Allegheny County vs Philadelphia County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania versus Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Allegheny County edges out Philadelphia County on overall objective livability (51 vs 38 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Allegheny County | Philadelphia County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $58k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $49k |
| Home Value | $200k | $216k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.68% | 0.86% |
| Income Tax | 4.18% | 7.05% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.90% | 12.38% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.1 in | 49.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.9 in | 17.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 219 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.1 | 99.6 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 58 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 753/100k | 2640/100k |
| Property Crime | 1050/100k | 4373/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,245,310 | 1,593,208 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 34.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+21 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 77.0% | 33.5% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 39.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 15.7% |
| Asian (%) | 4.1% | 7.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 14.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 85.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.69 | 8.99 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Allegheny County or Philadelphia County more affordable?
- Allegheny County has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Allegheny County's $47k and Philadelphia County's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Allegheny County versus $1k in Philadelphia County.
- Is Allegheny County or Philadelphia County safer?
- Allegheny County has the lower violent crime rate. Allegheny County reports 753/100k and Philadelphia County reports 2640/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Allegheny County or Philadelphia County?
- The median home value is $200k in Allegheny County and $216k in Philadelphia County, so homes are more affordable in Allegheny County.