City comparison
Newton, MA is about 250 miles (425 km) from Philadelphia, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 325 miles, or about 5 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Newton, MA to Philadelphia, PA takes about 31 min, covering roughly 250 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Philadelphia has a population of 1,593,208, vs 88,453 in Newton — about 18.0× larger by population. By land area, Philadelphia covers about 135 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Newton.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Newton | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,252/mo | $1,250/mo | 80.2% higher in Newton |
| Median home value | $1,136,200 | $215,500 | 427.2% higher in Newton |
| Median household income | $176,373 | $57,537 | 206.5% higher in Newton |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 97.0 | 2.8% higher in Newton |
| Utilities index | 144.3 | 112.3 | 28.5% higher in Newton |
| Transportation index | 102.9 | 101.7 | 1.2% higher in Newton |
| Healthcare index | 103.7 | 102.7 | 1.0% higher in Newton |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Newton, you'd need $83,967 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Philadelphia, PA is about 16% cheaper overall than Newton, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% higher in Newton than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Newton, you'd need about $67,173 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.