On the banks of the Delaware River in southern New Jersey, Camden’s bustling waterfront gives way to rows of townhouses that line its streets. Most of the activity in Camden is centered around the riverside. “They are doing a lot of things at the waterfront,” says Nancy Kowalik, broker of record with the Nancy Kowalik Group. “You have the aquarium, a number of good restaurants and the hospital. Camden itself has amazing music venues.”
While the waterfront is the most popular area of Camden, the city has continued to develop outward and farther inland. “We are seeing growth there, but it’s in pocket neighborhoods,” Kowalik says. “Every neighborhood is different.” With a population of almost 72,000, the city has continued to expand due to investment, development and community initiatives. “A lot of residents have projects in the works,” Kowalik says. “A lot of people that were born and raised there, that created careers for themselves elsewhere, are coming back with projects.”
The city does have a high crime rate, which has led to community-led projects aimed at a safer environment for residents. “Everybody is bucking to push hard to try to make things happen,” Kowalik says. “It's an uphill battle.” For locals, central Philadelphia is a 5-mile journey west, and many Camden residents head across the blue steel of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge for work.
The Ben Franklin Bridge sits right next to Cooper Grant and leads right into Philadelphia.
Camden locals love going for a walk at theWaterfront.
Camden has revitalized the waterfront over the last decade.
Enjoy the marina views at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Central Waterfront.
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A pair of waterfront pavilions
Two venues along the waterfront are among Camden’s biggest draws, as the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion and Wiggins Waterfront Riverstage showcase live music and plays. The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion seats 25,000 and has played host to artists like John Fogerty and Earth, Wind & Fire. “There’s the waterfront pavilion for music,” Kowalik says. “They have lawn seats, which are super cheap. I love it there. I’d venture to say the majority of the population frequent those. There is also walking to everything, which is nice. There is literally something every weekend.”
When Independence Day rolls around, the town flocks to the river for the Freedom Festival at the Camden Waterfront. “The 4th of July on the waterfront is spectacular,” Kowalik says. “The police will come on horseback and line the way down to the water. It’s a spectacle. They even time it to music.” Visitors enjoy food, drinks, live music and fireworks to cap off the night.
Along with the Waterfront Riverstage, Wiggins Waterfront Park’s Adventure Aquarium is also a major draw. Showcasing more than 15,000 animals, including sharks, penguins and turtles, the aquarium also focuses its exterior efforts on aiding conservation. Sports fans head to the Philadelphia Sports Complex, less than 10 miles to the west, to see Eagles, Phillies, 76ers and Flyers games depending on season. The four teams play in three arenas and stadiums located in the complex. “There are waterfront attractions, great music venues on the river and there’s a nice river walk there,” Kowalik says. “There is more development coming, which is pretty exciting.”
A statue of Jersey Joe Walcott greets visitors to Central Waterfront's plaza.
Music fans gather at the gates of the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion to see live music.
You can walk or ride your bike from Greenwich to Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies.
Spend your day at the Adventure Aquarium, one of Cooper Grant's most popular attractions.
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Townhouses occupy many Camden streets
Rows of townhouses line the streets of Camden, comprising much of the architecture in the city. “Rowhouses are super common there, just like in northeast Philadelphia,” Kowalik says. “The sweet spot is under $100,000. It was built at the same time as other communities in Philadelphia, so there’s row after row, street after street of these brick rowhouses.” Overall, prices have a median of $130,000, but most often range from $75,000 to $200,000. Properties typically sit on the market for about 48 days.
“Some people have built some roof decks on them and built them up a little bit,” Kowalik says of the townhouses. “You do see a decent amount of apartment buildings and condos. Single-family homes are rare in Camden proper. It’s family neighborhoods with bodegas on the corners and local services.” The seldom-found, detached single-family homes often come in the form of investment properties.
In terms of weather, temperatures typically sit around 30 degrees in the winter and can hover around 90 degrees in the summer. It receives above-average rainfall and below-average snowfall on an annual basis.
There has been some newer homes built in North Camden.
Row homes in Cooper Grant typically have large bay windows looking out to the street.
You can find many Brick townhouses in Camden.
Colorful row homes are seen throughout Lanning Square.
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Parks on the river and farther inland
Waterfront parks are one of Camden’s hallmarks in terms of recreational space. Both Wiggins Waterfront Park, which also includes an aquarium, and Cooper’s Poynt Park sit on the Delaware River. “The waterfront is a beautiful place to start a walk, because it actually ends the river walk on that side,” Kowalik says. “The aquarium has things for kids or adults and even senior days there, so they have something for literally every age group.” Other, smaller parks are scattered farther inland.
The Cooper River runs through portions of the city’s east side, and a large amount of green space is concentrated around the water. Trails line some of the parks, and fishing is popular in the river itself. Camden Athletic Complex sits near the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and overlooks the water, and is home to facilities for Rutgers-Camden sports like baseball and track. It sits on the site of the former Campbell’s Field, which hosted various forms of baseball from 2001 to 2018. “The Philadelphia side has more water recreation like duck tours,” Kowalik says. “They do a ton of stuff on the Philly side.”
Wiggins Waterfront Park just a few minutes from Bergen Square has gorgeous views of the river.
Take in views of the Ben Franklin Bridge near the waterfront, just outside of Cramer Hill.
Two women enjoy some time relaxing on the lawn at the Central Waterfront's Wiggins Park.
Walk through Cooper's Poynt Park for views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
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Dining along the waterfront
Locally-owned restaurants and small area markets are scattered throughout Camden, but the more popular restaurants often sit near the river. “There are no malls,” Kowalik says. “Where the attractions are is where people are going to go for dining.” Restaurants vary and offer a variety of options, including a pair owned by a notable chef. “Aaron McCargo is a Food Network guy, and he has two restaurants down in Camden,” Kowalik says. “One is on the waterfront and one is in the interior with the food garden. He does a lot to give back to the community.” Camden residents often have to venture outside of the city limits to find large grocery stores, including Wegmans and Whole Foods about 7 miles east.
The Victor Pub is the go-to tavern for a delicious meal in Cooper Grant.
There are many great local shops and eateries in Rosedale.
Supremo Market is one of the nearby supermarkets to get groceries.
Experience the beer garden at Camden Arts Yard.
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Two major arteries connect in Camden
Route 30 and Interstate 676 are the two most prominent roads in Camden, meeting at a large interchange in north-central Camden. 676 extends to the west across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge into Philadelphia, about 5 miles away, while Route 30 crosses the entire country from Oregon to Atlantic City in New Jersey. “676 is probably going to be the most common,” Kowalik says. “Route 30 takes you to the interior. 130 kind of leads up to it and goes around it as well, and is a good corridor for communities coming in. The bus lines are a big thing because there are no rail lines.”
Interstate 95 runs through Philadelphia, just across the Delaware River to the west. NJ Transit buses provide public transportation. Cooper University Hospital is one of the largest medical centers in the area and opened in the late 19th century. “You do have people that live in Camden and work at the hospital,” Kowalik says. “They have an amazing facility for trauma, helicopter pads and all the people that help serve that community there. A lot of them literally work over the bridge to Philadelphia, and the majority of people in Camden are working someplace nearby.” Drivers can go about 100 miles northeast to New York City and around 40 miles north to the state capital of Trenton.
A single primary school district
Camden City Public Schools serves the area’s student population, receiving a C-minus grade from Niche. With an enrollment of around 7,000 students, the district encompasses three traditional elementary schools, six combination elementary and middle schools, one traditional middle school and five high schools. Two collegiate campuses also sit in the Camden area. “On the Camden side, it’s really Camden County College and a Rutgers facility there,” Kowalik says. “It’s ease of use for lots of residents to Philadelphia.”
Rutgers is one of America's leading public research universities located in Downtown Camden.
Eastside High School featuers a 9 to 1 student teacher ratio, with a C- rating from Niche.
Enjoying the nice day in a courtyard at Rutgers University in Camden.
Camden High School 421 students in grades 9-12.
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High crime rates in Camden
According to the FBI crime database, the Camden County Police Department reported an average of 357.1 violent crimes per month in 2023, while the statewide rate is a mean of 6,671.4 each month. Property crimes average 191.8 each month in Camden, while there are an average of 11,095.1 per month in New Jersey as a whole. Cure4Camden and other programs are aimed at lowering the crime rates in the area.
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