Both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Sacramento, California, offer their own unique lifestyle opportunities and challenges. Known for their vibrant history and rich culture, these cities shine in their distinctive ways. The following comparison between the two cities considers multiple aspects such as safety, weather, cost of living, education, and more that are important for those looking to relocate or visiting as a tourist.
Distance between
Philadelphia, PA and
Sacramento, CA : 2,451.3 miles
Philadelphia's population is larger by 200%. Its population has grown by 58,701 people (3.9%) since 2000. The population of Sacramento has grown by 118,023 people (29.0%) during that time.
Philadelphia has high crime rates but tends to be concentrated in specific areas. Efforts are made to improve safety, such as increased police presence and improved lighting in certain neighborhoods. Sacramento, however, has a lower crime rate compared to Philadelphia, making it generally safer.
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
Sex Offenders
According to our data, there are 2,776 registered sex offenders living in Philadelphia and 2,168 registered sex offenders living in . The ratio of residents to sex offenders in Philadelphia is 565 to 1; the ratio in Sacramento is 228 to 1. The number of registered sex offenders compared to the number of residents is a smaller in Philadelphia than in Sacramento.
Cost of Living
Philadelphia's cost of living is lower than Sacramento. Average house prices, rent, and daily necessities tend to be more affordable in Philadelphia. Sacramento, due to its locale in California, generally carries a higher cost of living.
Income Tax
Pennsylvania has a flat state income tax rate of 3.07%, while California has a progressive tax rate between 1% and 13.3%. Also, Philadelphia has its own city wage tax, adding to your tax bill, while Sacramento does not.
Property Tax
While both cities have property taxes, Sacramento homeowners tend to pay more due to the generally higher property values in California compared to Pennsylvania.
Sales Tax
Philadelphia has a higher sales tax of 8% compared to Sacramento's 7.25% state sales tax in California. However, Philadelphia does not have a local sales tax, which Sacramento can have depending on the locality.
Income
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Estimated median household income
$52,899
$75,311
Estimated per capita income
$32,707
$37,916
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
105.4
102.9
If you make $50,000 in Sacramento, you will have to make $51,215 in Philadelphia to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
Philadelphia is a flat city located along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. In contrast, Sacramento, located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River, has a landscape that includes flatlands and small rolling hills.
Both cities offer strong education options. Philadelphia is home to several renowned universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and Drexel University. Sacramento offers the California State University, Sacramento (Sac State), and proximity to the prestigious University of California system.
Philadelphia’s economy is largely driven by sectors such as healthcare, education, and financial services. Meanwhile, Sacramento's economy relies heavily on government roles, healthcare, and education and has started to see growth in the technology sector.
Biggest Employers
Philadelphia’s biggest employers include Comcast, University of Pennsylvania, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Sacramento's largest employers are the State of California, Sacramento County, and Sutter Health.
There were 1,553 building permits issued in Philadelphia in 2012 (1108 more than in 2011) compared to 1,004 building permits issued in Sacramento in 2012 (943 more than in 2011).
In Philadelphia (Philadelphia County), 85.2% voted for Democrats and 14.0% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In Sacramento (Sacramento County), 58.1% voted for Democrats and 39.1% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
2020
81.2%
61.4%
17.9%
36.1%
0.9%
2.5%
2016
82.3%
58.0%
15.3%
33.8%
2.4%
8.3%
2012
85.2%
58.1%
14.0%
39.1%
0.8%
2.8%
2008
83.2%
58.4%
16.4%
39.4%
0.4%
2.2%
2004
80.6%
49.8%
19.4%
49.6%
0.0%
0.6%
2000
80.4%
49.4%
18.1%
45.4%
1.5%
5.2%
1996
77.4%
49.8%
16.0%
40.8%
6.6%
9.4%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
CATHOLIC CHURCH
24.8%
16.2%
8.8%
5.1%
AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE USA
3.8%
0.4%
6.7%
1.7%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
2.6%
0.9%
3.1%
1.3%
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
2.2%
1.7%
9.9%
8.6%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
0.8%
0.3%
3.8%
1.4%
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.6%
0.5%
3.1%
1.8%
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.4%
0.0%
1.4%
0.6%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
0.4%
0.6%
1.7%
2.1%
NORTH AMERICAN BAPTIST CONFERENCE
0.1%
0.6%
0.3%
2.2%
Weather
Philadelphia experiences four distinct seasons, which offers a wide variety of annual weather experiences from snow-filled winters to pleasant, warm summers. Sacramento has a hot summer Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters, and hot, dry summers making it appealing for those who enjoy consistent warm temperatures.
Weather and climate
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Temperature - Average
54.8°F
62.2°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
69.9%
66.8%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
34%
58%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
82%
87%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
48%
29%
Precipitation - Yearly average
45.7 in
19 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
45.1 in
0 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
15.4%
31.5%
Sunshine amount - Average
59.8%
83.6%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
18%
52%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
63%
97%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
45%
45%
Wind speed - Average
10 mph
6.8 mph
Average climate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Average climate in Sacramento, California
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PB
PM10
PM25
SO2
Year
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Philadelphia
Sacramento
2018
99
121
0.37
0.32
10.7
9.7
24.3
24.7
N/A
0.002
17.2
28.9
9.2
12.7
0.9
N/A
2017
105
117
0.32
0.33
11.0
9.0
25.3
25.2
0.004
0.002
22.3
22.1
8.9
8.8
1.0
N/A
2016
99
103
0.30
0.44
13.6
8.0
25.1
25.3
0.007
0.002
23.2
14.0
9.5
9.0
1.4
N/A
2015
110
105
0.34
0.25
15.8
9.7
22.6
24.9
0.007
0.002
23.9
16.2
10.5
10.9
1.8
N/A
2014
105
99
0.34
0.24
16.8
10.2
23.1
24.9
0.027
0.002
23.0
15.6
11.7
9.6
2.2
N/A
2013
105
102
0.27
0.29
16.7
11.1
22.5
23.2
0.029
0.002
31.0
21.3
10.5
11.9
1.5
N/A
2012
111
107
0.29
0.31
17.8
10.5
23.0
25.2
0.040
0.002
14.6
15.2
11.7
7.9
1.5
N/A
2011
113
106
0.28
0.29
19.9
11.2
24.3
24.0
0.039
0.002
16.9
17.7
9.8
10.8
1.9
N/A
2010
116
109
0.30
0.29
20.1
11.2
23.0
22.8
0.009
N/A
21.7
16.9
12.2
9.3
2.6
0.5
2009
95
118
0.32
0.40
18.9
12.4
19.7
23.3
0.011
0.003
18.0
20.6
11.9
11.4
2.9
0.5
2008
112
130
0.30
0.40
19.8
14.9
19.1
25.4
0.010
N/A
16.8
24.3
13.9
13.6
3.8
0.5
2007
128
129
0.42
0.39
21.6
14.8
23.3
23.7
0.019
0.005
17.5
19.9
12.3
13.5
4.2
0.6
2006
112
124
0.52
0.49
21.4
15.4
22.5
22.7
0.016
N/A
18.3
23.7
13.1
13.0
4.2
0.5
2005
108
125
0.58
0.42
24.4
15.9
20.8
20.0
0.018
N/A
19.7
22.1
N/A
13.5
5.0
0.6
2004
102
119
0.58
0.49
24.1
15.8
18.9
19.1
0.023
N/A
19.1
22.7
N/A
13.3
5.2
0.6
2003
103
119
0.62
0.47
23.8
16.8
19.7
20.3
0.034
N/A
19.6
23.1
N/A
N/A
5.4
0.9
2002
128
114
0.56
0.50
26.8
18.1
21.2
21.2
0.035
0.004
18.3
25.1
N/A
N/A
4.9
1.5
2001
119
111
0.63
0.43
27.9
18.0
20.0
21.2
0.014
0.004
20.6
20.7
N/A
N/A
5.6
1.4
2000
111
107
0.68
0.55
26.7
17.9
19.0
19.5
0.034
0.004
N/A
19.1
N/A
N/A
5.5
1.4
Natural disasters
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
96.6%
8.8%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
34.4%
7,798.9%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
22%
18%
Transportation
Philadelphia boasts extensive public transportation with its SEPTA train and bus system, and also promotes a bike-friendly culture. Sacramento also offers public transportation, but with less coverage, making a car more necessary for commute.
Transport
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Amtrak stations
2
1
Amtrak stations nearby
3
3
FAA registered aircraft
347
414
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
2
20
Means of transportation to work
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Bicycle
2%
1.1%
Bus
11.7%
1%
Carpooled
8.7%
12%
Car alone
60%
80%
Motorcycle
0.1%
0.2%
Railroad
0.7%
0.4%
Streetcar
4.2%
0.1%
Subway
2.8%
0.1%
Taxicab
0.2%
0.1%
Walked
7.8%
2.8%
Average travel time to work
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Average
34.3 min
28.5 min
Other means
28.2 min
22.8 min
Public transportation
45.6 min
39 min
Private vehicle occupancy
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Average
1.2
1.2
Drove alone
86.4%
88.5%
In 2 person carpool
10.2%
9.4%
In 3 person carpool
2%
1.2%
In 4 person carpool
0.9%
0.4%
In 5-6 person carpool
0.3%
0.5%
In 7+ person carpool
0.2%
0%
How many people usually rode to work in the car, truck or van.
Real Estate
Philadelphia's real estate is diverse, offering historic townhomes and modern apartments. Sacramento's real estate is a mix of suburbs, downtown high-rises, and rural properties in the outskirts, making it a more expensive market.
Neighborhoods
Philadelphia offers quaint historic neighborhoods like Old City, artsy areas like Northern Liberties, and bustling areas like Center City. Sacramento offers neighborhoods like Midtown, known for its vibrant nightlife, and West Sacramento with its beautiful riverfront homes.
Houses and residents
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Houses
733,015
210,715
Average household size (people)
2.5
2.6
Median year apartment built
1953
1977
Median year house/condo built
1947
1978
Length of stay in the house since moving in
16 years
12.8 years
Houses occupied
660,921 (90.2%)
202,093 (95.9%)
Houses occupied by owners
348,935 (52.8%)
103,994 (51.5%)
Houses occupied by renters
311,986 (47.2%)
98,099 (48.5%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$1,301
$976.09
Median monthly housing costs
$1,096
$1,558
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$260,453
$398,191
Estimated median house or condo value
$220,700
$449,600
Median numbers of rooms
5.5
5
Median number of rooms in apartments
4.2
4.1
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
6.2
5.8
Median house price - detached houses
$292,974
$496,462
Median house price - in 2-unit structures
$357,727
$630,561
Median house price - in 3-to-4-unit structures
$264,854
$205,310
Median house price - in 5 or more unit structures
$442,314
$382,635
Median house price - mobile homes
$163,609
$104,325
Median house price - Townhouses or other attached units
$239,791
$463,571
Median house price - All housing units
$256,324
$481,210
Median house age
73
44
Renting percentage
45.9%
50.6%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
5,426.1
2,168.8
House value disparities
38.4%
25.5%
Household income disparities
49.5%
44%
Median household income for houses/condes with a mortgage
$86,108
$109,432
Median household income for apartments without a mortgage
$44,075
$82,443
Housing units without a mortgage
8,484 (4%)
1,166 (1.6%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
18,029 (8.5%)
4,385 (6.1%)
Housing units with a mortgage
202,880 (96%)
70,415 (98.4%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
1,280 (0.6%)
204 (0.3%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
22,966 (10.9%)
5,362 (7.5%)
House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
15
10
House/condo renter moved in on average (years ago)
3
3
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
3.7%
1.2%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
3.3%
0.3%
Housing units in structures
Housing units in structures
Philadelphia
Sacramento
One, detached
9.9%
61.7%
One, attached
55.9%
6.8%
Two
7.4%
1.8%
3 or 4
6.7%
4.8%
5 to 9
2.8%
6.9%
10 to 19
2.5%
4.9%
20 to 49
3.1%
3.5%
50 or more
11.2%
7.6%
Mobile homes
0.3%
1.9%
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.
0.1%
0.0%
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
29,270
12,891
State government workers
16,901
40,274
Unpaid family workers
570
755
Industries and Occupations
Key industries in Philadelphia include biotechnology, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing and financial services. Sacramento is known for its government jobs, but also has significant industries in healthcare, education, and increasingly, technology.
Both cities offer well-established healthcare systems. While Philadelphia is home to some renowned hospitals such as the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Sacramento boasts high-quality healthcare facilities like UC Davis Medical Center.
Health (county statistics)
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Philadelphia's infrastructure, with its historic buildings and broad avenues, has an old-world charm. Sacramento, on the other hand, combines both modern and historic architecture in its urban infrastructure.
Infrastructure
Type
Philadelphia
Sacramento
Hospitals
91
17
TV stations
24
23
Arenas or stadiums
7
1
Bank branches located here
329
127
Bank institutions located here
46
31
Main business address for public companies
47
5
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
1
26
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
HMDA - Conventional home purchase loans - Applications denied
Year
Philadelphia
Sacramento
1999
3,294
1,003
2000
3,202
1,155
2001
2,480
983
2002
2,012
1,197
2003
3,268
2,258
2004
4,525
3,872
2005
6,637
4,610
2006
7,517
4,276
2007
5,750
2,386
2008
2,745
1,381
2009
1,390
647
Culture and Food
Philadelphia is known for its rich history and culture and is famous for its Philly cheesesteak. Sacramento is often referred to as “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital," giving it a robust and fresh culinary scene that focuses on locally-sourced ingredients.
Sports Teams
Philadelphia is home to major sports teams in football, baseball, basketball, and hockey (Eagles, Phillies,76ers, Flyers). Sacramento is best known for its NBA team, the Sacramento Kings, and a strong local soccer culture with Sacramento Republic FC.
Philadelphia, PA
Sacramento, CA
Philadelphia, PA and 
Sacramento, CA : 2,451.3 miles
