Philadelphia/Compare
Bella Vista vs East Falls
Bella Vista and East Falls are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. East Falls is the calmer Part I map (89 vs 63). Bella Vista wins the errand count. East Falls has the lower ACS median ($1,694).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · PPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Philadelphia neighborhoods.
| Axis | Bella Vista | East Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 63 | 89 |
| Schools | 35 | 52 |
| Walk | 38 | 0 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 59 | 8 |
| Median rent | $1,724 | $1,694 |
| Median home | $502,900 | $368,170 |
| Population | 4,710 | 11,223 |
| Commute to Center City | 14 min | 22 min |
| Commute to University City | 18 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 16 min | 36 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Bella Vista | East Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 51% | 56% |
| Median age | 34.8 | 32.8 |
| Median income | $75K | $102K |
| Part I per 1k | 40.5 | 30.5 |
| Groceries / 800m | 11 | 3 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 10 | 3 |
| Parks / 800m | 42 | 21 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Philadelphia city. Up 53% since 2014. Bella V is 23% above the 2024 city median. E Falls is 21% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Bella Vista if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 59 vs 8. Walk is 38 vs 0. 14 vs 22 minutes to Center City. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick East Falls if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 89 vs 63. Schools score 52 vs 35. Read both pages before you decide.
Bella Vista
The Italian Market is the errand and the smell. Ninth Street still works as a grocery, not just a postcard. South of Washington Square, denser than Queen Village, cheaper than Rittenhouse.
$1,724 median rent · safety 63 · walk 38
East Falls
Kelly Drive, the river path, and a hill that actually is a hill. Closer in than Chestnut Hill, quieter than Fairmount’s museum strip. The Schuylkill is the commute and the weekend.
$1,694 median rent · safety 89 · walk 0
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bella Vista or East Falls?
East Falls is the lower ACS median: $1,724 vs $1,694. About 56% rent in East Falls vs 51% in Bella Vista. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bella Vista more walkable than East Falls?
Bella Vista wins the errand count (walk 38 vs 0). Groceries inside 800 meters: 11 vs 3. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Bella Vista or East Falls?
East Falls is the calmer Part I read (89 vs 63). Combined rate 30.5 vs 40.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bella Vista or East Falls?
East Falls leads the school axis (52 vs 35). Nearby rating is 7.3 / 10 vs 6.9 / 10. Median age 32.8 vs 34.8. Bella Vista has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Center City?
14 minutes from Bella Vista to Center City, 22 from East Falls. Bella Vista is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Bella Vista or East Falls: Rittenhouse. The Square is the lawn. Walnut is the shop. Fitler Square is a search that sits next door, not a second official polygon here. You pay for the postcard and for the visitors who use it.
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.