Philadelphia

Most affordable Philadelphia suburbs

Ranked on what a household actually pays: the in-house cost-of-living index at 55%, the median home value against the metro at 25% (lower is better here), and the share of households already stretched by housing costs at 20%.

Updated Sep 2026·50 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Pike Creek Valley$340k median · 20.7 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing C−Employment C−
72
Affordability
overall 65 C+
2
Brookside$280k median · 25.3 min commute
Cost of living A−Housing D−Employment D
70
Affordability
overall 57 C−
3
AKA THE WILLIAM CANN TENANT HOUSE AND ANDREW ELLIASON TENANT HOUSE, IT WAS BUILT IN THREE PHASES DURING THE 19TH CENTURY BETWEEN ABOUT 1830 AND 1860, IT IS IN A
Bear$305k median · 24.1 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing D+Employment C−
69
Affordability
overall 58 C
4
Wilmington, Delaware, USA skyline
Wilmington$231k median · 23.5 min commute
Cost of living A−Housing FEmployment F
69
Affordability
overall 54 C−
5
Pencader Presbyterian Church in the Aiken's Tavern Historic District, Glasgow, Delaware
Glasgow$374k median · 29.1 min commute
Cost of living BHousing C+Employment C−
67
Affordability
overall 57 C−
6
The historic Phineas Pemberton House in the Bristol portion of Levittown, Pennsylvania.
Levittown$341k median · 27.9 min commute
Cost of living BHousing CEmployment C−
67
Affordability
overall 60 C
7
Chester Court House in the City of Chester, PA on Avenue of the States. Not to be Confused with Chester County Courthouse in West Chester PA. Built in 1724, in
Chester$83k median · 22.9 min commute
Cost of living BHousing FEmployment F
67
Affordability
overall 41 D−
8
Northbound Main Street approaching the intersection with Commerce Street in Smyrna, Delaware
Smyrna$291k median · 33.4 min commute
Cost of living A−Housing DEmployment D−
66
Affordability
overall 52 D+
9
Middletown Delaware's four corners at the main intersection of the town.
Middletown$410k median · 30.0 min commute
Cost of living BHousing CEmployment D+
65
Affordability
overall 63 C+
10
Roslyn, Montgomery County, PA. Bradfield Rd. and Faith Community Church.
Roslyn$329k median · 30.4 min commute
Cost of living B−Housing C−Employment D−
64
Affordability
overall 62 C
This list's weighting
Cost of living 55%Median home value (lower is better) 25%Cost-burdened households 20%
Other Philadelphia lists
Best Philadelphia suburbs for familiesBest Philadelphia suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown PhiladelphiaMost walkable Philadelphia suburbsBest Philadelphia suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Philadelphia suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Bear (JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0); Wilmington (Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0); Glasgow (Camerafiend · CC BY-SA 4.0); Levittown (User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0); Chester (Smallbones · Public domain); Smyrna (Dough4872 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Middletown (Ncpanthers24 · Public domain); Roslyn (Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 3.0).