Fairmount is an established centrally located Philadelphia neighborhood known for its tree-lined residential streets, classic rowhomes, cultural attractions, and exceptional access to parks and outdoor recreation. Located near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Fairmount Park, and the Schuylkill River, the neighborhood combines a residential setting with convenient access to Center City, restaurants, cafés, museums, and neighborhood businesses along Fairmount Avenue.
Jump to: Overview • Homes • Lifestyle • Getting Around • Dining & Shopping • Housing Market
Fairmount at a Glance
Walkability
Bikeability
Transit
Housing
Dining & Shopping
Housing Market
Neighborhood Overview
Where is Fairmount?
Fairmount is located northwest of Center City, adjacent to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the Philadelphia Museum of Art area. The neighborhood sits near Spring Garden and Brewerytown, with Fairmount Park and the Schuylkill River providing access to some of Philadelphia’s largest recreational and green spaces. Its location puts Center City, the Parkway museums, and riverfront trails within convenient reach.
What is Fairmount known for?
Fairmount is known for its tree-lined residential streets, classic Philadelphia rowhomes, Fairmount Avenue commercial corridor, and proximity to some of the city’s best-known cultural and recreational destinations. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Eastern State Penitentiary, Fairmount Park, Boathouse Row, and the Schuylkill River Trail are all in or immediately around the area. The combination of residential blocks, museums, restaurants, neighborhood businesses, and outdoor recreation gives Fairmount a distinctive position between Center City and Philadelphia’s park system.
Living in Fairmount
What is it like to live in Fairmount?
Living in Fairmount combines residential city living with unusually convenient access to parks, trails, museums, restaurants, and neighborhood businesses. Tree-lined blocks of rowhomes and condominiums sit near the commercial activity of Fairmount Avenue, while Fairmount Park, the Schuylkill River Trail, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and nearby museums provide a wide range of recreational and cultural options. The neighborhood’s location also keeps Center City within relatively easy reach.
Is Fairmount quiet or noisy?
Fairmount’s residential side streets can feel considerably quieter than its busier commercial and traffic corridors. Homes near Fairmount Avenue, major intersections, restaurants, or popular attractions may experience more pedestrian and vehicle activity, while interior residential blocks can have a different atmosphere. Buyers who are sensitive to noise should consider the specific block and a property’s proximity to commercial activity and major streets when comparing homes.
Can you live in Fairmount without a car?
Yes. Living in Fairmount without a car is practical for many residents. The neighborhood has an 89/100 Walk Score and 91/100 Bike Score, and restaurants, cafés, grocery options, parks, museums, and everyday services are accessible within and around the neighborhood. SEPTA bus routes provide connections to Center City and other parts of Philadelphia, while the neighborhood’s proximity to the Schuylkill River Trail also makes bicycling a particularly useful option.
Homes in Fairmount
What types of homes are in Fairmount?
Fairmount has a notably varied housing mix. Rowhomes account for about 52% of the neighborhood’s housing, while condominiums represent nearly 46%. Buyers can encounter traditional Philadelphia rowhomes, larger renovated properties, converted buildings, and condominium residences ranging from smaller buildings to larger developments. New construction represents a relatively small share of the neighborhood’s housing stock.
How much do homes cost in Fairmount?
The median sold price in Fairmount was $578,000 in Q2 2026, up 15.7% from the same quarter a year earlier. Prices can vary substantially depending on property type, size, condition, parking, outdoor space, renovation quality, and location within the neighborhood. Condominiums and rowhomes can also occupy very different price ranges, making the quarterly median most useful as an overall neighborhood benchmark.
What should buyers know about buying a home in Fairmount?
Fairmount buyers should consider both property type and condition carefully. The neighborhood’s housing data has a median year built of 1920, so rowhomes and converted properties may differ considerably in their renovations, mechanical systems, layouts, and maintenance needs. Condominium buyers should also evaluate association fees, what those fees cover, building finances, and any property-specific rules. Parking, outdoor space, and proximity to Fairmount Avenue, parks, museums, and major streets can also vary significantly from one property to another. Buyers can also review my Buying a Home in Philadelphia guide for more information about the home-buying process.
Getting Around
Is Fairmount walkable?
Yes. Fairmount is highly walkable, with an 89/100 Walk Score in the neighborhood data. Restaurants, cafés, grocery options, museums, parks, and everyday services are accessible throughout and around the neighborhood, while Fairmount Avenue serves as a central commercial corridor. Center City and destinations along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are also within walking distance for many residents.
What public transportation is available in Fairmount?
Fairmount is served by several SEPTA bus routes that provide convenient connections to Center City, University City, and surrounding North Philadelphia neighborhoods. Routes 7, 32, 33, 48, and 49 serve the neighborhood or its immediate edges, with Route 48 providing useful service between the Art Museum area and Center City, while Route 49 connects the area with 30th Street Station and University City. The G runs along nearby Girard Avenue, providing east-west service toward Brewerytown, North Philadelphia, Northern Liberties, and Fishtown. For subway service, the B (Broad Street Line) at Fairmount Station is accessible from the neighborhood’s eastern side, providing direct north-south service through Center City and connections to the wider SEPTA network. The neighborhood’s 64/100 Transit Score reflects useful public transportation access while also indicating that service is not as extensive as in some neighborhoods closer to the city’s subway lines.
Is Fairmount bike-friendly?
Yes. Fairmount stands out for bicycling, with a 91/100 Bike Score, classified as a Biker’s Paradise. Its location provides convenient access to the Schuylkill River Trail and other cycling routes connecting the neighborhood with Center City, the riverfront, and areas farther northwest. For residents who bike regularly, this can make cycling a practical transportation option as well as a recreational one.
Restaurants, Shopping & Amenities
What restaurants are in Fairmount?
Fairmount has a thriving and varied restaurant scene concentrated largely along Fairmount Avenue and the surrounding streets. Neighborhood options include A Mano, Bar Hygge, Zorba’s Tavern, IosRestobar, Pier Bar, Urban Saloon, Umai Umai, and Jack’s Firehouse, along with cafés, casual restaurants, and takeout options. The neighborhood’s location near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway also expands the number of dining choices within walking distance.
Where can you shop for groceries and everyday needs in Fairmount?
Fairmount Avenue provides a mix of neighborhood shops, specialty businesses, cafés, and everyday services. Grocery options include Whole Foods near the Parkway, while smaller markets and specialty food businesses serve the surrounding residential blocks. Fairmount also has a seasonal farmers market at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue, providing another option for produce and locally produced foods.
What is there to do in Fairmount?
Fairmount offers an unusually broad mix of outdoor recreation and cultural attractions. Residents have convenient access to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Eastern State Penitentiary, Fairmount Park, the Schuylkill River Trail, Boathouse Row, and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The neighborhood’s proximity to the river and park system provides opportunities for walking, running, and cycling, while nearby museums and cultural institutions provide year-round activities. Fairmount Avenue adds restaurants, cafés, shops, and neighborhood businesses closer to home.
Fairmount Housing Market
What is the Fairmount housing market like?
Fairmount has an active residential real estate market with a substantial mix of traditional Philadelphia rowhomes and condominiums. Because those property types can differ considerably in size, features, maintenance responsibilities, and price, market conditions can vary across the neighborhood. Buyers should evaluate current inventory and recent comparable sales for the specific property type and price range they are considering. Homeowners considering a sale can also review my Selling a Home in Philadelphia guide for more information about preparing and positioning a Philadelphia property for the market.
Is Fairmount a competitive housing market?
Fairmount can be a competitive housing market, particularly for well-priced properties in desirable locations and homes offering features such as updated interiors, outdoor space, or parking. Competition can vary by property type, price range, condition, available inventory, and broader market conditions. Condominium and rowhome markets may also behave differently, making property-specific comparisons especially important in Fairmount.
Is Fairmount a good place to buy a home?
Fairmount can appeal to buyers who value walkability, access to parks and trails, cultural attractions, and proximity to Center City while still wanting a predominantly residential setting. The neighborhood also offers buyers an unusually broad choice between traditional Philadelphia rowhomes and condominiums. Individual properties should be compared carefully for condition, parking, outdoor space, condominium costs where applicable, and proximity to busier commercial or traffic corridors.
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