For more than a decade, Philadelphia has seen a slow and steady growth in its population. With ample job opportunities in the legal realm, 12 Fortune 500 company headquarters, and the federal government—not to mention one of the largest health education and research centers in the U.S.—as well as a historic pull and diverse cultures, the City of Brotherly love gives a great place to live.
So, are you looking to move to Philadelphia? Then here’s 5 things you need to know beforehand.
1. Know your Philadelphia neighborhoods
As with any major metro or large city, Philadelphia has many neighborhoods and communities for you to enjoy, from densely packed and historical Center City—the core of downtown Philadelphia—to hip enclaves such as Fishtown to rows and rows of museums in Logan Square of Fairmount. Click here to explore more of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods before moving into town.
2. How to travel in Philadelphia
Philly is definitely a pedestrian city, so much so it is ranked among the top 5 walkable cities according to Walk Score, particularly in areas such as Center City West, Rittenhouse Square, and Avenue of the Arts South. This is no small thanks to the city’s founder William Penn and his simple grid system. This also adds to the city’s bikeability, with more than 440 miles of dedicated bike lanes.
If biking or walking isn’t your thing, the city does have a subway, 70 different bus routes, and the Septa Regional Rail.
3. Eat like a Philadelphian
Any time you want to become a local, you need to know where the locals eat. And yes, there is food beyond soft pretzels and cheesesteaks in Philly. Locals love to grab Middle Eastern cuisine at Zahav in Center City, enjoy pizza in Midtown Village’s Barbuzzo, or visit Talula’s Garden for some American flavors when near Washington Square.
And if you do want cheesesteak, locals recommend Dalessandro’s in Roxborough. Again, if you wanna be a local, you might as well eat like one.
4. You’re Not a Tourist to Enjoy Philadelphia’s History
Given it’s big historic pull, there will be a lot of tourists, but you certainly don’t need to consider yourself one if you want to check out the spaces for yourself. And if you do want to explore history like a native Philadelphian, check out such spots as Indepence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, or Congress Hall. And if you want to explore history beyond America’s patriotic heritage, you can even visit the Edgar Allan Poe House.
5. How to reduce cost of living in Philadelphia
According to Expatistan, a site dedicated to detailing the cost of living in cities, Philadelphia can be a costly city, more than nearly 70% of cities in the U.S. A family of four is estimated to spend more than $4,200 a month, with a single person expecting to nearly spend $2,200 a month.
And while things such as walking, packing your own lunch, and maybe forgoing daily coffee runs, one way we recommend saving money in Philadelphia is renting a storage unit. Philadelphia self storage allows you to maximize your living or business storage space without the high cost of increasing your apartment, upsizing your home, or relocating your business. Click here to see more on how Philadelphia storage facilities can help you during your move.
