Cost of Living in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Philadelphia County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Philadelphia County ranks #2,625 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 16%)
Sourced county brief
Philadelphia County Median Gross Rent Reaches $1,397 Monthly
Philadelphia County's median gross rent was estimated at $1,397 per month in the ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates, which is higher than the Pennsylvania unweighted county mean of $991. The official Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) was 31.4%, which is 3.7 percentage points above the state unweighted county mean of 27.7%. For owner-occupied housing, the median home value was $243,100, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $212,079. Median monthly owner costs were $1,118, compared to a state unweighted county mean of $1,010. The median renter-household income was recorded at $48,344. These data points provide a snapshot of housing-tenure costs and are not intended to suggest future affordability trends or investment quality. The reporting is based exclusively on the provided U.S. Census Bureau dataset. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Philadelphia County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 31.4% of renter household income in Philadelphia County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,397 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,118. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $55,880 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Pennsylvania unweighted mean of county median rents is $991 per month. Philadelphia County's $1,397 median is 41.0% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Philadelphia County
Rent Burden
27.1%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,446
per month
Owner Cost Burden
21.7%
of gross income
The median home in Philadelphia County may be a stretch
Median home value is $243,100. Estimated monthly cost: $1,941 vs. your max of $1,446.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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