Is Philadelphia cheaper than Omaha?

No. Omaha is cheaper: typical rent is $1,187 a month versus $1,397 in Philadelphia — 15% lower. Median household income is $61,953 in Philadelphia compared with $73,201 in Omaha, so Omaha has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Philadelphia or Omaha?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Philadelphia and 32 in Omaha (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Philadelphia or Omaha?

School composites are close: A- in Philadelphia and A- in Omaha. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Philadelphia, PA vs Omaha, NE

Philadelphia, PA versus Omaha, NE is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,397 a month in Philadelphia and $1,187 in Omaha, and median household income lands at $61,953 versus $73,201. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Omaha takes affordability, job market, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Omaha leads by 18% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Philadelphia can feel further apart than Philadelphia and Omaha do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Philadelphia and Omaha reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Philadelphia report Full Omaha report

Philadelphia, PA

Rent: $1,397/mo
Median income: $61,953
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 74°F

Omaha, NE

Rent: $1,187/mo
Median income: $73,201
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 72°F

Rent

15% cheaper

Omaha rent is 15% cheaper than Philadelphia

Philadelphia

$1,397/mo

Omaha

Winner

$1,187/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,187 a month in Omaha versus $1,397 in Philadelphia, so Omaha is 15% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,520 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Omaha still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Philadelphia.

Median income

18% higher

Omaha's median income is 18% higher than Philadelphia

Philadelphia

$61,953

Omaha

Winner

$73,201

What this means for your life

Median household income is $73,201 in Omaha versus $61,953 in Philadelphia, so typical pay runs 18% higher in Omaha — about $11,248 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Omaha is the stronger labor market on paper. Philadelphia can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Philadelphia and Omaha are about even on crime index.

Philadelphia

32 (100 = avg)

Omaha

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Philadelphia and Omaha post similar crime indexes (32 vs 32, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Philadelphia and Omaha are about even on school scores.

Philadelphia

A- · 84/100

Omaha

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Philadelphia, A- in Omaha). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

6% more comfortable

Omaha weather is 6% more comfortable than Philadelphia

Philadelphia

74°F typical

Omaha

Winner

72°F typical

What this means for your life

Omaha scores 6% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 74°F in Philadelphia and 72°F in Omaha. Philadelphia reads as warm weather most of the year; Omaha reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Philadelphia's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Omaha is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Philadelphia

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Philadelphia

On these five categories Omaha takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Philadelphia because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Philadelphia only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Philadelphia report →

Fit check

Who should choose Omaha

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Omaha is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 15% cheaper here at about $1,187 a month. Choose Omaha if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 18% higher ($73,201), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 72°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Omaha report →

Bottom line

Philadelphia vs Omaha, called

If the job market is your priority, Omaha is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Omaha pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Omaha offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Philadelphia vs Omaha FAQ

Is Philadelphia cheaper than Omaha?: No. Omaha is cheaper: typical rent is $1,187 a month versus $1,397 in Philadelphia — 15% lower. Median household income is $61,953 in Philadelphia compared with $73,201 in Omaha, so Omaha has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Philadelphia or Omaha?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Philadelphia and 32 in Omaha (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Philadelphia or Omaha?: School composites are close: A- in Philadelphia and A- in Omaha. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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