Is north Philadelphia really that bad?

Question

I'm moving to Northern Philly very soon and i've heard some unsettling things. Wikipedia even referred to it as a crime ridden slum. I'm a little scared.... Help? anyone familiar with crime or general good ideas to keep myself safe?

Answer 1

As with most cities, there are A LOT of areas to keep away from. The majority of the areas surrounding Center City Philadelphia aren't very nice and you should know what areas these are. One of the worst areas in the city, by far, is North Philadelphia. This is a huge, huge area that starts at Spring Garden St., just north of Center City. If you have an appointment or need to go to N. Phila. for some reason, you should make sure it is safe and make sure you know how to get there.

North Philadelphia is a very nasty area in the city. It looks like a war zone. Infested with drug dealers,burnt out homes,abandon factories,low income persons and a whole lot of poverty, I suggest not to venture out into this area unless you are looking for a death wish. This is one attraction in Philadelphia that does not apeal to me at all.

Stay away from Northern Philadelphia. The subway is pretty safe during the day. In the evening, don't take it if you don't have to or stay within a group of friends. Rather take a cab or a bus. Avoid getting gas at night, you might be surrounded by shady figures asking for money within a few seconds (happened to a friend of mine). Apart from that - do what you should always do: don't wave around with money and don't go into unfamiliar and shady areas.  

Answer 2

Why are you moving to North Philadelphia? Yes, it is mostly a crime ridden slum. Where exactly are you moving? Parts of the city that might be called North Philadelphia are okay.

Answer 3

It depends on your version of "North Philadelphia".  I live in what some refer to as North Philadelphia, which is Port Richmond/Fishtown. It's fine, been an up and coming neighborhood for a few years now, no real crime to speak of. North Philadelphia generally refers to the area west of 5th Street, north of Berks Street and east of Broad Street, heading north to US1. The rationale where people break it down as anything north of downtown is kind of screwed up. This is a huge city of neighborhoods, and they're all different. Check out the link below and get educated on it before you freak out. I'm guessing you're really not moving into the low-income 100% African American neighborhood, which is what you're actually reading about