The 10 Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania For 2026


The best places to live in Pennsylvania for 2026 are Clarks Summit, Lititz, and Camp Hill. Find out where your city or town ranks.

The best place to live in Pennsylvania, you ask?

Why, that’s easy.

It’s either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, you’d say.

Right?

Wrong. At least according to the most recent data from the Census, Zillow, and FBI. We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 175 cities in Pennsylvania larger than 5,000 people. We looked at factors including home prices, incomes, crime, and quality of life.

So “Youse” and “Yinz” can put aside the cross-state rivalry for a minute, pick up a Yuengling, and cozy up with some scrapple as we break down the best places to live in Pennsylvania.


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


What’s the best place to live in Pennsylvania? According to Census, FBI, and Zillow data, the best place to live in Pennsylvania for 2026 is Clarks Summit.

We weren’t surprised to see Clarks Summit here after the results last year, but it is funny, with all the hype around the two biggest cities, that the best place to live is a suburb of Harrisburg.

For more reading, check out:

The 10 Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania For 2026

Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania Map

Clarks Summit, PA

Source: Public domain
StatClarks SummitPennsylvania
Population5,07313,018,639
Rank Last Year1
Median Home Value$323,509$282,735
Median Income$92,083$77,971
Unemployment Rate1.0%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00670.0169

More on Clarks Summit: Data | Movers

Clarks Summit, located in Lackawanna County, is undoubtedly one of Pennsylvania’s best places to live. This borough is known for its low cost of living and attractive median home price, making it one of the best places to settle down. With a population of 5,073, Clarks Summit offers a peaceful and tight-knit community for residents to enjoy.

Clarks Summit boasts a variety of things to do and see. You can explore nearby Lackawanna State Park or the cultural experience of the nearby city of Scranton, located just northwest of Clarks Summit. Furthermore, Clarks Summit’s convenient location within the state allows for easy access to major cities like Philadelphia and New York City.

Lititz, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Smallbones | CC BY-SA 3.0
StatLititzPennsylvania
Population9,61913,018,639
Rank Last Year2
Median Home Value$458,674$282,735
Median Income$88,576$77,971
Unemployment Rate1.8%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00460.0169

More on Lititz: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

Located just north of the city of Lancaster, Lititz ranks as the 2nd best place to live in Pennsylvania. The poverty level in Lititz is 4.1%, about three times lower than the statewide average. Lititz also has the 16th lowest rate of crime in Pennsylvania, so you don’t need to worry about Amazon porch pirates here. Another (possible) perk about life in Lititz is the ladies, because fully 48.7% of the population is female in Lilitz.

It’s no wonder Lititz describes itself as “the coolest small town in America” — it doesn’t matter if you want to get in touch with your wild side at the Wolf Sanctuary of PA or just relax and feed some ducks at Springs Park, because Lititz has something for everyone.

Camp Hill, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Jeremiah Orr | CC BY-SA 3.0
StatCamp HillPennsylvania
Population8,16913,018,639
Rank Last Year3
Median Home Value$331,050$282,735
Median Income$115,761$77,971
Unemployment Rate2.0%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.01110.0169

More on Camp Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

We begin our tour of the best places to call home in Pennsylvania with Camp Hill, a small city located just across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg. Although homes are slightly pricey at a median cost of $331,050, Camp Hill residents pull in the 7th highest salaries in the state, with a median household income of $115,761/year. That gives Camp Hill the overall lowest cost of living of any of the cities we’ll be covering here.

On top of being affordable, Camp Hill is also extremely safe. In fact, Camp Hill has the 43rd lowest rate of violent crime in the state, and a total crime rate about 70% below the national average. Add to that SnackAbility scores of 8.5/10 for both housing and jobs, and you’ve got a recipe for a stellar place to call home.

In addition to the statistical advantages Camp Hill enjoys, it’s also just a great location. In ten minutes, you can find yourself wandering down the riverfront on your way to the grand Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex. While you’re there, stop at the State Museum to put a perfect cap on your day out.

Conshohocken, PA

Source: Public domain
StatConshohockenPennsylvania
Population9,28213,018,639
Rank Last Year6
Median Home Value$482,551$282,735
Median Income$122,721$77,971
Unemployment Rate3.2%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.01270.0169

More on Conshohocken: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

Let’s stick around the Philly suburbs for our 4th best city in Pennsylvania, Conshohocken. As the 17th most densely populated place in the state, you can rest assured that you won’t be left out of the action in Conshohocken. And while Conshohocken ranks as one of the most expensive places in Pennsylvania, don’t let that put you off. Because while homes are pricey, Conshohocken residents also enjoy the 4th highest median household income in Pennsylvania, at $122,721/year.

Conshohocken also has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, the 35th lowest in the state. On top of that, Conshohocken has the 52nd highest rate of residents with health insurance statewide, with 95.9% of people having some form of coverage.

Being so close to Philly, folks in Conshohocken never have to think too hard where to bring visitors. In twenty minutes, you can be taking a gander at the Liberty Bell at Independence National Historical Park.

Fox Chapel, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Brastins | GFDL
StatFox ChapelPennsylvania
Population5,24613,018,639
Rank Last Year4
Median Home Value$1,000,518$282,735
Median Income$243,625$77,971
Unemployment Rate5.6%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00290.0169

More on Fox Chapel: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

Next up on our list is Fox Chapel, an affluent suburb of Pittsburgh. With a median age of 43, Fox Chapel is the oldest place on this list, and boy has experience been a great teacher for the borough’s residents. Over half of Fox Chapel’s population has a master’s degree or higher, which helps explain how the borough has a median household income of $243,625/year, the highest in the state.

And it’s not just high salaries for some while the rest fall by the wayside, because at 3.2%, Fox Chapel has the 4th lowest poverty level in the state. And seeing as 99.6% of people living in Fox Chapel have health insurance, unwelcome surprises are a little less scary here. Fox Chapel was also named the safest place in Philadelphia, so crime is another unwelcome surprise you don’t have to worry about here.

Being so close to Pittsburgh brings Fox Chapel other perks. Like being able to go shopping in the Strip District any day of the week. Or having the The Andy Warhol Museum right in your backyard. And if you’d like some less interpretive beauty, the 360 views of Pittsburgh from Mount Washington are unquestionably excellent.

Franklin Park, PA

Source: Public domain
StatFranklin ParkPennsylvania
Population15,23513,018,639
Rank Last Year9
Median Home Value$539,475$282,735
Median Income$176,875$77,971
Unemployment Rate4.5%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00280.0169

More on Franklin Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

We’re sticking around the greater Pittsburgh area for our 6th best place in Pennsylvania, Franklin Park. There are a number of factors that land Franklin Park on this list, like having the 6th lowest adult high school dropout rate in the state. Franklin Park residents also have the 2nd highest median household income in PA, with residents pulling in around $176,875/year.

Other economic factors also come into play. Like having a poverty level of just 0.7%, the lowest in the state. And having the 24th highest rate of residents with health insurance, 97.2%.

Being just 20 minutes from the Pirate’s PNC Park and the Steelers Heinz Field means you’ll never have to think too hard about what to do with your free time if you’re a sports fan.

Swarthmore, PA

Source: Public domain
StatSwarthmorePennsylvania
Population6,55013,018,639
Rank Last Year10
Median Home Value$467,860$282,735
Median Income$152,361$77,971
Unemployment Rate7.7%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00750.0169

More on Swarthmore: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers

We’re heading to the greater Philadelphia area to arrive at the 7th best place to live in Pennsylvania, Swarthmore. As the home of the prestigious Swarthmore College, it’s unsurprising that Swarthmore’s median age is 28, the second youngest you’ll see on this list. Evidently, having a world-class educational institution has helped instill a love of learning in Swarthmore, because a whopping 45%+ of residents here have a master’s degree or higher.

All those degrees really pay off for the local populace, because at $152,361/year, Swarthmore has the 3rd best-paid residents in PA. Which is kind of necessary, seeing as homes in Swarthmore are the 12th priciest in the state. The good news is that nobody in Swarthmore gets left out of the economic success, because at 1.8%, it has the 2nd lowest poverty level in Pennsylvania.

Ambler, PA

Source: Public domain
StatAmblerPennsylvania
Population6,84713,018,639
Rank Last Year8
Median Home Value$686,428$282,735
Median Income$77,394$77,971
Unemployment Rate3.4%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00850.0169

More on Ambler: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

Oakmont, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Jim Kuhn | CC BY 2.0
StatOakmontPennsylvania
Population6,70213,018,639
Rank Last Year5
Median Home Value$333,787$282,735
Median Income$92,782$77,971
Unemployment Rate5.6%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.01030.0169

More on Oakmont: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

Northampton, PA

Source: Wikipedia User Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States | CC BY-SA 2.0
StatNorthamptonPennsylvania
Population10,40013,018,639
Rank Last Year7
Median Home Value$345,140$282,735
Median Income$90,762$77,971
Unemployment Rate5.2%5.3%
Crime Per Capita0.00390.0169

More on Northampton: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Pennsylvania

Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Pennsylvania, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit Harrisburg, with a population of 50,287, against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

  • Cities — Populations over 5,000
  • Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
  • Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This filter left 175 cities, 690 towns, and 733 small towns.

We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Pennsylvania have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Pennsylvania

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in Pennsylvania across a number of criteria from one to 175, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Pennsylvania.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Pennsylvania’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Pennsylvania. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Clarks Summit at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Summary: The Best Places In Pennsylvania

If you’re looking at areas in Pennsylvania with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The best places to live in Pennsylvania are Clarks Summit, Lititz, Camp Hill, Conshohocken, Fox Chapel, Franklin Park, Swarthmore, Ambler, Oakmont, and Northampton.

Clarks Summit made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Pennsylvania for 2026.

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Pennsylvania according to the data:

  1. Clairton (Pop. 6,044)
  2. Darby (Pop. 10,687)
  3. McKeesport (Pop. 17,380)

For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:

Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania Table

RankCityPopulationUnemployment RateHome ValueMedian IncomeRentCrime Per Capita
1Clarks Summit5,0731.0%$323,509$92,083$1,3050.0067
2Lititz9,6191.8%$458,674$88,576$1,3640.0046
3Camp Hill8,1692.0%$331,050$115,761$1,2870.0111
4Conshohocken9,2823.2%$482,551$122,721$2,1470.0127
5Fox Chapel5,2465.6%$1,000,518$243,625$00.0029
6Franklin Park15,2354.5%$539,475$176,875$2,3300.0028
7Swarthmore6,5507.7%$467,860$152,361$1,5320.0075
8Ambler6,8473.4%$686,428$77,394$1,4470.0085
9Oakmont6,7025.6%$333,787$92,782$1,1900.0103
10Northampton10,4005.2%$345,140$90,762$1,1740.0039
11Wyomissing11,1722.1%$377,345$93,203$1,7810.0186
12Dormont8,0636.0%$246,407$80,526$1,1060.0063
13Hollidaysburg5,5582.2%$243,008$69,458$1,0850.0063
14Mount Joy8,3441.3%$296,067$90,061$1,1820.0043
15Castle Shannon8,2090.4%$211,413$64,071$1,1260.0034
16Media5,8704.2%$632,297$89,092$1,4110.0179
17Phoenixville19,4524.8%$521,603$102,138$1,7350.0055
18Plum26,7232.8%$252,851$98,705$1,1770.0021
19Ridley Park7,2613.1%$309,370$93,594$1,3500.0072
20Collegeville5,2476.7%$568,662$91,466$1,4370.0072
21Mechanicsburg9,7202.1%$401,857$84,421$1,0830.0139
22Bridgeport5,1743.1%$352,989$82,705$1,2420.0178
23New Cumberland7,5804.0%$292,639$82,154$9800.0049
24Perkasie9,2163.8%$512,871$93,845$1,2040.0072
25Hatboro8,2835.6%$440,910$112,565$1,9110.0058
26Pleasant Hills8,3995.1%$265,879$102,167$1,1510.0118
27Emmaus11,8893.3%$385,740$83,917$1,3890.0097
28Brookhaven8,3313.5%$265,656$91,042$1,4870.0283
29Bellefonte6,0090.7%$309,022$62,540$9750.0000
30Selinsgrove5,5931.8%$239,847$65,650$1,0590.0029
31South Williamsport6,2113.0%$191,786$64,583$1,0670.0081
32Olyphant5,3814.7%$228,297$66,423$9630.0041
33Lewisburg5,2570.7%$326,711$54,767$9970.0069
34Schuylkill Haven5,2534.7%$231,980$54,167$9040.0095
35West View6,5335.1%$252,295$84,063$1,0800.0096
36New Freedom5,0661.9%$417,280$120,037$1,6400.0262
37Archbald7,4041.4%$242,130$71,936$9660.0061
38Birdsboro5,1161.7%$331,844$86,290$1,1460.0080
39Economy9,0053.3%$278,625$95,313$1,0090.0124
40Canonsburg9,6755.6%$358,323$79,227$1,0250.0027
41Lower Burrell11,6333.3%$200,395$84,602$9110.0032
42Kennett Square6,2433.1%$620,982$80,505$1,3960.0077
43Carnegie7,9783.5%$224,034$67,656$8900.0117
44Bellevue8,1284.7%$236,964$68,827$9730.0122
45Shillington5,4926.1%$260,080$79,922$1,3870.0073
46Forest Hills6,2867.5%$222,966$89,688$1,0680.0099
47State College41,0505.0%$408,500$45,424$1,2730.0129
48West Chester20,6667.0%$657,112$78,385$1,7310.0142
49Palmyra7,7553.5%$343,038$77,469$1,0840.0126
50Norwood5,9348.7%$287,953$96,134$1,4090.0066
51Old Forge8,5735.5%$207,906$71,812$8590.0064
52Lansdale19,0113.0%$496,719$88,229$1,4700.0110
53St. Marys12,5297.7%$165,531$67,167$7620.0136
54Souderton7,1814.1%$462,110$93,537$1,2970.0091
55Gettysburg8,2545.7%$366,470$54,365$1,0010.0085
56Coraopolis5,4174.5%$302,085$63,828$9020.0129
57Whitehall14,8116.3%$262,405$89,404$9150.0060
58Huntingdon6,8976.0%$190,101$67,125$8380.0074
59Wilson8,1834.1%$234,076$82,902$1,3700.0167
60Catasauqua6,5418.2%$284,192$85,049$1,0310.0133
61Millersville8,9825.0%$353,092$67,866$1,3690.0052
62Ephrata13,7722.4%$249,296$69,735$1,1430.0230
63Bloomsburg13,0247.9%$257,066$51,536$9800.0110
64Dunmore14,1813.8%$217,856$71,302$9280.0162
65Moosic5,9732.6%$238,010$80,187$1,3290.0144
66Carlisle21,8524.4%$329,619$61,720$1,0940.0139
67Stroudsburg5,8945.0%$346,452$66,674$1,5650.0000
68Blakely6,6625.3%$220,300$55,855$1,0630.0086
69Bangor5,1632.9%$324,589$70,076$1,1340.0112
70Greensburg14,7415.0%$238,468$64,914$8390.0090
71Bristol9,9025.1%$339,367$76,042$1,4090.0133
72Palmerton5,6221.8%$254,961$68,143$9310.0071
73Hermitage16,0414.9%$213,564$70,052$8960.0145
74Edinboro5,4400.4%$288,726$48,173$8760.0101
75Crafton5,9617.4%$208,118$64,006$1,0190.0242
76Swoyersville5,0483.9%$206,254$71,555$7440.0081
77New Holland5,7801.8%$408,128$63,182$1,1630.0175
78Waynesboro11,0474.9%$275,317$66,956$1,0860.0115
79Monaca5,5195.1%$209,282$73,538$7680.0085
80Shippensburg5,6203.9%$197,415$51,503$8910.0116
81Nazareth6,0431.9%$443,943$56,855$1,1680.0167
82Pittston7,6265.6%$201,703$49,941$8710.0056
83DuBois7,4023.4%$169,881$62,697$8990.0158
84Glenolden7,2207.6%$241,349$72,786$1,2090.0227
85Jefferson Hills12,3175.7%$350,948$116,064$1,3550.0953
86Warren9,2403.1%$139,190$53,815$7710.0180
87Manheim5,0279.0%$273,737$81,273$1,1490.0141
88Indiana14,2129.6%$192,678$40,857$8490.0087
89Sunbury9,6174.8%$177,767$51,028$7380.0029
90Easton29,7395.4%$371,500$69,348$1,3250.0140
91Bethlehem77,9566.6%$351,352$68,879$1,3820.0160
92Baldwin21,0571.9%$231,521$80,983$1,0660.0953
93West York5,0923.4%$137,313$80,995$9710.0175
94Pittsburgh304,7596.1%$237,533$65,742$1,2610.0282
95Red Lion6,5163.1%$291,902$72,901$8840.0262
96East Stroudsburg9,3198.3%$309,993$59,821$1,4790.0000
97Taylor6,2655.5%$192,994$71,599$1,0850.0162
98Greenville5,5234.7%$154,867$52,661$6260.0130
99Mount Carmel5,6776.4%$59,925$53,021$7420.0122
100Kingston13,3976.4%$220,512$55,347$1,0380.0169

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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.