City comparison
The income gap between Philadelphia and Colorado Springs is significant: $57,537 median household versus $79,026. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,810 in Philadelphia and $1,735 in Colorado Springs.
This is a genuine split. Philadelphia wins on safety and Colorado Springs wins on cost of living and the job market. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Philadelphia has rougher pockets and Colorado Springs has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
Philadelphia, PA
Colorado Springs, CO
Rent
4% cheaper
Colorado Springs rent is 4% cheaper than Philadelphia
Philadelphia
$1,810/mo
Colorado Springs
Winner$1,735/mo
Typical rent runs $1,735 a month in Colorado Springs versus $1,810 in Philadelphia, so Colorado Springs is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $75, or $900 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
37% higher
Colorado Springs's median income is 37% higher than Philadelphia
Philadelphia
$57,537
Colorado Springs
Winner$79,026
Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs versus $57,537 in Philadelphia, so typical pay runs 37% higher in Colorado Springs (about $21,489 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Colorado Springs is the stronger labor market on paper. Philadelphia can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
31% lower crime
Philadelphia's crime index is 31% lower than Colorado Springs
Philadelphia
Winner128 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs
186 (100 = avg)
Philadelphia's crime index is 128 versus 186 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 31% lower in Philadelphia. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Philadelphia is the easier city. Colorado Springs can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Philadelphia and Colorado Springs are about even on school scores.
Philadelphia
A- · 84/100
Colorado Springs
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Philadelphia, A- in Colorado Springs). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better. At this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Philadelphia and Colorado Springs are about even on typical weather.
Philadelphia
74°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Colorado Springs
76°F avg · 86°F highs · comfort 100/100
Philadelphia averages about 74°F (82°F highs); Colorado Springs averages about 76°F (86°F highs). Philadelphia sits near 74°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Colorado Springs sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Philadelphia is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 31% lower than Colorado Springs (128 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Colorado Springs is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 4% cheaper here at about $1,735 a month. Choose Colorado Springs if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Colorado Springs is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 37% higher here ($79,026). Start with Colorado Springs if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
Colorado Springs wins overall, but the margin is thinner than the category headlines suggest (2 wins to 1).
Colorado Springs's typical rent runs 4% lower than Philadelphia ($1,735/month vs $1,810/month), which is real money over a lease.
The main trade-off: Philadelphia posts a 31% lower crime index (128 vs 186, where 100 is the national average).
The decision comes down to whether you value cost of living more than safety. For most middle-income movers, Colorado Springs is the stronger choice.
Common questions
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Philadelphia and Colorado Springs, plus other cities in PA and CO.
