Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Centennial leads 16 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,537
Violent Crime Index
239⚠ High
Population
1,593,208 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $67,080 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Philadelphia
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.2 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
Homes cost $371k less ($215,500 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $699/mo less ($1,250 vs $1,949)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $67,080/yr
Violent crime (908.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4548.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$67,080
$124,617 vs $57,537/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
81% lower
172.8 vs 908.7 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
5.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.6% unemployment
Philadelphia
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.5 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$371k less
$215,500 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 86.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 89.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 16.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 34.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 52.2% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Philadelphia is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 16 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 16 and Philadelphia wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Centennial to Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $215,500 median home), income ($124,617 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Philadelphia, PA are about 1,571 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.