Population 26,862 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fishtown
Household size in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.25 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.91 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.33 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Fishtown is a place of small households, averaging 1.91 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.25, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.7 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.3 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.8 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.8 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.9 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.8, Fishtown is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has edged down from 34.7 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Fishtown: 2.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 6.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of Philadelphia's 64 neighborhoods have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fishtown
Renters in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.0% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.7% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.9% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.3 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Fishtown rent: 51.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 17.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 13.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Fishtown than nationally: 7.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Philadelphia area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1951 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +34 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Fishtown was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Philadelphia area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1968. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the northeast. Only three of Philadelphia's 64 neighborhoods have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,027 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,106 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,629 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,022 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$996 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fishtown pays $2,022 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $996 a month since 2006–10, up 97%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 23.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fishtown
Bachelor's degrees in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.4% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.2% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 75.8% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +38.6 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fishtown: 75.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 38.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.1% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.4% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.0% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.3 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Fishtown: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 13.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Fishtown has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Philadelphia neighborhoods.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fishtown
| Period | Fishtown | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fishtown has been low: just 2.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other Philadelphia neighborhood has lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 5.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fishtown compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishtown | 1.91 | 33.8 | 2.9% | 51.9% | 7.1% | 1976 | $2,022 | 75.8% | 96.4% | 2.7% |
| Kensington | 2.24 | 34.8 | 11.2% | 48.4% | 11.2% | 1954 | $1,549 | 48.6% | 85.3% | 6.5% |
| Poplar-Ludlow-Yorktowne | 2.08 | 27.9 | 13.6% | 76.7% | 9.3% | 1976 | $1,152 | 35.0% | 87.7% | 12.1% |
| Hartranft | 2.44 | 33.7 | 25.5% | 69.5% | 15.2% | 1965 | $1,118 | 16.5% | 78.7% | 16.1% |
| Chinatown | 1.49 | 38.6 | 6.3% | 73.7% | 10.7% | 1980 | $1,952 | 64.9% | 88.8% | 8.8% |
| North Central | 2.44 | 25.0 | 31.4% | 70.3% | 16.5% | 1977 | $1,149 | 23.6% | 81.5% | 12.3% |
| Pyne Poynt | 2.66 | 40.3 | 24.6% | 75.5% | 9.1% | 1958 | $606 | 4.6% | 60.1% | 20.4% |
| Spring Garden | 1.64 | 36.0 | 3.3% | 76.9% | 12.2% | 1974 | $2,083 | 81.3% | 98.1% | 3.4% |
| City Center East | 1.50 | 38.9 | 7.4% | 67.6% | 11.7% | 1961 | $1,935 | 80.7% | 95.8% | 3.3% |
| Fairhill | 3.46 | 36.2 | 26.9% | 56.2% | 11.6% | 1946 | $1,002 | 7.3% | 61.7% | 18.9% |
| Fairmount | 1.86 | 37.2 | 3.8% | 48.8% | 6.8% | 1961 | $2,028 | 84.7% | 97.7% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Eastchester, Bronx, NY · Metro West, Orlando, FL · West Englewood, Chicago, IL · Weequahic, Newark, NJ · UC Irvine, Irvine, CA · Springfield Gardens, Queens, NY · Shadow Creek Ranch, Pearland, TX · Roxborough, Philadelphia, PA · Powellhurst-Gilbert, Portland, OR · Parkside, San Francisco, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fishtown. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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