How much rent can you afford in Philadelphia, PA?
Run your salary against Philadelphia's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Philadelphia
At a median rent of $1,797/mo, Philadelphia is moderately stretched when measured against Philadelphia median household income of $61,953/yr. Rent would consume roughly 35% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $71,880 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Philadelphia compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Philadelphia?
On a $61,953 salary (the Philadelphia median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,549/mo. Philadelphia's median rent is $1,797/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Philadelphia?
To keep Philadelphia's $1,797/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $71,880/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Philadelphia affordable on the median Pennsylvania income?
Philadelphia is moderately stretched on a $61,953 income. Rent would take 35% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".