New Haven vs Philadelphia
The short version
- Philadelphia is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the New Haven area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $243,100 in Philadelphia and $287,100 in New Haven.
- Households earn more in Philadelphia ($61,953 vs $56,851 median).
- New Haven gets far more snow: 34 inches a year vs 23.
- Philadelphia has more scorching days: 30 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 6.
- New Haven is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs -1.8%.
- Commutes are shorter in New Haven (22 vs 32 minutes each way).
Side by side
| New Haven, CT | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 138,774 | 1,574,281 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.6% | -1.8% |
| People per square mile | 7,425 | 11,720 |
| Median age | 31.9 | 35.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 35% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $56,851 | $61,953 |
| Median home value | $287,100 | $243,100 |
| Home value to income | 5.1× | 3.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,488 | $1,397 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 104.6 | 102.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 124.3 | 113.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $78,400 | $76,900 |
| Homeowners | 28% | 52% |
| Top state income tax | 6.99% | 3.07% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.35% | 6.34% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.5 | 31.7 |
| Work from home | 14% | 18% |
| Take public transit | 7% | 17% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| Poverty rate | 23.9% | 21.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 23° | 41° / 26° |
| July high / low | 82° / 66° | 88° / 70° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 44 in |
| Snowfall per year | 34 in | 23 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 6 | 30 |
| Nights below freezing | 102 | 77 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | n/a | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | n/a | 99.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 67% | 41% |
| Home prices, past year | +6% | +4.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +54.9% | +33.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: New Haven: May to October. Philadelphia: April to June and August to October.
Full monthly tables: New Haven weather by month and Philadelphia weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $78,400 in New Haven and $76,900 in Philadelphia. Moving from New Haven to Philadelphia, you would need about $73,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between New Haven and Philadelphia
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from New Haven and Philadelphia.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.