Cedarbrook

Cedarbrook is toward the northwest of the city and is bordered by Cheltenham and Springfield Township in Montgomery County and Stenton Avenue along the Southwest. It is the perfect neighborhood for city workers who are required to live in the city. A majority of residents or 95 percent are African American and have maintained a quiet middle class environment. Most residents are high school graduates.

The Cedarbrook Mall across the city line provides numerous shopping options.

Properties have experience an increase in value by 12 percent according to a recent survey by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Access to transportation can be problematic.

Regrettably, a spate of violence has hit the area with gun shots wounding a SEPTA bus drivers and the murder of an elderly woman.

Recently, there efforts to revitalize the former Cedarbrook Country Club which is now a golf course and is also known as the Short Course of Cedarbrook Hill. It features 18 holes and provides lessons for the golf-challenged. Golf Digest rates the facility with 4.5 stars as a very favorable place to play. Dave Roberts of Cedarbrook is making golf news with his placement on the PGA roster.

A large part of the area is taken up by the Ivy Hill Cemetery which was opened in 1867.

Cedarbrook is not as pretty as its name. The north Philadelphia neighborhood is a predominantly low income area. The rowhomes and single family houses are showing the wear of years of neglect. And the streets are no better; they are covered with trash often blocking the sewer drains.

Much like other neighborhoods in North Philadelphia Cedarbrook is known for being a violent area consumed by crime. Theft and vandalism are common occurrences in this district where 10% of the residents are below the poverty line. It is not an ideal area for families with children as it does not offer much for their welling being.
Many of the residents of Cedarbrook are African-American, over 95% with Caucasians accounting for 2%. It is not a racially diverse community by any means.

As with a lot of smaller neighborhoods there are corner stores but any major shopping will require commuting to another area which can be done by public or car. One interesting fact about Cedarbrook is that its boundaries make it almost precisely rectangular. Another “claim to fame” is the Ivy Hill Cemetery which was established in 1867. The northwestern portion of Cedarbrook is often referred to as Ivy Hill because of the cemetery.

Cedarbrook is a neighborhood located in the North section of Philadelphia. It is bordered by Cheltenham Avenue to the northeast, Ivy Hill Road to the northwest, Stenton Avenue to the southwest and Vernon Road to the southeast. Cedarbrook is sometimes considered to be Northwest Philadelphia, given that it lies to the northwest corner of the city.
According the 2000 US Census, Cedarbrook has a population of 25,274. The medium household income is $42,342. The neighborhood is largely made up of African American families, 10% of which live below the poverty line.
Given that it is a low income neighborhood, it is extremely affordable to live in Cedarbrook. There are many row homes and apartments available for families as well as single people.
One of the most famous parts of the neighborhood is the Ivy Hill Cemetery which was established in 1867. This cemetery forms the geographical heart of the neighborhood and is the final resting place of some of Philadelphia’s oldest citizens.
Cedarbrook has a high crime and robbery rate. It is important to include a deadbolt on your doors and bar all of your windows if you live in this neighborhood so that you can protect your possession from getting stolen.