Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Pennsylvania? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Harrisburg, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Pennsylvania suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Keystone State
Collegeville is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Pennsylvania.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in Pennsylvania, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in Pennsylvania and the best places to raise a family in Pennsylvania.
Best Suburbs In Pennsylvania For 2024
/10
Population: 5,172
Median Income: $99,271
Average Home Price: $512,844
More on Collegeville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Collegeville is located 21 miles west of Philadelphia.
/10
Population: 6,507
Median Income: $138,679
Average Home Price: $405,622
More on Swarthmore: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Swarthmore is located 13 miles west of Philadelphia.
/10
Population: 9,063
Median Income: $86,983
Average Home Price: $265,781
More on Economy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Economy is located 17 miles west of Pittsburgh.
/10
Population: 9,182
Median Income: $114,523
Average Home Price: $431,765
More on Conshohocken: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Conshohocken is located 10 miles west of Philadelphia.
/10
Population: 7,152
Median Income: $90,842
Average Home Price: $282,363
More on Ridley Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Ridley Park is located 13 miles west of Philadelphia.
/10
Population: 9,672
Median Income: $76,597
Average Home Price: $328,096
More on Canonsburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Canonsburg is located 16 miles west of Pittsburgh.
/10
Population: 5,299
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $971,545
More on Fox Chapel: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Fox Chapel is located 7 miles east of Pittsburgh.
/10
Population: 18,723
Median Income: $91,593
Average Home Price: $466,022
More on Phoenixville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Phoenixville is located 22 miles west of Philadelphia.
/10
Population: 8,176
Median Income: $106,318
Average Home Price: $404,554
More on Hatboro: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Hatboro is located 11 miles north of Philadelphia.
/10
Population: 6,775
Median Income: $84,303
Average Home Price: $611,302
More on Ambler: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Ambler is located 11 miles north of Philadelphia.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Keystone State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Pennsylvania. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Pennsylvania, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Pennsylvania across these criteria from one to 68, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Pennsylvania.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Pennsylvania.
Read on to see why Collegeville is the ‘burb with the most, while Mckeesport is probably not the best place to live in Pennsylvania.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Pennsylvania
If you’re measuring the locations in Pennsylvania where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Pennsylvania are Collegeville, Swarthmore, Economy, Conshohocken, Ridley Park, Canonsburg, Fox Chapel, Phoenixville, Hatboro, and Ambler.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Pennsylvania according to the data:
- Mckeesport
- Duquesne
- Turtle Creek
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
- Richest Cities In Pennsylvania
- Safest Places In Pennsylvania
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Pennsylvania
The Best Suburbs In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collegeville | 5,172 | $99,271 | $512,844 |
| 2 | Swarthmore | 6,507 | $138,679 | $405,622 |
| 3 | Economy | 9,063 | $86,983 | $265,781 |
| 4 | Conshohocken | 9,182 | $114,523 | $431,765 |
| 5 | Ridley Park | 7,152 | $90,842 | $282,363 |
| 6 | Canonsburg | 9,672 | $76,597 | $328,096 |
| 7 | Fox Chapel | 5,299 | $250,001 | $971,545 |
| 8 | Phoenixville | 18,723 | $91,593 | $466,022 |
| 9 | Hatboro | 8,176 | $106,318 | $404,554 |
| 10 | Ambler | 6,775 | $84,303 | $611,302 |
| 11 | Perkasie | 9,130 | $95,319 | $464,524 |
| 12 | West Chester | 19,016 | $71,875 | $582,975 |
| 13 | Media | 5,860 | $85,951 | $558,498 |
| 14 | Bellevue | 8,236 | $60,778 | $184,640 |
| 15 | Lower Burrell | 11,701 | $78,639 | $189,351 |
| 16 | Bridgeport | 5,000 | $79,887 | $300,535 |
| 17 | Oakmont | 6,734 | $82,012 | $301,656 |
| 18 | Carnegie | 8,067 | $61,875 | $208,311 |
| 19 | Forest Hills | 6,397 | $82,962 | $194,399 |
| 20 | Lansdale | 18,727 | $84,985 | $455,524 |
| 21 | Franklin Park | 15,305 | $158,052 | $495,135 |
| 22 | Dormont | 8,199 | $73,798 | $211,309 |
| 23 | Brentwood | 9,982 | $57,900 | $165,365 |
| 24 | Crafton | 6,044 | $72,099 | $204,534 |
| 25 | Plum | 27,032 | $91,931 | $225,948 |
| 26 | Coraopolis | 5,510 | $55,714 | $274,445 |
| 27 | Souderton | 7,169 | $77,342 | $416,204 |
| 28 | Pleasant Hills | 8,456 | $88,893 | $246,154 |
| 29 | Brookhaven | 8,268 | $90,264 | $240,312 |
| 30 | Bristol | 9,862 | $67,176 | $292,040 |
| 31 | Jefferson Hills | 12,296 | $108,245 | $312,878 |
| 32 | New Brighton | 5,645 | $45,880 | $135,008 |
| 33 | Lansdowne | 11,051 | $70,283 | $252,844 |
| 34 | West View | 6,660 | $75,054 | $217,210 |
| 35 | Greensburg | 14,876 | $58,001 | $218,993 |
| 36 | Castle Shannon | 8,283 | $65,700 | $189,973 |
| 37 | Swissvale | 8,588 | $56,594 | $158,879 |
| 38 | Monaca | 5,587 | $62,125 | $176,838 |
| 39 | Baldwin | 21,266 | $75,139 | $199,620 |
| 40 | Norwood | 5,926 | $83,104 | $260,832 |
| 41 | West Mifflin | 19,506 | $64,314 | $148,759 |
| 42 | Washington | 13,358 | $50,548 | $208,813 |
| 43 | Butler | 13,387 | $39,546 | $229,441 |
| 44 | Glenolden | 7,190 | $71,719 | $224,149 |
| 45 | White Oak | 7,585 | $57,054 | $180,169 |
| 46 | Whitehall | 14,909 | $77,752 | $243,992 |
| 47 | Clifton Heights | 6,834 | $61,155 | $237,541 |
| 48 | Vandergrift | 5,051 | $47,530 | $92,656 |
| 49 | Wilkinsburg | 14,340 | $46,013 | $144,579 |
| 50 | New Kensington | 12,163 | $47,015 | $157,212 |
| 51 | Munhall | 10,738 | $47,879 | $133,350 |
| 52 | Beaver Falls | 8,934 | $39,194 | $158,502 |
| 53 | Ambridge | 6,937 | $46,059 | $119,539 |
| 54 | California | 5,328 | $46,471 | $112,750 |
| 55 | Monessen | 6,876 | $51,364 | $76,947 |
| 56 | Yeadon | 12,017 | $55,667 | $211,262 |
| 57 | Aliquippa | 9,198 | $42,601 | $171,120 |
| 58 | Jeannette | 8,790 | $47,801 | $147,052 |
| 59 | Folcroft | 6,758 | $56,650 | $198,500 |
| 60 | Chester | 33,048 | $39,193 | $91,695 |
| 61 | Sharon Hill | 5,976 | $66,378 | $179,059 |
| 62 | Collingdale | 8,865 | $49,819 | $186,243 |
| 63 | Mckees Rocks | 5,893 | $33,958 | $170,773 |
| 64 | Clairton | 6,182 | $41,301 | $135,357 |
| 65 | Darby | 10,682 | $45,511 | $109,626 |
| 66 | Turtle Creek | 5,087 | $42,344 | $83,897 |
| 67 | Duquesne | 5,241 | $40,969 | $46,621 |
| 68 | Mckeesport | 17,749 | $31,635 | $82,277 |