Highland Park sits in Richmond’s Northside, a few minutes from downtown, with block after block of late-Victorian frame houses and deep front porches. It is one of the city’s older streetcar-era neighborhoods, and after decades out of the spotlight it has been drawing steady attention from renters, owner-occupants, and investors alike.
Quick Answer
Highland Park is a historic residential neighborhood in Richmond’s Northside, north of downtown and near the Brookland Park Boulevard commercial corridor. Its housing stock is largely late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century single-family homes, many with porches, tall ceilings, and original detail. Rentals here tend to be detached houses and converted units rather than large apartment complexes, and the neighborhood generally offers more square footage per dollar than the Fan or Church Hill.
Where Highland Park Is
Northside Richmond covers the area above downtown and the railroad corridor, and Highland Park is one of its anchor neighborhoods. It sits inside city limits, with Chamberlayne Avenue running north-south as a main artery and Brookland Park Boulevard functioning as the nearby commercial spine. Adjacent and nearby Northside neighborhoods include Barton Heights, Ginter Park, and Bellevue, each with its own character but a shared inventory of older houses on tree-lined streets.
The neighborhood’s best-known landmark is Six Points, the intersection where several streets converge and where the historic commercial buildings of the area cluster. It has long been the local center of gravity, and it is the focus of much of the reinvestment attention Highland Park has received.
Getting around is straightforward. Downtown is a short drive, I-95 access puts you on the interstate quickly, and I-64 is close by for trips toward Short Pump or east toward Williamsburg. GRTC bus routes serve Northside, though the Pulse bus rapid transit line runs along Broad Street rather than through Highland Park itself, so a car remains the practical default for most households here.
The Housing Stock
This is the neighborhood’s defining feature. Highland Park was platted and built out largely in the streetcar era, and portions of it are recognized as a historic district. What that means for a renter or an investor:
- Detached frame houses dominate, many two stories, often with full-width front porches.
- Victorian-era detail shows up in trim, mantels, transoms, and staircases where it survived renovation.
- Generous room sizes and high ceilings compared to newer construction at a similar rent.
- Condition varies enormously block to block. A fully renovated home and a house that has not been touched in forty years can sit across the street from each other.
- Older systems are common. Knob-and-tube remnants, original plumbing, single-pane windows, and window-unit cooling all still appear in unrenovated properties.
Homes built before 1978 carry federal lead-based paint disclosure obligations for landlords, which covers essentially the entire neighborhood. If you are buying here to rent, factor that into your process from the start.
What It Is Like to Live Here
Highland Park reads as residential and neighborly. Porches get used. Streets are laid out on a grid, which makes walking pleasant, though sidewalk condition is inconsistent in the way it is across most of Richmond’s older neighborhoods. Northside has parks and green space nearby, including Joseph Bryan Park to the northwest, and the Brookland Park Boulevard corridor has picked up independent restaurants, small shops, and businesses over the past several years.
Like much of the near-city, the neighborhood is mixed. Some blocks are almost fully renovated, others are in the middle of it. Renters who want polished uniformity will be happier elsewhere. Renters who want character, space, and proximity to downtown at a relative discount tend to like it here.
Renting in Highland Park vs. Nearby Options
| Neighborhood | Typical housing | Feel | Relative rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Park | Victorian-era detached houses, some converted units | Quiet residential, actively reinvesting | Below the Fan and Church Hill for comparable square footage |
| Ginter Park / Bellevue | Larger early-1900s homes, foursquares | Established, leafy, family-oriented | Generally higher than Highland Park |
| Barton Heights | Similar era and scale to Highland Park | Residential, adjacent, comparable trajectory | Broadly similar |
| The Fan | Rowhouses and apartment conversions | Dense, walkable, student and young professional | Among the highest in the city |
| Church Hill | Historic rowhouses and cottages | Historic, walkable, river views | Higher, varies sharply by block |
Rents move, so treat the right-hand column as a relationship rather than a number. If you want a current figure for a specific address, our pricing calculator and free rental analysis are the fastest way to get one.
What Investors Should Know
Highland Park attracts investors for the obvious reason: acquisition costs have historically been lower than in the Fan, Museum District, or Church Hill, while the housing is architecturally comparable and the location is genuinely close in. The trade-off is renovation risk. Older frame construction hides problems, and the gap between a cosmetic refresh and a full systems overhaul is where returns get made or lost.
Practical points for anyone underwriting a purchase here:
- Budget for full systems inspection, not just a general home inspection. Roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC each deserve their own look.
- Confirm whether the property sits within a historic district and what that implies for exterior work and permitting with the City of Richmond.
- Understand city property tax and utility structures, which differ from Henrico and Chesterfield.
- Underwrite realistic vacancy and maintenance reserves. Older housing costs more to hold than 2005 construction does.
Our real estate investing resources go deeper on evaluating properties in Richmond’s older neighborhoods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highland Park in the City of Richmond or Henrico?
The City of Richmond. That matters for taxes, trash collection, water and gas service, and schools.
What kind of rentals are available there?
Mostly single-family houses and units in converted older buildings. Large purpose-built apartment complexes are uncommon in the neighborhood.
How far is it from downtown?
A short drive. Highland Park is one of the closer-in Northside neighborhoods, with quick access to I-95.
Is parking difficult?
Generally easier than the Fan. Many houses have driveways or alley access, and on-street parking is typically available.
What is Six Points?
The historic commercial intersection at the center of the neighborhood, where several streets meet. It has been the focus of neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Is it a good area for a first rental property?
It can be, if you go in with a realistic renovation budget and a plan for managing an older house. It is less forgiving than newer construction in the counties.
What should renters check before signing here?
Heating and cooling type, window condition, insulation, and which utilities you pay. Those four items drive comfort and monthly cost more than anything else in an older Richmond home.
If Highland Park sounds like your kind of neighborhood, take a look at our current Richmond rentals, or reach out to our team and we will let you know when something opens up in Northside.
