Head to head
Arlington, TX vs Philadelphia, PA
Arlington is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $270/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $14,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For a household of four, Philadelphia is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and that spread is far steeper in some markets than others.
| Metric | Arlington73 | Philadelphia52 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,111 | $4,381 |
| Est. monthly cost (household of 4) | $7,857 | $7,840 |
| Salary for comfort | $72,000/yr | $86,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,723 | $1,810 |
| Median home value | $276,400 | $232,400 |
| Median household income | $73,519 | $60,698 |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.0% |
| Housing score | 60 | 47 |
| Jobs score | 58 | 49 |
| Safety score | 65 | 4 |
| Climate score | 96 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 73 | 46 |
| Population | 394.8K | 1.6M |
| Summer high / winter low | 94° / 35° | 88° / 27° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Arlington, TX
Philadelphia, PA