Commuting from Wilmington to Philly

[cwdanley]

I will be transferring up to the Philly area to take a job and will be working down at the old Navy Yard. Is it crazy to live in Wilmington and commute to Philly. If anyone currently does it, what is the best way (Car / Train). If by train, how long does it take on average to make that trip each day?

Thanks

[Alley]

If you are living in North Wilmington I consider it an easy trip 95 North to the Navy Yard. I did it for a while coming further north past the Navy Yard into Philly. If you live South of Wilmington in the Newark, Bear area it will not be fun. Traffic is nuts south of Wilmington.

[cwdanley]

Thanks Alley - I am considering a place near Downtown Wilmington. Any ideas how long it takes to get into the Navy Yard?

[3rd&Brown]

It's not a difficult commute, but it seems silly to live in DE if you're moving anyway. DE and PA do not have tax reciprocity, so you have to pay some combination of DE + PA + Philly taxes. If you live in PA, even in the suburbs, you pay only PA + Philly.

PA also has lower state income taxes than does DE. I know DE is viewed as a tax haven of sorts, but it requires a more nuanced view than that. DE, from an income tax standpoint, is not a haven at all. Far from it.

[tsarstruck]

Thanks Alley - I am considering a place near Downtown Wilmington. Any ideas how long it takes to get into the Navy Yard?

It needs to be asked. I've heard of people working in Wilmington and living in Philly, but never the opposite. Why the heck do you want to live in Wilmington?

[3rd&Brown]

It needs to be asked. I've heard of people working in Wilmington and living in Philly, but never the opposite. Why the heck do you want to live in Wilmington?

you are being more kind than me.

there's an oddly proud, "pro-delaware" contingent out there who thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. if you haven't interacted with one of them in the past, i suspect you haven't spent enough time in DE. it's a curious phenomenon. and it's been debated on this forum enough to make me believe i wasn't just imagining it...so much so, that i was once schooled in new castle being a colonial center of commerce that was independent from philadelphia, and subsequently schooled on DE's economic and cultural independence from the philadelphia area, in spite of it being 15 minutes from philadelphia. i remember it being described to me that DE would be some sort of economic juggernaut that would exist in today's form regardless of philadelphia's relative close proximity.

i hope we don't have to rehash that here.

[cwdanley]

I only ask because I dont know the area AT ALL and someone had suggested living in the Wilmington area and commuting. I am considering everything from downtown Philly to downtown Wilmington and places in between. I am not "Pro-DE or Pro-PA"... just someone thats never been to the area, looking for the best option.

thanks

[OffenseTaken]

I only ask because I dont know the area AT ALL and someone had suggested living in the Wilmington area and commuting. I am considering everything from downtown Philly to downtown Wilmington and places in between. I am not "Pro-DE or Pro-PA"... just someone thats never been to the area, looking for the best option.

thanks

Someday when the rent in Center City reaches Manhattan levels, the R2 train runs every 15 minutes, and Delaware bars no longer have the nation's earliest last call, living in Wilmington will be a fine choice. Right now, your friend sounds a little insane.

[cwdanley]

Earliest last call?? That could be a deal breaker! I hate early last calls!
thanks

[Sycamore]

I only ask because I dont know the area AT ALL and someone had suggested living in the Wilmington area and commuting. I am considering everything from downtown Philly to downtown Wilmington and places in between. I am not "Pro-DE or Pro-PA"... just someone thats never been to the area, looking for the best option.

thanks

Why aren't you considering the city? FTR, I live near Downingtown and Wilmington but would NEVER EVER consider a commute into the city or vice versa on purpose. I'm wondering what the draw is-schools? more rural living? wanting to be in a suburb?

If you're looking at nice burbs a decent commute from the city I'd check Media. Otherwise, center city.

[cwdanley]

thanks, maybe I should start another thread.......

"If I were thinking of moving to live in City Center Philly, anyone have a good recommendation?" I will be working at the Naval Shipyard area.

[OffenseTaken]

there's an oddly proud, "pro-delaware" contingent out there who thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. if you haven't interacted with one of them in the past, i suspect you haven't spent enough time in DE. it's a curious phenomenon. and it's been debated on this forum enough to make me believe i wasn't just imagining it...so much so, that i was once schooled in new castle being a colonial center of commerce that was independent from philadelphia, and subsequently schooled on DE's economic and cultural independence from the philadelphia area, in spite of it being 15 minutes from philadelphia. i remember it being described to me that DE would be some sort of economic juggernaut that would exist in today's form regardless of philadelphia's relative close proximity.

i hope we don't have to rehash that here.

God, that's so weird. It's like if someone in Chicago started exulting the superiority of Hammond or Gary. The taxes must be almost nonexistent down in the First State.

Earliest last call?? That could be a deal breaker! I hate early last calls!
thanks

So I did my good deed for the day? Awesome.

Why don't you tell us more about what you'd be looking for in a place to live and we can try to help you out? You might want to start a new thread, since this one's gonna be about Wilmington.

[Alley]

Pretty much what everyone said you want to live in Philly rather than Wilmington. Do a search on Wilmington I know there are some other threads about it.

[tsarstruck]

I will be working at the Naval Shipyard area.

If you're working in the Naval Yard, the Broad Street Line subway will be your friend. It will take you down to Pattison, where shuttles run to take you into the Navy Yard.

My highly biased opinion is that the Passyunk Square/Crossing Area, which is just south of Center City, is the place you'd want to be. Mostly row home living, relatively inexpensive, a great mix of excellent bars and restaurants. Good mix of 20 & 30s, singles and families, old and new guard South Philadelphians. Close to either the Tasker-Morris or Ellsworth-Federal subway stops. Parking's slightly better than Center City, and if you insist on doing the driving commute to the Navy Yard, it'll be a quick commute.

[Dayman]

During the weekends in the summer, I commute frequently down to Wilmington from Philadelphia by car because the Coast Guard Auxiliary has a search and rescue detachment there I crew out of.

The drive isn't bad, but it's also during the wee hours of the morning. However, I have discerned that Wilmington is a hole. Horrible city, and while New Castle and Delaware City can be charming, it's called slower lower for a reason. There is no reason to commute to Philly from that far away. If you want to avoid the city, there are pleasant suburbs in NJ and PA.

Another consideration is that in Philadelphia you can avoid sh!tty neighborhoods for the most part. In Wilmington the ghetto is right there, right next to downtown. F*ck that sh!t. I live in the ghetto (but if things keep going amazingly well with the Daylady, not for much longer), and seriously f*ck that.

[thoth]

C'mon, I thought we resolved some of this in the Wilmington thread. It's not a horrible city, it actually has some neighborhoods that are quite nice...unfortunately most of the area around immediately around the downtown is not one of them, and the downtown itself is kind of a snooze after 5pm. But horrible...Chester is horrible, Wilimington is just under realized.

You also have a much bigger and better city about 45 minutes closer to the OP's job, so....

During the weekends in the summer, I commute frequently down to Wilmington from Philadelphia by car because the Coast Guard Auxiliary has a search and rescue detachment there I crew out of.

The drive isn't bad, but it's also during the wee hours of the morning. However, I have discerned that Wilmington is a hole. Horrible city, and while New Castle and Delaware City can be charming, it's called slower lower for a reason. There is no reason to commute to Philly from that far away. If you want to avoid the city, there are pleasant suburbs in NJ and PA.

Another consideration is that in Philadelphia you can avoid sh!tty neighborhoods for the most part. In Wilmington the ghetto is right there, right next to downtown. F*ck that sh!t. I live in the ghetto (but if things keep going amazingly well with the Daylady, not for much longer), and seriously f*ck that.