Philadelphia/Compare
Bella Vista vs Washington Square West
Bella Vista and Washington Square West are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Bella Vista is the calmer Part I map (63 vs 0). Washington Square West wins the errand count. Washington Square West has the lower ACS median ($1,700).
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 | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 63 | 0 |
| Schools | 35 | 26 |
| Walk | 38 | 100 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 59 | 92 |
| Median rent | $1,724 | $1,700 |
| Median home | $502,900 | $631,363 |
| Population | 4,710 | 13,550 |
| Commute to Center City | 14 min | 8 min |
| Commute to University City | 18 min | 16 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 | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 51% | 79% |
| Median age | 34.8 | 33.2 |
| Median income | $75K | $88K |
| Part I per 1k | 40.5 | 121.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 11 | 24 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 10 | 103 |
| Parks / 800m | 42 | 22 |
| 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. Wash West is 22% 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 quieter, family-leaning read. Safety is 63 vs 0. Bella Vista is tagged family on this map; Washington Square West is not. Schools score 35 vs 26. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Washington Square West if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 100 vs 38. Vibe is 92 vs 59. 8 vs 14 minutes to Center City. 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
Washington Square West
The Square, the Gayborhood, Jeweler’s Row as searches inside one line. Walk maxes out. Part I is the highest violent read in this Philadelphia set — visitors and the night count.
$1,700 median rent · safety 0 · walk 100
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bella Vista or Washington Square West?
Washington Square West is the lower ACS median: $1,724 vs $1,700. About 79% rent in Washington Square West vs 51% in Bella Vista. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bella Vista more walkable than Washington Square West?
Washington Square West wins the errand count (walk 38 vs 100). Groceries inside 800 meters: 11 vs 24. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Bella Vista or Washington Square West?
Bella Vista is the calmer Part I read (63 vs 0). Combined rate 40.5 vs 121.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bella Vista or Washington Square West?
Bella Vista leads the school axis (35 vs 26). Nearby rating is 6.9 / 10 vs 6.7 / 10. Median age 34.8 vs 33.2. Washington Square West 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, 8 from Washington Square West. Washington Square West is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Bella Vista or Washington Square West: 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 VillageWashington Square West vs Queen Village
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.