Philadelphia/Compare
Society Hill vs Washington Square West
Society Hill and Washington Square West are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Society Hill is the calmer Part I map (84 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 | Society Hill | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 84 | 0 |
| Schools | 57 | 26 |
| Walk | 68 | 100 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 84 | 92 |
| Median rent | $2,044 | $1,700 |
| Median home | $510,250 | $631,363 |
| Population | 6,485 | 13,550 |
| Commute to Center City | 10 min | 8 min |
| Commute to University City | 20 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 18 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Society Hill | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 40% | 79% |
| Median age | 56.3 | 33.2 |
| Median income | $113K | $88K |
| Part I per 1k | 36.2 | 121.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 13 | 24 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 49 | 103 |
| Parks / 800m | 48 | 22 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Philadelphia city. Up 53% since 2014. Society is 46% 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 Society Hill if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 84 vs 0. Schools score 57 vs 26. Society Hill is tagged family on this map; Washington Square West is not. 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 68. ACS median rent is $1,700 vs $2,044. Vibe is 92 vs 84. Read both pages before you decide.
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
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, Society Hill or Washington Square West?
Washington Square West is the lower ACS median: $2,044 vs $1,700. About 79% rent in Washington Square West vs 40% in Society Hill. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Society Hill more walkable than Washington Square West?
Washington Square West wins the errand count (walk 68 vs 100). Groceries inside 800 meters: 13 vs 24. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Society Hill or Washington Square West?
Society Hill is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 0). Combined rate 36.2 vs 121.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Society Hill or Washington Square West?
Society Hill leads the school axis (57 vs 26). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 6.7 / 10. Median age 56.3 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?
10 minutes from Society Hill 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 Society Hill 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.
Society Hill vs Queen VillageWashington Square West vs Queen Village
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.