Retirement Communities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

CaringScore for Philadelphia, PA

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in Philadelphia was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in Philadelphia.

CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 4.2, Philadelphia rates below average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Philadelphia. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Philadelphia, PA

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Philadelphia, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for Philadelphia is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 5.5, Philadelphia is on par with the national average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults seeking retirement communities. At 260.5 physicians per capita, Philadelphia scores 18.1 percent better than the national average. Philadelphia scores 130.8 percent better than the national average in geriatricians per capita, with 3, and scores 44.6 percent better than the national average in specialists per capita, with 28.2. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Philadelphia is 73.7 years -- 5.4 percent lower than most of the country. Air quality in Philadelphia -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 92.8 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of Philadelphia's environmental health -- trails the national average by 98.2 percent.

Doctors Per Capita	Philadelphia, PA	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	260.5	220.5
Geriatricians	3	1.3
Cardiologists	11.9	7.7
Oncologists	7.3	3.5
Orthopedists	6	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Philadelphia, PA

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Philadelphia, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for Philadelphia is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, the cost of housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 3.6, the costs associated with retirement communities in Philadelphia are generally more expensive than the national average.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Philadelphia. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in Philadelphia to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Philadelphia indexes at 6.0 percent higher than the national average. Average healthcare costs are 8.0 percent more expensive than the national average, and the cost of housing is 32.0 percent less expensive than average.

Cost of Living	Philadelphia, PA
Aggregate Index	106
Healthcare Index	108
Housing Index	68
Food Index	128
Utilities Index	132
Transportation Index	108

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Philadelphia, PA

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Philadelphia. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for Philadelphia is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 3, Philadelphia rates below average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 207 days each year in Philadelphia, which is about average in the U.S. With an average temperature of 26°F in January, winters tend to be milder in Philadelphia than in other parts of the country, and summers are often hotter than other places, averaging 88°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in Philadelphia is 125.0 percent higher than the national average, and the property crime rate is 50.0 percent higher than average. At $37,433 per year, the population of Philadelphia earns a lower than average median household income. Philadelphia has an unemployment rate of 9.90 percent, roughly 8.8 percent higher than the national average. And about 13.08 percent of the population in Philadelphia is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which matches the national average.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Philadelphia	Nat'l Avg
Parks	0.8	136.1
Libraries	3.8	18.8
Places of Worship	57.7	220.5
Public Transit	330.8	110.4
Grocery Stores	111.1	97.7
Pharmacies	15.5	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65