The River Wards is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States located along the Delaware River to the northeast of Center City Philadelphia.

[1][2][3][4] The River Wards are located at the border of North Philadelphia and Northeast Philadelphia, and may be considered part of one or the other, or as a separate entity.

[8] The area is defined by its industrial past, having suffered the effects of deindustrialization in the 20th century.

[2][9] Today, the River Wards are known both for gentrification, which has brought an arts, culture, and dining scene to the area (particularly in Fishtown), and for disinvestment, with outer Kensington hosting an infamous open-air drug market.

[1][2][10] The River Wards includes all or part of the following pre-Act of Consolidation municipalities: As defined by the Philadelphia Urban Planning Commission, the River Wards had a population of 68,749 as of 2010.