Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Meridian, ID
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Meridian leads 16 of 23 categories
Meridian
Idaho
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,296 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
119,872
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
7
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.
Meridian, ID
Pros
84% less violent crime than Philadelphia
Households earn $35,759 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.9 pts lower (2.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.8 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Philadelphia
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,800
Higher rents — median is $1,548/mo
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
Homes cost $210k less ($215,500 vs $425,800)
Rent averages $298/mo less ($1,250 vs $1,548)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Meridian by $35,759/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
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Meridian
Key Differences at a Glance
Meridian
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 103.5 (100 = US avg)
Meridian
Median Income
$35,759
$93,296 vs $57,537/yr
Meridian
Violent Crime
84% lower
146.8 vs 908.7 per 100k
Meridian
Unemployment
5.9 pp lower
2.7% vs 8.6% unemployment
Meridian
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 92.7°F vs 89.3°F
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$210k less
$215,500 vs $425,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Meridian, ID | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,800⚠ High | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,548⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,296 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.8% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.5% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 86.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.8°F | 41.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.7°F ✓ Warmer | 89.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.4" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.3" | 16.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,872 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 34.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.3% ✓ Higher | 52.2% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Meridian's cost of living index is 93.4 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Meridian is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Meridian leads 16 of 23 categories. Meridian 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 Meridian to Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,800 vs $215,500 median home), income ($93,296 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Meridian, ID and Philadelphia, PA are about 2,118 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.