Housing and tax tradeoff: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Philadelphia vs Chicago on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 154 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
PhiladelphiaChicago
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Potential dealbreaker: Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on rent burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 1,573,916 | 2,664,452 |
| Population Density | 11.9k /sq mi | 12.0k /sq mi |
| Center Elevation | 39 ft(12 m) | 587 ft(179 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $227,453 | $304,487 |
| Median Rent | $1,701 | $2,191 |
| Median Income | $57,537 | $71,673 |
| Rent Burden | 35% | 37% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 290 days/yr | 280 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 66°F | 59°F |
| Avg. Low | 48°F | 44°F |
| Comfort Score | 61/100Good | 47/100Mixed |
| Temp Swing | 45°F | 48°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49"(124 cm) | 44"(112 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 13"(33 cm) | 28"(71 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 492024 modeled avg · 40 days > 100 | Typical: 442024 modeled avg · 19 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | N/A | 77 |
| Transit Score | 100 | 65 |
| Safety Score | 48 / 100 | 30 / 100 |
| School Rating | 6/10 | 7.3/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | minimalMinimal | minimalMinimal |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 95%Cable: 100% | Fiber: 33%Cable: 99% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 34.8 years | 35.3 years |
| College Educated | 34% | 42% |
| Remote Workers | 14% | 16% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner. | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Philadelphia | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Chicago |
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