chadd Fords. I would be making 58k a year with a 2k sign on bonus. I am 23 years old and I don't go out like crazy but I like to not have to worry about my finances for sure. I have been working around a year down here in Florida as a Transportation Engineer and have been offered a role up there as a Geotechnical Engineer. Completely different discipline, but I'm looking to make that switch and get out of the South.

I have no debt to speak of right now, car paid off, etc. I would like to save a good amount each month and continue to grow savings. I would want to live alone, at least for the first year. What area would you guys recommend I move to? I've heard the commute from Philly can be kind of rough. I know there's several options including Wilmington, Philadelphia, Media, etc. Just trying to figure out the best place to make everything work and have a good time here and there too. Thanks!

Nice, congrats on the job offer and possible move north. I used to work in Chadds Ford and live in South Philly for a few years; and, per the other posters' comments here, the commute is pretty rough. It's only 30 miles but easily takes 75-90 minutes during rush hour. However, the city is the city and there is nothing that can replicate living downtown. I would never have traded those years of city living even with a longer commute.

Unfortunately, since the greater Chadds Ford area is pretty family-oriented and very suburban (almost rural), your living options are limited if you want any semblance of QOL. The following locations are really your only options IMO: West Chester, Media, Philadelphia. With this said, those are all good options and you should have a great experience living in any of the above areas.

[jaxtigers]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

Nice, congrats on the job offer and possible move north. I used to work in Chadds Ford and live in South Philly for a few years; and, per the other posters' comments here, the commute is pretty rough. It's only 30 miles but easily takes 75-90 minutes during rush hour. However, the city is the city and there is nothing that can replicate living downtown. I would never have traded those years of city living even with a longer commute.

Unfortunately, since the greater Chadds Ford area is pretty family-oriented and very suburban (almost rural), your living options are limited if you want any semblance of QOL. The following locations are really your only options IMO: West Chester, Media, Philadelphia. With this said, those are all good options and you should have a great experience living in any of the above areas.

Thank you! Looks like there is a train line that goes from Media to Philly? I figure Media would be an easier commute to work and I could just ride the train to Philly on the weekends if I want to experience the city. Doesn't look like there's much in Media itself.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by ElijahAstin

I second West Chester, Media, and Wilmington (in approximately that order).

Philadelphia proper, even hip neighborhoods south of Center City like East Passayunk, will be a rough commute unless you’re willing and able to commute during off-hours (for you, that would probably mean arriving early and leaving late).

$58,000 is fine for a young, single person fresh out of college, assuming ordinary debt levels. Unless you’re looking to squeeze every penny, I wouldn’t be too concerned with the minor to moderate wage/income tax differences between areas. Just find somewhere you like with a commute you can stomach.

agree (3rded) given the age, West Chester is a reasonable commute with a decent nightlife (college town of sorts)


Media isn't a bad option either for commute and place to live (the nicer thing about Media is that it is closer to the city which offers a ton plus a trolley that runs into the city)


would imagine both WC and Media would have a variety of price points for renters

[briantroutman]

In response to your question, yes, there is most definitely a train from Media to Philadelphia. Actually, you have two rail options to the city: A one-seat Regional Rail ride from Media to Center City—or—hop on a trolley on Media’s main street (State Street), then transfer to the Market-Frankford Line at 69th Street.

Depending on your priorities, Media could be the best option for you. The commute to Chadds Ford will be reasonable, and you still have a car-free route into Philadelphia for evening/weekend entertainment. Plus, Media itself offers you more than a place to sleep (see below). There’s really no other suburb that could offer you as much of all three checklist items.

You mentioned that it looked like didn’t look there was “much in Media itself”. I suppose that depends on what you’re looking for. Media is something of a regional draw for entertainment, dining, and shopping. People from across Philadelphia’s western suburbs (Springfield, Newtown Square, Brookhaven, etc.) descend upon Media every weekend for a night out. Media’s State Street is lined with restaurants, bars, and shops and is host to a number of live music festivals and other special events. Granted, it’s not a very young or edgy crowd (I’d say the average age is probably mid 30s), but you’re not going to find much of that in the suburbs, anyway.

If you are looking for an active scene of 20-somethings, you really have only two options: Live in a hip city neighborhood and deal with a long, slow, soul-sucking drive out of the city to Chadds Ford every day—or—you could look at West Chester. I was a student at WCU living in an apartment within walking distance of downtown, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. I’d say West Chester is similar to Media in many ways (similar sized town, similar business landscape, similar crowds)—just with the dynamic of college students thrown in (hence the 20-somethings). But in my opinion, the major downside of West Chester is its isolation from Philadelphia. There’s no train (service was cut back in the ’80s), and the drive to the city is long enough to be a pain. (Plus, Philadelphia’s a city you don’t want to drive to or have to park in if you can avoid it.)

I hope this information helps. Good luck in your search!