Philadelphia/Compare
Old City vs University City
Old City and University City are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. University City is the calmer Part I map (42 vs 11). Old City wins the errand count. University City has the lower ACS median ($1,856).
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 | Old City | University City |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 11 | 42 |
| Schools | 13 | 13 |
| Walk | 78 | 60 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 92 | 65 |
| Median rent | $2,191 | $1,856 |
| Median home | $491,745 | $860,800 |
| Population | 5,135 | 17,588 |
| Commute to Center City | 10 min | 16 min |
| Commute to University City | 22 min | 6 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 20 min | 22 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Old City | University City |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 70% | 94% |
| Median age | 34.6 | 21.8 |
| Median income | $105K | $32K |
| Part I per 1k | 101.8 | 55.3 |
| Groceries / 800m | 15 | 17 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 61 | 49 |
| Parks / 800m | 41 | 40 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Philadelphia city. Up 53% since 2014. Old City is 57% above the 2024 city median. UCity is 33% 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 Old City if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 92 vs 65. Walk is 78 vs 60. 10 vs 16 minutes to Center City. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick University City if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 42 vs 11. ACS median rent is $1,856 vs $2,191. Read both pages before you decide.
Old City
Cobblestones, the Mall, First Friday. You live next to a national park. Walk maxes out. Part I is padded by people who do not sleep here.
$2,191 median rent · safety 11 · walk 78
University City
Penn, Drexel, the hospitals. Median income looks low because of students; home values do not. Powelton is a search on the north edge of this official line.
$1,856 median rent · safety 42 · walk 60
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Old City or University City?
University City is the lower ACS median: $2,191 vs $1,856. About 94% rent in University City vs 70% in Old City. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Old City more walkable than University City?
Old City wins the errand count (walk 78 vs 60). Groceries inside 800 meters: 15 vs 17. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Old City or University City?
University City is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 11). Combined rate 55.3 vs 101.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Old City or University City?
Old City leads the school axis (13 vs 13). Nearby rating is 6.4 / 10 vs 6.4 / 10. Median age 34.6 vs 21.8. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Center City?
10 minutes from Old City to Center City, 16 from University City. Old City is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Old City or University City: 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.
Old City vs Washington Square WestUniversity City vs Washington Square West
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.