What it's like to live in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is a major city in Pennsylvania with home prices that remain within reach, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Philadelphia deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- Above-average rainfall
How Philadelphia compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Philadelphia
Based on Philadelphia's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,794
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $55,880 a year
- 49% of Philadelphia renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$48,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,310
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,397/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,397 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $243,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $243,100 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 23% above US
5.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.3%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 152% above US
830 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4354/100k · Philadelphia Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 22% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.7 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% take public transit; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
21 hospitals
There are 21 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.3 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
304 public schools inside the boundary
There are 304 public schools inside the boundary and 121 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site (3 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Philadelphia's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and public transit that many commuters actually use; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,397/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home) and people who would rather not drive.
See all the data for Philadelphia →·All Pennsylvania cities →
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