Home/Rankings/Most rent-burdened/Pennsylvania

Most rent-burdened cities in Pennsylvania

Cities in Pennsylvania ranked by highest rent as a percentage of median household income. Cities with 15,000+ residents.

Key findings

State College ranks first, with rent at 53.4% of median household income.
Across all 35 cities on this list, the median rent is $1,458/mo.

Data as of September 2026. Twelve months of median rent as a share of Census median household income (5-year estimates). Updated monthly. Download this list (CSV)

Best value (RRS)Overheated (RRS)Most affordable Most expensive Rent falling Rent rising Best rent/income Most rent-burdened Record-high rent Seasonal swings Rent vs. income

35 cities

Rank	City	Rent/income	Median rent	Income	Vs. a year ago
01	State CollegePA Pop. 41KCompare →	53.4%	$2,022/mo	$45,424	same
02	ChesterPA Pop. 34KCompare →	40.2%	$1,386/mo	$41,342	↑1 from #3
03	ReadingPA Pop. 95KCompare →	40.1%	$1,472/mo	$44,091	↓1 from #2
04	McKeesportPA Pop. 17KCompare →	37.0%	$1,054/mo	$34,219	same
05	AllentownPA Pop. 126KCompare →	36.5%	$1,686/mo	$55,494	↑1 from #6
06	LebanonPA Pop. 27KCompare →	36.0%	$1,453/mo	$48,456	↓1 from #5
07	PottstownPA Pop. 23KCompare →	35.3%	$1,787/mo	$60,828	same
08	West ChesterPA Pop. 21KCompare →	34.9%	$2,277/mo	$78,385	↑1 from #9
09	HarrisburgPA Pop. 50KCompare →	34.6%	$1,388/mo	$48,099	↓1 from #8
10	PhiladelphiaPA Pop. 1.6MCompare →	34.0%	$1,757/mo	$61,953	same
11	YorkPA Pop. 45KCompare →	33.9%	$1,367/mo	$48,420	same
12	BethlehemPA Pop. 78KCompare →	32.8%	$1,880/mo	$68,879	same
13	HazletonPA Pop. 30KCompare →	32.7%	$1,259/mo	$46,177	--
14	Wilkes-BarrePA Pop. 44KCompare →	32.4%	$1,311/mo	$48,515	↑2 from #16
15	NorristownPA Pop. 36KCompare →	32.1%	$1,785/mo	$66,701	↓1 from #14
16	ScrantonPA Pop. 76KCompare →	31.8%	$1,346/mo	$50,739	↓3 from #13
17	EastonPA Pop. 30KCompare →	31.8%	$1,838/mo	$69,348	↓2 from #15
18	LancasterPA Pop. 58KCompare →	29.5%	$1,564/mo	$63,690	↓1 from #17
19	PittsburghPA Pop. 305KCompare →	28.6%	$1,569/mo	$65,742	same
20	EriePA Pop. 94KCompare →	28.6%	$1,098/mo	$46,113	↓2 from #18
21	JohnstownPA Pop. 18KCompare →	28.4%	$896/mo	$37,888	↓1 from #20
22	HanoverPA Pop. 17KCompare →	27.4%	$1,401/mo	$61,293	same
23	WilliamsportPA Pop. 28KCompare →	27.3%	$1,113/mo	$48,851	↓2 from #21
24	ChambersburgPA Pop. 22KCompare →	27.3%	$1,287/mo	$56,576	↓1 from #23
25	CarlislePA Pop. 22KCompare →	27.0%	$1,391/mo	$61,720	↓1 from #24
26	LansdalePA Pop. 19KCompare →	26.8%	$1,969/mo	$88,229	↓1 from #25
27	New CastlePA Pop. 22KCompare →	26.5%	$931/mo	$42,219	↓1 from #26
28	AltoonaPA Pop. 43KCompare →	24.2%	$1,033/mo	$51,250	same
29	PhoenixvillePA Pop. 19KCompare →	24.1%	$2,048/mo	$102,138	↓2 from #27
30	Drexel HillPA Pop. 30KCompare →	22.9%	$1,682/mo	$88,168	↓1 from #29
31	King of PrussiaPA Pop. 26KCompare →	22.7%	$2,234/mo	$117,912	↓1 from #30
32	HorshamPA Pop. 16KCompare →	22.0%	$1,744/mo	$94,987	↓1 from #31
33	LevittownPA Pop. 51KCompare →	21.0%	$1,836/mo	$105,071	↓1 from #32
34	MonroevillePA Pop. 28KCompare →	20.5%	$1,354/mo	$79,218	↓1 from #33
35	Bethel ParkPA Pop. 33KCompare →	16.3%	$1,458/mo	$107,090	↓1 from #34