Your Guide to Life in Northern Liberties

Northern Liberties is, without a doubt, one of the coolest neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Located in between Girard Avenue and Callowhill Street, and east of the Delaware River, NoLibs (as the locals call it) is ground zero for Philly’s hipsters. This is a neighborhood replete with young families, college grads, and a broad diversity of residents. LGBT folks, Philadelphians of color, and people from all faiths will find themselves welcome in the NoLibs melting pot. On Niche.com, where the neighborhood earned an overall “A” rating, Northern Liberties was also ranked #5 of 149 in Best Neighborhoods to Buy a House in Philadelphia, #8 of 149 in Best Places to Live in Philadelphia, and #10 of 149 of Best Places to Raise a Family in Philadelphia.

Love it, live it.

Let the residents tell you for themselves. “I love Northern Liberties– be it the fact that there’s an amazing LGBT culture here, a plethora of hipsters and young people, and lively neighbors, it’s an overall good place to live,” said a Niche member.

“When I moved into the neighborhood in 2000, the Census came out at that time, and the population had dwindled from a mid-century high of 17,000 down to 3,500,” says longtime resident and community leader Matt Ruben, remarking on NoLibs’ incredible, recent growth. “Total dis-population. And now it’s about 8,000, so, meteoric growth. … The increase in the number of people, the increase in the number of buildings, the increase in the number of businesses, the change from old abandoned buildings and vacant lots to used, occupied buildings — all of these changes are obvious to anyone who was here then and who comes back now. In fact, ‘obvious’ understates it. They are stunning, and will leave you agape.”

It’s not just them.

From Visit Philadelphia: “Northern Liberties has shed the label “up-and-coming” and undoubtedly arrived. This former manufacturing district first started turning heads in the early ’90s when a progressive, artist-heavy flock migrated north from Old City, lured by the neighborhood’s inherent charm and affordable studio space.”

From Philadelphia Neighborhoods: “The warehouses-turned-condos and brand new single-family homes draw people who seek modernity, according to Kristin McFeely, real estate agent and team leader of Philly Home Girls. The neighborhood is also popular now in part because of its proximity to highways, public transportation and cultural hubs. She said new buyers are often motivated to be near things to do in a walkable environment. Development appears to be keeping pace with new buyers.”

From Doorsteps Philly: “One of the coolest parts about living in Northern Liberties is watching the old-school trolleys travel alongside cars. You can take the Girard Avenue Line trolley all the way to Fishtown or West Philly. If you’re headed to Center City or Old City, you can rely on the Market-Frankford Line to get you there. Northern Liberties is the perfect place to live for those without cars because there are myriad public transportation options available. If you do own a car, the neighborhood is residential enough that you won’t have to cross your fingers every day hoping for a parking space.”

From Curbed Philadelphia: “But back to Northern Liberties, which one could argue is well-past its “boom town” phase. Johnathan Smoke, a chief economic analyst for Realtor.com, said, “If anything, this is a road map for where builders should be thinking about where to break ground next.”

Diverse, friendly, booming.

NoLibs is alive with great eateries, cool clubs, and neat, eclectic shops. One popular hangout in the neighborhood is North Bowl, a retro-feeling bowling alley that tends to attract large groups of friends. The Yards Brewing Company is another community staple. Visitors can take tours of the brewery or crack open a cold bottle of Yards’ to fight off the summertime heat. Also of note: The Schmidt’s Commons is a gorgeously manicured, 80,000 square-foot, open-air plaza with all sorts of community events year round (free of charge), fenced in by a trio of buildings including 35 artists’ studios, boutiques and restaurants. Gracing the Commons are a large (800-square-foot) stage and a 400-square-foot HD Daktoniks LED screen, making The Schmidt’s a constantly-buzzing hangout for all seasons that boasts free festivals, concerts, dance performances and live broadcasts of sporting events. SugarHouse Casino is also located in Northern Liberties.

How to get here?

From Visit Philadelphia: “Traveling to and exploring Northern Liberties can be done in a variety of ways. Spring Garden Street and Columbus Boulevard provide access from highways. SEPTA serves the area with two Market-Frankford Line stops and a trolley line. However, the ubiquitous bike racks reveal how locals tend to travel.”