San Diego vs Philadelphia
A side-by-side comparison of San Diego, California and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place | California, United States | Pennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | California | Pennsylvania |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 32.815, -117.136 | 40.009, -75.133 |
| Elevation | 128 m | 32 m |
| Size | ||
| Population | 1,404,461 | 1,573,916 |
| Land area | 326.1 mi² | 134.4 mi² |
| Water area | 46.3 mi² | 8.3 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 4,307 | 11,714 |
| Housing units | 588,866 | 763,527 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 36.6 | 35.7 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44.7% | 35.5% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% | 38.7% |
| Asian | 17.7% | 8.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.5% | 16.4% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $111,032 | $60,521 |
| Median home value | $980,700 | $253,600 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 53.6% | 36.4% |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 19.7% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 5.9% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 70°F | 65°F |
| Avg low temp | 56°F | 48°F |
| Annual precipitation | 13.5 in | 48.6 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 70.0% | 55.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,793 | 1,408 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 30 | 77 |
| Air quality category | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7.3 | 28.2 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 11.6 | 28.3 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 65.0 | 20.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 2.7 | 45.0 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 3,212,733 | 3,189,107 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 1,217 | 13 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 5.4 | 4.8 |
| Active weather alerts | 3 | 3 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 24.6% | — |
| Diabetes | 9.4% | — |
| Smoking | 9.6% | — |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 275 | 298 |
| Elementary schools | 173 | 190 |
| Middle schools | 35 | 17 |
| High schools | 49 | 69 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 8 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 4,135 | 4,719 |
| 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 |
Want a deeper comparison or to add a third city?
Open in interactive compare