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Renting an Apartment in South Philadelphia
What You Should Know
South Philadelphia is the region of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to
the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to
the west. South Philadelphia is coterminous with the zip codes 19145, 19146,
19147, and 19148. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 162,683. It is an
area rich in immigrant culture, the home to many Italian-American and
Irish-American families who settled in the area starting in the late 19th
century. Many residents have lived in the neighborhood for decades, and the
lovingly maintained homes bring an air of dignity and stability to many blocks.
On many of the corners you can find a pizzeria or a family-owned variety store.
Some parts of South Philadelphia are generally considered great neighborhoods in
which to raise a family.
South Philadelphia began as a satellite town of Philadelphia, with small
townships such as Moyamensing and Southwark. During the Industrial Revolution,
the area saw rapid growth, in part due to mass immigration from Ireland, and
eventually saw its urbanization border that of Philadelphia. This lead to its
incorporation into Philadelphia in 1854. The area continued to grow, becoming a
vital part of Philadelphia's large industrial base and attracting immigrants
from Italy, Poland, Russia, and many others countries during the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. These immigrants became the basis of South Philadelphia's
unique and vibrant culture that would develop over the next several decades.
Recently, South Philadelphia has gone through a period of rapid change. An
increase in immigration has given South Philadelphia significant populations
from Vietnam, China, Puerto Rico, India, Russia, Haiti, and the Dominican
Republic, as well as smaller populations from dozens of nations across the
world. The recent revitalization of Center City Philadelphia has lead to
gentrification in Fitler Square, Graduate Hospital/Southwest/Center City , which
led to skyrocketing prices of housing in Queen Village, and Bella Vista, and
some other parts of South Philadelphia. Also, previously, for various reasons,
many second and third generation South Philadelphians began moving en masse to
South Jersey when the Walt Whitman Bridge was opened in the mid 20th century.
These events have resulted in perhaps the largest change in South Philadelphia's
culture in nearly a hundred years.