Living in Philadelphia, PA

Crime rates in Philadelphia are a touch above the national midpoint. The violent crime index comes in at 102 and property crime at 77, where 100 represents the U.S. average. That's not alarming, but it's enough that you should spend real time researching specific neighborhoods rather than assuming everywhere is equally fine. Talk to people who live there, walk the streets at different hours, and check the local police department's crime map. FBI UCR data.

Most households manage fine. Median rent in Philadelphia is $1,323/month, and the typical household pulls in $60,698/year — a 26.2% rent-to-income ratio. That's under the 30% threshold where housing costs start to pinch, though not by a huge margin. If you're a single earner or have significant debt payments, run your own numbers carefully. For dual-income households, the math works out comfortably. Census ACS 2023.

It can be. The mean commute is 27 minutes, a bit above the national average. 46.7% of workers drive solo, which means congestion during rush hour is real. 17.9% rely on public transit, and 16.4% skip the commute by working from home. If you're choosing between neighborhoods, proximity to your workplace should rank high on the list — a few miles can mean 20 extra minutes each way during peak hours.

Not particularly. The climate risk score is 27/100, which puts Philadelphia in the low-risk tier. Flood, Heat Wave, and Winter Storm are the most relevant hazards, but none of them are frequent concerns. Standard insurance should have you covered. It's one less thing to worry about if you're comparing this city to higher-risk metros along the coast or in tornado alley. Data from FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA.

The numbers suggest some caution. Philadelphia's graduation rate is 76.0% with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio — both below where most parents would feel comfortable. That said, there are standout public schools, active magnet programs, and charter options that families swear by. If education is a priority, you'll want to target specific schools and be willing to live in their attendance zones. Don't write off the whole city based on averages.

Somewhat. Expect to pay around $248/month for electricity, gas, water, and sewer — that's about $18 more than the national average of $230. Extreme temperatures (hot summers or cold winters), older housing stock, or higher local energy rates can all push bills up. Budget for seasonal peaks, and look into energy-efficient appliances if you're buying.

Good, overall. The median AQI sits at 48, which falls within the EPA's "Good" category, and Philadelphia logs 240 clean-air days annually. Ozone is the main pollutant. Occasional spikes happen — wildfire smoke, temperature inversions, or high-ozone days — but they're the exception, not the rule. Check AirNow.gov during allergy season or summer heat waves.

Higher than average, yes. The total effective tax rate lands around 12.5% when you add up income, property, and sales taxes. Sales tax is 8.0%. High-tax areas often come with better public schools, infrastructure, and services — but that's not guaranteed, and it's cold comfort on payday. If you're moving from a low-tax state like Texas or Florida, brace for a noticeable dip in take-home pay.

Probably a good idea. Philadelphia's water system scores 60/100 — not terrible, but not great either. There are 0 health-based violations on record, and lead risk is rated "high." The water is technically within EPA limits, but a quality filter adds a layer of protection, especially in older housing. Look up your specific utility on EWG's Tap Water Database for contaminant details.

Everything on this page is built from public government sources: rent and income figures from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023); commute and transportation data from Census ACS tables B08303 and B08006; crime rates from the FBI Uniform Crime Report; climate risk assessments using FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA storm records; air quality measurements from the EPA's Air Quality System database; water quality compliance data from EPA records and the EWG Tap Water Database; school data from the National Center for Education Statistics; utility cost estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We refresh each dataset monthly through an automated pipeline and cross-check for anomalies. No surveys, no user-submitted guesses — just official federal data presented in a way that's actually useful for people researching a move.