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Philadelphia/Compare

Bella Vista vs Pennsport

Bella Vista and Pennsport are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Pennsport is the calmer Part I map (79 vs 63). Bella Vista wins the errand count. Bella Vista has the lower ACS median ($1,724).

Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · PPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026

Scores

Fit axes among official Philadelphia neighborhoods.

AxisBella VistaPennsport
Safety6379
Schools3522
Walk3813
Cost fit100100
Vibe597
Median rent$1,724$2,207
Median home$502,900$380,400
Population4,7104,652
Commute to Center City14 min16 min
Commute to University City18 min22 min
Commute to Navy Yard16 min12 min

Living numbers

Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.

FactBella VistaPennsport
Renters51%34%
Median age34.838
Median income$75K$106K
Part I per 1k40.539.3
Groceries / 800m1112
Transit stops / 800m107
Parks / 800m4220
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. Pennsport is 58% above the 2024 city median.

$1.3k$2.5kBella V $1,724Pennsport $2,207201420162018202020222024

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 7. Walk is 38 vs 13. ACS median rent is $1,724 vs $2,207. Read both pages before you decide.

Pick Pennsport if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 79 vs 63. 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

Pennsport

Two Street, the river, the parade. More house-row than Passyunk’s restaurant strip. The stadiums are south; the water is east.

$2,207 median rent · safety 79 · walk 13

Common questions

Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.

Which is cheaper, Bella Vista or Pennsport?

Bella Vista is the lower ACS median: $1,724 vs $2,207. About 51% rent in Bella Vista vs 34% in Pennsport. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.

Is Bella Vista more walkable than Pennsport?

Bella Vista wins the errand count (walk 38 vs 13). Groceries inside 800 meters: 11 vs 12. Not a Walk Score license.

Which is safer on this map, Bella Vista or Pennsport?

Pennsport is the calmer Part I read (79 vs 63). Combined rate 39.3 vs 40.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.

Which scores higher for families, Bella Vista or Pennsport?

Bella Vista leads the school axis (35 vs 22). Nearby rating is 6.9 / 10 vs 6.6 / 10. Median age 34.8 vs 38. Neither number is a school assignment.

Which has the shorter commute to Center City?

14 minutes from Bella Vista to Center City, 16 from Pennsport. Bella Vista is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.

If you drop both

Closest official neighborhood that is not Bella Vista or Pennsport: 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 VillagePennsport vs Queen Village

Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.