Safety index · University Southwest, Philadelphia · data through September 2026
Is West Powelton safe?
West Powelton records more reported crime than most Philadelphia neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 43 out of 100 — 11 points below the citywide median of 54, ranking 121st of 151 Philadelphia neighborhoods — based on 1,977 incidents reported to the Philadelphia Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 8 months to September 2026.
DATA THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2026 · 8 MONTHS OF DATA
The 0–100 scale is calibrated to Philadelphia — a typical Philadelphia neighborhood sits near 54. It ranks West Powelton against other neighborhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
The largest reported category here is violent crime (27% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Reported incidents here skew to daytime and evening hours — only about 13% of severity-weighted reports fall overnight (midnight–6 a.m.).
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 537 · 27% | |
| Other theft | 580 · 29% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 218 · 11% | |
| Vehicle crime | 237 · 12% | |
| Robbery | 73 · 4% | |
| Burglary | 86 · 4% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in West Powelton at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Compare the routes, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Haverford North42/100 · Elevated
- Spruce Hill54/100 · Moderate
- Belmont44/100 · Elevated
- Powelton51/100 · Moderate
- Walnut Hill43/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is West Powelton safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 43/100). About 41% of severity-weighted incidents in West Powelton are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a block or two of detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in West Powelton?
Violent crime — 537 of 1,977 incidents (27%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 8 months to September 2026.
How is the West Powelton safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the Philadelphia Police Department by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighborhood center, and normalizes against citywide crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety. The scale is calibrated within Philadelphia, so scores compare neighborhoods to each other and cannot be read against another city's.