I'm coming from out of town and considering a move to West Philly. I want to live somewhere diverse and integrated, but I'm concerned about racial tension in the West Philly area.

How would you describe the demographics and/or level of diversity and integration in West Philly?

Racial tension isn't much of a problem in West Philly. Certainly not as much as this blog may lead you to believe.
People may harbor negative inner-feelings but rarely do you see it come to the surface.
Just so you know, the University City area is where the diversity is. It's made up of college students, grad students, an immigrant population (asian, african, middle eastern), black families with deep roots in the area, newer white families (and some older ones), scenesters, anarcho-punk squatters, singles, seniors, half-way housers...pretty much everyone.
For the most part, the rest of West Philly is black with a few white enclaves at the city limits.

Another diverse area you may want to consider is in South Philly centered around 9th and Washington.

__________________
My restlessness is my nemesis.

Philadelphia Magazine mentioned something about the "racial tension" in West Philly in their real estate issue a couple of years back. They were predicting that this tension would come in part from anger over Penn & Drexel moving further into the neighborhood. It looks like their major building will be along the Schuylkill and by 30th St. Station. I'm sure they always look at property in the neighborhoods for possible acquisition, but recent history would suggest that they look at these properties as places to redevelop to fit in with the area and bring in businesses that will enhance the area so more of their professors & other employees will consider it as a place to put down roots.

I would say that West Philly along with the Italian Market/North Passayunk Square is one of the most diverse sections of the cities as pointed out earlier but in totally different ways. West Philly is a one-time primarily white middle class area that became a black middle class area that became a less affluent black area but always maintained a white, gradstudenty, activist, "hippie haven" undercurrent. More recently African and Middle Eastern immigration and progressive gentrification have made the whites more economically diverse (i.e. some are a lot richer) and the non-whites a whole lot more culturally diverse.

The Italian Market story is the classic working class immigrant neighborhood with competing waves of immigrants from different places in different generations.

__________________
Barack Obama on security, Iraq and Afghanistan. We need a Commander in Chief who knows the differences between Shii'a and Sunni.

FYI: This applies to what is now called Universitry City only.

Absolutely.

__________________
Barack Obama on security, Iraq and Afghanistan. We need a Commander in Chief who knows the differences between Shii'a and Sunni.

Most of West Philly is what you would call ghetto. High crime, gangsta's, baby mamas, shootings etc... Watch shows like "First 48" on A&E to see what you would be dealing with if you don't have any experience with that particular sub-culture. Been there...

University City, though, would be considered very diverse with many different types of folks living there ... mostly white or asian students etc.... There is a big problem with crime especially on the fringe areas that border the ghetto. You need to be aware. Drive around a bit...the borders would be obvious. I really don't see anything you would call "integration" going on there. If anything, most folks who live there avoid the typical West Philadelphian like the plague. Sorry for the non-politically correct assesment.

Per uPenn nbase
http://cml.upenn.edu/nbase/nbProfileRequest.asp

African Americans, Percent 2000 21.03%
Asians, Percent 2000 22.39%
Hispanics, Percent 2000 4.21%
Whites, Percent 2000 51.29%
Other Races, Percent 2000 1.89%

Where do you consider these obvious borders?

I always assumed that to the west most people made the cut off around 49th. I was surprised when I saw some Penn postings that put the cut off at 43rd.

And to the north? Do you mark the border at Market? Or further south (as you move west) to Locust?

You can definitely figure out where the safer areas are by walking around but was curious where most people mark the borders.

No, it doesn't, Malloy. Once upon a time deep W. Phila was filled with
white people(Italians and Jews and others) with a smattering of blacks.

Don't believe me? Just check out the Catholic churchs. The ones that remain
like Our Mother of Sorrows at 48th and Lancaster and the ones that
don't like Transfiguration of our Lord at 55th and Cedar and the ones
that have combined with other parishes like St Carthage/St Cyprian
at Cedar and Cobbs Creek Parkway.