Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 97.3 → 102.6
Rent Delta: +$672/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - 5% higher cost of living
  • - $672/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.3 to 102.6 (100 = US average), so a Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia salary needs to be multiplied by 1.05 to hold the same purchasing power in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,138/month in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia to $1,810/month in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington - a higher monthly bill of $672, or $8,064/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $70,931 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia versus $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington - a raw gap of $3,329 higher. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington labor market has 2,874,190 tracked jobs against 1,341,320 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington are 365 and 250 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 13.6:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.3
RPP 102.6
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,138/mo
$1,810/mo
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
💼 Wages
$70,931
$74,260
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
250 per 100K
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
13.6:1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
5198 violations
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia to see what you'd need to earn in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington more expensive than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has an RPP of 102.6 compared to Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia's 97.3 (100 = national average). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is $1,810/mo vs $1,138/mo in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia.
What are salaries like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compared to Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The median salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is $74,260 compared to $70,931 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia. That's a +$3,329 difference.
Is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington safer than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The violent crime rate near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is 250 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia (state-level data). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to match my Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia salary by 1.05. For example, a $75,000 salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia would need to be $79,011 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)