Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Denver-Aurora-Centennial

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 102.6 → 105.8
Rent Delta: +$279/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $4K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 3% higher cost of living
  • - $279/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to Denver-Aurora-Centennial shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 102.6 to 105.8 (100 = US average), so a Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Denver-Aurora-Centennial. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,810/month in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to $2,089/month in Denver-Aurora-Centennial - a higher monthly bill of $279, or $3,348/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 $78,519 in Denver-Aurora-Centennial - a raw gap of $4,259 higher. The Denver-Aurora-Centennial labor market has 1,580,940 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial are 250 and 481 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.6:1 at origin versus 16.6:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 102.6
RPP 105.8
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,810/mo
$2,089/mo
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
💼 Wages
$74,260
$78,519
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
🔒 Crime
250 per 100K
481 per 100K
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
🎓 Schools
13.6:1
16.6:1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
👶 Childcare
N/A
$12,821/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
5198 violations
5332 violations
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington to see what you'd need to earn in Denver-Aurora-Centennial to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Denver-Aurora-Centennial more expensive than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has an RPP of 105.8 compared to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington's 102.6 (100 = national average). Denver-Aurora-Centennial is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Denver-Aurora-Centennial is $2,089/mo vs $1,810/mo in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington.
What are salaries like in Denver-Aurora-Centennial compared to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The median salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial is $78,519 compared to $74,260 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. That's a +$4,259 difference.
Is Denver-Aurora-Centennial safer than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The violent crime rate near Denver-Aurora-Centennial is 481 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial to match my Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salary by 1.03. For example, a $75,000 salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington would need to be $77,361 in Denver-Aurora-Centennial. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most 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)