Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Concord leads 18 of 23 categories
Concord
North Carolina
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High
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.
Concord, NC
Pros
83% less violent crime than Philadelphia
Households earn $25,943 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
Homes cost $73k less ($215,500 vs $288,100)
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $25,943/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 103.5 (100 = US avg)
Concord
Median Income
$25,943
$83,480 vs $57,537/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
83% lower
159.0 vs 908.7 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 8.6% unemployment
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$73k less
$215,500 vs $288,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 86.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 89.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" ✓ Less | 16.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 34.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 52.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Concord is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Concord leads 18 of 23 categories. Concord wins 18 and Philadelphia wins 5. 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 Concord to Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $215,500 median home), income ($83,480 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and Philadelphia, PA are about 438 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.