Philadelphia Metro Area vs DC Metro Area

Submitted by BusyAccountant7 t3_yfbffg in philadelphia

I currently live in MD about 30 miles outside of DC. I'm thinking about moving to the Philadelphia area. I can get a transfer with my current employer without too much trouble. The pros and cons for where I currently live are:

Pros- The suburb I live in has shops, many different kinds of restaurants, a hospital, a park and pretty much every amenity and public service you could want.

The subdivision I live in is very quiet but the shops etc are in walking distance. And my neighborhood is racially diverse.

The DC area has a lot of cultural events and attractions. I like museums, movies, live music, theater and libraries.

The Metro and other public transit is actually pretty good and not expensive. Also, DC is designed for walking and biking.

I'm a geeky lady and there are a lot of other geeky ladies to hang out with. I like SciFi and Fantasy books, movies and TV. I used to be really into comics, now not so much. I would be interested in playing D&D again.

My town is safe and low crime. As long as you stay out of the worst neighborhoods, DC is fairly safe too.

We have seasons, but winters are mild with little snow.

All my doctors are here. I have a few chronic conditions so this is important.

DC is in the Northeast Corridor and I'm near Route 95 and 3 airports so it's easy to get anywhere I want.

DC is pretty LGBTQ+ friendly. I'm bi and I've never had a problem.

Cons- Housing is hideously expensive. I want to move to a slightly bigger home, with 3 bedrooms instead of 2. There are none in my price range. Not even close.

The cost of living in general is pretty expensive, like gas and groceries.

I'm far from my family. My brother lives in West Philly. He's the closest. Everyone else is either in New England or PNW.

My commute into DC is horrendous. At least 90 minutes in the morning and usually 2 hours in the evening. And the roads suck.

Getting anywhere is difficult because of the traffic, which is bad at all hours of the day, every day. If it isn't in my neighborhood, it's going to be a pain. I have to drive to get to the nearest Metro station, which makes the benefit of transit far less.

Parking is either plentiful but expensive or non-existent. There is no in-between.

All everyone wants to talk about is politics or sports. I'm burned out on politics because it's depressing as a liberal woman and if it isn't hockey I'm not interested. I could maybe be convinced to become a Flyers fan.

Do you think I would be happy in the Philadelphia area? I would have to take a 5% pay cut, but I think it's doable. My employer has 2 offices in Philly, 1 near Independence Hall and 1 near the 33rd St Station. There are also offices in Cherry Hill and King of Prussia, but they might be harder to transfer to. I would want to live in a suburb similar to my current one and have no more than a 45 minute commute.

I'm worried about the level of crime. My work can involve going to people's homes and businesses, not always in the best neighborhoods. But housing looks so much cheaper there. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance!

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ap_23 t1_iu3qqck wrote

The two towns I think of when I read your post are Media in PA, and Collingswood in NJ.

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Brahette t1_iu46geu wrote

Former fed here. I lived in Philly, moved to DC for my fed job, was there for almost 6 years, and ultimately moved back to Philly a year ago bc I wanted to buy a house and settle down, we were still full remote, and those options weren't available to me in DC. I'm no longer a fed, switched back to consulting a few months ago. Philly has everything DC has but on a smaller scale, way better food imo, and you don't get stuck in the politics suck. I enjoyed my time in DC but I'm a Philly gal at heart and could never shake that out of me. SEPTA doesn't hold a candle to Metro, I'll give DC that win. Other than that, really the only thing I miss in DC is boozy brunch (PA liquor laws are weird)

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ponte95ma t1_iu2z626 wrote

A few jobs ago, my shop in the Philly 'burbs merged with an org in DC, so I got to do several Beltway commutes. And ...

No. Just, no. DC traffic is stupid bonkers.

The list of shitshows less dehumanizing than Beltway traffic is ... as long as Beltway traffic, and includes Conshohocken Curve slowdowns because a family of ducks is trying to cross the Schuylkill.

My sister-in-law actually left DC for Philly while keeping her old job down there, and commuting in on Amtrak quiet cars.

I haven't compared numbers any time recently, but when I rode the rails to New York City for a more recent job, the joke about Philly being the sixth borough became a reality. (Still have a friend from that office who never left the Philly area: "Manhattan money, Philly rents!")

So OP, sorry if this is a dumb question, but ... this brother of yours in West Philly ... have you visited him much? Impressions?

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu3291w wrote

I've only visited him overnight once. For a long while, he was sharing an apartment with a bunch of roommates so it just wasn't possible. Just before the panini, I stayed with him and his wife for a few days and we hung out. Mostly in West Philly. It felt too much like the city for me. I'd rather live in the suburbs.

I have actually thought about living near Philly and keeping my job in DC. My current office is about a mile from Union Station. Since Philly is less than 200 miles as the crow flies from the office, I could continue to telework and I'd only have to go to the office 2 days out of every 2 week pay period. I need to think on that.

And you're right. DC traffic is INSANE. I once got stuck on the Beltway because a concert had backed up traffic both ways. It took me 7 hours to get home. I was ready to die in my car.

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ponte95ma t1_iu36qkq wrote

Ah, okay, thanks for elaborating.

So yeah, aim for the bluer 'burbs that others have already suggested, albeit at the expense of your geekdom, which I feel only Center City would support properly.

The regional rail service that connects the suburbs and 30th Street Station (Philadelphia's Amtrak hub) runs much less frequently than do your DC Metro, New York's LIRR, etc. That infrequency likely rules out keeping and commuting to your job in DC. Given your experience with awful commutes, don't consider a DC office from a Philly home unless you're willing to live in town. I might not even recommend it from West Philly.

IANARealtor but given your post's references to affordable homes and airports, and your subsequent response to u/pillingz (I lived near Bethlehem as a kid; Musikfest!), I might steer you toward Media.

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Brahette t1_iu47605 wrote

> I could continue to telework and I'd only have to go to the office 2 days out of every 2 week pay period. I need to think on that.

This is how I knew you were a fed lol. If staying working for your agency's DC office, I would push back and ask for full remote. The 2 days per pay period is for locality only. Basically that means you have to go to the office 2 days per pay period in order to continue getting DC locality. If you're full remote, that means you give up DC locality and get Philly locality instead. I had this entire argument with my agency as well, ultimately I quit because of it (among other reasons).

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nothankyoutwo t1_iu3x3d6 wrote

You sound like you work for the Government lol and now Iā€™m wondering which one has offices in those spots. Most of my team works in DC and live in the DC suburbs; some with commutes close to 2 hours one way. Weā€™re very grateful for a telework friendly organization; we also only have to report to the office twice per pay period.

The 5% pay cut youā€™d take by moving up here would absolutely be cancelled out by the lower cost of living. Say you were to take a transfer to the office near independence mall, check out the areas around Collingswood, NJ for living. Super easy commute on the PATCO train into Philly and just a couple of blocks walk to the office. Talking about a half hour absolute max, which includes time spent getting to PATCO, on the train, and then walking to the building. Plan it right, you can cut it down to 15-20.

One of the differences with our suburbs here, is many are less walkable than some of the DC suburbs. I feel like in DC, a lot of the close in suburbs are more like little cities themselves with their own downtown. Up here, itā€™s definitely more suburban sprawl. But thatā€™s not to say there arenā€™t some really cute, walkable areas. And traffic isnā€™t nearly as congested here outside of normal rush hour.

The Philly metro area is really nicely positioned. Down to DC in 2-3 hours; up to NYC in less than 2. Down the shore in under 2. Up the mountains in about 2-3 as well. We have fewer airports, but honestly PHL is better than its reputation. The DC metro beats our public transportation easily because of its expanse, but ours really isnā€™t awful. Better than a lot off other cities.

I have family that just moved back to this area after being in DC for a few decades. They kept a lot of their DC doctors and just make a little trip out of visits to visit friends they still have down there. They are retired so this is probably easier for them to do than it would someone who is still working. The Philly area has great medical care as well.

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Series_G t1_iu40inm wrote

This is a great answer. Been in Philly 20 yrs now. My wife and I lived in DC for years and I still travel down for work. I adore all that DC has to offer but the traffic and cost of living are just absurd. Your 5% percent pay cut will be offset by lower housing costs.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the Philly vibe. People here take the Philly grit and spirit much more seriously than you find in DC. Not many people in DC are actually from DC and it doesn't have the working class roots you find in Philly. I love the chip on Philly's shoulder, but it isnt for everybody.

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu42czr wrote

Huh, I hadn't thought about the vibe. I think 8 really need to spend some time in Philly getting a feel for it. Thanks!

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu42891 wrote

Thanks, this is really helpful! And yes, I do work for the government. šŸ˜†

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nothankyoutwo t1_iu4381h wrote

I knew it lol. Iā€™ll add this then. Being a federal employee in the Philly metro area is a pretty sweet deal. Our locality is less than DC, obviously, but not a lot really and itā€™s very decent when considering actual cost of living. Plus, there are a lot of agencies with offices in the area, so depending on your series, thereā€™s a lot of opportunities for advancement without having to go to the DC rat race.

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abaoaqu t1_iu2xkjm wrote

Come for a visit, two days and nights at least. Crime has never been an issue for me living in East Passyunk, the Cedar Park/Spruce Hill area of West Philly, or CC/Rittenhouse. Youā€™d be just fine up in Fishtown/Northern Liberties too. Crime exists, and is on an upswing like it is everywhere in the US, but thereā€™s a reason media/police unions/right wing officials tend to emphasize law and order during election years and that might be driving a lot of the negative Philly press youā€™re seeing. As far as arts and culture go, thereā€™s plenty for both mainstream and alt scenes. Canā€™t speak too well on the LGBTQ scene, but I have trans friends that live in west philly and south Philly quite comfortably. And thereā€™s always the gayborhood. If you want to check out the burbs, Iā€™d say take a look at Media and Swarthmore to the West or some of the Jersey burbs like Collingswood to the East.

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu32lz0 wrote

Thanks, I'll chuck those neighborhoods out. What's considered the gayborhood in Philly?

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zac987 t1_iu4gbk0 wrote

Here are my thoughts:

-If you choose the Cherry Hill location, you could live in Collingswood, NJ. It's safe, 20 minute PATCO train to Philly (24/7), 20 minute drive to Philly, lots of shops and restaurants. Seems similar to what you have now. Very LGBT friendly.

-If you choose King of Prussia, you could live in Ardmore, PA. Similar story to Collingswood but the trains are SEPTA regional rail and they have less frequency. A little snootier on the Main Line in general, but Ardmore is pretty cool.

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g_d15 t1_iu47spz wrote

I lived in DC area for college and am from Philly area. Imo both cities offer similar things but Iā€™m prob bias, I think Philly is so much better. DC cost of living, traffic, and the depressing notion that 99% of people I interacted with were in the world of govt/military, politics, or tech. Just seemed like everyone was out for themselves way more than the average person in philly. I think philly has better food options and culture in general. SEPTA isnā€™t as vast as DC metro for subway, but itā€™s honestly not as bad as us on this sub like to make it seem. Itā€™s also so much cheaper. DC metro is so expensive and they donā€™t even keep up with the maintenance of it. Again, Iā€™m bias to this area and I was severely depressed in college lol.

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MoreShenanigans t1_iu36ci8 wrote

I'm from Philly but lived in DC for awhile. The biggest thing that struck me is that the DC metro is so much better than SEPTA. We have two main train services, regional rail, and the regular trains. Regional rail is usually clean but is pricier and has very low frequency. The other trains are typically dirty unfortunately, including the stations, and can be sketchy in certain neighborhoods.

DC seems to pay for much more cleaning than Philly, because it's generally much cleaner.

Crime is pretty bad in Philly right now, probably worse than in DC.

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DelcoPAMan t1_iu2sprk wrote

King of Prussia area might work out for you. It is expensive but going a bit further away but still close might work for you. E.g., Berwyn, Paoli

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Brraaap t1_iu2vvsn wrote

Move to Conshy, take the train to the office

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pasnow t1_iu4k6tm wrote

If you're looking at a suburb look at Conshohocken or Glenside.

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jacknjilled t1_iu54lys wrote

Letā€™s face it, is it Always Sunny in D.C.???

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demography_llama t1_iu2u16z wrote

Why not come spend a weekend in Philly and the surrounding suburbs to see if you'd like it? Philly is a city of neighborhoods. There's really something for everyone.

Regional rail gives you plenty of options regarding suburbs. If you're thinking about commuting via rail to one of your company's downtown locations, check out areas like Media, Manayunk, and Conshohocken. There's the Mainline (e.g., Narberth) that are pricey, but have lovely main streets.

I hear you on housing prices in DC. I briefly lived in DC before moving to Philly. I've largely stayed because I was able to buy a home here. And, regarding crime, Philly is more block-by-block than DC.

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu32fm8 wrote

Yeah, I think the Mainline might be out of reach for me, but I'll look at the others.

When you say crime is block by block, what do you mean?

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DisciplineShot2872 t1_iu35qi0 wrote

I'm in a poorer part of town, in the NE. Not bad, but rough around the edges. My block is decent, kids outside, not rowdy. Houses and cars a little worn, but cared for. One block up is cleaner, cars are nicer, holiday decorations are fancier, houses in better shape. One block down is dirty, crappy cars, lots of trash, no kids outside, and a drive by homicide on Memorial Day. My block feels perfectly safe, but I slide over a block when a walk to the supermarket to avoid the one due south.

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu36b2n wrote

I see. That makes sense.

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mistersausage t1_iu6ppwx wrote

Look at the shootings map and you can see which neighborhoods in the city you may want to consider living, if you decide the suburbs aren't for you. Some neighborhoods have effectively zero gun crime, others are, well, probably more dangerous than Afghanistan. https://controller.phila.gov/philadelphia-audits/mapping-gun-violence/#/?year=2022&map=11.00%2F39.98500%2F-75.15000

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pillingz t1_iu2z3m1 wrote

What do you already know about Philadelphia?

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu310w3 wrote

I used to live near Bethlehem and I went to Rider University, so I used to come into the city occasionally for events. But honestly? Not much more than that. I should do some more research. I'm just not sure where to start.

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ThaGreeks t1_iu32y7o wrote

Hate to burst your bubble. I recently moved here from the DC metro myself for work. I've found the following: Philly SEPTA is no DC metro (trains aren't frequent enough, nor do they go many places in town, its truely a commuter rail for suburban workers to get to the office & back home), Suburbs are sleepy & full of families up here (no high-rises with restuarants & shopping like Arlington or Bethesda). There aren't cultural attractions everywhere (but DC is unique in this aspect cuz Capitol, Kennedy and Embassies). The city is dingier than you expect, with streets & sidewalks that are often cracked and aren't clean. I'm from Arlington and in Philly, I always have to dress down. There's also a lot more homelessness. And it is true that crime is worse here (since not everyone works some secret job where they're concerned about their clearance). I'm a man and would be concerned about visiting random places... There's a reason this place is more affordable. EDIT: some people are downvoting, but I'm just providing my experience vs DC. don't mean to step on your identity, but this place is objectively dirtier

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pup12345 t1_iu4p7qz wrote

I mean this with zero snark- which suburbs have you explored?

Wayne, Media, Ardmore, West Chester, Bryn Mawr, Doylestown, Collingswood, Haddonfield, to name a few, have great, authentic ā€œMain Streetsā€ with amazing restaurants. Valley Forge National Park sits just north of the Main Line.

Just curious! :)

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[deleted] t1_iu40p8t wrote

[deleted]

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu42jdz wrote

I don't live that far from Bethesda, but where I live is cheaper than Bethesda. I'll have to look at Cherry Hill. My cousin lives near there.

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sciencefaire t1_iu44vwz wrote

I think that even if you like the suburbs, cherry Hill might be just a little too suburby for you if you're used to having your amenities very close by. You'd have to drive literally everywhere. You might consider nearby towns such as Collingswood, haddonfield, Haddon heights, westmont, or the surrounding areas if you're considering a move to the NJ suburbs. They have more of a tiny downtown usa feel that gives you walking to some amenities depending where you are in town, while still allowing you to get in your car and drive if you need to get other places. Plus they're super accessible to the patco train that will bring you right into center city.

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zac987 t1_iu4gw8i wrote

PATCO towns for life, baby!!!

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butiamsotired t1_iu43nno wrote

So I used to live and work in DC and moved back to the Philly area for family reasons, and I've seen my friends from my time in DC slowly move away for a lot of the reasons you cited. I live in the southern NJ burbs near 295, and I think you could find something like what you want here, especially around Collingwood or Haddon Heights. There's a fair amount of nerd stuff this side of the bridge, my husband and I are partial to Tiki Tiki Board Games in Woodbury, who has a whole Nerd Mall setup. If you want to research nerd culture around here, you could always come up for Pax Unplugged at the convention center the first weekend of December.

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu4ackr wrote

Oh, Pax Unplugged sounds like an idea! I might come up for that! Thanks!

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Zfusco t1_iu4kgpv wrote

Commute is 100% doable. If you're down to take the train, 45 minutes is a fairly generous radius around Philly.

Housing is in a wierd spot, it's still cheap for a major city, but I think anything new has sort of outpaced itself a bit. If you're not looking to buy new, I still think much of philly is a solid bargain, and there's some interesting architecture as well. Manayunk/Roxborough are still relatively well priced for the combination of safety and things to do.

> Parking is either plentiful but expensive or non-existent. There is no in-between.

Pretty neighborhood dependant here, I've been street parking in Manayunk for 3 years now, and I've never had to walk more than 2 blocks. South Philly would be a different story. If you need to drive yourself around a lot for work, I wouldn't recommend south philly, more CC neighborhoods like rittenhouse, grad hospital, etc. are a bit better, but you could still realistically end up with a 5-6 block walk if you get home late.

If you want to live in the burbs and can swing it, Wynnewood, Bryn mawr have a pretty lively "mainstreet" feel around lancaster (the road, not the city) and have a good mix of restaurants, bars, shopping, etc. No high rises or anything, but there are apartments and condos are reasonable pricing. The area around Villanova is also fairly lively. All those area's are extremely safe and traffic is honestly moderate.

I haven't spent a significant amount of time in every suburb, but I spend a fair amount of time in the mainline neighborhoods close to the city, they definitely have some areas with a mainstreet feel, I'd personally feel pretty safe biking around them as well, you can accomplish nearly all your errands within biking distance in those areas. Traffic is nowhere near as bad as DC, even on 76. Winter is probably pretty comparable tbh.

> I'm worried about the level of crime. My work can involve going to people's homes and businesses, not always in the best neighborhoods.

That's a somewhat legitimate concern.

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BusyAccountant7 OP t1_iu5929t wrote

Thanks, I hadn't thought about Bryn Mawr. This is a lot of helpful info!

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