Philadelphia/Compare
Bella Vista vs Society Hill
Bella Vista and Society Hill are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Society Hill is the calmer Part I map (84 vs 63). Society Hill 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.
| Axis | Bella Vista | Society Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 63 | 84 |
| Schools | 35 | 57 |
| Walk | 38 | 68 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 59 | 84 |
| Median rent | $1,724 | $2,044 |
| Median home | $502,900 | $510,250 |
| Population | 4,710 | 6,485 |
| Commute to Center City | 14 min | 10 min |
| Commute to University City | 18 min | 20 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 16 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Bella Vista | Society Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 51% | 40% |
| Median age | 34.8 | 56.3 |
| Median income | $75K | $113K |
| Part I per 1k | 40.5 | 36.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 11 | 13 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 10 | 49 |
| Parks / 800m | 42 | 48 |
| 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. Society is 46% 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 rent gap is the point. ACS median rent is $1,724 vs $2,044. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Society Hill if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 68 vs 38. Vibe is 84 vs 59. Schools score 57 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
Society Hill
Gardens, brick, Headhouse. Quieter than Old City’s Mall, tighter than Queen Village. The Square is the lawn you share with Washington Square West.
$2,044 median rent · safety 84 · walk 68
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bella Vista or Society Hill?
Bella Vista is the lower ACS median: $1,724 vs $2,044. About 51% rent in Bella Vista vs 40% in Society Hill. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bella Vista more walkable than Society Hill?
Society Hill wins the errand count (walk 38 vs 68). Groceries inside 800 meters: 11 vs 13. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Bella Vista or Society Hill?
Society Hill is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 63). Combined rate 36.2 vs 40.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bella Vista or Society Hill?
Society Hill leads the school axis (57 vs 35). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 6.9 / 10. Median age 56.3 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, 10 from Society Hill. Society Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Bella Vista or Society Hill: 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.
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.