Richmond and Philadelphia receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Richmond
Philadelphia
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 33%
vs61 · Top 38%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs53 · Bottom 49%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 17%
vs71 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 30%
vs69 · Top 48%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs98 · Top 26%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 39%
vs43 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Richmond | Philadelphia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 229,359 | 1,579,706 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,587 | $61,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,790 | $38,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,827/sq mi | 11,760/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $353,000 | $243,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,714 | 4,599 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | 72.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 45.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 34.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Philadelphia
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Richmond
68
Your Score
67
Area Score
Philadelphia
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Richmond, VA · Philadelphia, PA · How this is calculated: methodology