SCI-West is focused on an area of West Philadelphia bound by 34th Street on the east, 50th Street on the west, Mantua Avenue/Westminster and Parrish Streets on the north, and Pine Street on the south.

Among other neighborhood assets, these boundaries encompass several bustling business corridors, prominent educational institution, off-campus student communities, and nationally renowned medical and research facilities, as well as a large City-run recreation facility and cultural center.  The population of this neighborhood is also richly diverse: 62.2% of residents are black, 21.3% are white, 12.3% are Asian American and 3.2% are of Hispanic origin.

Of more troubling note is the financial instability and limited educational attainment of many residents.  The median household income is $18,913, with 35.4% of households earning less than $15,000.  40% live below the poverty line.  The percentage of unemployed residents doubled between 2000 and 2007, rising from 10.3% to 21.2%.  The amount residents spend on products and services annually is less than half the national average.  Less than 8% of adults over the age of 25 are college graduates, and only 20% have a high school diploma.