With rent for a boat slip as low as $200 per month, the Delaware River provides the best deal for living in Philadelphia, writes Julia Terruso for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Pier 3 marina is tucked between two high-rise condominiums in the city. Out of the 50 boats docked there, 20 or so are also homes for their captains.

They leave their boats for work as scientists, professors, or salespeople in the morning, and return to their vessels at night.

Mark MacGlaughlin is a retired truck driver who got towed into Pier 3 seven years ago when his boat broke down en route to the Jersey Shore. And he hasn’t left.

“I’ve got Philadelphia right behind me,” he said. “I can walk into the city whenever I want. And it beats living on land.”

Pier 3 marina has attracted people looking for cheap rent in recent years, but the situation is changing.

Managers at Pier 3 are now attempting to make it into a social sporting club to lure young professionals and retirees with upgraded amenities and Philadelphia as a backyard.

“In the last year, the profile has really changed,” said George Polgar, who co-manages the marina.

Read more about marina living in the Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.