Philadelphia/Compare
Bella Vista vs Passyunk Square
Bella Vista and Passyunk Square are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Bella Vista is the calmer Part I map (63 vs 32). Walk is a wash (38 vs 37). Passyunk Square has the lower ACS median ($1,637).
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 | Passyunk Square |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 63 | 32 |
| Schools | 35 | 30 |
| Walk | 38 | 37 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 59 | 45 |
| Median rent | $1,724 | $1,637 |
| Median home | $502,900 | $453,950 |
| Population | 4,710 | 7,197 |
| Commute to Center City | 14 min | 18 min |
| Commute to University City | 18 min | 20 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 16 min | 14 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Bella Vista | Passyunk Square |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 51% | 44% |
| Median age | 34.8 | 35.6 |
| Median income | $75K | $113K |
| Part I per 1k | 40.5 | 59.5 |
| Groceries / 800m | 11 | 16 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 10 | 11 |
| Parks / 800m | 42 | 26 |
| 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. Passyunk is 17% 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 the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the cafes and the night. Safety is 63 vs 32. Vibe is 59 vs 45. Bella Vista is tagged family on this map; Passyunk Square is not. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Passyunk Square if the rent gap is the point. ACS median rent is $1,637 vs $1,724. 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
Passyunk Square
East Passyunk Avenue is the strip. Cheesesteaks are the tourist layer; the restaurants behind them are why people stay. South of Bella Vista, north of the stadiums.
$1,637 median rent · safety 32 · walk 37
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bella Vista or Passyunk Square?
Passyunk Square is the lower ACS median: $1,724 vs $1,637. About 44% rent in Passyunk Square vs 51% in Bella Vista. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bella Vista more walkable than Passyunk Square?
Walk is basically a tie (38 vs 37). Count groceries if you care: 11 in Bella Vista vs 16 in Passyunk Square, inside 800 meters.
Which is safer on this map, Bella Vista or Passyunk Square?
Bella Vista is the calmer Part I read (63 vs 32). Combined rate 40.5 vs 59.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bella Vista or Passyunk Square?
Bella Vista leads the school axis (35 vs 30). Nearby rating is 6.9 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 34.8 vs 35.6. Passyunk Square 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, 18 from Passyunk Square. Bella Vista is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Bella Vista or Passyunk Square: Queen Village. Fabric Row, the river, and a grid that still feels like a neighborhood. South Street is the tax. Society Hill is the garden north.
Bella Vista vs Queen VillagePassyunk Square vs Queen Village
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.