What it costs to live in Philadelphia (Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD): what HUD considers a fair rent by number of bedrooms, the median household income of the metro area@if ($m['local_income_tax']) and the local income tax@endif, from official sources.
| Philadelphia | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Population of the metro area | 6,329,118 (2025) | US Census Bureau, Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025, cbsa-est2025-alldata.csv) |
| Fair market rent, studio | $1,397 a month | HUD User, FY2026 Fair Market Rents, revised (FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx) |
| Fair market rent, 1 bedroom | $1,520 a month | |
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,810 a month | |
| Fair market rent, 3 bedrooms | $2,170 a month | |
| Median household income | $90,850 a year (2024) | US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table B19013 Median household income (summary file) |
| Local income tax | 3.735% residents, 3.425% non-residents | City of Philadelphia, Wage Tax (employers) |
HUD's fair market rents (FY2026, area: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA) are set at about the 40th percentile of what recent movers pay for a standard home, including utilities. Many listings ask more, so treat them as a floor for a budget, not an average.
How much of a typical income does rent take?
A one-bedroom at the fair market rent costs $18,240 a year, 20 % of the metro's median household income; a two-bedroom takes 24 %. The usual rule of thumb is to keep rent at or below 30 % of gross income: for a two-bedroom here that means about $72,400 a year before tax.
Local income tax
Philadelphia's Wage Tax is withheld from pay: 3.735% for residents and 3.425% for non-residents who work in the city, from July 1, 2026 (3.74% and 3.43% before).
Taxes in these states
- Pennsylvania: minimum wage, income tax and sales tax
- New Jersey: minimum wage, income tax and sales tax
- Delaware: minimum wage, income tax and sales tax
- Maryland: minimum wage, income tax and sales tax
- Take-home pay after federal and state tax
Sources
- US Census Bureau, Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025, cbsa-est2025-alldata.csv) (2026-10-12)
- HUD User, FY2026 Fair Market Rents, revised (FY26_FMRs_revised.xlsx) (2026-10-12)
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table B19013 Median household income (summary file) (2026-10-12)
- City of Philadelphia, Wage Tax (employers) (2026-10-12)