Philadelphia/Compare
Northern Liberties vs Society Hill
Northern Liberties and Society Hill are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Society Hill is the calmer Part I map (84 vs 16). Society Hill 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 | Society Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 16 | 84 |
| Schools | 17 | 57 |
| Walk | 29 | 68 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 84 |
| Median rent | $2,030 | $2,044 |
| Median home | $631,628 | $510,250 |
| Population | 9,739 | 6,485 |
| Commute to Center City | 12 min | 10 min |
| Commute to University City | 22 min | 20 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 24 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Northern Liberties | Society Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 40% |
| Median age | 33.5 | 56.3 |
| Median income | $136K | $113K |
| Part I per 1k | 96.0 | 36.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 9 | 13 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 39 | 49 |
| Parks / 800m | 17 | 48 |
| 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. Society is 46% 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 already want this pocket more than the table. Society Hill leads the numbered axes on this page.
Pick Society Hill if the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the cafes and the night. Safety is 84 vs 16. Vibe is 84 vs 25. Schools score 57 vs 17. 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
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.
$2,044 median rent · safety 84 · walk 68
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Northern Liberties or Society Hill?
Northern Liberties is the lower ACS median: $2,030 vs $2,044. About 55% rent in Northern Liberties vs 40% in Society Hill. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Northern Liberties more walkable than Society Hill?
Society Hill wins the errand count (walk 29 vs 68). Groceries inside 800 meters: 9 vs 13. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Northern Liberties or Society Hill?
Society Hill is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 16). Combined rate 36.2 vs 96.0 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Northern Liberties or Society Hill?
Society Hill leads the school axis (57 vs 17). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 56.3 vs 33.5. Northern Liberties 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 Society Hill. Society Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Northern Liberties or Society Hill: 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.
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.