2. PICK A NEIGHBORHOOD OR SUBURB

The city of Philadelphia is comprised of hundreds of unique neighborhoods, each with its own flair and flavor. To make things easier on you, here are the more popular (and liveable) sections of the city:

  • By far the most popular (and by default most expensive) part of Philadelphia is Center City. The entire downtown area, from historic Old City to ritzy Rittenhouse Square to Chinatown, all fall in this category. Center City is analogous to New York's Manhattan: it's where everything is. Naturally, the most exciting area of the city comes with a large price tag; it's rare to find a decent apartment under $600, and the average cost for a one bedroom apartment falls somewhere around $800.

  • South Philadelphia boasts the daily outdoor food vending strip known as the Italian Market, the Philadelphia sports complex, the Delaware Avenue/Penn's Landing waterfront nightlife, and the infamous Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks (the Montagues and the Capulets of cheesesteak royalty). Apartments in South Philly are reasonably priced, depending on location. You should never have a problem finding a solid apartment for under $650, and you'll often find 'em for much less.

  • West Philadelphia is best known for being home to University City, a conglomeration of several colleges and universities concentrated in the area such the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. Apartment prices near the university campuses tend to be inflated and a lot of landlords are less than reputable, but if you're a student, it offers convenience when going to classes. Here's a warning though: don't go too far west or you'll end up in a rather seedy neighborhood (the place that Fresh Prince left in the opening credits before moving to Bel Air). If you're considering an apartment in West Philadelphia, check out the University of Pennsylvania off-campus housing rent tips.

  • Roxborough, Manayunk, and Chestnut Hill are neighborhoods that are a bit outside of Center City (say, a 10 minute drive), but they have a nice semi-suburban feel. While Manayunk has great nightlife and shopping, for the most part these areas are quiet, spacious, and somewhat well-to-do. The properties are large, and so are the prices-expect to cough up between $650-$1000 for one bedroom apartments. You'll pay a little bit extra for the "trendy" factor.

  • Northeast Philadelphia hosts the biggest chunk of neighborhoods in Philadelphia county, and it almost functions as if its own entity. While there is relatively little to do there in terms of nightlife, there is great shopping: Franklin Mills Mall is absolutely monstrous. And the Northeast's distance (20 minutes or so) from Center City makes for sweet prices; you can find spacious one bedroom apartments for as little as $300-$500 if you look hard enough.

To read more about Philadelphia neighborhoods, check out this review. Although the site is mainly geared toward Penn students, it contains informative descriptions of neighborhoods and the types of housing each offers.

As you're considering which neighborhood to hone in on, keep the following factors in mind:

  • Is the rent affordable?
  • Are the stores, shops, gyms, and bars in the area affordable? (Don't kid yourself into thinking you won't patronize these places; on blistering hot summer days or freezing cold winter evenings, you won't want to go any farther than you have to).
  • Is the neighborhood safe?
  • How close is the public transportation? (see below)
  • What are the nearby schools like?
  • Who lives in that neighborhood? Yuppies? Students? Nudists? DJ Jazzy Jeff?
  • Where will you park your car? If the apartment you're looking at doesn't include parking, how easy is it to park on the street?
  • Is there a laundromat close by if your apartment does not include laundry facilities?

Public transportation in Philadelphia

If you don't have a car, don't worry. Philadelphia is well equipped with SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) lines connecting virtually every part of the city and the surrounding suburbs. SEPTA's high-speed subways, buses, trolleys, and regional trains will very likely take you wherever you need to go. If you'd like Septa maps or information about mass transit in Philadelphia, visit www.septa.org.