New construction next door to old
Both neighborhoods have seen heavy infill development, so a 19th-century rowhome and a recently built home with a roof deck often sit on the same block.
Northern Liberties & Fishtown | Philadelphia, PA
Two Adjacent River-Ward Neighborhoods Where Old Rowhomes Sit Next to New Builds
Northern Liberties and Fishtown run north from Center City along the Delaware River side of the city, both served by the Market–Frankford Line. Northern Liberties and Fishtown Philadelphia real estate and homes for sale mix 19th-century rowhomes with a large amount of newer construction.
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Tom Fior · Realtor, Coldwell Banker Realty · Verified Google reviews below
What's It Actually Like in Northern Liberties & Fishtown?
Frankford Avenue and 2nd Street
Fishtown's commercial life runs largely along Frankford and Girard Avenues, while Northern Liberties concentrates around 2nd Street and the blocks near Liberties Walk.
The El as the spine
SEPTA's Market–Frankford Line runs above Front Street and Kensington Avenue, with Spring Garden, Girard and Berks stations serving these neighborhoods.
Northern Liberties vs Fishtown
Adjacent, frequently marketed together, and genuinely different to buy in.
Northern Liberties
The smaller of the two and closer to Center City, with a high concentration of newer construction, condo buildings and converted industrial space around 2nd Street and Liberties Walk.
Fishtown
Larger and further northeast, with more surviving blocks of traditional narrow rowhomes alongside infill construction, centered on Frankford and Girard Avenues.
Your local real estate resource
Hi, I'm Tom.
Tom Fior. I help buyers and sellers navigate Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs with a simple approach: clear guidance, honest answers, and no unnecessary pressure.
I grew up in Delaware County and live in Philadelphia, so City to Suburbs isn't just a brand — it's the market I know personally. Whether you're comparing neighborhoods, moving out of the city, relocating to the area, or trying to figure out where you fit best, I'm here to help you make sense of your options.
Helping buyers understand the tradeoffs between Northern Liberties & Fishtown, the rest of Philadelphia, and the surrounding suburbs.
Guidance First. Pressure Never.
The Northern Liberties & Fishtown Real Estate Cheat Sheet
The stuff I'd want you to know before we started looking at homes here.
- City
- Philadelphia
- County
- Philadelphia County
- ZIP code(s)
- 19123, 19125
- Common housing
- Rowhomes, New construction homes, Condos, Converted industrial buildings
- Center City relationship
- Northern Liberties begins just north of Center City; Fishtown continues northeast from there along the river side of the city.
Northern Liberties is generally 19123 and Fishtown generally 19125, but the two neighborhoods are adjacent and the boundary between them is described differently depending on the source.
What types of homes are in Northern Liberties & Fishtown?
The base stock is attached rowhomes, many narrow and originally built for industrial-era workers. Layered on top is a large volume of newer construction and gut rehabs, plus condos in converted industrial and commercial buildings. Ceiling heights, layouts, garages and roof decks vary far more than in a uniform rowhome neighborhood.
Does Northern Liberties & Fishtown have SEPTA access?
SEPTA's Market–Frankford Line serves Spring Garden, Girard and Berks stations here, and SEPTA bus and trolley-bus routes run along Girard Avenue and Frankford Avenue. Verify current service with SEPTA.
Is parking available in Northern Liberties & Fishtown?
Parking depends heavily on the individual property. Some newer homes include garages or parking pads; many older rowhomes have none and rely on permit street parking through the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
What are property taxes like in Northern Liberties & Fishtown?
Philadelphia bills one citywide Real Estate Tax on the assessed value set by the Office of Property Assessment, so what you pay depends on the individual property's assessment and on any programs it qualifies for — the Homestead Exemption, LOOP, or a remaining tax abatement. There is no single “neighborhood tax rate,” so always check the actual property. Many newer homes in these neighborhoods were built under Philadelphia's 10-year residential tax abatement, and the program's terms changed for later permits — so confirm with the Department of Revenue how many abatement years, if any, remain on a specific address and what the bill becomes afterward.
The local detail people miss
An abatement is attached to the property, not to you forever
On a newer home, the important question is how many years of the abatement remain and what the full tax bill looks like when it ends. That number belongs in your monthly math from day one, not at year ten.
How do schools work in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia schools are assigned by address through the School District of Philadelphia, and the city also has charter, magnet and citywide-admission options. Confirm the catchment and any eligibility for a specific address with the District before you rely on it.
School District of PhiladelphiaThe Northern Liberties & Fishtown Tradeoff
Why you might consider it — and what I'd want you to understand before you buy.
Why buyers consider it
Direct Center City access
Both neighborhoods sit on the Market–Frankford Line a short ride from Center City stations.
Newer housing inside the city
The volume of recent construction means modern systems, layouts and occasional off-street parking are genuinely available here.
Dense commercial corridors
Frankford Avenue, Girard Avenue and 2nd Street all carry substantial retail and restaurant activity.
What you should know
New and old need different inspections
A 130-year-old rowhome and a five-year-old build raise entirely different questions — one about systems and structure, the other about builder quality, stucco and flashing details.
The two names are not one market
Northern Liberties and Fishtown differ in scale, street pattern and housing mix. Comparable sales should come from the right one.
Proximity to active corridors cuts both ways
Blocks near the El and the main commercial streets trade convenience for noise and activity. Visit a candidate home at more than one time of day.
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Browse current homes for sale in Northern Liberties & Fishtown through Tom's live home search.
Still Comparing Philadelphia Neighborhoods?
See how Northern Liberties & Fishtown compares with other parts of Philadelphia you may also be considering.
Port Richmond
Continues northeast along the river with a more consistent stock of traditional two-story rowhomes and less new construction.
Explore Port RichmondCenter City
Immediately south, where condos and high-rise buildings replace the rowhome-and-infill mix.
Explore Center CityFairmount
A similar distance from Center City on the Schuylkill side, with a more uniform brick rowhome stock.
Explore Fairmount
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Real Google reviews from buyers and sellers Tom has helped.
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Thinking About Northern Liberties & Fishtown?
Whether you're already looking at homes or still comparing Philadelphia neighborhoods, I'll help you understand the properties, the numbers and the tradeoffs before you make a move.
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Because the housing mix is so varied here, positioning against the right comparable homes — old versus new, abated versus not — drives the result.
Sources · last verified August 2026