Port Richmond

Port Richmond is known for its community pride and generational bonds. Located along the lower edge of the Northeast, directly above Fishtown and Kensington, the area is home to a large blue-collar population. The majority of residents are of Polish descent, and many residents have parents and grandparents that have lived or still live there. Although the area has seen an influx of Albanian, Italian and Irish representation over the years, Polish pride still runs deep, which is reflected in the aesthetics of the neighborhood.

The majority of houses are row homes, situated along narrow, tree-lined streets. These streets are charming, but their narrow nature makes parking scarce and difficult. Many residents don’t own a car, and instead opt to take the accessible buses, train and trolley. For those that do have a car, I-95 runs parallel to the area.

Port Richmond is close to Columbus Boulevard, which features large chains like Target and Home Depot. In addition to these affordable superstores, there are many quaint mom-and-pop shops, restaurants and drinking establishments. These all reflect the Polish roots in the community, with many Polish delis and cultural hot spots where everybody knows your name.

Port Richmond is family-friendly, with numerous schools, churches and community organizations. It is also extremely safe. Even with all of these benefits, sale and rent prices remain low, because it is a bit of a trek from Center City. However, Port Richmond is growing extremely popular as Center City prices climb, and offers a safe and quaint option for couples, families and young professionals that are ready to settle.

Port Richmond is a neighborhood in Philadelphia known for its large Polish and Albanian communities. The area is very close knit with many of the current residents having parents, grandparents and/or great grandparents having lived in this same neighborhood. Mostly working class, the neighbors are job oriented, with many residents being able to walk to work.

Row homes dominate the housing style in the area. However, there are townhouses, single-family homes and a few condos in the vicinity. Most homes built in the earlier 20th century are smaller than those built in the latter part of the century.

The major streets in the area are Allegheny Avenue, Aramingo Avenue and Richmond Street. Interstate 95 runs parallel to Allegheny Avenue making it easy to get inside the city by car. Parking in Port Richmond isn't ideal, however, with many of the streets being rather narrow. SEPTA offers service throughout Port Richmond via bus, train and trolley; all of which reach other sections of the city.

Port Richmond's Aramingo Avenue has seen a lot of construction as well as additives over the past few years. Any need you may have, you can find it on this strip of stores, banks, restaurants and gas stations. From mom and pop convenience stores to major chains such as Target, there is something for everyone in the "shopping district" of the neighborhood. Port Richmond also has a few sports bars, pubs and karaoke places for nightlife activities.

Many schools in the area are on the National Register of Historical Places. There are options for public, private, parochial, and charter schools ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade. The neighborhood also has a nice amount of day-cares for children who aren't quite old enough for school.

Port Richmond is best suited for families, especially those of the larger persuasion, mostly because this neighborhood screams family ties. All are neighborly and willingly to help their fellow man. It's a great neighborhood to raise children. It also has become one of Philadelphia's premiere shopping districts. Totally worth it.

Port Richmond is experiencing a surge of interest as housing prices are pushing residents outside of the near-Center City areas and closer to the Delaware River. Housing prices have risen by 11 percent in the last five years according to a recent survey by the Philadelphia Inquirer. A typical row home will sell for $117,000.

It is one of Philadelphia’s classic river wards settled originally by Polish immigrants who formed a strong working class community. Glass and textiles were mainstays of employment. It has been the site for shipbuilding and coal transfer. Tioga Marine Terminal operates at the Delaware River.

The world-famous Polish American String Band hails from Port Richmond guaranteeing a wonderful News Years Day with their parade down Broad Street.

Many Polish churches and cathedrals dot the tree lined streets. Lithuanians comprise a large part of the population. Small shops featuring Polish delicacies such as babka, chrusciki and paczki dot the area. The Kracus Market thrives on Richmond Street.

The New Kensington Community Development Corporation provides service to the area.

Access is plentiful with I-95 between the Delaware River and the community. Public transportation is provided by The Market Frankford El and bus routes that run parallel to I-95.

Port Richmond is a neighborhood located in the lower Northeast section of Philadelphia. It is bound by Trenton Avenue to the west, the Delaware River to the east, Leigh Avenue to the north and Interstate 95 to the south. It is adjacent to Kensington and Fishtown so the area is also sometimes referred to as "Port Fishington."
The neighborhood is largely dominated by Polish Americans and also has a sizable Irish American, German American and Italian American residency. It is a predominantly residential neighborhood but does offer many dining and nightlife opportunities in the neighboring areas such as Fishtown and Northern Liberties. There are also a lot of corner stores that are locally owned and sell food and other essentials.
Port Richmond has mainly row homes but also offers a couple of apartment complexes. It is very easy to get around the neighborhood on foot or on a bicycle due to everything being so close together.
Port Richmond does not have a very substantial crime rate, which makes it a more appealing area of the city to live in. It also features some of the most beautiful churches in Philadelphia including St. Adabert Church on Allegheny Avenue.
Port Richmond is perfect for families, young professionals and anybody else who wants to live in a safe neighborhood.

One of the things I love about Philadelphia is that no matter what reputation a neighborhood has, whether it is good or bad, the people who live there have a great amount of pride about living there. Port Richmond is one of those neighborhoods.

I always dread going there because it seems so far away from the rest of Philadelphia, especially if you don’t have access to a car. Taking public transit to get to Port Richmond takes forever. But even if you have a car parking on a majority of the streets is kind of a nuisance as they were originally designed for horse and buggy transportation.

Port Richmond is a working class neighborhood with many of its residents having grown up there or in the area. It also has a strong Polish background which is kind of obvious with the amount of Polish restaurants and shops in the area.

Much like the other neighborhoods in the Northern section of Philadelphia, Port Richmond has a reputation of being a scary, crime riddled district with crimes ranging from murder to robberies happening regularly. I don’t know anyone personally who has been physically assaulted while in Port Richmond but I know several people who have had their cars broken into.