Society Hill

Philadelphia, PA

Background Image

Society Hill - Philadelphia, PA

Area Guide

Share Guide

Where history lives

Walkable Historic Landmarks Riverfront Urban Entertainment Culture

With its brick-paved sidewalks, cobblestone alleyways, and gorgeous historic architecture, Society Hill is one of Philadelphia's oldest and most sought-after neighborhoods. The name is slightly misleading -- it isn't on a hill and it has nothing to do with social standing. Instead, the name is derived from the original settlers, a group of Free Society of Traders who received land from William Penn back in 1682. They planted a flag on a small hill in the neighborhood, and the area quickly became known as the "Society's Hill."

Society Hill contains a variety of spectacular buildings, some dating to its original settlement. The neighborhood was diverse, even back in the 1700s, with small row houses sitting next to mansions. One of those mansions, the Physick House, built in 1786, is one of the neighborhood's last surviving Federal-style mansions. Today, it is a house museum that offers public tours. Other historic landmarks in Society Hill include Old St. Joseph's, a Roman Catholic church founded in 1733; the Shippen-Wistar House, built around 1750 (by the first doctor to use bodies for dissection, Dr. William Shippen); and Old Pine, a church built in 1766.

Society Hill is home to one of the five public squares laid out by William Penn, Washington Square. Back then, it was used as a pasture and a burial ground. Today, it is a picturesque park with a fountain, sitting next door to some of Philadelphia's major landmarks, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Head to Headhouse Square to shop at the oldest farmer's market in Philly, the Headhouse Square Farmer's Market, and stroll the cobblestone Dock Street to enjoy some of Philly's best restaurants and theaters.

Rent Trends

As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Society Hill is $1,021 for a studio, $1,893 for one bedroom, $2,901 for two bedrooms, and $8,690 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Society Hill has increased by 3.1% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 340 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,021/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 698 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,893/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 1,032 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,901/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 2,723 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $8,690/month

    Average Rent

Transportation

97

Walker's Paradise

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

Lace up your walking shoes because this area is considered a walker’s paradise.

92

Rider's Paradise

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

Living in this area is considered a rider’s paradise, with world-class transportation.

85

Very Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

This area is very bikeable. You’ll find a variety of bike paths and lanes.

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
  • Great Egg Harbor River
  • Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
  • Independence Seaport Museum
  • Independence National Historical Park

Airports

  • Philadelphia International
  • Trenton Mercer

Top Apartments in Society Hill

Houses for Rent in Society Hill

Property Management Companies

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.