Although it is mainly residential, there are two main commercial roads - 4th Avenue which has the restaurants, cafes and décor, design, antique and service shops; and 6th Street which is quickly becoming converted into a design, décor, art and small business area.

Parkhurst is one of the city's most walkable districts and popular with residents for its street life and sidewalk cafes, with an atmosphere similar to Greenside and Melville.

The competition turned out to the very successful attracting the attention of Lord Milner and by 1906, the suburb became well known throughout the Transvaal Colony as an emerging and desirable area.

In 2010, it was ranked number 1 in Johannesburg by the Daily Maverick, citing its proximity to quality schools, dining, nightlife, shopping, location, green space, safety, and creative capital, among other aspects.

[3] Being one of the older suburbs in northern Joburg, Parkhurst also feature many historic residences with architecture including, Edwardian, Tudor Revival and Cape Dutch.