Philadelphia/Compare
Northern Liberties vs Old City
Northern Liberties and Old City are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Northern Liberties is the calmer Part I map (16 vs 11). Old City wins the errand count. Northern Liberties has the lower ACS median ($2,030).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · PPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Philadelphia neighborhoods.
| Axis | Northern Liberties | Old City |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 16 | 11 |
| Schools | 17 | 13 |
| Walk | 29 | 78 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 92 |
| Median rent | $2,030 | $2,191 |
| Median home | $631,628 | $491,745 |
| Population | 9,739 | 5,135 |
| Commute to Center City | 12 min | 10 min |
| Commute to University City | 22 min | 22 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 24 min | 20 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Northern Liberties | Old City |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 70% |
| Median age | 33.5 | 34.6 |
| Median income | $136K | $105K |
| Part I per 1k | 96.0 | 101.8 |
| Groceries / 800m | 9 | 15 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 39 | 61 |
| Parks / 800m | 17 | 41 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Philadelphia city. Up 53% since 2014. NoLibs is 45% above the 2024 city median. Old City is 57% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Northern Liberties if you want the cafes and the night and the rent gap is the point. Vibe is 25 vs 92. ACS median rent is $2,030 vs $2,191. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Old City if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 92 vs 25. Walk is 78 vs 29. Read both pages before you decide.
Northern Liberties
Second Street, Piazza-era leftovers, and a walk to the El that is not quite Fishtown. Newer than Old City, louder than Fairmount. NoLibs is the search.
$2,030 median rent · safety 16 · walk 29
Old City
Cobblestones, the Mall, First Friday. You live next to a national park. Walk maxes out. Part I is padded by people who do not sleep here.
$2,191 median rent · safety 11 · walk 78
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Northern Liberties or Old City?
Northern Liberties is the lower ACS median: $2,030 vs $2,191. About 55% rent in Northern Liberties vs 70% in Old City. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Northern Liberties more walkable than Old City?
Old City wins the errand count (walk 29 vs 78). Groceries inside 800 meters: 9 vs 15. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Northern Liberties or Old City?
Northern Liberties is the calmer Part I read (16 vs 11). Combined rate 96.0 vs 101.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Northern Liberties or Old City?
Northern Liberties leads the school axis (17 vs 13). Nearby rating is 6.5 / 10 vs 6.4 / 10. Median age 33.5 vs 34.6. Old City has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Center City?
12 minutes from Northern Liberties to Center City, 10 from Old City. Old City is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Northern Liberties or Old City: Society Hill. Gardens, brick, Headhouse. Quieter than Old City’s Mall, tighter than Queen Village. The Square is the lawn you share with Washington Square West.
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.