Now it can be told: after two years of living in the Washington DC area, I’m moving back to Philadelphia in mid-March. And I couldn’t be happier about it.

No disrespect to DC. Washington has a lot going for it, and I’ve enjoyed exploring its museums, neighborhoods and amazing ethnic food options. Had I kept my job at USA TODAY, my husband and I would have made it work, even though his company is based in the Philadelphia area.

But it wasn’t our top choice. We didn’t like the traffic, inescapable from our perch in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood. We didn’t like the prices – in our neighborhood, 1,500-square-foot houses started at $600,000 (and that was IN the downturn – the city properties that we examined weren’t much better, even in emerging areas). And there was a bit of A student smugness about the place that didn’t quite jibe with our personal sensibilities.

So in no particular order, here’s 5 things that I love about living in Philly.

1. The compact nature of Center City. At 25 square blocks, Philadelphia’s Center City area is just the right size. You can easily walk to any restaurant or shop, or ride your bike. Like New York, there are cabs everywhere but you don’t feel as hemmed in. And like DC, there is plenty to see and do downtown, but it’s not as sprawling.  After a few years feeling tied to my car, I’m looking forward to walking everywhere again.

2. Atty-tude. I grew up with in a culture of “Minnesota Nice.” Which is great – until you realize how passive aggressive that can be. In contrast, Philly has what I call a spirit of “benign aggression.” Sure, people are a little bit more in your face. But generally, that comes out of passion rather than anger (unless you’re a Cowboys fan). Philly folk aren’t afraid to speak their mind, and there’s honesty there that I admire more than Washington diplomacy. I’ll take a commanding “Yo!” over a wussy ”Hello” any day.

3. High – and low – culture. The city’s history as one of America’s oldest means that the cultural institutions are well ingrained and integrated into city life. You can tap into the city’s theater, arts and music scene during the day – and then visit the Italian Market (my neighborhood) for old school cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches and pastries straight out of yo’ mama’s recipe books. This combination of intellectualism and street smarts extends into the city’s restaurant scene, where foo foo food doesn’t fly if it’s not flavorful.

4. Affordability. I hinted at this in the beginning, but my husband and I could not get over how much more it cost to live in DC than Philly. Not only can you buy an awesome rowhouse in the city for well under $500,000, but most services – from restaurants and salons to boutiques and market produce (you can tell what my life priorites are, eh?) – are cheaper than other major East Coast cities. Our mortgage in a cool Philly neighborhood is well under what our RENT was in Washington. Which means that people in creative jobs – think writers, artists, actors, printmakers and (ahem) travel writers – can find it easier to live well for less.

5. Accessibility. With three airports in the metro area, you can get almost anywhere from Washington, although I found myself dreading trips out of Dulles (no public transit = expensive cab fares) and BWI (no MARC train service on weekends meant lengthy transfers).  I missed Philly’s easier access to New York (Bolt Bus, I love you so), as well as the closer convenience of the beach in the summer (it’s not all Jersey Shore). Philadelphia Airport has its problems – US Air, I’m looking at you – but I’m happy that I’m only 15 minutes away.

Of course, it’s not always sunny in Philadelphia. I wonder if relocating back will limit my work opportunities (although hey, I love to travel and have no problem commuting for consulting projects in DC or NYC). And I will miss the friends that we’ve made in Washington, especially those in the travel industry. But Don’s job is here and our house is here and – most important, honestly - our families are here. We’re ready to come home.

Hey, Phillyites – what are some of your favorite reasons for living here? Tell me in the comments!