
BEST PLACES TO LIVE
Best big-city neighborhoods
Mount Airy, Philadelphia
Median household income: $55,600
Median home value: $221,200
Typical 2-bedroom rental: $1,000
Pros: Mount Airy pairs a racially and religiously diverse population with a neighborhood packed with historic homes and leafy streets.
Germantown Avenue, which divides East and West Mount Airy, is the backbone of the nabe and home to shops, art centers, and restaurants. Houses here start at about $200,000, roughly 30% lower than in neighboring Chestnut Hill (though you can easily pay $500,000 in the tonier parts of West Mount Airy).
Plus, the area is just a 10-minute walk from Fairmount Park, where residents can hike and picnic.
Cons: Crime rates are lower than for the city overall, but theft can still be a problem in East Mount Airy. --Susie Poppick
What's your favorite Philly neighborhood and why? Send a photo of the area and tell us why you love it tobestplaces@cnnmoney.com or #mybestplaces and your top pick may be featured in an upcoming CNNMoney gallery.
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Best big-city neighborhoods
Mount Airy, Philadelphia
Median household income: $55,600
Median home value: $221,200
Typical 2-bedroom rental: $1,000
Pros: Mount Airy pairs a racially and religiously diverse population with a neighborhood packed with historic homes and leafy streets.
Germantown Avenue, which divides East and West Mount Airy, is the backbone of the nabe and home to shops, art centers, and restaurants. Houses here start at about $200,000, roughly 30% lower than in neighboring Chestnut Hill (though you can easily pay $500,000 in the tonier parts of West Mount Airy).
Plus, the area is just a 10-minute walk from Fairmount Park, where residents can hike and picnic.
Cons: Crime rates are lower than for the city overall, but theft can still be a problem in East Mount Airy. --Susie Poppick
What's your favorite Philly neighborhood and why? Send a photo of the area and tell us why you love it tobestplaces@cnnmoney.com or #mybestplaces and your top pick may be featured in an upcoming CNNMoney gallery.
Subscribe to Money Magazine