City Year Philadelphia

• History, art, and culture meet food, sports, beautiful parks, and so much more (check out the most popular attractions in Philadelphia). The vibe throughout the city is youthful, diverse, vibrant and dynamic, making Philly an optimal location to make an impact in the lives of students.
• Get to know Philly, where the authentic Philly cheesesteak was invented and the words ‘Yo’ and ‘Jawn’ are part of our everyday expressions.

Living in Philadelphia

Moving to Philadelphia or relocating within the city? Many AmeriCorps members choose to live in the following neighborhoods as they seek affordable rent and access to Philly’s trolley routes, the Broad Street line and the Market-Frankford line: Temple University area, North Philadelphia, Drexel University area, West Philadelphia and South Philadelphia.

The median rent for this year’s corps is $460 per month and the median amount for utilities is $70 per month. The median amount of costs for security deposit and other move-in costs, including U-Hauls, furniture and food, is $1,225 per person. Keep in mind that if it’s a security deposit, you can get it back. Additionally, other people pay much less as these costs vary from person to person.

If you’re looking for housing or roommates, some of the best websites to begin your search include craigslist.org, padmapper.com, trulia.com, zillow.com, apartmentfinder.com, and the City Year Philadelphia private Facebook group, where you can find roommates who are also doing City Year. There are also a number of Facebook groups for finding roommates and/or affordable housing in Philadelphia, including Philadelphia Roommates, Affordable Housing: Philadelphia, and Moving To Philadelphia.

Getting around

Roughly 80% of our City Year Philly AmeriCorps members take public transportation, with most commutes taking under one hour. City Year provides AmeriCorps members with transportation support for the bus, trolley, and subway.

Once your school placement is determined, try out Septa’s Trip Planner—or use Google Maps transit—to try and determine your commute time.

Corps members are permitted to drive, but parking at our schools and training sites is not guaranteed, nor does City Year provide any financial benefit for driving.

Helpful links for your City Year in Philadelphia

• Things to do in Philly
• Food and Drink in Philly
• Roam the many art galleries the first Friday every month for free
• Visit the Liberty Bell, an icon of American history
• Sign up for Funsavers discounts and save on half-priced event tickets
• Take a self-guided walking tour of the largest collection of murals around the city