The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania In 2024


The most affordable places to live in Pennsylvania for 2024 are Bradford, Oil City, and Connellsville according to Saturday Night Science.

You’ll find the most affordable places to live in Pennsylvania where Pierogis meet Hoagies – midway between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Relative to the skyrocketing real estate prices in many East Coast states, home prices in Pennsylvania are a welcome relief. The appeal of affordable housing combined with access to Pirates games and Philly Cheese-Steaks makes Pennsylvania great.

To find the cheapest places to live in Pennsylvania, we used Saturday Night Science and Census data to compare housing costs, the cost of living, and incomes across 179 places in Pennsylvania over 5,000 people. Pennsylvania offers a wide range of affordable options, from small towns to major metropolises.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary


The 10 most affordable places to live in Pennsylvania

  1. Bradford
  2. Oil City
  3. Connellsville
  4. McKeesport
  5. Sharon
  6. Uniontown
  7. Duquesne
  8. Turtle Creek
  9. New Castle
  10. Nanticoke

Most Affordable Cities In Pennsylvania Map

What is the cheapest place to live in Pennsylvania? The cheapest place to live in Pennsylvania is Bradford.

Pennsylvania remains cheap and affordable even with its rich history, rich community spirit, and rich chocolate — especially from the US chocolate capital, Hershey.

Check out some more reading about Pennsylvania and the cheapest places in the country:

The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania For 2024

Bradford, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 7,847
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $47,917
Median Home Price: $79,099
Median Rent: $735

If your city has our Dollar Stores, you can bet you are living where it’s affordable; and we might add, convenient. This is only ‘one’ of the reasons our most affordable city in Pennsylvania, Bradford, made the list.

Bradford’s low cost of living runs deep. Local employers in Zippo lighter production, healthcare, and education help keep the residents in this McKean County city with cash in their pockets and an affordable roof over their head. Heck, they’re the fifth most affordable PA city in terms of home price to income ratio. Bradford’s population is growing by leaps and bounds. So if affordable, Pennsylvania/New York border living is on your bucket list, don’t wait, cuz the word is out.

More on Bradford: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Oil City, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Mavisd | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 9,599
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $48,632
Median Home Price: $80,395
Median Rent: $767

You don’t have to live on ramen noodles and cereal to live in our second most affordable city in Pennsylvania for 2024: Oil City. Yes, Oil City’s name says it all. Known for the start of the petroleum boom, this city is our sixth most affordable city in terms of home price to income ratio.

This city in Venango County, on the Ohio/Pennsylvania border, also scored an 8/10 for safety and an 8/10 for education. So if you are looking for an affordable Pennsylvania city with safe, small town charm and smart people, hurry on over to Oil City.

More on Oil City: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Connellsville, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Canadian2006 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 7,004
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $51,943
Median Home Price: $130,507
Median Rent: $653

Connellsville, an hour south of Pittsburgh in Fayette County, ranks as the third most affordable city in the state. Housing costs $130,507, and the average $653 rent is the fifth lowest in Pennsylvania.

Cost-conscious Connellsville has a cost of living index of 80, 20.0% lower than the Pennsylvania average. The money you save daily lets you buy better ingredients for hoagies and cheesesteaks.

More on Connellsville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Mckeesport, PA

Source: Wikipedia User David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 17,749
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $31,635
Median Home Price: $82,277
Median Rent: $752

McKeesport, another Pittsburgh suburb, placed fourth on the list of the cheapest cities in Pennsylvania. The city has a $82,277 average home price that sits 60% below the state average

McKeesport has an overall cost of living index of 81 supported by low index values for utilities, services, and healthcare.

More on Mckeesport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Sharon, PA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 13,143
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $40,089
Median Home Price: $57,668
Median Rent: $684

Sharon, the fifth most cost-effective city in Pennsylvania, features home prices averaging $57,668, significantly below the state average. The city’s home price to income ratio sits at 1.44, easing the path to homeownership. Renters benefit too, with a median rent of $684.

Located along the Shenango River near Youngstown, OH, Sharon’s living expenses come in with an index of 81. Sharon is close to Moraine State Park for affordable family fun in the Keystone State.

More on Sharon: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Uniontown, PA

Source: Wikipedia User US Census, Ruhrfisch | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 9,913
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $37,886
Median Home Price: $140,796
Median Rent: $743

Uniontown, yet another Pittsburgh suburb in Fayette County, made the list of the most affordable cities in Pennsylvania in sixth place. The average home price is the 38th lowest in the state at $140,796, according to Zillow.

The Uniontown Downtown Historic District has cheap thing to do on the weekend since it seems the park in the area are a bit lacking.

More on Uniontown: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Duquesne, PA

Source: Flickr User jmd41280 | CC BY-ND 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 5,241
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 82
Median Income: $40,969
Median Home Price: $46,621
Median Rent: $681

As should now be apparent, the most affordable area of Pennsylvania is around Pittsburgh, with another suburb making an appearance on the list – Duquesne. The city has affordable living because of a $46,621 average home price that is attractively below the state and national averages. The city’s cost-effectiveness solidifies with an overall affordability index of 82.

More on Duquesne: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Turtle Creek, PA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 5,087
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 82
Median Income: $42,344
Median Home Price: $83,897
Median Rent: $677

There’s more to Pennsylvania than Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; there’s our eighth most affordable city in Pennsylvania for 2024: Turtle Creek. Kudos to Turtle Creek, they have been one of the Keystone State’s most affordable cities three years in a row.

The median income for Turtle Creek is close to $42,344. This allowed Turtle Creek to grab the ninth most affordable city in PA in terms of home price to income ratio title, too. Do we think Turtle Creek has managed to keep their city so affordable because of their pop vocal group Vogue’s kickbacks? Maybe. Either way, seems like they’re keeping their townies employed and their city affordable.

More on Turtle Creek: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

New Castle, PA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 21,863
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 83
Median Income: $39,948
Median Home Price: $131,962
Median Rent: $713

You can make your castle in New Castle, the ninth cheapest place in Pennsylvania. Northwest of Pittsburgh, the town has affordable metrics for utilities, services, and healthcare.

According to the Census, the average income is $39,948 and the unemployment rate is 15.58%.

More on New Castle: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Nanticoke, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Vasiliymeshko | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 10,606
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 83
Median Income: $56,238
Median Home Price: $126,228
Median Rent: $760

Nanticoke is a great option for those looking to live in Pennsylvania without breaking the bank. With a median home value of $126,228 and a median rent of $760, it’s easy to see why this city ranks as one of the most affordable places to live in the state.

Nanticoke has a population of 10,606 and is home to the Luzerne County Community College, which occupies a 167-acre campus within the city limits. With its rich history as an active coal mining community, Nanticoke is a fascinating place to call home.

More on Nanticoke: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Cheapest places to live in Pennsylvania FAQs

The county in Pennsylvania with the lowest cost of living is Juniata County. The average living wage in Juniata County is $80,011 according to MIT data. Juniata County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Pennsylvania as a whole. Childcare costs $11,398 a year in Juniata County for two children compared to the Pennsylvania average of $17,440. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $8,688 per year in Juniata County compared to $12,350 on average in Pennsylvania.

The cost of living in Pennsylvania is 1.5% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Pennsylvania is $91,069 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Pennsylvania household is $63,627.

The cheapest housing market in Pennsylvania is Johnstown. The average home value in Johnstown is $37,000, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Pennsylvania is $187,500, almost 5.1 times higher than Johnstown.

Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Keystone State for 2024

Map Of The Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
Determining affordability for places in Pennsylvania boils down to how much it costs to live here.

You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.

With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Pennsylvania using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:

  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Services
  • Groceries
  • Healthcare
  • Utilities

These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.

We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Pennsylvania to figure out which is the least expensive.

The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 179 places in Pennsylvania that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.

The place in Pennsylvania with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Bradford.

We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Affordabilility Summary

This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Pennsylvania for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Pennsylvania.

The cheapest cities in Pennsylvania are Bradford, Oil City, Connellsville, McKeesport, Sharon, Uniontown, Duquesne, Turtle Creek, New Castle, and Nanticoke.

Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Pennsylvania according to the data:

  1. Fox Chapel
  2. Swarthmore
  3. West Chester

For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:

Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania

Rank City Population Cost Of Living Index Median Income Home Prices Rent
1 Bradford 7,847 79 $47,917 $79,099 $735
2 Oil City 9,599 80 $48,632 $80,395 $767
3 Connellsville 7,004 80 $51,943 $130,507 $653
4 McKeesport 17,749 81 $31,635 $82,277 $752
5 Sharon 13,143 81 $40,089 $57,668 $684
6 Uniontown 9,913 81 $37,886 $140,796 $743
7 Duquesne 5,241 82 $40,969 $46,621 $681
8 Turtle Creek 5,087 82 $42,344 $83,897 $677
9 New Castle 21,863 83 $39,948 $131,962 $713
10 Nanticoke 10,606 83 $56,238 $126,228 $760
11 Clairton 6,182 83 $41,301 $135,357 $925
12 McKees Rocks 5,893 83 $33,958 $170,773 $899
13 Erie 94,826 84 $43,135 $168,333 $809
14 Johnstown 18,429 84 $33,466 $92,436 $613
15 Meadville 12,929 84 $46,157 $151,988 $865
16 Warren 9,353 84 $49,609 $140,726 $735
17 Carbondale 8,818 84 $52,681 $127,897 $788
18 Shamokin 6,915 84 $32,753 $59,352 $677
19 Tamaqua 6,911 84 $48,920 $122,511 $806
20 Corry 6,209 84 $44,138 $136,071 $737
21 West Hazleton 5,130 84 $46,856 $154,666 $978
22 Hazleton 29,671 85 $39,362 $187,964 $970
23 Aliquippa 9,198 85 $42,601 $171,120 $673
24 Monessen 6,876 85 $51,364 $76,947 $633
25 Franklin 6,066 85 $54,235 $120,040 $692
26 Greenville 5,568 85 $54,237 $139,814 $656
27 Titusville 5,262 85 $36,071 $100,066 $555
28 Altoona 43,821 86 $50,435 $135,104 $795
29 Williamsport 27,755 86 $48,388 $185,379 $795
30 Sunbury 9,680 86 $42,238 $145,691 $712
31 Beaver Falls 8,934 86 $39,194 $158,502 $671
32 Somerset 6,030 86 $44,519 $196,767 $675
33 Clearfield 5,937 86 $50,485 $121,793 $634
34 Punxsutawney 5,730 86 $43,160 $104,157 $741
35 Mount Carmel 5,723 86 $46,375 $40,258 $762
36 Wilkes-Barre 44,123 87 $46,597 $138,207 $897
37 Butler 13,387 87 $39,546 $229,441 $771
38 Pottsville 13,386 87 $46,081 $124,594 $806
39 St. Marys 12,691 87 $61,364 $158,992 $725
40 Swissvale 8,588 87 $56,594 $158,879 $1,025
41 Pittston 7,601 87 $44,863 $176,112 $758
42 Ambridge 6,937 87 $46,059 $119,539 $876
43 Taylor 6,274 87 $57,667 $179,329 $951
44 Plymouth 5,771 87 $46,858 $103,691 $860
45 Coraopolis 5,510 87 $55,714 $274,445 $867
46 Vandergrift 5,051 87 $47,530 $92,656 $754
47 Wilkinsburg 14,340 88 $46,013 $144,579 $925
48 New Brighton 5,645 88 $45,880 $135,008 $762
49 Exeter 5,509 88 $60,463 $208,115 $916
50 Tyrone 5,447 88 $50,889 $139,813 $720
51 California 5,328 88 $46,471 $112,750 $753
52 Lebanon 26,679 89 $47,160 $242,059 $959
53 Carnegie 8,067 89 $61,875 $208,311 $825
54 DuBois 7,509 89 $55,580 $158,273 $808
55 Monaca 5,587 89 $62,125 $176,838 $739
56 Sayre 5,463 89 $57,788 $174,815 $871
57 Pittsburgh 303,843 90 $60,187 $224,210 $1,153
58 Reading 94,601 90 $42,852 $225,510 $942
59 Scranton 76,119 90 $48,776 $158,353 $933
60 York 44,782 90 $42,351 $242,855 $943
61 Hermitage 16,216 90 $66,922 $201,258 $840
62 New Kensington 12,163 90 $47,015 $157,212 $693
63 Munhall 10,738 90 $47,879 $133,350 $743
64 Berwick 10,318 90 $46,505 $179,801 $733
65 Jeannette 8,790 90 $47,801 $147,052 $843
66 Old Forge 8,506 90 $71,615 $189,084 $851
67 Ellwood City 7,684 90 $57,325 $141,225 $792
68 Harrisburg 50,055 91 $46,654 $230,686 $944
69 West Mifflin 19,506 91 $64,314 $148,759 $681
70 Indiana 14,082 91 $40,013 $178,749 $791
71 Washington 13,358 91 $50,548 $208,813 $820
72 Bellevue 8,236 91 $60,778 $184,640 $916
73 White Oak 7,585 91 $57,054 $180,169 $953
74 South Williamsport 6,246 91 $60,020 $179,562 $972
75 Crafton 6,044 91 $72,099 $204,534 $996
76 Dickson City 6,026 91 $56,679 $198,712 $858
77 Schuylkill Haven 5,242 91 $50,964 $198,394 $718
78 Columbia 10,203 92 $50,309 $250,459 $1,039
79 Brentwood 9,982 92 $57,900 $165,365 $805
80 Lock Haven 8,422 92 $42,930 $180,781 $829
81 Castle Shannon 8,283 92 $65,700 $189,973 $971
82 Huntingdon 6,904 92 $59,364 $188,109 $775
83 Red Lion 6,499 92 $59,503 $261,816 $850
84 Olyphant 5,372 92 $60,120 $203,135 $877
85 Swoyersville 5,021 92 $64,397 $174,911 $724
86 Chester 33,048 93 $39,193 $91,695 $996
87 Dunmore 14,082 93 $72,821 $210,287 $878
88 Bloomsburg 12,836 93 $46,019 $230,927 $881
89 Waynesboro 11,009 93 $56,413 $247,625 $961
90 Canonsburg 9,672 93 $76,597 $328,096 $889
91 Dormont 8,199 93 $73,798 $211,309 $1,028
92 West View 6,660 93 $75,054 $217,210 $957
93 Blakely 6,646 93 $62,065 $188,158 $966
94 Steelton 6,243 93 $55,861 $129,713 $1,026
95 Moosic 5,930 93 $67,434 $210,038 $879
96 Duryea 5,047 93 $68,790 $173,579 $894
97 Easton 28,883 94 $62,642 $319,568 $1,211
98 Baldwin 21,266 94 $75,139 $199,620 $979
99 Greensburg 14,876 94 $58,001 $218,993 $774
100 Kingston 13,317 94 $52,253 $190,124 $927
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.