Philadelphia/Compare
Passyunk Square vs Washington Square West
Passyunk Square and Washington Square West are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Passyunk Square is the calmer Part I map (32 vs 0). Washington Square West wins the errand count. Passyunk Square has the lower ACS median ($1,637).
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 | Passyunk Square | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 32 | 0 |
| Schools | 30 | 26 |
| Walk | 37 | 100 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 45 | 92 |
| Median rent | $1,637 | $1,700 |
| Median home | $453,950 | $631,363 |
| Population | 7,197 | 13,550 |
| Commute to Center City | 18 min | 8 min |
| Commute to University City | 20 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 14 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Passyunk Square | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 44% | 79% |
| Median age | 35.6 | 33.2 |
| Median income | $113K | $88K |
| Part I per 1k | 59.5 | 121.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 16 | 24 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 11 | 103 |
| Parks / 800m | 26 | 22 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Philadelphia city. Up 53% since 2014. Passyunk is 17% 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 Passyunk Square if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 32 vs 0. 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 37. Vibe is 92 vs 45. 8 vs 18 minutes to Center City. Read both pages before you decide.
Passyunk Square
East Passyunk Avenue is the strip. Cheesesteaks are the tourist layer; the restaurants behind them are why people stay. South of Bella Vista, north of the stadiums.
$1,637 median rent · safety 32 · walk 37
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, Passyunk Square or Washington Square West?
Passyunk Square is the lower ACS median: $1,637 vs $1,700. About 44% rent in Passyunk Square vs 79% in Washington Square West. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Passyunk Square more walkable than Washington Square West?
Washington Square West wins the errand count (walk 37 vs 100). Groceries inside 800 meters: 16 vs 24. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Passyunk Square or Washington Square West?
Passyunk Square is the calmer Part I read (32 vs 0). Combined rate 59.5 vs 121.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Passyunk Square or Washington Square West?
Passyunk Square leads the school axis (30 vs 26). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 6.7 / 10. Median age 35.6 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?
18 minutes from Passyunk Square 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 Passyunk Square or Washington Square West: 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.
Passyunk Square vs Bella VistaWashington Square West vs Bella Vista
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.