How many bars and pubs are there in Philadelphia's busiest areas?
We counted 242 bars and pubs within 1 km of the centres of 10 Philadelphia areas. Rittenhouse Square is the most crowded at 23.2 per km²; Chestnut Hill is the least, at 1.0.
Mapped
242
in 10 areas
Busiest area
23.2/km²
Rittenhouse Square
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Bars and pubs by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rittenhouse Square4.2★ average | 7323.2/km² | 23.2 | 4.2★ | HIGH |
| Fishtown4.5★ average | 3912.4/km² | 12.4 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| South Street4.5★ average | 299.2/km² | 9.2 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Northern Liberties4.5★ average | 299.2/km² | 9.2 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| East Passyunk4.5★ average | 216.7/km² | 6.7 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Old City4.4★ average | 185.7/km² | 5.7 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Manayunk4.4★ average | 134.1/km² | 4.1 | 4.4★ | LOW |
| Fairmount4.5★ average | 103.2/km² | 3.2 | 4.5★ | LOW |
| University City4.4★ average | 72.2/km² | 2.2 | 4.4★ | LOW |
| Chestnut Hill4.8★ average | 31.0/km² | 1.0 | 4.8★ | LOW |
Where is it least crowded?
3 bars and pubs within 1 km (1.0 per km²), averaging 4.8★.
7 bars and pubs within 1 km (2.2 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
- FairmountLOW
10 bars and pubs within 1 km (3.2 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
Fewer bars and pubs is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 242 bars and pubs in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up109 (45%)
- 4.0 to 4.494 (39%)
- 3.5 to 3.913 (5%)
- Below 3.56 (2%)
- Under 10 reviews20 (8%)
Chains seen most
No brand has two outlets inside any one area circle: these areas are mostly independents.
Check competition at your exact address — free
Drop a pin on the street you have in mind and see every competitor around it on a map, with ratings and review counts. The scan is free with an account.
Questions
Is Philadelphia saturated with bars and pubs?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 1.0 per km² in Chestnut Hill to 23.2 per km² in Rittenhouse Square. 1 of the 10 areas counts as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Philadelphia area has the most bars and pubs?
Rittenhouse Square, with 73 within 1 km of its centre (23.2 per km²). Next come Fishtown (39) and South Street (29).
What is the average rating of bars and pubs in Philadelphia?
4.4 out of 5, across the 222 bars and pubs with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Chestnut Hill (4.8), the lowest Rittenhouse Square (4.2).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every bar on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Philadelphia.