What Are The 10 Richest Towns In Pennsylvania?

Officially known as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, this state is in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern and Appalachian regions of the U.S. It’s the fifth-most populous in the country, and it was one of the original founding states. A lot of sites of historical relevance are in Pennsylvania like Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Residents enjoy a cost of living that’s on average lower than the rest of the nation—it’s actually 10.5% lower. With that being said, there are also rich towns in Pennsylvania with higher home costs and an overall higher cost of living.

Edgeworth, Gladwyne, New Hope, Bryn Mawr, and Ardmore are among the wealthiest towns in Pennsylvania. Towns such as Villanova, Harverford Township, and Merion Station have wealthier residents and higher home values than most of Long Island. Doylestown and Bala Cynwyd round out the top 10 richest towns in Pennsylvania.

Factors looked at to determine the richest towns in Pennsylvania include not just median home prices and price per square foot that homes usually sell for, but also median household income, the general economy, and the poverty rate. We also compared the overall cost of living to the U.S. average.

Don’t miss this guide: The Best and Safest Places To Live In Pennsylvania.

Edgeworth is a borough in Allegheny County, and it’s around 14 miles from Pittsburgh. Edgeworth is set along the Ohio River and is home to the exclusive Sewickley Academy, which is a private day school. People love this community in the Sewickley Valley because it has tree-lined sidewalks and an active community.

It’s also very walkable. Edgeworth isn’t just rated as one of the richest towns in Pennsylvania but also one of the best places to raise a family near Pittsburgh.

The Edgeworth community has only around 1,600 residents, and 93% own their homes. Residents describe it as safe and picturesque. The crime rate is zero, making it 100% lower than the national average. The household income is 182% higher than the Pennsylvania average, and the unemployment rate is just 2%.

Gladwyne is an exclusive, luxurious Pennsylvania community known for having a number of estate homes. This Philadelphia suburb is one of the most expensive in the state. It’s wooded and serene and also has outstanding public schools. In 2018, Gladwyne was named as the sixth richest zip code in the country following a study by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Gladwyne is home to the Philadelphia Country Club, the Merion Cricket Club, and The Courts, which is a private tennis club.

Gladwyne is unique because of its colonial-style architecture, and the Gladwyne Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Notable people who have at one point called Gladwyne home include M. Night Shyamalan, Allen Iverson, and Chase Utley.

Bryn Mawr is just west of Philadelphia, and it’s part of what’s called the Main Line. Most of the richest towns in Pennsylvania are on the Main Line. These suburban villages include many country estates and are known as a hub of old money. Bryn Mawr is named after an estate that belonged to Rowland Ellis, who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1686. Notable residents of Bryn Mawr through the years have included Woodrow Wilson and Katharine Hepburn.

Bryn Mawr is often called one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania. The community is home to Bryn Mawr College, as well as top public schools like Harriton Senior High School, Welsh Valley Middle School, and Gladwyne Elementary School.

Ardmore is in Delaware and Montgomery counties. It’s adjacent to Wynnewood, Haverford, and Gladwyne. Ardmore is part of the Main Line suburbs, and it’s one of the largest towns included. Ardmore is known for having great shopping and dining and its Suburban Square became one of the first U.S. shopping centers when it opened in 1928.

Suburban Square remains a pedestrian-friendly shopping and dining complex, and Lancaster Avenue is the main area of the town, with historic buildings and local businesses. Ardmore is a transportation hub, with accessibility by Amtrak and SEPTA trains.

A Philadelphia suburb, Villanova is part of the Main Line. In fact, it’s at the center of the Main Line. It’s between the Lower Merion Township and Radnor Township. The town is home to Villanova University, which has a top-performing NCAA basketball team and also the prestigious Villanova University Law School. The zip code that covers Villanova, 19085, is considered the most expensive neighborhood in Pennsylvania.

There are great public and private schools and idyllic locations like Arboretum Villanova. This small community covers only six square miles, and there is a very young population overall, likely because of the university. Will Smith and Michael Smerconish have both at one point called Villanova home. Most Villanova residents work in white-collar jobs, and major employers aside from Villanova include JPMorgan Chase and Deloitte Consulting.

Just ten miles outside of Philadelphia on the Main Line is Haverford Township, Pennsylvania. Known as an affluent community, it’s home to a significant student population because of Haverford College, Bryn Mawr College, and nearby Villanova University. On Lancaster Avenue, residents enjoy restaurants and cafes, and at Haverford Square are specialty shops. Popular among residents is the Haverford Township Day in October, and the Haverford campus features historic trees and a large arboretum.

In the Philadelphia area, the School District of Haverford Township has the 13th highest median household income and the third-highest median home prices. Haverford has an unemployment rate of just 3.1%. Home prices in Haverford have gone up more than 10% year-over-year.

Like so many of the other richest towns in Pennsylvania, Merion Station is on the Main Line. Merion Station is known for having a lot of outdoor activities and recreation opportunities, like golf and swimming. It’s also close to Philadelphia, so it’s good for commuters into the city.

Residents of Merion Station might join the prestigious Merion Golf Club or the Merion Botanical Park. As far as real estate, many of the properties are opulent and are designed in Tudor, Victorian and Colonial styles.

Compared to the rest of the country, housing in Merion Station is around 191% more expensive on average. Also higher than national averages are the costs of utilities, groceries, and transportation. Home prices have gone up more than 15% in Merion Station since last year.

Doylestown is in Bucks County and was original founded in 1745. The town centered around William Doyle’s Tavern. Now, the Doylestown Cultural District has been recognized as one of the best small towns in America. It’s home to the Mercer Mile of museums, including the Michener Art Museum.

Doylestown features a number of restaurants and shops, many of which are locally owned and operated. For visitors, there are boutique hotels like The Hargrave House and the Doylestown Inn.

There are a lot of outdoor activities in Doylestown and throughout Bucks County, like Nockamixon State Park, Three Mile Run, and Peace Valley Park, as well as Peace Valley Lavender Farm. Overall, the cost of housing in Doylestown is 92% higher than the national average.

Bala Cynwyd is one of the richest Pennsylvania towns, with a population of around 10,000. It’s family-friendly and more than 30% of households have children. This community is on the Main Line and is in Lower Merion Township. There is a large area of Bala Cynwyd that has beautiful historic stone mansions, built from 1880 through the 1920s. The city center was the historic commercial district, and you can still find many of its original buildings.

Bala Cynwyd boasts the Cynwyd Heritage Trail for biking and walking, and the Neighborhood Club of Bala Cynwyd has worked to preserve the village character since 1906. Many of the homes available in Bala Cynwyd feature Colonial and Tudor architecture, and there are also less expensive detached homes and condos available, which were built after World War II.

Overall, Pennsylvania is not considered a rich state. For example, the median household income in Pennsylvania is $60,905, but for most of the richest towns in the state, it’s well above this. The per capita income in the state is $34,300, and the poverty rate is 12%.

With that being said, many of the richest places in Pennsylvania are in the Pittsburgh suburbs, as well as being along the Pennsylvania Main Line, which includes suburban Philadelphia communities. Many of these towns featured above have median household incomes and home values that are significantly higher than state averages.