Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Louis
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Opportunity
73 · Top 19%
vs78 · Top 14%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
68 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
57 · Top 48%
vs77 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 30%
vs87 · Bottom 30%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs99 · Top 2%
Economic stability
78 · Top 17%
vs81 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Louis | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,810,850 | 6,272,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,196 | $91,289 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,864 | $50,461 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 357/sq mi | 1,363/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $244,800 | $351,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,113 | $1,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 66.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 42.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6,385 | 13,571 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.4% | 2.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 44.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 1 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 39.3 | 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
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
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.
St. Louis
74
Your Score
70
Area Score
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
78
Your Score
75
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology