Philadelphia/Compare
University City vs Washington Square West
University City and Washington Square West are two official neighborhoods in Philadelphia. University City is the calmer Part I map (42 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 | University City | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 42 | 0 |
| Schools | 13 | 26 |
| Walk | 60 | 100 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 65 | 92 |
| Median rent | $1,856 | $1,700 |
| Median home | $860,800 | $631,363 |
| Population | 17,588 | 13,550 |
| Commute to Center City | 16 min | 8 min |
| Commute to University City | 6 min | 16 min |
| Commute to Navy Yard | 22 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | University City | Washington Square West |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 94% | 79% |
| Median age | 21.8 | 33.2 |
| Median income | $32K | $88K |
| Part I per 1k | 55.3 | 121.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 17 | 24 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 49 | 103 |
| Parks / 800m | 40 | 22 |
| 311 last 14 days | — | — |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Philadelphia city. Up 53% since 2014. UCity is 33% 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 University City if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 42 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 60. Vibe is 92 vs 65. Schools score 26 vs 13. Read both pages before you decide.
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
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, University City or Washington Square West?
Washington Square West is the lower ACS median: $1,856 vs $1,700. About 79% rent in Washington Square West vs 94% in University City. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is University City more walkable than Washington Square West?
Washington Square West wins the errand count (walk 60 vs 100). Groceries inside 800 meters: 17 vs 24. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, University City or Washington Square West?
University City is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 0). Combined rate 55.3 vs 121.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, University 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 21.8. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Center City?
16 minutes from University 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 University City or Washington Square West: Graduate Hospital. South of South Street, west of Broad. Newer than Bella Vista, tighter than Point Breeze. The hospital name is leftover. The product is brick and a walk to Center City.
University City vs Graduate HospitalWashington Square West vs Graduate Hospital
Scores are relative among official Philadelphia neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.