Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Boston-Cambridge-Newton

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 102.6 → 108.3
Rent Delta: +$1,131/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $10K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 6% higher cost of living
  • - $1131/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate

Moving from Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to Boston-Cambridge-Newton shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 102.6 to 108.3 (100 = US average), so a Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary needs to be multiplied by 1.06 to hold the same purchasing power in Boston-Cambridge-Newton. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,810/month in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to $2,941/month in Boston-Cambridge-Newton - a higher monthly bill of $1,131, or $13,572/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 $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington versus $83,802 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton - a raw gap of $9,542 higher. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton labor market has 2,639,240 tracked jobs against 2,874,190 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington and Boston-Cambridge-Newton are 250 and 309 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.6:1 at origin versus 12.3:1 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
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 102.6
RPP 108.3
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,810/mo
$2,941/mo
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
💼 Wages
$74,260
$83,802
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
🔒 Crime
250 per 100K
309 per 100K
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🎓 Schools
13.6:1
12.3:1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
👶 Childcare
N/A
$20,571/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
5198 violations
1106 violations
Boston-Cambridge-Newton

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to see what you'd need to earn in Boston-Cambridge-Newton to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston-Cambridge-Newton more expensive than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has an RPP of 108.3 compared to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington's 102.6 (100 = national average). Boston-Cambridge-Newton is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Boston-Cambridge-Newton is $2,941/mo vs $1,810/mo in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington.
What are salaries like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton compared to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The median salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton is $83,802 compared to $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. That's a +$9,542 difference.
Is Boston-Cambridge-Newton safer than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The violent crime rate near Boston-Cambridge-Newton is 309 per 100K vs 250 per 100K near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (state-level data). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Boston-Cambridge-Newton to match my Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary by 1.06. For example, a $75,000 salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington would need to be $79,177 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton. 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)