Denver vs Philadelphia
Compare Denver, CO and Philadelphia, PA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Philadelphia is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,347/mo versus $1,706/mo in Denver — a gap of about $359/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,737/mo against $2,201/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (268 vs 266 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Climate is a real differentiator: Denver runs summer highs near 89°F and winter lows near 16°F, while Philadelphia runs 87°F and 26°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Philadelphia; if walkable daily life matters more, Philadelphia screens stronger on the walkability proxy (41 vs 20). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Philadelphia leads 66 to 51 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Denver leads 64 to 50 on the daily life screen.
Both cities are close on the community screen.
$85,000 in Denver is roughly $110,416 in Philadelphia using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Denver | Philadelphia | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,706/mo | $1,347/mo | Philadelphia |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $2,201/mo | $1,737/mo | Philadelphia |
| Median home value | $519,000 | $305,000 | Philadelphia |
| State income tax | 4.4% | 3.1% | Philadelphia |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 31.8 min | Denver |
| Safety score | 60/100 | 66/100 | Philadelphia |
| School score | 8/10 | 7/10 | Denver |
| Walkability estimate | 20/100 | 41/100 | Philadelphia |
| Outdoor score | 9/10 | 6/10 | Denver |
| Restaurants per 100k | 197.0 | 180.5 | Denver |
| Mountain distance | 10 mi | 19 mi | Denver |
| Coast distance | 745 mi | 4 mi | Philadelphia |
What stands out
Denver stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 20 miles
Denver tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
Philadelphia stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 24 miles
- Named beach within 30 miles
Philadelphia tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Common questions
Is Denver cheaper than Philadelphia?
On public benchmarks Philadelphia is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,706/mo in Denver vs $1,347/mo in Philadelphia; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $2,201/mo vs $1,737/mo; state income tax is 4.4% vs 3.1%.
Is Denver or Philadelphia safer?
Philadelphia screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 60/100 for Denver and 66/100 for Philadelphia (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Denver or Philadelphia?
School screens show 8/10 for Denver vs 7/10 for Philadelphia, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Denver and Philadelphia?
Denver: summer highs near 89°F, winter lows near 16°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Philadelphia: 87°F / 26°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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