Darby is one of those places where people love to tell you how great it used to be (and I'm making the assumption you're asking about Darby borough). I have some relatives who used to live there close to the shopping strip on Main St. I remember visiting them back in the early 70's when there was still a somewhat vibrant shopping district there. I can still picture Playtown, Guy & Ed's Records and, if I remember correctly, Kresge's (now K-Mart for the under-40's). By the late 70's, most of these places were gone and in their place a ton of vacant storefronts. Middle class residents were departing every bit as quickly but that also had a lot to do with the consolidation of school districts in SE Delco that was taking place at the time. By the 80's, Main St. looked like a wasteland. I drove through there recently and it doesn't look like it's changed a whole lot since then.

That said, there are a lot of nice, older homes in Darby and the place has quite a history. There's not a lot of violent crime but it is considered a lower-income neighborhood and there is a fair amount of Section 8 housing. You're more likely to encounter the occasional domestic dispute or have your car broken into than be held up. However, the school district is terrible and the word pathetic isn't strong enough to describe their governing body. Mayor Paula Brown makes the local news frequently with her assorted colorful exploits.

If this doesn't scare you and you're not worried about schools, then yes, the housing is a bargain. Plus, it's a very convenient location with easy access to multiple forms of public transit.

__________________
Clutching and biting, my soul has caught on fire...