Cost of living in Philadelphia, PA

Livability score 61 · cost-of-living index 102.4 (US = 100)

How Philadelphia compares

Where Philadelphia falls within the range of all 200 metros (marker = this city).

Map of Philadelphia

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Cost of living

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Cost-of-living index (US=100)	102.4	metro-area	#154 of 200
Grocery index (US=100)	98.2	metro-area	#136 of 200
Big Mac price (est.)	$5.82	metro-area	#154 of 200
Median household income	$85,555	metro-area	#39 of 200
Median wage (all occupations)	$48,344	metro-area	#16 of 200

Who lives here

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Median age	39.1 years	metro-area	#111 of 200
Bachelor's degree or higher (25+)	41.4%	metro-area	#27 of 200
Foreign-born residents	11.5%	metro-area	#65 of 200
Homes that are owner-occupied	67.0%	metro-area	#91 of 200

Economy

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Unemployment rate	6.12%	metro-area	#163 of 200
Population growth (5-yr)	+2.8%	metro-area	#130 of 200

Housing — what your money buys

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Median home price	$390,463	metro-area	#132 of 200
Home price ÷ income (affordability)	4.6×	metro-area	#90 of 200
1-yr home appreciation	+2.5%	metro-area	#72 of 200
Price per square foot	$223	metro-area	#139 of 200
Typical home size (implied)	1,750 sqft
Median rent (monthly)	$1,914	metro-area	#148 of 200
Homes for sale (inventory)	15,288
Median days on market	9	metro-area	#43 of 200

Taxes

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Total tax burden (est. % of income)	10.6%	state	#115 of 200
Combined sales tax	6.34%	state	#32 of 200
State income tax (top rate)	3.07%
Capital gains tax	3.07%	state	#53 of 200
High earners	No special surtax
Social Security in retirement	Not taxed — does not tax Social Security benefits
Effective property tax rate	1.61%	metro-area	#160 of 200
Median property tax paid	$4,903	metro-area	#175 of 200

Health & childcare

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Life expectancy at birth	77.3 years	metro-area	#77 of 200
Healthcare (annual, single adult)	$7,000	state	#129 of 200
Uninsured (share of residents)	6.1%	metro-area	#38 of 200
Primary care providers per 100k	86	metro-area	#50 of 200
Childcare (annual, infant, center)	$12,000	state	#110 of 200

Vehicles & commute

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Annual registration	$65	state	#29 of 200
Vehicle property tax (annual)	None	state	#1 of 200
Emissions testing	Required
Emissions detail	Required in major metro counties
DMV & license offices	21
Avg commute to work	29 min	metro-area	#177 of 200
Commute by driving alone	64.1%	metro-area	#16 of 200
Solo drivers commuting 30+ min	44.6%	metro-area	#184 of 200

Utilities & fuel

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Electricity	21.5¢/kWh	state	#147 of 200
Avg monthly electric bill	$193	state	#141 of 200
Gasoline	$3.55/gal	state	#150 of 200
Natural gas (avg monthly bill)	$82	state	#167 of 200
Water & sewer (avg monthly bill)	$65	state	#14 of 200
Home internet (avg monthly bill)	$78	state	#77 of 200

Insurance

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Home insurance (annual)	$1,200	state	#8 of 200
Auto insurance (annual)	$1,600	state	#51 of 200

Disaster risk & supplemental insurance

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Main natural hazards	Lower natural-disaster risk; standard home coverage usually sufficient.
FEMA National Risk Index (0–100, higher = more risk)	94.5 — Relatively High	metro-area	#138 of 200
Flood insurance (annual, NFIP)	$650	state	#41 of 200
Earthquake insurance (annual)	$100	state	#1 of 200

Climate & air quality

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Air quality (median AQI, lower=cleaner)	53	metro-area	#157 of 200
Cooling degree-days (AC load)	800	metro-area	#49 of 200
Homes with air conditioning (state)	91%	state	#115 of 200
Heating degree-days (heat load)	5,700	metro-area	#141 of 200
Days per year ≥ 90°F	23	metro-area	#92 of 200
Days per year ≥ 100°F	0	metro-area	#5 of 200
Avg summer high (state)	85°F	metro-area	#59 of 200
Avg winter low	22°F	metro-area	#130 of 200
Annual precipitation	44.1"	metro-area	#116 of 200
Annual snowfall	23.1"	metro-area	#127 of 200
Sunshine (% of possible)	56%	metro-area	#132 of 200
Plant hardiness zone	6b
Frost window	04-20 → 10-20

Safety

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Violent crime (per 100k, state avg)	390	state	#91 of 200
Property crime (per 100k, state avg)	1,400	state	#11 of 200

Local amenities & recreation

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Grocery stores	81	metro-area	#95 of 200
Parks	77
Hiking areas	38
Golf courses	24
Shooting ranges	14
Lakes	12

Permits

Metric	Value	Scope	US rank
Building permit difficulty (1–5)	3	state	#87 of 200
Permit detail	Moderate

US rank = this metro's position among all 200 metros (1 = best: cheapest / safest / highest income, etc.). Childcare is a family cost, not included in the salary-equivalence total.

Top employers in Philadelphia

Major public and private employers in the Philadelphia, PA area.

Employer	Sector	Jobs
University of Pennsylvania	Education	Search →
Virtua Health	Healthcare	Search →
Comcast	telecom	Careers →
AmerisourceBergen	pharmaceutical	Careers →
Johnson & Johnson	pharmaceutical	Careers →
Aramark	services	Careers →

Salaries by occupation in Philadelphia

Local median pay, BLS OEWS. All occupations →

Occupation	Median pay
Dentists	$165,980
Financial Managers	$163,750
Marketing Managers	$142,330
Human Resources Managers	$139,430
Lawyers	$137,350
Pharmacists	$136,890
Physician Assistants	$133,020
Software Developers	$127,150
Construction Managers	$121,000
General & Operations Managers	$110,720
Data Scientists	$106,760
Physical Therapists	$104,670
Mechanical Engineers	$104,520
Web Developers	$96,900
Registered Nurses	$96,710
Civil Engineers	$96,240
Dental Hygienists	$94,060
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$85,390
Accountants & Auditors	$81,060
Elementary School Teachers	$79,290
Electricians	$72,660
Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters	$68,660
Graphic Designers	$59,640
Carpenters	$58,910
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$57,990
Welders, Cutters & Solderers	$54,080
Real Estate Sales Agents	$47,370
Medical Assistants	$44,700