United States
Boston makes sense if
- A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
Boston vs Philadelphia
Boston's compact streets and university-and-hospital economy support a walkable routine, though winters are harsh. Philadelphia is denser and has a strong local job market, with exceptionally clean air; safety needs careful, neighborhood-level consideration.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Philadelphia makes sense if
- You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
- You want the deeper culture and food scene.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Boston63
Leads on safety & health and work & family; stands out for parental leave and clean, cared-for streets.
- 2Philadelphia61
Leads on money; stands out for easier house-hunting and music & art scene.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Philadelphia66Boston59
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
$135/mo$2,444/mo
- $2,376/mo
- $1,485/mo, leads
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~39%
- ~31%, leads
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 100
- 100
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 24–44%
- 24–44%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 209 days
- 209 days
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 67 days, leads
- 82 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 6.7 µg/m³
- 7.5 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Boston54Philadelphia51
Beach & sea
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
Mountains
110
- 3/10
- 4/10, leads
City parks
110
- 8/10, leads
- 7/10
Weekend escapes
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Boston73Philadelphia72
Walkability
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Public transport
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Restaurants
110
- 8/10
- 9/10, leads
Public spaces
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Boston64Philadelphia55
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 3.6, leads
- 14.7
Feels safe day to day
110
- 7/10, leads
- 5/10
Healthcare quality
110
- 10/10
- 10/10
English-speaking care
110
- 10/10
- 10/10
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Boston69Philadelphia60
Job market
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
Jobs in English
110
- 10/10
- 10/10
Work–life balance
110
- 3/10
- 3/10
Schools
110
- 8/10, leads
- 7/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Philadelphia61Boston60
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 1/10
- 1/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Flight connections
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 9/10
- 9/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 10/10
- 8/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 8/10
- 8/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 8/10
- 7/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Boston
The core is dense and walkable, with mixed-use neighbourhoods and a car-light daily rhythm. Space is the constraint, while the well-regarded suburbs offer more room.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia's mixed-use neighbourhoods and low car dependence make ordinary errands practical. The city feels substantial without forcing a frantic pace.
Safety
Boston
Boston's homicide rate is low for a big American city, and most central neighbourhoods feel fine on foot after dark. Recorded violent crime, mostly assaults, is higher than in Austin or Miami, and traffic is somewhat less forgiving than the calm street life suggests.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia carries a homicide rate that is high for a major US city, well above New York or Boston, and perceived safety, night safety and street crime all read below those peers. Traffic safety is middling.
Work and healthcare
Boston
The job market is deep across biotech, finance, education, and tech, with unemployment low and a dense professional network built on the university pipeline. Medically, this is one of the best-served cities on earth, anchored by famous teaching hospitals and research institutions, with care delivered in English as a matter of course.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia offers one of the deeper job markets in this comparison, with strong industry fit, dense professional networks, and English-language work widely available. The city is a renowned medical hub with top hospitals, strong emergency care and care delivered entirely in English.
Culture and public life
Boston
Restaurants, cafes, and museums are abundant and high quality, and the seafood and academic-town energy give the place a distinct feel. Boston is historic, walkable and generally well cared-for, with the Common, the waterfront and old squares giving it a public realm most American cities lack.
Philadelphia
The museum and events scene is a real highlight, backed by a strong music and arts world, a serious restaurant range and good vegan options. Free historic sites and a cost of living well below New York's mean a lot of the city's life comes cheap.
Summary
Boston is the more comfortable choice if safety and institutional job options are priorities. Philadelphia suits someone who wants a dense urban setting and can research neighborhoods closely. Factor climate and commute into the housing search.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.