Area Guide

University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA

A culture of peerless scholarship since 1740

Private Ivy League Historic

Founded by none other than Benjamin Franklin in 1740, Penn is one of America’s most historic and prestigious universities. Students not only get the benefit of an Ivy League education, but the campus location provides direct access to all the resources and attractions in the heart of Philadelphia. The University Museum is one of the premier archaeological galleries in the nation, and the many of the gorgeous campus buildings are included in the University of Pennsylvania Historic District. The Powelton Village and Spruce Hill neighborhoods are popular areas for students and faculty members to seek housing, with both offering convenient access to the campus. However, folks seeking to balance their time between the university and the Center City area may want to consider looking for apartments on the east bank of the Shuykill River—rent tends to be a little pricier on this side, but Philadelphia’s finest attractions will be in your backyard and the university is just a short walk or trolley ride across the Market Street bridge.

Rent Trends

As of July 2026, the average apartment rent in Philadelphia, PA is $1,443 for a studio, $1,788 for one bedroom, $2,224 for two bedrooms, and $2,909 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Philadelphia has increased by 2.8% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 451 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,443/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 663 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,788/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 959 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,224/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 1,310 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,909/month

    Average Rent

Learn More About University of Pennsylvania

Getting Around

Exceptionally Walkable

Walkability

100 / 100

Exceptional Public Transit

Transit

100 / 100

Moderately Drivable

Drivability

60 / 100

Moderately Bikeable

Bikeability

70 / 100

Daily Essentials

Supermarket Within a 5 Minute Walk

Groceries

100 / 100

Exceptional Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

100 / 100

Exceptional Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

100 / 100

Exceptional Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

90 / 100

Recreation

Exceptional Amount of Park Space Nearby

Parks

100 / 100

Exceptional Wellness Amenity Variety Nearby

Wellness

90 / 100

Local Vibe

Highly Vibrant Atmosphere

Vibrancy

80 / 100

Exceptional Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

90 / 100

Very Noisy

Quiet Score

30 / 100

Schools

Penn Alexander School

Public

Grades K-8

595 Students

Meredith William M School

Public

Grades K-8

556 Students

Masterman Julia R Secondary School

Public

Grades K-12

1,183 Students

Greenfield Albert M School

Public

Grades K-8

742 Students

Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Cs

Public

Grades K-8

501 Students

Penn Alexander School

Public

Grades K-8

595 Students

Meredith William M School

Public

Grades K-8

556 Students

C.C.A. Baldi Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

1,511 Students

Masterman Julia R Secondary School

Public

Grades K-12

1,183 Students

Greenfield Albert M School

Public

Grades K-8

742 Students

Central High School

Public

Grades 9-12

2,329 Students

Masterman Julia R Secondary School

Public

Grades K-12

1,183 Students

Academy At Palumbo

Public

Grades 9-12

1,225 Students

Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP)

Public

Grades K-12

579 Students

Science Leadership Academy

Public

Grades 9-12

502 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Penn Museum
  • University of Pennsylvania Observatory
  • Schuylkill River Park
  • Franklin Institute
  • Fels Planetarium

Airports

  • Philadelphia International
  • Trenton Mercer

Top Apartments Near University of Pennsylvania

Houses Near University of Pennsylvania

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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 June 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.