Part of the NW Philly family | ZIP Code 19150
The Short Version
Cedarbrook sits at the northeastern edge of NW Philly, where the city meets Montgomery County, and it has the kind of grounded, established character that comes from generations of people choosing to put down roots here and stay. Tree-lined streets, well-maintained rowhomes and twins, active block associations, and a community that takes genuine pride in where it lives. It’s a neighborhood that delivers on the fundamentals, and in a city where that’s increasingly rare, that counts for a lot.
A Little History
Cedarbrook takes its name from Cedarbrook Avenue, the neighborhood’s central artery. Much of the housing here was built in the post-World War II era, the late 1940s through the 1960s, when returning GIs and their families were establishing new lives on the edges of the city. It’s a solidly mid-century neighborhood in the best sense: built with care, built to last, and remarkably intact.
Two of the neighborhood’s most distinctive landmarks are Ivy Hill Cemetery and Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, both established in the 19th century when this area was still largely woods and farmland. Their presence gives Cedarbrook a quieter, more contemplative quality, and a surprising amount of green space, that you don’t find in most Philadelphia neighborhoods of this density.
Cedarbrook borders Cheltenham Township to the north, putting residents on the city-suburb line: Philadelphia property taxes and city services, with easy access to the suburban road network and Montgomery County amenities just across the line.
Cedarbrook Today
Cedarbrook is a neighborhood of strong community investment. Vacancy rates here run well below the national average, which is a reliable signal of genuine attachment. Block associations are active. Neighbors know each other. The Cheltenham Avenue corridor provides everyday commercial access.
What Cedarbrook offers above all else is stability and value. For buyers who want a well-built home in a community-oriented neighborhood with easy access to the rest of NW Philly and the suburbs beyond, it checks the boxes that matter.
Outdoors & Green Space
The presence of Ivy Hill and Holy Sepulchre cemeteries gives Cedarbrook a meaningful amount of green, quiet space that functions almost like a neighborhood park: peaceful, well-maintained, and genuinely beautiful in every season. The broader NW Philly green space network, including the Wissahickon Valley Park and the parks and trails of Mt. Airy and Germantown, is within easy reach.
The Housing Stock
Cedarbrook’s housing is primarily rowhomes and twins, built to the solid mid-century Philadelphia standard that holds up well over decades. Good bones, real square footage, and well-established blocks that have been owner-occupied for generations.
For buyers focused on value within the NW Philly market, Cedarbrook consistently offers strong returns on investment relative to some of the higher-profile neighborhoods to the south.
Want to know what’s available and what’s moving right now? Let’s talk.
Getting Around
Multiple SEPTA bus routes serve Cedarbrook, and the Fern Rock Transit Center is nearby, with connections to the Broad Street Line and regional rail. Cheltenham Avenue connects directly to the suburban road network, making the neighborhood practical for commuters heading in any direction.
The Bottom Line
Cedarbrook is a neighborhood built on the things that actually make a place good to live in: solid housing, community pride, green space, and easy access to everything NW Philly has to offer. It doesn’t need to announce itself. The people who find it tend to stay.
Questions about Cedarbrook real estate? Reach us at hello@nwphilly.com or 917.691.9093.
NW Philly | Northwest Philadelphia Lifestyle and Real Estate | nwphilly.com