You won’t find Dollar General and McDonald’s dotting the landscape in Pennsylvania’s most expensive places. It’s only the best of the best for the playgrounds of Pennsylvania’s rich and famous. Many of Pennsylvania’s most expensive places are some of the state’s best.
How did we calculate the list of the most expensive places in Pennsylvania? We used Saturday Night Science to compare the cost of living index for the 180 Pennsylvania places over 5,000 people. The area around Philadelphia is home to Pennsylvania’s most expensive places.
It’s going to take more than a million Hershey Kisses to keep up with the Joneses in this Mid-Atlantic state: it’s going to take at least 47,132/year.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Pennsylvania For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in Pennsylvania? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Fox Chapel is the most expensive place to live in Pennsylvania.
Bradford (the cheapest place to live in Pennsylvania) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Pennsylvania and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Pennsylvania For 2025
/10
Population: 5,264
Cost Of Living Index: 162
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $880,100
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Fox Chapel: Data
The overall cost of living in Fox Chapel is 162. The median income in Fox Chapel comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $880,100 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,524
Cost Of Living Index: 129
Median Income: $146,992
Average Home Price: $557,900
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Swarthmore: Data
The overall cost of living in Swarthmore is 129. The median income in Swarthmore comes in at $146,992 and the average home value is $557,900 for 2025.
/10
Population: 19,235
Cost Of Living Index: 125
Median Income: $81,492
Average Home Price: $481,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.9x
More on West Chester: Data
The overall cost of living in West Chester is 125. The median income in West Chester comes in at $81,492 and the average home value is $481,300 for 2025.
/10
Population: 9,235
Cost Of Living Index: 120
Median Income: $117,330
Average Home Price: $414,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Conshohocken: Data
The overall cost of living in Conshohocken is 120. The median income in Conshohocken comes in at $117,330 and the average home value is $414,700 for 2025.
/10
Population: 15,273
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $172,200
Average Home Price: $467,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.7x
More on Franklin Park: Data
The overall cost of living in Franklin Park is 118. The median income in Franklin Park comes in at $172,200 and the average home value is $467,700 for 2025.
/10
Population: 5,868
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $86,219
Average Home Price: $398,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Media: Data
The overall cost of living in Media is 118. The median income in Media comes in at $86,219 and the average home value is $398,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 8,219
Cost Of Living Index: 116
Median Income: $108,927
Average Home Price: $340,100
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on Hatboro: Data
The overall cost of living in Hatboro is 116. The median income in Hatboro comes in at $108,927 and the average home value is $340,100 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,822
Cost Of Living Index: 115
Median Income: $80,795
Average Home Price: $360,200
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.5x
More on Ambler: Data
The overall cost of living in Ambler is 115. The median income in Ambler comes in at $80,795 and the average home value is $360,200 for 2025.
/10
Population: 40,669
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $47,132
Average Home Price: $414,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.8x
More on State College: Data
The overall cost of living in State College is 113. The median income in State College comes in at $47,132 and the average home value is $414,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,096
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $74,259
Average Home Price: $347,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.7x
More on Kennett Square: Data
The overall cost of living in Kennett Square is 113. The median income in Kennett Square comes in at $74,259 and the average home value is $347,700 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Keystone State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Pennsylvania are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Pennsylvania to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 180 places in Pennsylvania that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Pennsylvania according to the data is Fox Chapel. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Pennsylvania.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Pennsylvania For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in Pennsylvania that have the highest cost of living, with Fox Chapel ranking as the most expensive city in the Keystone State.
The most expensive cities in Pennsylvania are Fox Chapel, Swarthmore, West Chester, Conshohocken, Franklin Park, Media, Hatboro, Ambler, State College, and Kennett Square.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Pennsylvania according to the data:
- Bradford
- Connellsville
- Oil City
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Pennsylvania
- Safest Places In Pennsylvania
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
Most Expensive Cities In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fox Chapel | 162 | 5,264 | $250,001 | $880,100 | 3.5x |
| 2 | Swarthmore | 129 | 6,524 | $146,992 | $557,900 | 3.8x |
| 3 | West Chester | 125 | 19,235 | $81,492 | $481,300 | 5.9x |
| 4 | Conshohocken | 120 | 9,235 | $117,330 | $414,700 | 3.5x |
| 5 | Franklin Park | 118 | 15,273 | $172,200 | $467,700 | 2.7x |
| 6 | Media | 118 | 5,868 | $86,219 | $398,400 | 4.6x |
| 7 | Hatboro | 116 | 8,219 | $108,927 | $340,100 | 3.1x |
| 8 | Ambler | 115 | 6,822 | $80,795 | $360,200 | 4.5x |
| 9 | State College | 113 | 40,669 | $47,132 | $414,400 | 8.8x |
| 10 | Kennett Square | 113 | 6,096 | $74,259 | $347,700 | 4.7x |
| 11 | Phoenixville | 111 | 19,062 | $94,411 | $348,200 | 3.7x |
| 12 | Lansdale | 111 | 18,865 | $86,460 | $319,000 | 3.7x |
| 13 | Brookhaven | 111 | 8,288 | $96,393 | $265,500 | 2.8x |
| 14 | Wyomissing | 110 | 11,100 | $88,214 | $326,800 | 3.7x |
| 15 | Perkasie | 110 | 9,176 | $99,474 | $338,700 | 3.4x |
| 16 | Morrisville | 109 | 9,740 | $94,126 | $275,100 | 2.9x |
| 17 | Souderton | 109 | 7,215 | $85,625 | $298,300 | 3.5x |
| 18 | Camp Hill | 107 | 8,149 | $110,938 | $290,300 | 2.6x |
| 19 | Ridley Park | 107 | 7,245 | $94,485 | $261,900 | 2.8x |
| 20 | Oxford | 106 | 5,763 | $61,470 | $309,600 | 5.0x |
| 21 | New Holland | 106 | 5,743 | $57,719 | $225,500 | 3.9x |
| 22 | Millersville | 103 | 8,711 | $65,721 | $265,500 | 4.0x |
| 23 | Gettysburg | 103 | 7,929 | $52,656 | $237,000 | 4.5x |
| 24 | Prospect Park | 103 | 6,402 | $65,774 | $239,700 | 3.6x |
| 25 | Lansdowne | 102 | 11,064 | $69,261 | $199,200 | 2.9x |
| 26 | Economy | 102 | 9,042 | $94,430 | $244,700 | 2.6x |
| 27 | Glenolden | 102 | 7,207 | $71,145 | $203,100 | 2.9x |
| 28 | Bethlehem | 101 | 77,069 | $66,443 | $236,500 | 3.6x |
| 29 | Jefferson Hills | 101 | 12,313 | $117,518 | $309,600 | 2.6x |
| 30 | Bristol | 101 | 9,874 | $70,595 | $236,400 | 3.3x |
| 31 | Lititz | 101 | 9,599 | $82,861 | $264,600 | 3.2x |
| 32 | Mechanicsburg | 101 | 9,535 | $81,696 | $227,600 | 2.8x |
| 33 | East Stroudsburg | 101 | 9,278 | $61,792 | $199,200 | 3.2x |
| 34 | Nazareth | 101 | 6,032 | $57,551 | $236,900 | 4.1x |
| 35 | Norwood | 101 | 5,915 | $89,135 | $227,500 | 2.6x |
| 36 | Bangor | 101 | 5,158 | $63,542 | $167,100 | 2.6x |
| 37 | Clarks Summit | 101 | 5,058 | $91,442 | $236,900 | 2.6x |
| 38 | Plum | 100 | 26,873 | $98,475 | $218,600 | 2.2x |
| 39 | Carlisle | 100 | 21,335 | $59,742 | $212,400 | 3.6x |
| 40 | Coatesville | 100 | 13,323 | $57,323 | $160,500 | 2.8x |
| 41 | Emmaus | 100 | 11,727 | $82,875 | $244,300 | 2.9x |
| 42 | Northampton | 100 | 10,366 | $82,719 | $225,400 | 2.7x |
| 43 | Mount Joy | 100 | 8,310 | $84,514 | $241,300 | 2.9x |
| 44 | Clifton Heights | 100 | 6,821 | $69,940 | $189,100 | 2.7x |
| 45 | Oakmont | 100 | 6,712 | $89,055 | $317,700 | 3.6x |
| 46 | Birdsboro | 100 | 5,090 | $74,698 | $216,400 | 2.9x |
| 47 | Chambersburg | 99 | 22,051 | $56,177 | $196,200 | 3.5x |
| 48 | Ephrata | 99 | 13,729 | $68,117 | $215,100 | 3.2x |
| 49 | Yeadon | 99 | 12,091 | $57,336 | $172,500 | 3.0x |
| 50 | Pleasant Hills | 99 | 8,418 | $97,177 | $235,500 | 2.4x |
| 51 | Sharon Hill | 99 | 5,978 | $68,529 | $163,200 | 2.4x |
| 52 | Philadelphia | 98 | 1,582,432 | $60,698 | $232,400 | 3.8x |
| 53 | Bellefonte | 98 | 6,022 | $57,157 | $232,500 | 4.1x |
| 54 | Shippensburg | 98 | 5,811 | $52,344 | $163,200 | 3.1x |
| 55 | Selinsgrove | 98 | 5,655 | $58,484 | $195,400 | 3.3x |
| 56 | Manheim | 98 | 5,028 | $81,484 | $218,100 | 2.7x |
| 57 | Hanover | 97 | 16,483 | $64,135 | $200,900 | 3.1x |
| 58 | Palmyra | 97 | 7,769 | $71,018 | $211,900 | 3.0x |
| 59 | New Cumberland | 97 | 7,531 | $81,947 | $232,800 | 2.8x |
| 60 | Stroudsburg | 97 | 5,898 | $60,868 | $212,700 | 3.5x |
| 61 | Shillington | 97 | 5,462 | $77,289 | $190,600 | 2.5x |
| 62 | Edinboro | 97 | 5,303 | $40,862 | $211,300 | 5.2x |
| 63 | Lehighton | 97 | 5,268 | $62,083 | $198,600 | 3.2x |
| 64 | Allentown | 96 | 125,320 | $53,403 | $188,900 | 3.5x |
| 65 | Whitehall | 96 | 14,863 | $85,000 | $229,200 | 2.7x |
| 66 | Wilson | 96 | 8,196 | $80,928 | $191,800 | 2.4x |
| 67 | Folcroft | 96 | 6,748 | $58,899 | $140,000 | 2.4x |
| 68 | Lewisburg | 96 | 5,247 | $51,674 | $234,100 | 4.5x |
| 69 | Lancaster | 95 | 57,683 | $63,421 | $203,700 | 3.2x |
| 70 | Lower Burrell | 95 | 11,659 | $81,860 | $189,700 | 2.3x |
| 71 | Collingdale | 95 | 8,862 | $49,578 | $146,600 | 3.0x |
| 72 | Forest Hills | 95 | 6,332 | $86,802 | $182,200 | 2.1x |
| 73 | Hollidaysburg | 95 | 5,581 | $62,319 | $190,500 | 3.1x |
| 74 | Easton | 94 | 29,079 | $63,775 | $169,200 | 2.7x |
| 75 | Baldwin | 94 | 21,159 | $77,882 | $191,700 | 2.5x |
| 76 | Greensburg | 94 | 14,777 | $62,977 | $177,000 | 2.8x |
| 77 | Kingston | 94 | 13,333 | $53,885 | $164,200 | 3.0x |
| 78 | Darby | 94 | 10,664 | $45,128 | $101,900 | 2.3x |
| 79 | Grove City | 94 | 7,861 | $56,420 | $165,900 | 2.9x |
| 80 | Archbald | 94 | 7,348 | $76,315 | $211,400 | 2.8x |
| 81 | Milton | 94 | 6,582 | $53,552 | $172,100 | 3.2x |
| 82 | Catasauqua | 94 | 6,491 | $74,363 | $201,600 | 2.7x |
| 83 | Palmerton | 94 | 5,624 | $71,471 | $161,500 | 2.3x |
| 84 | West York | 94 | 5,081 | $67,938 | $113,400 | 1.7x |
| 85 | Chester | 93 | 33,209 | $39,809 | $85,400 | 2.1x |
| 86 | Dunmore | 93 | 14,123 | $75,632 | $186,900 | 2.5x |
| 87 | Bloomsburg | 93 | 12,906 | $49,096 | $186,100 | 3.8x |
| 88 | Waynesboro | 93 | 11,044 | $58,311 | $180,400 | 3.1x |
| 89 | Canonsburg | 93 | 9,682 | $80,581 | $192,100 | 2.4x |
| 90 | Dormont | 93 | 8,120 | $77,226 | $204,800 | 2.7x |
| 91 | Blakely | 93 | 6,661 | $59,858 | $183,600 | 3.1x |
| 92 | West View | 93 | 6,582 | $70,954 | $209,800 | 3.0x |
| 93 | Steelton | 93 | 6,267 | $55,963 | $124,200 | 2.2x |
| 94 | Moosic | 93 | 5,954 | $74,792 | $235,500 | 3.1x |
| 95 | Duryea | 93 | 5,054 | $64,028 | $142,900 | 2.2x |
| 96 | Columbia | 92 | 10,217 | $52,271 | $174,200 | 3.3x |
| 97 | Brentwood | 92 | 9,927 | $60,432 | $143,700 | 2.4x |
| 98 | Lock Haven | 92 | 8,386 | $40,131 | $127,500 | 3.2x |
| 99 | Castle Shannon | 92 | 8,237 | $62,426 | $182,400 | 2.9x |
| 100 | Huntingdon | 92 | 6,884 | $66,429 | $189,400 | 2.9x |