Walnut street is very safe - there's always people around and it's well lit. The neighborhood includes all of the fun aspects of living in Philadelphia - tons of access to food and bars, nearby grocery stores/markets, access to the parks and the Schuylkill River Trail
Very close to fun restaurants/bars/shops. Close to the subway as well as the train station (suburban station).
Rittenhouse is the safest part of Philly. It's a very "happening" part of town—lots of restaurants and bars on every street. At the same time, it's right next to more residential neighborhoods to walk around in and explore. It's a great place to live relatively close to the law school but with a degree of separation so as not to get trapped in the law school bubble.
The neighborhood is both quiet and lively. There is so much around, but I have never had an issue sleeping or studying because there is too much noise. The broad street line is a 10-15 minute walk away and we are close to shopping, food, the park, and the river trail. Has everything within a 10-15 walk.
This neighborhood has everything I need within walking distance. Shops, grocery stores, parks, the subway and trolley, post office. You name it. It's very safe and extremely quiet, which helps when I'm trying to study. The Rittenhouse Square area is really the best place to live in Philly if you don't mind paying a little more.
I love this neighborhood and knew I wanted to live here when beginning my apartment search. The park is one of my favorite places in the city, and I love being able to easily access all the restaurants and shopping nearby. It's also an easy (~20 minute) walk to Penn Law, and the walking commute has always been a nice and peaceful part of my day.
Spruce Street in particular is great - it's a little south of the square, so is quieter/shielded from a lot of the traffic that the neighborhood gets, but it's not out of the way or far away. There's a Starbucks, a grocery store (Rittenhouse Market), and a few corner stores (Four Seasons and Food & Friends) within a 2-3 minute walk of my apartment.
Love the neighborhood, Rittenhouse Square is beautiful and we are so close to the more commercial areas like Walnut Street while not being in the center of the craziness. Plus we are within walking distance of public transportation including 10 minutes from the 15/16 street PATCO station. I personally think it is one of the best areas of Philly to live in.
Rittenhouse Square has a park in the center surrounded by a bookstores, restaurants, and a public library. It is open to pets and often has open art / food markets on the weekends. It is close to the Broad Street Line and PATCO. There are many families who live in the area. It is affordable compared to other major cities (NYC, DC, Boston), but there are certainly more affordable areas in Philadelphia, simply without the luxury of being so close to Center City.
