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
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
/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
/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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
/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
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:
- Fox Chapel
- Swarthmore
- West Chester
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Buy A House In Pennsylvania
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 |