Phoenixville, PA vs Swarthmore, PA

Phoenixville is moderately more affordable than Swarthmore, with a 11.9% lower cost of living index. Phoenixville scores 112 compared to 127 for Swarthmore, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Swarthmore can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Phoenixville is $1,563/month compared to $1,493/month in Swarthmore — a 5% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Swarthmore has cheaper rent, Phoenixville actually has lower median home values ($348,200 vs $557,900).

Median household income in Phoenixville is $94,411 compared to $146,992 in Swarthmore (-35.8%). While Swarthmore is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Phoenixville spend roughly 19.9% of their income on rent, more than the 12.2% in Swarthmore.