Skip to content
CityFit

Place comparison · City scope

Compare two places

Compare the values first, then open the supporting details when you need them. No overall score or winner is calculated.

What changes once I live inside the city limits?

Objective data · City scope

PhiladelphiaAtlanta

CityFit does not rank these places. Higher and lower values answer different questions for different people.

Four things to check first

A first pass through cost, mobility, and scale using the data available today.

Typical monthly rent and utilities

Philadelphia$1,397
Atlanta$1,711

Typical household income each year

Philadelphia$61,953
Atlanta$85,652

Households spending 30%+ of income on rent

Philadelphia52.3
Atlanta51.5

Typical time to get to work

Philadelphia31.7
Atlanta26.5

Housing and money

City
Housing and moneyPhiladelphiaAtlantaDifference
Typical household income each yearPhiladelphia$61,953Atlanta$85,652Difference+$23,699
About this number
Definition

Income in the past 12 months for the household at the middle of the distribution, in inflation-adjusted dollars.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B19013Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$919Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B19013Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$1,846Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
Typical monthly rent and utilitiesPhiladelphia$1,397Atlanta$1,711Difference+$314
About this number
Definition

Monthly contract rent plus estimated average monthly utilities and fuels for renter-occupied units paying cash rent.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25064Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$14Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25064Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$22Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
Typical home valuePhiladelphia$243,100Atlanta$439,600Difference+$196,500
About this number
Definition

Median respondent estimate of value for owner-occupied housing units.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25077Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$2,641Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25077Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$10,668Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
Households spending 30%+ of income on rentPhiladelphia52.3percentAtlanta51.5percentDifference-0.8 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of rent-paying households spending at least 30% of income on gross rent, excluding cases where the ratio is not computed.

Methods note: round((rent_burden_30_plus_households / rent_burden_universe_households) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: rent_burden_30_plus_households, rent_burden_universe_households

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25070Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25070Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
Rent as part of household incomePhiladelphia27.1percentAtlanta24.0percentDifference-3.1 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Annualized median gross rent divided by median household income. This derived ratio is not a household-level affordability test.

Methods note: round(((median_gross_rent * 12) / median_household_income) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: median_gross_rent, median_household_income

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25064 + B19013Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
This is a ratio of two medians, not the median household's actual rent burden and not an affordability score.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25064 + B19013Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
This is a ratio of two medians, not the median household's actual rent burden and not an affordability score.
Typical property tax each yearPhiladelphia$2,003Atlanta$4,231Difference+$2,228
About this number
Definition

Yearly real estate tax paid by the owner-occupied household in the middle. This is an amount, not a tax rate.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25103Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$31Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
Median annual real estate taxes paid for owner-occupied housing units. This is a tax amount, not a property-tax rate; assessments, exemptions, and individual bills vary.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25103Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±$128Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
Median annual real estate taxes paid for owner-occupied housing units. This is a tax amount, not a property-tax rate; assessments, exemptions, and individual bills vary.

Getting around

City
Getting aroundPhiladelphiaAtlantaDifference
Typical time to get to workPhiladelphia31.7minutesAtlanta26.5minutesDifference-5.2 minutes
About this number
Definition

Mean travel time to work among workers in the source universe.

Methods note: round(aggregate_commute_minutes / commute_travel_time_workers, 1)

Formula inputs: aggregate_commute_minutes, commute_travel_time_workers

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08013 + B08012Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08013 + B08012Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
Households without a carPhiladelphia27.9percentAtlanta14.2percentDifference-13.7 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of households reporting no vehicle available; this is not a measure of transit quality.

Methods note: round((zero_vehicle_households / households_vehicle_universe) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: zero_vehicle_households, households_vehicle_universe

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08201Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08201Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
People who drive alone to workPhiladelphia46.0percentAtlanta52.9percentDifference+6.9 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of workers who usually drove alone to work.

Methods note: round((drove_alone_workers / commute_mode_workers) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: drove_alone_workers, commute_mode_workers

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
People who carpool to workPhiladelphia7.8percentAtlanta4.7percentDifference-3.1 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of workers who usually carpooled to work.

Methods note: round((carpool_workers / commute_mode_workers) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: carpool_workers, commute_mode_workers

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
People who take public transit to workPhiladelphia16.7percentAtlanta5.7percentDifference-11.0 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of workers who usually used public transportation to work.

Methods note: round((public_transit_workers / commute_mode_workers) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: public_transit_workers, commute_mode_workers

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
People who walk to workPhiladelphia7.1percentAtlanta3.9percentDifference-3.2 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of workers who usually walked to work.

Methods note: round((walked_workers / commute_mode_workers) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: walked_workers, commute_mode_workers

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
People who work from homePhiladelphia18.4percentAtlanta29.7percentDifference+11.3 percentage points
About this number
Definition

Share of workers who usually worked from home.

Methods note: round((worked_from_home_workers / commute_mode_workers) * 100, 1)

Formula inputs: worked_from_home_workers, commute_mode_workers

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B08301Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Derived from published inputs; no standalone ACS margin of error is asserted.

Scale

City
ScalePhiladelphiaAtlantaDifference
People who live herePhiladelphia1,579,706peopleAtlanta505,268peopleDifference-1,074,438 people
About this number
Definition

Total resident population estimate.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B01003Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: The ACS Summary File uses a special value indicating that no margin of error is published for this controlled estimate.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B01003Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±79Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
Land inside this boundaryPhiladelphia134.3square milesAtlanta135.3square milesDifference+1.0 square miles
About this number
Definition

Land area within the stated geographic boundary.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau National Places GazetteerVintage: 2024 Census Gazetteer FilesObservation period: 2024-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: Census land-area geometry measurement; no survey margin of error applies.
Land area excludes water area and follows the 2024 Census geography vintage.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau National Places GazetteerVintage: 2024 Census Gazetteer FilesObservation period: 2024-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: Census land-area geometry measurement; no survey margin of error applies.
Land area excludes water area and follows the 2024 Census geography vintage.
People per square milePhiladelphia11,760people per square mileAtlanta3,734people per square mileDifference-8,026 people per square mile
About this number
Definition

Population divided by land area; it does not describe density in every neighborhood.

Methods note: round(population / land_area_square_miles, 1)

Formula inputs: population, land_area_square_miles

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B01003 + Gazetteer ALANDVintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-year population / 2024 Gazetteer land areaObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Density combines an ACS period estimate with a 2024 boundary-area measurement and must not be treated as an ACS-published density.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B01003 + Gazetteer ALANDVintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-year population / 2024 Gazetteer land areaObservation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: No standalone margin of error is published for this CityFit-derived value; input observations retain their published margins of error.
Density combines an ACS period estimate with a 2024 boundary-area measurement and must not be treated as an ACS-published density.

People and place

City
People and placePhiladelphiaAtlantaDifference
Middle age of residentsPhiladelphia35.3yearsAtlanta34.2yearsDifference-1.1 years
About this number
Definition

Age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B01002Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±0.1Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B01002Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±0.3Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
People in a householdPhiladelphia2.26people per householdAtlanta2.00people per householdDifference-0.26 people per household
About this number
Definition

Average number of people per occupied housing unit classified as a household.

PhiladelphiaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25010Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±0.01Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.
AtlantaSource: U.S. Census Bureau B25010Vintage: 2020-2024 ACS 5-yearMargin of error: ±0.02Observation period: 2020-01-01–2024-12-31
Margin of error: ACS 90% confidence-level margin of error.
ACS 5-year estimates are period estimates, not a point-in-time count.

Climate

City
ClimatePhiladelphiaAtlantaDifference
Usual low in JanuaryPhiladelphia26.0degrees FahrenheitAtlanta35.6degrees FahrenheitDifference+9.6 degrees Fahrenheit
About this number
Definition

January normal daily minimum temperature at the documented representative station.

PhiladelphiaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Monthly Normals · USW00013739Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Philadelphia International Airport is the selected NOAA normals station for the Philadelphia city page; station observations do not represent every part of the city or metro. NOAA station name: PHILADELPHIA INTL AP, PA US.
AtlantaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Monthly Normals · USW00013874Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is a documented NOAA normals station in Atlanta; values describe the station and are not a metro-wide climate estimate. NOAA station name: ATLANTA HARTSFIELD INTL AP, GA US.
Usual high in JulyPhiladelphia87.8degrees FahrenheitAtlanta90.1degrees FahrenheitDifference+2.3 degrees Fahrenheit
About this number
Definition

July normal daily maximum temperature at the documented representative station.

PhiladelphiaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Monthly Normals · USW00013739Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Philadelphia International Airport is the selected NOAA normals station for the Philadelphia city page; station observations do not represent every part of the city or metro. NOAA station name: PHILADELPHIA INTL AP, PA US.
AtlantaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Monthly Normals · USW00013874Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is a documented NOAA normals station in Atlanta; values describe the station and are not a metro-wide climate estimate. NOAA station name: ATLANTA HARTSFIELD INTL AP, GA US.
Usual rain in a yearPhiladelphia44.11inchesAtlanta50.43inchesDifference+6.32 inches
About this number
Definition

Annual precipitation normal at the documented representative station.

PhiladelphiaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Annual/Seasonal Normals · USW00013739Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Philadelphia International Airport is the selected NOAA normals station for the Philadelphia city page; station observations do not represent every part of the city or metro. NOAA station name: PHILADELPHIA INTL AP, PA US.
AtlantaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Annual/Seasonal Normals · USW00013874Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is a documented NOAA normals station in Atlanta; values describe the station and are not a metro-wide climate estimate. NOAA station name: ATLANTA HARTSFIELD INTL AP, GA US.
Usual snow in a yearPhiladelphia23.10inchesAtlanta2.20inchesDifference-20.90 inches
About this number
Definition

Annual snowfall normal at the documented representative station when published.

PhiladelphiaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Annual/Seasonal Normals · USW00013739Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Philadelphia International Airport is the selected NOAA normals station for the Philadelphia city page; station observations do not represent every part of the city or metro. NOAA station name: PHILADELPHIA INTL AP, PA US.
AtlantaSource: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Annual/Seasonal Normals · USW00013874Vintage: 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1Observation period: 1991-01-01–2020-12-31
Margin of error: NOAA Climate Normals do not publish an ACS-style margin of error for this station normal.
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is a documented NOAA normals station in Atlanta; values describe the station and are not a metro-wide climate estimate. NOAA station name: ATLANTA HARTSFIELD INTL AP, GA US.

Second place minus first place; no positive or negative judgment is implied.