Pennsylvania · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Philadelphia County, PA

Prices around Philadelphia County, PA run 2.6% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $61,953 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,810 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $72,400 a year.

Philadelphia County, PA at a glance

Median household income

$61,953$5,163 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,810HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)102.6+2.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity21.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential PA
Population1,579,706Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Philadelphia County, PA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,810Monthly market rent
Share of gross income35.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$72,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,549At 30% of $61,953
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Philadelphia County, PA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Philadelphia County, PA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,397$16,764$55,88027.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,520$18,240$60,80029.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,810$21,720$72,40035.1%
3-Bedroom Home$2,170$26,040$86,80042%
4-Bedroom Home$2,423$29,076$96,92046.9%

Rent in Philadelphia County, PA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Philadelphia County, PA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $61,953 a year ($5,163 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,581/moRent ($1,810 2-BR), utilities (~$196/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,549/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,033/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $61,953 leaves after Pennsylvania taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Pennsylvania tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$61,953
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$61,953
Net 81%
Fed 8%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,057After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,171Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,925Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,254 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,902 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,739 / yr

Living in Philadelphia County, PA: common questions

What is the median household income in Philadelphia County, PA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Philadelphia County, PA is $61,953 per year (approximately $5,163 per month).

What is the average rent in Philadelphia County, PA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,397 for a studio, $1,520 for one bedroom, $1,810 for two, $2,170 for three and $2,423 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Philadelphia County, PA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.6% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 102.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Philadelphia County, PA?

To keep a $1,810 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $72,400 a year, or $6,033 a month. That is 117% of what the typical household in Philadelphia County, PA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Philadelphia County, PA?

On the local median income of $61,953 ($5,163 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,581 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,549 for everything else and $1,033 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,810 takes 70% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Philadelphia County, PA?

Homes in Pennsylvania paid 21.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $196. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.