Hi everyone! My name is Kate Sears. I live in the Fairmount neighborhood in Philadelphia, just 1 mile away from the law school, and I wanted to explain why I love my Philly neighborhood.

I found my apartment through Apartments.com. Once I found my roommate through the Temple Law roommate list that was circulated through the Admissions Office and on the entering class Facebook Group, we narrowed down what we were looking for and input that into the Apartments.com website. We didn’t have to look very long or tour that many places before we settled on our 2 bed 2 bath apartment. Together, we pay about $2k including utilities and wifi, and we get a lot for what we pay.

We ultimately chose Fairmount because it had the best of everything we wanted in our price range. It was a short walk to the subway and then a short trip to school, the area was safe, and the apartment had everything we needed. Fairmount is very residential with a lot of families, so we always feel comfortable walking around no matter what time it is.

Like I mentioned, one of our “needs” when looking for an apartment was how long our commute would be to school. Neither of us wanted to be too far from campus, and we got lucky with a 5-10 minute walk to the subway and around 20 minutes total to school depending on how well the subway is timed out. Getting to the city is then just as easy as the subway or buses can take you about anywhere you could need to go. When I worked at City Hall this summer for a judge, I walked to work and it only took about 20 minutes. It’s a mile to Center City from my apartment and a mile from the Schuylkill Rail Trail too, so there’s a lot I can easily access whether by walking or SEPTA. I do have a car, but more often than not it just sits on the street since Philly so accessible without using a car.

Beyond the practical stuff, I love the neighborhood itself. It’s full of big rowhomes, flowering trees, families, and cute coffee shops and restaurants. As someone who has never lived in a city, I love that my neighborhood doesn’t feel like a city, while being close enough to the city that you can have the best of both worlds. Unfortunately with all those positives, the area is a little pricey. However, the feeling of safety and comfort where you live is priceless and something we weighed in choosing an apartment.

Fairmount Fast Facts – The Best Place For:

• Grocery Shopping: Whole Foods or Target
• Coffee: OCF Coffee House
• Drinks: Bar Hygge or St. Stephen’s Green
• Dinner: La Calaca Feliz
• Dessert: Philly Flavors
• Studying: OCF Coffee House or Tela’s Market
• Fresh Air: Fairmount Park

Editor’s Note: Since Philadelphia is known as a city of neighborhoods, we asked Temple Law students, faculty, and staff to talk about what they love, hate, and can’t live without in their neighborhood. See every neighborhood covered so far.