San Diego vs Philadelphia

A side-by-side comparison of San Diego, California and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.

PlaceSan DiegoSan Diego

California, United States

PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia

Pennsylvania, United States

Location
State / regionCaliforniaPennsylvania
Country🇺🇸 United States🇺🇸 United States
Coordinates32.815, -117.13640.009, -75.133
Elevation128 m32 m
Size
Population1,404,4611,573,916
Land area326.1 mi²134.4 mi²
Water area46.3 mi²8.3 mi²
Density (per mi²)4,30711,714
Housing units588,866763,527
Demographics
Median age36.635.7
White (non-Hispanic)44.7%35.5%
Black or African American5.4%38.7%
Asian17.7%8.3%
Hispanic or Latino30.5%16.4%
Economy & education
Median household income$111,032$60,521
Median home value$980,700$253,600
Bachelor's or higher53.6%36.4%
Poverty rate10.4%19.7%
Unemployment5.6%5.9%
Climate
Avg high temp70°F65°F
Avg low temp56°F48°F
Annual precipitation13.5 in48.6 in
Sunshine % of year70.0%55.0%
Annual solar (kWh/m²)1,7931,408
Air & environment
US AQI3077
Air quality categoryGoodModerate
PM2.5 (µg/m³)7.328.2
PM10 (µg/m³)11.628.3
Ozone (µg/m³)65.020.0
NO₂ (µg/m³)2.745.0
Wildlife species observed1010
Wildlife observations3,212,7333,189,107
Risk & hazards
Earthquakes (last 10y)1,21713
Largest earthquake (mag)5.44.8
Active weather alerts33
Health
Obesity24.6%—
Diabetes9.4%—
Smoking9.6%—
Schools
Schools total275298
Elementary schools173190
Middle schools3517
High schools4969
Civic & interest
Notable people (Wikidata)816
Books about this place88
Wikipedia views (last 30d)4,1354,719
Overview
Summary

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, next to the Mexican border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County. It is known for its mild Mediterranean climate, extensive beaches and parks, long association with the United States Navy, and recent emergence as a wireless, electronics, healthcare, and biotechnology development center.

Wikipedia

Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States. Its population was 1.60 million at the 2020 census and estimated at 1.57 million in 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as the Delaware Valley, is located in both the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States; home to 6.33 million residents, it is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in technology and business, sports, and music.

Wikipedia

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