Center City

Center City

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Homes for Sale

About Center City

Center City is Philadelphia's cosmopolitan downtown. Comprising the neighborhoods that made up William Penn's original city, Center City contains historic architecture and monuments around every turn. Nothing about Philly's dynamic nucleus is out of date, however. Some of the city's most grand residences are located here among a first-rate dining scene, thrilling commercial centers, and the central business district. With many options for public transportation and an incredibly walkable landscape, the lucky residents of Center City have the world at their doorstep.

Quick Facts

Current Prices: $79,900 to $25,000,000

Closed Prices: $63,000 to $6,500,000

Median Sale Price: $440,000

Average $ per sq ft: $452

Association Fee Ranges: $750, $250 to $875/quarter, $1 to $3345, $0, $0 to $9116/mo

Type: Attached Home (Condo, Townhouse, Loft, etc.), Single-Family Home

Age: 1805 to 2022

Sq. Ft.: 258 to 10000 Sq. Ft.

Bedrooms: 0 to 9 Bedrooms

Bathrooms: 0 to 8 Bathrooms

Around Center City

Center City is organized around Philadelphia City Hall, an ornate, castle-like structure with a clock tower topped by a bronze statue of William Penn. Towering skyscrapers surround this central landmark, but the neighborhood gets shorter as you travel further out, where three-story townhouses are more common. The east side of Center City contains some of the city's most well-known monuments and museums as well as Chinatown and the piers along the Delaware River in Old City. On the west end are the elegant greenspaces at Logan Square and Rittenhouse Square as well as the trails and parks along Schuylkill River.

Extravagant penthouses and timelessly elegant residences fill out the high end of the market at multimillion-dollar price points. Many of the most affordable options can be found in Midtown Village, though these residences often come with a monthly HOA fee. While you can expect this added cost at just about any building in the area, midrange condominiums for a variety of budgets can be found in the area.

A multitude of fine dining establishments converge on Center City to vie for the appetites of travelers and locals. Oyster House is a top contender for East Coast seafood, while Vernick has made a name for itself with upscale, New American cuisine. Double Knot is a cozy cafe with an izakaya in the basement offering sushi, robatayaki meats, and drinks. If you're craving Mexican food, visit the colorfully decorated El Vez. For Indian fare unlike any you've had before, check out Indeblue. Philly's food scene is constantly changing, assuring that residents of Center City will always be able to find a new culinary adventure.

Notable buildings with elaborately detailed exteriors share the skyline with sleek, modern skyscrapers exhibiting more utilitarian designs. Entrepreneurs wine and dine prospective clients at classy restaurants, tourists snap photos of the Liberty Bell, and university students cram for tests at cafes. Highways lead to cobblestone streets. Locals lounge by majestic fountains in storied parks. Since its founding in 1682, Philadelphia has grown and evolved, and Center City has been its anchor.

Center City contains a vibrant nightlife of pubs, clubs, patios, theaters, music venues, and event centers. A night out at McGillin's Olde Ale House, the oldest pub continually operated in the city, is a definitively classic Philly experience. If you prefer a bar that doesn't take its legacy too seriously, sit down at Good Dog Bar and stay for a craft beer or cocktail. Music fans in the area know Union Transfer, Electric Factory, and Theatre of the Living Arts as Center City's premier venues, booking some of the biggest names in punk, hip hop, electronic, and more. Kimmel Center hosts the city's orchestra as well as opera, ballet, and drama. Walnut Street Theatre is the oldest playhouse in the nation and still carries the torch for the city's theatrical tradition by hosting plays and musicals. The Trocadero Theatre also has a storied history, though it's been reinvented as a space for contemporary music, live podcasts, and movie screenings. Visit all of these nighttime destinations and you'll have only scratched the surface of what Center City, Philadelphia has to offer.

Start your day off right with a delicious brunch at Sabrina's Cafe, then stroll over to Logan Circle to dip your toes in Swann Memorial Fountain, which features beautiful sculptures of Native American figures honoring the area's major rivers and streams. Learn a new facet of U.S. history with a visit to the National Constitutional Center and take the walking tour through all of the area's most notable sites. When you're in the mood to hit a trail, there's a great one along the Schuylkill River that connects to a boardwalk suspended over the water. Center City residents enjoy a fantastic location to make the most of any day off.

As Philadelphia's core, Center City is incredibly walkable and bike-friendly. A car is not really necessary for transportation here and might be more trouble than it's worth. Subway and train stations can be found throughout Center City, providing convenient, inexpensive transit to popular destinations throughout the city. The Airport Line is accessible from Jefferson Station and Suburban Station, providing quick lifts to Philadelphia International Airport.

Locals Love

  • Architecture
  • Parks
  • Access to public transit
  • Walkability
  • Cultural institutions
  • Incredible dining and nightlife

Locals Don't Love

  • Noise
  • Parking
  • Traffic
  • Cost of living

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