The city nicknamed "The City of Brotherly Love" has been the nerve center of the American colonies and birthed many events that eventually led to the American Revolution and the nation's independence. The city's rich intellectual history and religious tolerance has attracted people from across the globe resulting in an international diversity that is vibrant and unique.
Travel and Leisure magazine has named Philadelphia the number one U.S. city for culture. The city is steeped in art history with outdoor sculptures, murals, and museums that house some of the most famous works of renowned artists.
A rise in job opportunities, affordable housing, and being the center for higher educational institutions - all have attracted foreign students, budding artists, and families to settle in this Quaker City.
Here is the guide that will help you relocate smoothly to Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Climate
Located on the eastern seaboard, Philadelphia's climate is moderate due to the presence of the Appalachian Mountains in the west and its proximity to the Delaware and the Schuylkill Rivers.
The summer is hot and humid with high temperatures in July and August. The end of the summer is generally characterized by thunderstorms and rainy weather. Winters are cold with temperatures that drop below freezing, especially during the months of January and February.
Spring and autumn have a pleasant climate with warm weather during the day and cool nights. High humidity during the summer is a frequent occurrence owing to the ocean breezes that surround the city. Flooding occurs in the Schuylkill River during the summer due to heavy precipitation. The northern suburbs receive more rainfall than the other regions. High winds occur during the winter months.
Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Bella Vista and Queen Village are two dynamic neighborhoods located north of Washington Street. The former boasts of a cheap Italian market while the latter has chain stores like a Starbucks and Gap. South Philly, once home to a large Jewish community, is presently racially diverse with Italians, Asians, and African-Americans inhabiting the neighborhood. It is known for plenty of Italian food, lots of parking space and fairly good deals on small row houses.
From being a home to breweries and warehouses, Northern Liberties has evolved to be one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city with art galleries, clubs and salons. Old City is one of the more happening neighborhoods of the city with remnants of colonial architecture, new condos sprouting up everywhere and with clubs, pubs, museums, and restaurants.
Rittenhouse is one of the more expensive neighborhoods with some popular lounges, restaurants, and various avenues for shopping. Fitler Square is another expensive neighborhood which is purely residential and devoid of any commercial traffic.
Registering Your Car
Upon your arrival in Pennsylvania after moving to the state permanently, you have a total of 20 days to update your registration and have your vehicle registered in the state before you may be required to pay a penalty. The price to register your vehicle in Pennsylvania is $36 and the process is similar to the process for titling your car, so both tasks can be completed at the same location at the same time.
A Pennsylvania Driver's License can be obtained at any Pennsylvania DMV location. The state requires new Pennsylvania residents to update their license from their previous state to a Pennsylvania driver's license within 60 days of moving. If you fail to update your driver's license within this 60-day window, you may have to pay a fine.
Philadelphia Schools
The city's public schools are governed by the School District of Philadelphia and it is currently the eighth largest public school district in the United States with over 163,000 students and 347 public and charter schools throughout the city. In addition, Philadelphia is also the home to many major public and private colleges and universities with campuses in the city limits, such as Temple University, St. Joe's University, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, La Salle University, Holy Family University, the Art Institute of Philadelphia and Thomas Jefferson University. Philadelphia is also the home of five different schools of medicine.
Philadelphia Employment
Philadelphia has long been recognized as one of the industrial centers of the nation and some of the city's biggest economic sectors include manufacturing, food processing, oil refining, healthcare, biotechnology, and financial services.
The Philadelphia Stock Exchange is located in the city, and the city is also home to several Fortune 500 companies including Comcast, CIGNA, Lincoln Financial Group, Sunoco, Wyeth, GlaxoSmithKline, Boeing, and Pep Boys.
Being one of the earliest major cities to be founded in America and the nation's first capital city, Philadelphia has been regarded as one of the nation's first building blocks and one of the most important cities vital in the birth of the U.S. during and after the revolution. Because of that, many industries got their start in Philadelphia, including the healthcare industry, and the city remains an important center for medicine even today.
Philadelphia Moving Resources
There are hundreds of reputable and reliable moving companies in the city of Philadelphia to help you with your move and get you unloaded and unpacked in your new home. Whether you're moving from within the state of Pennsylvania, or whether you're moving from the Midwest or even the West coast, you'll find moving companies that can help you get settled in Philadelphia. Here are just a few of the movers you can find to handle your relocation to Philly:
- American Knights Moving & Storage Inc.
- A-Team Moving and Storage
- Presto Logistics-TX
- Green Van Lines
- Progressive Moving
- 24 Hours Moving, Inc.
In addition, there are also many storage companies located within the city in case you need a place to store some of your belongings, whether it's for a short amount of time until you get settled in your new home, or for more long-term storage. You can find yourself a Philadelphia storage company to help fulfill your storage needs.
Living Costs in the City
There is an element of surprise to the urban character and the cheap living that the city offers. The city is ripe for new business ventures as entrepreneurs can test-drive their ideas here because of the low costs. The quality of life, the opportunity, culture, and the energy of the city draws huge crowds particularly students, artists, and entrepreneurs.
The average rent in the metro area is far less when compared to other cities like Washington DC, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Chicago. The sales tax rate can be as high as 8%. Certain items like food, clothing, textbooks, medicines, residential heating fuels, and sale of resale items are not taxable. Social security and qualified retirement income are not levied with any income tax.
Philadelphia Transportation
Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) oversees the management of public transportation in Philadelphia. It manages a system of subways, buses, regional rail, elevated rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus lines. It happens to be the sixth busiest public transport system in USA.
The Phlash tourist bus operating from May to October covers all the popular destinations of the city on its route. This comes highly recommended not just for every tourist but to anyone who wants to get acquainted with the city. A regional train operates every half an hour from the Philadelphia International Airport to downtown. You can directly take tickets from the ticket taker and the option of buying tickets at the airport before boarding, no longer exists.
The orange line travels from City Hall to Pattison Avenue where all of the sports arenas are. The Philadelphia historic district and Camden's waterfront are connected by a waterfront shuttle which stops at Battleship New Jersey and the Adventure Aquarium.
Culture and Contemporary Life
Owing to its religious tolerance, the city has seen an exodus of immigrants in the form of Germans, Italians, Asians, Irish, and African-Americans. The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts is the oldest art school and museum in the United States which has helped patronize and establish numerous artists. The Philadelphia Museum of Art houses thousands of pieces of art including those of Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Auguste Rodin.
The music of William Henry Fry heralded the growth of the city's musical scene in the 19th century. Under conductors like Eugene Ormandy, the Philadelphia Orchestra rose to prominence. The city is home to popular hip hop artists like Will Smith, The Roots, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. The city also has many culinary influences due to its diverse immigrant population.
The popular city icon is the cheesesteak, a sandwich made from slices of steak and melted cheese. Although not invented here, water ice and soft pretzels are some of the more popularly available food items. From taverns to fine dining establishments, Philadelphia has seen radical changes in its restaurant scene. Restaurants catering to various cuisines of the world are found in the city.
Moving to Philadelphia
The city has some of the largest concentration of higher educational institutions. Students and families are flocking to the city that is so intellectually diverse. Before actually moving to the city, spend some time here, studying and researching various neighborhoods. It is always advisable to hire a licensed moving company to avoid unwanted surprises and hidden costs.
Consult with your friends and family about which company they have used for their move. Take at least three quotes - compare prices and check the ratings and reviews of various moving companies. Parking permits should be reserved three days in advance and 40 feet of space is reserved near the home that you are moving to. The same rule applies for PODS and DIY movers. If you are using trucks longer than 26 feet, you might need a shuttle to transport your goods from the street to your home.
Philadelphia Relocation Tips
- Cross country moving can be a tedious task and breaking the job down will make it simpler. You should start preparing at least two months before the day of your move.
- De-clutter your present home and mark three boxes as "Donate", "Sell", and "Toss". Items that you no longer use or can be obtained easily should be categorized into the three above mentioned boxes. This will help you to reduce the weight of your belongings which has a direct bearing on your moving costs.
- Have an "Open Me First" box which should contain essentials like basic toiletry items, snacks, tea bags, instant coffee and such items that your family can't do without. Get this box first from the moving van.
- Reservation for parking space for the moving truck in front of your house is mandatory and it should be done three days in advance with the Philadelphia Streets Department's Traffic Division.
If SEPTA are striking, the traffic can be a nightmare. Under such circumstances avoid peak hours and move during such hours when traffic is at its lowest.