If HomeSnacks was asked to hand out awards to the city with the best suburbs for 2024, Philadelphia would be at the top of our list. But, since we haven’t been asked to do that just yet…a list of the top ten best suburbs in the City of Brotherly Love for 2024 will have to suffice. And, folks, you can find this list below.
And just like Phillly’s Rocky Balboa, we have been training for this list for quite some time. This is actually our tenth time ranking Philadelphia’s best suburbs, so believe us when we say that these are truly P-towns best of the best. Fortunately, however, we did not have to run a bunch of steps to get the most fit list; we just had to consult the latest FBI and Census for things like population counts, income levels, and unemployment rates. And because we always give 110% to our work, we created our own SnackAbility index and ran all 92 Philadelphia suburbs through our formula for things like education levels, amenities, commute times, and diversity.
We discovered some fun Philly facts along the way. For one, if you want to live in one Philadelphia’s best suburbs, you’re going to have to spend a decement amount if you want to buy a home in one of these gems. Secondly, the economic and cultural anchor of the Delaware Valley is one of the state’s most diverse cities. So if you want a suburb with the best Asian fusion and Philly cheesesteak ‘whit wiz,’ choose Collegeville, and if you want the best suburb for your family, definitely give Swarthmore a look.
Want to know what suburb made it all eight rounds for the win? Crank some Eye of the Tiger, find a sunny spot on U Penn’s campus, and read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Philadelphia for 2024:
And just like the Philadelphia Phillies, we’re pretty sure we knocked it out of Citizens Bank Park with our list of the best suburbs in Philadelphia for 2024. But, you’re not going to know unless you take a look below.
So, what is Philadelphia’s best suburb for 2024? According to the most recent data, that would be Narberth.
We suggest that you do yourself a favor and head to the bottom of the page to see how the rest of Philly’s burbs fared; and if you have some time on your hands, take a look at Philadelphia’s worst suburbs.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Pennsylvania:
The 10 Best Philadelphia Suburbs To Live For 2024
/10
Population: 4,478
Median Income: $114,691
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
Poverty Rate: 2.4%
More on Narberth: Data | Real Estate
Narberth is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Philadelphia area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Narberth.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $114,691 a year, which is the 12th highest in the Philadelphia region. And only 4.76% are out of work. Homes average more than $723,288 each.
/10
Population: 12,456
Median Income: $178,362
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
Poverty Rate: 2.1%
More on Haddonfield: Data | Real Estate
Haddonfield is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Philadelphia for 2024.
It ranks 1st for incomes in the area and only 1.08% of residents lack insurance, good for 3rd best.
3. Medford Lakes, NJ
/10
Population: 4,263
Median Income: $139,879
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
Poverty Rate: 0.4%
More on Medford Lakes: Real Estate
Here in Medford Lakes, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Philadelphia metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Medford Lakes.
4. Pennington, NJ
/10
Population: 2,780
Median Income: $166,957
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%
Poverty Rate: 3.4%
More on Pennington: Real Estate
Pennington ranks as the 4th best suburb of Philadelphia for 2024.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Pennington and the schools are some of the best around.
/10
Population: 9,182
Median Income: $114,523
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 4.5%
More on Conshohocken: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Coming in as the fifth best is Conshohocken.
Conshohocken gets kudos for having the 19th most expensive homes in the Philadelphia area, where houses sell for an average of $431,765. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
6. Riverton, NJ
/10
Population: 2,764
Median Income: $122,069
Unemployment Rate: 4.0%
Poverty Rate: 2.9%
More on Riverton: Real Estate
Riverton is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 4.02%.
According to online reports, Riverton is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Philadelphia area, meaning you need to get in soon.
/10
Population: 3,415
Median Income: $113,375
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%
Poverty Rate: 5.4%
More on North Wales: Data | Real Estate
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to North Wales.
North Wales schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 15.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
/10
Population: 8,695
Median Income: $103,379
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%
Poverty Rate: 2.3%
More on Audubon: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Audubon is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 3.31% of people lack insurance, good for 20th in the area.
/10
Population: 5,860
Median Income: $85,951
Unemployment Rate: 6.1%
Poverty Rate: 3.8%
More on Media: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Is ‘Everything Better In Media?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
/10
Population: 7,484
Median Income: $117,556
Unemployment Rate: 4.6%
Poverty Rate: 2.8%
More on Haddon Heights: Data | Real Estate
And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Haddon Heights.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Philadelphia for 2024
Figuring out the best suburbs around Philadelphia was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Philadelphia.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 92 suburbs to evaluate around Philadelphia.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 92 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Philadelphia.” We’re lookin’ at you, Narberth.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Philadelphia suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Philadelphia ‘Burbs of 2024
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Philadelphia are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Philadelphia but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
Table: Best Philadelphia Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Narberth, PA | 4,478 | $114,691 | $723,288 |
| 2 | Haddonfield, PA | 12,456 | $178,362 | $698,505 |
| 3 | Medford Lakes, PA | 4,263 | $139,879 | $464,108 |
| 4 | Pennington, PA | 2,780 | $166,957 | $615,576 |
| 5 | Conshohocken, PA | 9,182 | $114,523 | $431,765 |
| 6 | Riverton, PA | 2,764 | $122,069 | $397,177 |
| 7 | North Wales, PA | 3,415 | $113,375 | $485,328 |
| 8 | Audubon, PA | 8,695 | $103,379 | $336,856 |
| 9 | Media, PA | 5,860 | $85,951 | $558,498 |
| 10 | Haddon Heights, PA | 7,484 | $117,556 | $429,614 |
| 11 | Wenonah, PA | 2,213 | $127,125 | $314,571 |
| 12 | Malvern, PA | 3,389 | $115,743 | $704,780 |
| 13 | New Britain, PA | 2,846 | $120,294 | $406,503 |
| 14 | Trappe, PA | 3,976 | $111,875 | $399,126 |
| 15 | Swarthmore, PA | 6,507 | $138,679 | $405,622 |
| 16 | Collegeville, PA | 5,172 | $99,271 | $512,844 |
| 17 | Lambertville, PA | 4,127 | $102,482 | $561,231 |
| 18 | Bordentown, PA | 3,989 | $88,153 | $348,105 |
| 19 | Berlin, PA | 7,489 | $98,706 | $342,726 |
| 20 | Sellersville, PA | 4,537 | $86,276 | $399,291 |
| 21 | Perkasie, PA | 9,130 | $95,319 | $464,524 |
| 22 | Oaklyn, PA | 3,937 | $81,012 | $304,981 |
| 23 | Chalfont, PA | 4,259 | $118,871 | $536,292 |
| 24 | Chester Heights, PA | 2,897 | $91,447 | $320,935 |
| 25 | Woodbury Heights, PA | 3,092 | $112,222 | $313,770 |
| 26 | Ambler, PA | 6,775 | $84,303 | $611,302 |
| 27 | Penndel, PA | 2,498 | $77,708 | $368,625 |
| 28 | New Hope, PA | 2,624 | $117,143 | $826,690 |
| 29 | Phoenixville, PA | 18,723 | $91,593 | $466,022 |
| 30 | Laurel Springs, PA | 2,004 | $113,500 | $290,321 |
| 31 | Hatfield, PA | 3,490 | $65,257 | $436,834 |
| 32 | Yardley, PA | 2,591 | $107,639 | $548,076 |
| 33 | Parkside, PA | 2,052 | $86,587 | $203,819 |
| 34 | Pitman, PA | 8,805 | $91,566 | $317,191 |
| 35 | Hatboro, PA | 8,176 | $106,318 | $404,554 |
| 36 | Ridley Park, PA | 7,152 | $90,842 | $282,363 |
| 37 | Aldan, PA | 4,226 | $87,673 | $242,290 |
| 38 | Rockledge, PA | 2,624 | $78,333 | $315,488 |
| 39 | Brookhaven, PA | 8,268 | $90,264 | $240,312 |
| 40 | Collingswood, PA | 14,135 | $78,909 | $389,070 |
| 41 | West Chester, PA | 19,016 | $71,875 | $582,975 |
| 42 | Dublin, PA | 2,206 | $87,292 | $420,387 |
| 43 | Barrington, PA | 7,022 | $82,070 | $324,789 |
| 44 | Souderton, PA | 7,169 | $77,342 | $416,204 |
| 45 | Magnolia, PA | 4,342 | $74,295 | $277,835 |
| 46 | Lansdale, PA | 18,727 | $84,985 | $455,524 |
| 47 | Bridgeport, PA | 5,000 | $79,887 | $300,535 |
| 48 | Royersford, PA | 4,917 | $70,168 | $414,063 |
| 49 | Stratford, PA | 6,962 | $89,200 | $297,326 |
| 50 | Morton, PA | 2,759 | $63,599 | $334,531 |
| 51 | Mount Ephraim, PA | 4,638 | $81,800 | $262,465 |
| 52 | Merchantville, PA | 3,800 | $72,375 | $294,441 |
| 53 | Norwood, PA | 5,926 | $83,104 | $260,832 |
| 54 | Swedesboro, PA | 2,706 | $92,218 | $421,540 |
| 55 | Lansdowne, PA | 11,051 | $70,283 | $252,844 |
| 56 | Gibbsboro, PA | 2,278 | $93,103 | $335,657 |
| 57 | Glenolden, PA | 7,190 | $71,719 | $224,149 |
| 58 | Bristol, PA | 9,862 | $67,176 | $292,040 |
| 59 | Palmyra, PA | 7,437 | $84,866 | $266,511 |
| 60 | Telford, PA | 4,807 | $77,092 | $389,086 |
| 61 | Clayton, PA | 8,801 | $91,711 | $269,019 |
| 62 | Runnemede, PA | 8,307 | $85,700 | $275,560 |
| 63 | Somerdale, PA | 5,524 | $83,778 | $307,227 |
| 64 | National Park, PA | 3,028 | $83,125 | $236,131 |
| 65 | Beverly, PA | 2,502 | $90,069 | $235,527 |
| 66 | Glassboro, PA | 23,014 | $78,518 | $318,867 |
| 67 | Yeadon, PA | 12,017 | $55,667 | $211,262 |
| 68 | East Lansdowne, PA | 2,703 | $57,778 | $218,142 |
| 69 | Woodbury, PA | 9,981 | $75,425 | $289,967 |
| 70 | Bellmawr, PA | 11,677 | $71,935 | $270,837 |
| 71 | Clifton Heights, PA | 6,834 | $61,155 | $237,541 |
| 72 | Upland, PA | 3,078 | $58,588 | $193,605 |
| 73 | Wilmington, PA | 71,034 | $54,731 | $294,430 |
| 74 | Clementon, PA | 5,312 | $62,917 | $270,554 |
| 75 | Pine Hill, PA | 10,698 | $69,176 | $237,936 |
| 76 | Lawnside, PA | 3,059 | $74,250 | $251,645 |
| 77 | Westville, PA | 4,276 | $63,000 | $234,508 |
| 78 | Sharon Hill, PA | 5,976 | $66,378 | $179,059 |
| 79 | Paulsboro, PA | 6,195 | $58,271 | $198,943 |
| 80 | Trenton, PA | 90,055 | $44,444 | $304,449 |
| 81 | Lindenwold, PA | 21,337 | $53,645 | $227,531 |
| 82 | Woodlynne, PA | 2,904 | $68,125 | $159,972 |
| 83 | Burlington, PA | 9,833 | $69,351 | $241,128 |
| 84 | Collingdale, PA | 8,865 | $49,819 | $186,243 |
| 85 | Eddystone, PA | 2,170 | $53,355 | $126,081 |
| 86 | Colwyn, PA | 2,849 | $51,188 | $99,866 |
| 87 | Folcroft, PA | 6,758 | $56,650 | $198,500 |
| 88 | Darby, PA | 10,682 | $45,511 | $109,626 |
| 89 | Chester, PA | 33,048 | $39,193 | $91,695 |
| 90 | Marcus Hook, PA | 2,290 | $47,594 | $285,109 |
| 91 | Camden, PA | 71,799 | $36,258 | $112,692 |
| 92 | Penns Grove, PA | 4,841 | $29,821 | $153,536 |