Quality of Life

Where World-Renowned Culture Meets World-Class Opportunity

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With a remarkable history that’s put us on the map globally, Greater Philadelphia is bursting with life in every sense. A vibrant community of culinary and cultural institutions have made us one of the finest destinations for food and culture in the world. Our region also provides residents with unparalleled access to green space for outdoor recreation, including 30 public gardens and the 9,200-acre Fairmount Park – one of the world’s largest city park systems. Meanwhile, our eight professional sports teams (yes, eight) have vaulted us into the ranks of the best sports cities in America.

Living in Greater Philadelphia also comes with major opportunities for education. Our region is home to top-ranked K-12 school districts, including Radnor Township and Tredyffrin-Easttown (#12 and #13 in the U.S., respectively). We have nation-leading high schools, such as #18-ranked Julia R. Masterman Secondary School and #34-ranked Downingtown STEM Academy. Greater Philadelphia’s education pipeline is rounded out by more than 100 higher education institutions.

And did we mention Greater Philadelphia’s low cost of living? Factoring in housing and other living costs, Greater Philadelphia is 38% cheaper than New York City, 32% cheaper than Boston, and 30% cheaper than Washington D.C. It’s no wonder that our region’s diverse communities attract talent from other major metros and around the globe looking to advance their lives and careers in an affordable, world-class urban center.

Top: Philadelphia’s Delaware River Waterfront serves up warm-weather fun with the Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest. Photo by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®. Below slideshow images courtesy of, in part: Karan Sethiya for Campus Philly; M. Kennedy for GPTMC; Paul Loftland for PHLCVB; University of Pennsylvania Flickr; Elevated Angles for VISIT PHILADELPHIA ®; J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA ®; R. Kennedy for VISIT PHILADELPHIA ®; and C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA ®.

In Greater Philadelphia, you’ll have the freedom to do more — for less. Use our Cost of Living Calculator to find out how far your salary will go.

Where should you live in Greater Philadelphia? Take our neighborhood quiz to explore our diverse communities and find your perfect match.

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