Our location in the thriving city of Philadelphia only enhances the Law School experience. It is not only the birthplace of the nation, but a vibrant and modern city

Philadelphia’s renaissance over the past decade has garnered national attention. USA Today referred to Philadelphia as a “cultural capital.” The New York Times lauded the “thriving arts and music scene,” adding that the “renaissance in real estate and restaurants has aligned with the city’s music scene, which runs the gamut of cool.”

National Geographic placed Philadelphia on its “Best Trips of 2020” list, which includes 25 destinations across the world (one of two American locations). Philadelphia was named “City of the Year” on GQ Magazine in 2018. Philadelphia ranked #2 on the U.S. News & World Report list of best places to visit in 2017 . Philadelphia ranked #3 on The New York Times’ list of 52 Places to Go in 2015 , landed a spot on Fodor’s Go List 2016 , named a top 10 food city by The Washington Post, and declared the top U.S. destination to visit in 2016 by Lonely Planet .

Throw in a cost of living significantly lower than that of New York, Boston, or Washington, DC, and you will find one of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods to be an ideal place to live and study. After only a few weeks living here, you’ll understand why we love Philly .

Just West of the Schuylkill River from Center City sits University City, home to the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and University of the Sciences, as well as a plethora of restaurants, shops, galleries, green spaces and more.

General Services
University of Pennsylvania Bookstore	3601 Walnut Street
Penn Carey Law Store	Silverman Hall Ground
Penn Book Center	130 S. 34th Street
U.S. Post Offices	3000 Chestnut Street & 228 S. 40th Street
Amazon @ Penn AT&T Bonded Cleaners	3800 Locust Walk 3741 Walnut Street 3724 Spruce Street
Campus Copy Center	3907 Walnut Street
Computer Connection Eye Encounters	3601 Walnut Street 4002 Chestnut Street
House of Our Own Bookstore Last Word Bookshop	3920 Spruce Street 220 S. 40th Street
Modern Eye	3419 Walnut Street
Pennsylvania Optometrics Phone Repair Philly Sprint Store T-Mobile UPS Store Verizon Authorized Retailer	3600 Market Street 3508 Market Street 3737 Chestnut Street, Suite 100 3441 Chestnut Street 3720 Spruce Street 3631 Walnut Street
West Philadelphia Locksmith	31 S. 42nd Street

 

Grocery & Pharmacy
CVS	3401 Walnut Street & 3925 Walnut Street
Fresh Grocer	4001 Walnut Street
Giant Heirloom	3401 Chestnut Street & 2303 Bainbridge St.
HUP Outpatient Pharmacy	3400, 1 Spruce St Ravdin Bldg
Rite Aid	2301 Walnut Street (Center City)
Trader Joe’s	2121 Market Street
Whole Foods	2101 Pennsylvania Avenue (Center City)

 

Hotels
AKA University City	2929 Walnut Street
Hilton Inn at Penn	3600 Sansom Street
Homewood Suites by Hilton University City	4109 Walnut Street
Sheraton University City	3549 Chestnut Street
The Study at University City	20 S. 33rd Street

 

Banks
Bank of America	3925 Walnut Street
Citizens Bank	134 S. 34th Street
PNC	3535 Market Street & 200 S. 40th Street
Santander	3802 Chestnut Street & 3131 Market Street
TD Bank	3735 Walnut Street
Wells Fargo Bank	3431 Chestnut Street

 

Shops & Services
Ann Taylor Loft	120 S. 36th Street
Avril 50 (International newspapers, etc.)	3406 Sansom Street
Blue Mercury (Cosmetics)	3603 Walnut Street
Lululemon	3661 Walnut Street
Natural Shoe Store	220 S. 40th Street
Philadelphia Runner	3621 Walnut Street
Piper Boutique	140 S. 34th Street
Rose’s Florist	3551 Chestnut Street
United by Blue	3421 Walnut Street (clothing & coffee/cafe)
Urban Outfitters	110 S. 36th Street

 

Hair & Nail Salons
Adolf Biecker Studio	138 S. 34th Street
Jean Madeline Aveda Institute	3945 Chestnut Street
Joseph Anthony Salon	3743 Walnut Street
Luxe Nail Bar	212 S. 40th Street
Michael’s Custom Cuts	4002 Spruce Street
Penn Campus Hair, Skin & Nail Salon	3730 Spruce Street
Supercuts	3200 Chestnut Street

 

Restaurants - Penn Vicinity
Abner’s Cheesesteaks	3813 Chestnut Street
Allegro Pizza	3942 Spruce Street
Axis Pizza	20 S. 36th Street
Baby Blues BBQ	3402 Sansom Street
Beijing Restaurant	3714 Spruce Street
Ben & Jerry’s	218 S. 40th Street
Blarney Stone	3929 Sansom Street
Bobby’s Burger Palace	3925 Walnut Street
Bridgewater’s Pub	2955 Market Street
California Pizza	3231 Powelton Avenue
Cavanaugh’s Restaurant	119 S. 39th Street
Chick-Fil-A	203 N. 34th Street
Chipotle	3925 Walnut Street
City Tap House	3925 Walnut Street
CO-OP Restaurant & Lounge	20 S. 33rd Street
Copabanana	4000 Spruce Street
Cosi	140 S. 36th Street
Dahlak (Ethiopian)	4708 Baltimore Avenue
Distrito	3945 Chestnut Street
Ed’s Buffalo Wings & Pizza	3513 Lancaster Avenue
Ekta Indian Cuisine	106 S. 40th Street
Federal Donuts	3428 Sansom Street
Franklin’s Table	3401 Walnut Street
Gojjo Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant	4540 Baltimore Avenue
Greek Lady	222 S. 40th Street
Han Dynasty	3711 Market Street
HipCityVeg	214 S. 40th Street
Hummus	3931 Walnut Street
Insomnia Cookies	3400 Lancaster Avenue & 3417 Spruce St.
Jimmy John’s	3925 Walnut Street
Kiwi Frozen Yogurt	3606 Chestnut Street
Koreana Food	3801 Chestnut Street
Landmark Americana	3333 Market Street
Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant	3630 Lancaster Avenue
Louie Louie	3611 Walnut Street
The Market Tavern	3000 Market Street
McDonald’s	3935 Walnut Street
Metropolitan Bakery	4013 Walnut Street
Mizu Sushi Bar	111 S. 40th Street
New Deck Tavern	3408 Sansom Street
New Delhi	4004 Chestnut Street
New Style Pizza	4060 Chestnut Street
Ochatto	3608 Chestnut Street
Pattaya Grill	4006 Chestnut Street
Pepper Mill Cafe	3260 Sansom Street
Pod (Sushi, Contemporary Asian)	3636 Sansom Street
The Post	129 S. 30th Street
Qdoba Mexican Grill	230 S. 40th Street
Ramen Bar	4040 Locust Street
Sabrina’s Cafe @ Powelton	227 N. 34th Street
Sang Kee Noodle House	3549 Chestnut Street
Savas Brick Oven Pizza	3505 Lancaster Avenue
Shake Shack	3200 Chestnut Street
Sitar India	60 S. 38th Street
Spencer ETA Burger	227 N. 34th Street
Spring Chinese Restaurant	3739 Lancaster Avenue
Sweetgreen Terakawa Ramen	3925 Walnut Street 125 S. 40th St.
Thai Singha House	3900 Chestnut Street
U-Town	110 S. 40th Street
Vientiane Café (Laotian & Vietnamese)	4728 Baltimore Avenue
Wahoo’s	3180 Chrstnut Street
Walnut Street Cafe	2929 Walnut Street
Waterfront Gourmet Cafe & Deli	3131 Walnut Street
Wawa	3604 Chestnut Street & 3744 Spruce Street
White Dog Cafe	3420 Sansom Street
Wishbone	4034 Walnut Street
World Cafe Live	3025 Walnut Street
Zavino	3200 Chestnut Street
Zesto Pizza & Grill	125 S. 40th Street

 

Coffee Houses
Avril 50	3406 Sansom Street
Cosi	140 S. 36th Street
Dunkin’ Donuts	3437 Walnut Street
Green Line Café	4239 Baltimore Avenue & 4426 Locust Street
Joe Coffee Company	3200 Chestnut Street
OCF Coffee House	2930 Chestnut Street
Penn Bookstore Starbucks (2nd Floor)	3601 Walnut Street
Saxby’s	4000 Locust Street
Starbucks	3401 Walnut Street & 3421 Chestnut Street

Center City, just East of the Schuylkill River from campus, is Philadelphia’s “downtown” and home to many Penn Carey Law students. Let the City of Brotherly Love become your second home and a vital part of your education.

City Guides:

City of Philadelphia

The official web site of the city government.

Passport to Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Video features about a variety of areas in the city.

Visit Philly’s Explore Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Interactive site describing life in areas like University City, Graduate Hospital, Powelton Village, and more.

Greater Philadelphia Travel Guide

For things to do, places to stay and where to eat in the five counties that make up the Philadelphia region.

Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

Information for visitors, meeting planners and the hospitality industry, plus news about upcoming special events.

Experience Philadelphia

Philadelphia is more than the nation’s fifth-largest city and cheesesteak capital.

The University of Pennsylvania provides on-campus housing for graduate and professional students in Sansom Place.

Sansom Place is located at 36th and Chestnut Streets, just one block from the Law School. Sansom Place includes one-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom apartments, and single rooms with a shared bathroom. All units are furnished.

Sansom Place is a composed of two high-rise apartment buildings. 700 graduate students comprise 75% of the building population, occupying lower floors of Sansom West and all of Sansom East. Approximately 10% of first-year law students live in Sansom Place. View pictures of Sansom Place sample apartments.

UPDATE as of May 20, 2020: We have been notified by Residential Services that due to the global health pandemic Sansom Place is currently not accepting new applications for the fall 2020 semester. We will promptly post updates as soon as we receive any additional information.

Approximate Monthly Rent for 2019 - 2020

Apartment Type	Rent
Single Room w/shared bath	$1,008
Double Apt (2BR/kit/bath)	$1,120
Single Apt (1BR/liv.area/kit/bath)	$1,681
Graduate plus other (1BR/liv.area/kit/bath)	$1,793

For more information on these facilities, please visit the Penn Residential Services website or contact the Graduate Housing Office:
Stouffer Commons, 3702 Spruce Street
215.898.3547
living@exchange.upenn.edu

While the numbers clearly indicate that the graduate student population in University City has been growing steadily over the last five years, Center City continues to be the neighborhood of choice for Penn Carey Law students.

University City:

Penn Carey Law is located in University City, within the area known as West Philadelphia. More than 5,000 Penn students, undergraduate and graduate, rent apartments/houses in the area. Thousands of other Penn affiliates — staff, faculty, alumni — own homes or rent in the University City neighborhoods of Spruce Hill, Garden Court, Cedar Park, and Powelton Village. University City is also home to affiliates of other colleges and universities in the area. The people living in University City come from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds, and this diversity is rewarding and enriching for the people who call this neighborhood home.

Housing options in University City range from large Victorian homes on tree-lined streets with large back yards and porches, two and three story row homes, to medium and large size apartment complexes. There are also three high-rise buildings, which are quite popular with graduate students (Chestnut Hall, The Fairfax, and Garden Court Plaza). As one would expect, prices are more moderate for the knowledgeable prospective tenant who has cared to explore the area a little farther west of campus, beyond 43rd Street, where beauty, space, comfort, and affordability come together. In the area closer to Campus, prices tend to be higher, due to high demand especially for undergraduate housing – but still generally lower than in Center City. Many good housing options are available in University City, but some of the places for rent can be expensive and in less than perfect condition. Students are advised to carefully inspect properties and request needed repairs in writing at the time of lease signing.

Most places in University City are within walking distance to Penn Carey Law (about 15-25 minutes) or a very short bike ride, if you prefer. The University of Pennsylvania Transit Services offers door-to-door services to the Penn affiliates who live in University City (including Powelton Village). This service is available between 6 PM and 3 AM and it is free with a Penn ID. The University also runs buses along established routes in the neighborhood. Some of the large area landlords run their own free shuttles to the campus area.

The University City area is home to many cultural institutions, a wealth of cultural events, and a large number of award-winning restaurants, many of them ethnic restaurants. Programs for clean and safe streets, marketing initiatives, friendly ambassadors who guide you through the area, and many developments in retail and entertainment are making University City a destination choice for living and having fun.

University City has many advantages when you are trying to decide on a place to rent: affordable prices, large apartments, wonderful restaurants, lots of green space, parks where you can jog and walk your dog, plenty of places that allow you to have pets, street parking, one of the nicest supermarkets in town (The Fresh Grocer at 40th and Walnut Streets), a luxury movie theatre, good public transportation to/from Center City and other areas of Greater Philadelphia and, most of all, vibrant communities welcoming you.

Center City and the Art Museum Area:

Center City is Philadelphia’s downtown district, east of the Schuylkill River and extending all the way to the Delaware River, including the Parkway/Art Museum area. Some of the most popular neighborhoods are Graduate Hospital, Fitler Square, Rittenhouse Square, Society Hill, Old City, and Chinatown (east of Broad Street).

Housing is comprised of modern luxury apartment complexes and condos, brownstones/townhouses, row homes and warehouse/loft apartment buildings. Prices for apartments in Center City have been on the rise for the last five years, with dramatic increases in the last two years – though it should be noted that Philadelphia housing is still considerably less expensive than other metropolitan areas.

Several thousand Penn graduate and professional students live in Center City, especially in the area west of Broad Street. Many of the students who choose to live in Center City cite the abundance of shops, cafes, arts and culture opportunities, movie theaters, and fitness facilities as the main attraction. While street parking is not easily available, some apartment complexes offer indoor parking at an additional cost.

Many students who choose to live in Center City use public transportation or bike to and from Campus. Between 6 PM and 3 AM transportation to/from Center City (east, up to 20th Street) is available to Penn affiliates through Penn Transit Services. Dial 898-RIDE to access the service.

The Art Museum area has more reasonably priced apartments and a better rent/value ratio but is not as easily accessible from the Penn Campus. There is no direct public transportation from this area, so you can either bike, use a car or plan to spend extra time going back and forth every day, although some apartment buildings do offer their own shuttle services. However, for people who love the outdoors and want to bike and jog, Fairmount Park nearby and the paths along the Schuylkill River may provide a great appeal.

Learn more about Philadelphia’s many neighborhoods through Visit Philly’s Explore Philadelphia Neighborhoods - a new interactive site describing life in areas like University City, Graduate Hospital, Powelton Village, and more.

Please use the below figures as a guide during your housing search. Depending on when you begin your search, there is a possibility that there will be a small increase in cost.

University City / West Philadelphia:

38th to 50th Streets and Powelton Village

	Studio - Rental Range	One Bedroom - Rental Range
3737 Chestnut*	month-to-month leases available	$1,900 - $4,500
Chestnut Arms	Starting at $795	Starting at $945
Chestnut Hall	N/A	$1,451 - $3,198
Domus	N/A	$2,675 - $3,000
Evo	$1,809 - $2,229	$2,419
The Fairfax	$900 - $1,000	$1,100 - $1,300
The Hub	$1,050 - $1,100	$1,460 - $1,650
Left Bank	$1,738 - $2,838	$1,786 - $3,902
Old Quaker Building	$1,450 - $1,565	$1,655 - $1,900
Surrey Hall	Starting at $895	Starting at $895

*month-to-month leases available

In the area West of campus, rents tend to be the highest in new construction, high rises and recent renovations, such as:

• 4111 Walnut Street
• Chestnut Hall, at 39th and Chestnut Streets
• The Fairfax, at 42nd and Locust
• Garden Court Plaza, at 47th and Pine Streets
• The Hub, at 40th and Chestnut, Streets
• Pine Arms, at 40th and Pine Streets
• The Radian, at 39th and Walnut Streets

In the Powelton Village area, the Old Quaker Building, and especially The Courts Apartments have rental rates comparable to Center City. Similarly, in University City just East of Campus, Domus and the Left Bank provide luxury living with higher rental rates, similar to what you would find in the Rittenhouse Square area in Center City.

Center City:

East of Schuylkill to Delaware and Art Museum Area

	Studio - Rental Range	One Bedroom - Rental Range
1500 Locust	$1,566 - $2,679	$1,904 - $3,377
2400 Chestnut	Starting at $1,750	Starting at $1,825
The Chatham	$1,300	$1,585
Locust on the Park	Starting at $1,776	Starting at $2,100
Rittenhouse Claridge	$1,490 - $2,875	$1,905 - $3,270
Riverloft	$2,030 - $2,510	$2,510 - $5,176
The Sterling	N/A	$2,529 - $5,334

 

Additional Costs:

If utilities are not included in rent, that would add about $100 per person to your monthly budget. Also think of the cost of a renter’s insurance policy, which will add about $20 to your monthly expenses. While water is almost always included in the rent and heat can sometimes be included, electricity is most often the tenant’s responsibility and the tenant always pays telephone and cable.

Philadelphia provides great options for living off-campus. The University of Pennsylvania Office of Off-Campus Services (OCS) is designed to assist students at all stages of their off-campus living experience, from locating suitable housing, to finding roommates, reviewing leases and assisting in landlord-tenant matters.

OCS host an interactive database of available rentals, updated daily, with several hundred available units at every one time. Listings include individual rental units (studios, one-, two-, three or more- bedroom apartments and houses) as well as house share and sublet opportunities. Most of the rental listings are for West Philadelphia/University City and Center City areas; however, suburban listings are also available. Units available can be either in high-rise or other types of apartment buildings or in converted University City Victorian homes or Center City brownstones.

OCS maintains a list of buildings and realtors for the main areas of the city, with contact information for each and links to websites here.

For more information to assist in your off-campus housing search, please visit Penn’s Off-Campus Services website.

Penn Carey Law has been working with VeryApt, an apartment review company, to compile the 2019-2020 Penn Carey Law Housing Guide. This guide is put together based on housing feedback from current students and can be a helpful starting point for your search for housing in Philadelphia. Please view the updated guide here.

VeryApt surveyed Penn Carey Law current students about where they live, with whom they live, the types of property and the sizes of residences in which they live, the amount of rent they pay, their most frequent method of transit and more.

Download a PDF of the VeryApt Penn Carey Law Housing Guide.

• University City/West Philadelphia and Fitler Square are the two most popular neighborhoods among 1Ls and Penn Carey Law students overall.
• 45% of Penn Carey Law students live alone.
• 75% of our students walk to campus. Philadelphia was ranked the fifth most walkable city by Walk Score and fifth best for transit!