Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area run at 102.6 against a national average of 100, ranking it #50 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 113.1.
What drives the number
Prices in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington run at 102.6 where the national average is 100, so about 2.6 per cent above the country as a whole. It ranks #50 of 387 metro areas. Against Pennsylvania as a whole it is 5 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
Housing is doing nearly all of the work. Rents sit at 113.1 while goods sit at 96.8, a gap of 10.5 points between what it costs to live somewhere and what it costs to buy things. Someone who could reduce their housing cost here, by living further out or with fewer rooms, would remove most of the premium.
Comparing a job here against one elsewhere on the headline salary alone will mislead by roughly 2.6 per cent. Adjusting by the parity fixes that.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 142,460 | $29,530 | $28,782 | $34,900 |
| Registered Nurses | 74,840 | $99,210 | $96,696 | $93,600 |
| General and Operations Managers | 68,020 | $111,490 | $108,665 | $102,950 |
| Retail Salespersons | 64,820 | $33,630 | $32,778 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 63,800 | $31,470 | $30,673 | $30,480 |
| Cashiers | 54,450 | $31,470 | $30,673 | $31,190 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 52,930 | $42,300 | $41,228 | $38,940 |
| Office Clerks, General | 51,570 | $46,020 | $44,854 | $43,630 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 102.6.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | 112.6 | 148.6 | #5 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | 108.9 | 151.1 | #15 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | 104.5 | 118.2 | #33 |
| Trenton-Princeton | 103.2 | 135.1 | #47 |
| Lexington Park | 100.8 | 103.8 | #74 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | 100.0 | 105.5 | #90 |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington: common questions
Is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington expensive?
Prices are 2.6% above the national average, a parity of 102.6 where the country is 100. It ranks #50 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Pennsylvania as a whole it is 5 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The median worker there earns $51,760, which buys what $50,448 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 113.1 against goods at 96.8. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.