San Jose vs Philadelphia
A side-by-side comparison of San Jose, California and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  San JoseCalifornia, United States |  PhiladelphiaPennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | California | Pennsylvania |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 37.296, -121.815 | 40.009, -75.133 |
| Elevation | 25 m | 32 m |
| Timezone | Pacific Time Zone | — |
| Founded | 1777 | — |
| Size | ||
| Population | 997,395 | 1,573,916 |
| Land area | 177.9 mi² | 134.4 mi² |
| Water area | 3.1 mi² | 8.3 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 5,605 | 11,714 |
| Housing units | 345,884 | 763,527 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 38.6 | 35.7 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 23.2% | 35.5% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% | 38.7% |
| Asian | 42.1% | 8.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.0% | 16.4% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $148,226 | $60,521 |
| Median home value | $1,271,200 | $253,600 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 49.0% | 36.4% |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 19.7% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 5.9% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 73°F | 65°F |
| Avg low temp | 51°F | 48°F |
| Annual precipitation | 20.9 in | 48.6 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 76.0% | 55.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,942 | 1,408 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 31 | 77 |
| Air quality category | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 5.6 | 28.2 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 8.4 | 28.3 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 57.0 | 20.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 4.1 | 45.0 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 1,717,960 | 3,166,297 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | — | 13 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | — | 4.8 |
| Active weather alerts | — | 3 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 23.5% | — |
| Diabetes | 10.7% | — |
| Smoking | 9.3% | — |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 257 | 298 |
| Elementary schools | 165 | 190 |
| Middle schools | 45 | 17 |
| High schools | 44 | 69 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Mayor / leader | Matt Mahan | — |
| Sister cities | 9 | — |
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 16 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 47,407 | 6,719 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | San Jose, officially the City of San José, is the most populous city in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, and the 13th-most populous in the United States, with an estimated 989,814 residents as of 2025. The city's metropolitan area is home to nearly two million people, while the broader combined statistical area has a population of over nine million. Located in the center of the Santa Clara Valley on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, San Jose covers an area of 179.97 sq mi (466.1 km2) and is the county seat of Santa Clara County. 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, has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in business and technology, sports, and music. Wikipedia |
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