Philadelphia/Compare
Old City vs Washington Square West
Old City and Washington Square West are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Old City is the calmer Part I map (11 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 | Old City | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 11 | 0 |
| Schools | 13 | 26 |
| Walk | 78 | 100 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 92 | 92 |
| Median rent | $2,191 | $1,700 |
| Median home | $491,745 | $631,363 |
| Population | 5,135 | 13,550 |
| Commute to Center City | 10 min | 8 min |
| Commute to University City | 22 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 20 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Old City | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 70% | 79% |
| Median age | 34.6 | 33.2 |
| Median income | $105K | $88K |
| Part I per 1k | 101.8 | 121.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 15 | 24 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 61 | 103 |
| Parks / 800m | 41 | 22 |
| 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. 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 Old City if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 11 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Washington Square West if you want the errands on foot and the rent gap is the point. Walk is 100 vs 78. ACS median rent is $1,700 vs $2,191. Vibe is 92 vs 92. 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
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, Old City or Washington Square West?
Washington Square West is the lower ACS median: $2,191 vs $1,700. About 79% rent in Washington Square West vs 70% in Old City. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Old City more walkable than Washington Square West?
Washington Square West wins the errand count (walk 78 vs 100). Groceries inside 800 meters: 15 vs 24. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Old City or Washington Square West?
Old City is the calmer Part I read (11 vs 0). Combined rate 101.8 vs 121.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Old City or Washington Square West?
Washington Square West leads the school axis (26 vs 13). Nearby rating is 6.7 / 10 vs 6.4 / 10. Median age 33.2 vs 34.6. Old City has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Center City?
10 minutes from Old City 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 Old City or Washington Square West: 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.
Old City vs Society HillWashington Square West vs Society Hill
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.