Moving to Philadelphia, PA

Cost of living and housing

We do not publish a live for-sale or for-rent count. Official rent planning figures are HUD Fair Market Rents for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro (40th percentile of gross rent, utilities except telephone). These apply to the metro, not a single street.

Source: HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent schedule

Areas and neighborhoods of Philadelphia

Philadelphia Housing Authority prices Housing Choice Vouchers in five groups from Basic Rents to High Opportunity Rents, using HUD Small Area FMRs by ZIP. That is the official expensive-versus-less-expensive split — not a best/worst list. The City Planning Commission maps 18 planning districts.

Source: Philadelphia Housing Authority, Payment Standards; PCPC community planners by district

Taxes when you move to Philadelphia

Pennsylvania personal income tax is a flat 3.07 percent. Philadelphia also levies a city wage tax on salaries, wages and commissions — residents owe it wherever they work; non-residents owe it on work in the city. Employers in Pennsylvania must withhold it.

PA personal income tax

3.07%

No standard deduction or personal exemption

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Personal Income Tax; City of Philadelphia, Wage Tax (employers)

Jobs and largest employers

Labour-market figures below are for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area (not the city alone), not seasonally adjusted. June 2026 columns are preliminary. Employer ranks are Philadelphia County QCEW — Pennsylvania Labor & Industry does not publish headcount per firm.

Source: U.S. BLS, Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — June 2026 (Table 1); PA Department of Labor & Industry, Philadelphia County Top 50 Employers

Public schools

As of the 1 October 2024 snapshot, overall enrollment in Philadelphia public schools was 198,299 students. District school enrollment was 12.0 percent lower than in 2014–15 (15,546 fewer students).

Source: School District of Philadelphia, Enrollment 2024–25

Getting around — SEPTA, rail, roads and PHL

Philadelphia has a metro. SEPTA Metro is the subway, elevated and trolley network (routes L, B, T, G, D, M), plus Regional Rail and buses. William H. Gray III 30th Street Station is the Amtrak / NJ Transit / SEPTA interchange. PATCO is the official New Jersey subway link and is not a SEPTA service.

Source: SEPTA system maps; SEPTA Metro maps; PHL public transportation

What Philadelphia is known for

Official designations only — National Park Service and UNESCO. This is for a scouting trip, not a travel ranking.

Source: NPS, Independence Hall; NPS, Independence National Historical Park

Visit before you move — food, bars and hotels

Come for a weekend, walk a district, and eat where the official guides point you — then use the housing and tax tables above before you sign. We do not copy a restaurant or hotel top-10 onto this page.

Source: Center City District — explore; Center City District — dine; Visit Philadelphia

Moving permits and truck parking

Household moves that occupy a city street need a Temporary No Parking permit from the Department of Streets. Apply at least four business days ahead. Oversized or overweight vehicles need a separate special hauling permit. Interstate-only travel through the city does not.

Source: City of Philadelphia, Temporary No Parking permit; City of Philadelphia, special hauling permit

What to sort before you move

1. Budget for Pennsylvania personal income tax (3.07%) plus Philadelphia wage tax if you live or work in the city.
2. Use HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom as a planning floor — it is a metro 40th-percentile figure, not a street asking rent.
3. Apply for a Temporary No Parking permit at least four business days before a truck occupies a city street.
4. If you have school-age children, start with the School District of Philadelphia enrollment snapshot (198,299 public-school students on 1 October 2024).
5. Get in via PHL Airport Line or 30th Street Station (Amtrak / SEPTA / NJ Transit), or I-95 / I-76 if you drive.
6. Take a weekend in Center City and use the official district guides before you pick a neighborhood.
7. Compare FMCSA-listed household-goods carriers — the federal record is not a review.

FMCSA-listed moving companies in Philadelphia, PA

Active US household-goods carriers from the FMCSA Company Census for this city. Names and USDOT numbers are the federal record — not reviews or endorsements. Moving to Philadelphia guide

Showing 12 of 507 active household-goods carriers listed for this city, ordered by reported fleet size.

Source: FMCSA Company Census (data.transportation.gov az4n-8mr2), household-goods flag, active only.

Truck rental, storage, insurance and packing in Philadelphia

Partner checkout links are not live yet. These slots stay visible so you can plan the extras around a move — we will not invent a URL.

• Van and truck rental

  Self-move truck hire for loading day.

  Partner link coming soon

• Moving-company referral

  FMCSA household-goods listings for this city.

  Partner link coming soon

• Self storage

  Short-term storage if keys do not line up.

  Partner link coming soon

• Renters and home insurance

  Renters or home cover for the new address.

  Partner link coming soon

• Boxes and packing supplies

  Boxes and packing materials for the move.

  Partner link coming soon