Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 96.3 → 102.6
Rent Delta: +$80/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $6K higher median salary
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - 6% higher cost of living
  • - $80/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 96.3 to 102.6 (100 = US average), so a Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin salary needs to be multiplied by 1.06 to hold the same purchasing power in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,730/month in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin to $1,810/month in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington - a higher monthly bill of $80, or $960/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 $67,856 in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin versus $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington - a raw gap of $6,404 higher. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington labor market has 2,874,190 tracked jobs against 1,079,340 in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington are 602 and 250 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.3:1 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
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 96.3
RPP 102.6
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,730/mo
$1,810/mo
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
💼 Wages
$67,856
$74,260
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🔒 Crime
602 per 100K
250 per 100K
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🎓 Schools
15.3:1
13.6:1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
👶 Childcare
$7,860/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
1091 violations
5198 violations
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has an RPP of 102.6 compared to Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin's 96.3 (100 = national average). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is $1,810/mo vs $1,730/mo in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin.
What are salaries like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compared to Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The median salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is $74,260 compared to $67,856 in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin. That's a +$6,404 difference.
Is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington safer than Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The violent crime rate near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington is 250 per 100K vs 602 per 100K near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin (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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin salary by 1.06. For example, a $75,000 salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin would need to be $79,839 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)