If affordability, ease of parking, open space, parks, access to shopping and entertainment, diversity of food and organized children’s sports and other activities is appealing to you, then Northeast Philadelphia should be at the top of your list for a place to live in the City of Philadelphia.
Northeast Philadelphia is undergoing a resurgence of popularity with young families, in fact, it’s so popular that one out of three homes in Northeast Philadelphia sells for more than the asking price.
A recent report by one the world’s leading real estate listing sites Redfin, ranked two Northeast Philly neighborhoods, Bustleton and Fox Chase, as the top hottest affordable neighborhoods in the entire United States of America.
Out of tens of thousands of neighborhoods across the United States, Bustleton and Fox Chase, in Northeast Philly, ranked in the top 10 hottest most affordable neighborhoods. So let’s check out the reasons why.
Rent Affordability
The average cost to rent an apartment in Northeast Philadelphia (NE Philly) is much cheaper than other top neighborhoods in Philly. Below are average apartment rents for 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedroom Apartments, respectively, across various Philadelphia neighborhoods. (1)
- Washington Square / Old City (19106)
- 1 Bedroom $2,098
- 2 Bedroom $2,662
- Manayunk (19127)
- 1 Bedroom: $1,564
- 2 Bedroom $2,038
- Roxborough (19128)
- 1 Bedroom $1,231
- 2 Bedroom $1,448
- Fishtown (19125)
- 1 Bedroom $1,340
- 2 Bedroom $1,852
- Northern Liberties (19123)
- 1 Bedroom: $1,612
- 2 Bedroom: $1,885
In Northeast Philly Neighborhoods the average cost for one and two-bedroom is generally:
-
- 1 Bedroom $915
- 2 Bedroom $1,121
Both 1 Bedrooms and 2 Bedrooms are considerably more affordable in Northeast Philadelphia Neighborhoods compared to other neighborhoods in Philly. (1)
Comparing the data above to two other popular Philly neighborhoods:
The average cost of a 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedroom Apartment in NE Philadelphia is 76% and 68% less expensive than in Northern Liberties, respectively, and…
The average cost of a 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedroom Apartment in NE Philadelphia is 35% and 29% less expensive than in Roxborough, respectively.
Ease and Affordability of Parking
Parking an automobile in NE Philly is both significantly easier and more affordable than nearly any neighborhood in the city.
These average parking costs below will give you an indication of the costs to park around other neighborhoods in Philadelphia:
Washington Square / Old Cityย $231/month
Manayunkย $95/month
Fishtown/Northern Liberties $178/month.
Roxborough is generally $0, but limited parking may exist especially in some of the older buildings.
In the Northeast Philly Neighborhoods of Bustleton (19115), Somerton (19116), and Fox Chase (19111)
There are generally no additional costs to your rent associated with parking. There are some apartment buildings that charge around $35 per month but they are the exception.
Open Space and Parks
Living in Northeast Philadelphia is a very different experience than living in Center City Living. There are numerous open spaces, greenery and parks for Northeast Philly residents to choose from.
In 2010 the GreenPlan Philadelphia initiative included in its report tree canopy coverage across various Philadelphia neighborhoods:
Percent tree canopy by planning analysis section:
Center City: 2.3%
South Philadelphia: 1.8%
Southwest Philadelphia: 11.9%
Bridesburg/Kensington/Richmond: 3.4%
Far Northeast Philadelphia: 26.8%
Roxborough/Manayunk: 34.2%
Other than Manayunk/Roxborough and Germantown/Chestnut Hill, the Far Northeast Philadelphia (which are where the NE Philly neighborhoods of Bustleton, Somerton, Fox Chase, and others) had the highest amount of tree coverage.
Another added bonus of the Northeast is the Park System. Philly has lots of parks, the 3 largest Park Systems are Fairmount Park (Northwest Philly), Wissahickon Park (Northwest Philly), and Pennypack Park (Northeast Philly).
Unless you’re living in Northwest Philly or close to it, you’ll have to drive or figure out transportation to one of those parks. Living in Northeast Philly provides incredible access to Pennypack Park (large 1600-acre park) from virtually every neighborhood, with multiple entrance points and parking.
Crime
The crime rate in many neighborhoods in NE Philly is generally speaking lower than many other parts of the city. There is no neighborhood in any city or suburb that is crime-free, however, crime can be measured, and there is a direct relationship between crime and personal and property safety. The Philadelphia Inquirer tracks crime rates throughout the city over the last 30 days. For the last 30 days as of the date this article was written, many NE Philadelphia Neighborhoods had significantly lower property crime rates and violent crime rates compared to Center City and Northern Liberties/Fishtown neighborhoods*
Property Crime Rates (Looking Back 30 Days from the Date of This Article) comparing NE Philadelphia communities of Bustleton, Somerton and Fox Chase to Center City:
- Bustleton had approximately 26% of the Property Crime Rate of Center City
- Somerton had approximately 30% of the Property Crime Rate of Center City
- Fox Chase/Burlholme had approximately 37% of the Property Crime Rate of Center City
And compared to Northern Liberties/Fishtown, the contrast increased.
Bustleton had approximately 12.5% of the Property Crime Rate of Northern Liberties/Fishtown.
Violent Crime Rates (Looking Back 30 Days from the Date of This Article) comparing NE Philadelphia communities of Bustleton, Somerton and Fox Chase to Center City:
The violent crime rate in Somerton was 14% that of Center City and 9% that of Northern Liberties/Fishtown.
The violent crime rate of Fox Chase was just 8.5% of Center City and 6% of Northern Liberties/Fishtown.
Bustleton had very similar trends.
Ability to Drive Up To Shopping Centers
One of the many benefits of Northeast Philly living, is the plethora of shopping plaza options with large grocery stores. The data below shows the amount of shopping centers by neighborhood.
- Washington Square / Old Cityย 0 shopping centers
- Manayunkย 0 shopping centers, though several great markets and local stores exist where you can get all the essentials
- Roxboroughย 4 shopping centers, and several grocery stores
- Fishtown 1 shopping center, though several grocery stores
- Northern Liberties 3 shopping centers
Now, for some Northeast Philly Neighborhoods:
- Bustletonย 15 shopping centers
- Somertonย 21 shopping centers
- Fox Chaseย 5 shopping centers
There are 41 shopping centers in just these three Northeast Philly neighborhoods. Lots of great options for grocery stores, movie theaters, gyms, and shopping.
Organized Children Sports
If you live in Center City, there may be some options for organized children’s sports, but Northeast Philly is known for its diverse array of organized sports for children, across almost every sport, including:
- Hockeyย Flyers Skate Zone
- Soccer ย Somerton Youth Organization, Lighthouse SC, Philadelphia Soccer Club, Fox Chase Soccer Club
- Basketballย Somerton Youth Organization, Parkwood Youth Organization, Lansing Knights Youth Organization, Northeast Racquet Club
- Baseball/Softball Somerton Youth Organization, Parkwood Youth Organization, Lansing Knights Foundation
- Football Somerton Youth, Parkwood Youth, Fox-Rok Athletic, Liberty Bell Youth
- Cheerleadingย Somerton Youth Organization, Fox-Rok Athletic Association, Liberty Bell Youth Organization.
- Tennis ย Northeast YMCA, Northeast Racquet Club
- Volleyballย Northeast YMCA
- ….and so much more
Diversity of Food
Although other neighborhoods have a lot of restaurants, the diversity of food and quality may be unmatched in Northeast Philly. The diversity of food scene may be best summarized by this description from the famous food critic Craig LaBan.
For two months, I feasted on Uzbek kebabs and Brazilian churrasco, Transylvanian stuffed cabbage, stellar Vietnamese banh mi, and flaming Portuguese sausage. I tasted the authentic offerings of Russian markets, a growing Chinese corridor with some of the city’s best seafood and dim sum, and a South Indian community that produces the hard-to-find dishes of Kerala — not to mention an Indian cheesesteak wrapped inside a dosa crepe. With side trips to some of the area’s more traditional spots, from classic cheesesteak and hoagie delis to Italian gems, kielbasa corners, craft beer pioneers, and, yes, some still-great diners, rarely has a Philly eating adventure been so fun. There may be no Philly food destination more dynamic than Northeast Philly. Craig Laban Philadelphia Inquirer
There are simply too many Northeast Philly restaurants, and specialty food stores to name, but NE Philadelphia is very culturally diverse, and home to nearly every cuisine you can imagine. Among the many specialty/international grocery stores that offer selections from around the world are: Netcost Market, House of Kosher, Petrovsky Market, Vatan Market, Kashmir Garden Super, Kuttanadu Super Market, and more.
You might think you know everything there is to know already, or maybe you never visited the Northeast, either way, before you pick out a neighborhood in which to live, you should consider Northeast Philadelphia.
(1) Rent Data Analyzed For Bustleton (19115), Somerton (19116), and Fox Chase (19111)
*Neighborhoods defined by data on chart are only for a point and time and look back 30 days only from the date this article was written. We make no guarantees to the accuracy of the data, and moreover, neighborhood boundaries from this crime data may not match up exactly with your interpretation of neighborhoods. You need to always do your own research and make your own decisions.
