The Town FilesPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
City in Philadelphia County · population 1,603,797 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $243,100
- Household income
- $61,953
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 35.3
Philadelphia is a city of 1,603,797 people in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $243,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 99% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Philadelphia ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Philadelphia is worth $243,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $61,953, which is more affordable than 10% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,397 a month. 51.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Philadelphia | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $243,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,397 | $996 |
| Median household income | $61,953 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 51.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Philadelphia
| People | Philadelphia | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.2% | — |
| Work from home | 18.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Philadelphia
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 27.8°F. About 50.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 62 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Philadelphia since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 1, 2021 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 24 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 1, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 20, 2022.
Severe weather in Philadelphia County since 1996
Philadelphia County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia County had 714,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,187 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Philadelphia itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Public schools in Philadelphia
301 public schools with 177,378 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast HS | 9-12 | 3,264 | 17.6 |
| Philadelphia Performing Arts CS (charter) | K-12 | 2,600 | 14.4 |
| Central HS | 9-12 | 2,287 | 20.6 |
| Lincoln HS | 9-12 | 2,201 | 13.5 |
| MaST Community CS II (charter) | K-12 | 1,895 | 14.1 |
| Washington George HS | 9-12 | 1,886 | 15.5 |
| First Philadelphia Preparatory CS (charter) | K-12 | 1,818 | 17.5 |
| Northeast Community Propel Academy | K-8 | 1,762 | 18.0 |
| Mayfair Sch | K-8 | 1,688 | 18.0 |
| Esperanza Academy CS (charter) | K-12 | 1,641 | 14.3 |
| Baldi C C A MS | 6-8 | 1,515 | 15.8 |
| New Foundations CS (charter) | K-12 | 1,508 | 14.6 |
Towns near Philadelphia
- Elkins Park, PA4.7 mi · 6,901 people · home $401,200
- Cheltenham, PA4.8 mi · 37,452 people · home $384,800
- Pennsauken, NJ4.9 mi · 37,074 people · home $232,900
- Bala Cynwyd, PA5.0 mi · 9,285 people · home $640,400
- Palmyra, NJ5.2 mi · 7,438 people · home $234,800
- Camden, NJ5.2 mi · 71,791 people · home $112,000
- McKinley, PA5.3 mi · 3,128 people · home $346,400
- Rockledge, PA5.5 mi · 2,638 people · home $324,300
Philadelphia questions
Is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Philadelphia scores better for retirees than 2% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 2%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Philadelphia?
The median owner-occupied home in Philadelphia is valued at $243,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,953, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,397 a month.
What is the weather like in Philadelphia?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 27.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.1 inches of snow.
Does Philadelphia get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Philadelphia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 1, 2021. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)