Pennsylvania
Ranked #20 of 51 for housing affordability
Median Home Price
🏠$260K
3.52x income
Median Rent
🔑$1,197
31.5% rent-burdened
Median Income
💰$74K
Population: 12,972,008
Homeownership
🏡69.0%
12,550 experiencing homelessness
Housing Shortage
📉100,000
units needed
Building Permits (2024)
🔨24,810
Price-to-Income
📊3.52x
Severe Rent Burden
⚠️15.5%
paying >50% of income
Rent Burden Breakdown
vs. National Average
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI · Base = 100 (1980s)
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Maximum rent HUD considers fair for Section 8 voucher holders
FMR ($1474) is above the state median rent ($1197) — vouchers cover typical rents.
Metros in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Score | Home Price | Rent | Income | Rent Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 50 | $357K | $1,456 | $87K | 33.0% |
| Pittsburgh | 68 | $218K | $1,044 | $73K | 29.5% |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | 82 | $309K | $1,347 | $81K | 24.8% |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | 86 | $260K | $1,195 | $77K | 20.7% |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | 88 | $190K | $1,057 | $59K | 27.1% |
| Lancaster | 82 | $307K | $1,329 | $80K | 21.6% |
| York-Hanover | 88 | $258K | $1,149 | $81K | 18.4% |
| Reading | 86 | $261K | $1,219 | $76K | 28.8% |
| Erie | 91 | $179K | $894 | $61K | 24.3% |
| Chambersburg | 87 | $249K | $1,095 | $76K | 18.0% |
| State College | 73 | $323K | $1,198 | $69K | 36.0% |
| Lebanon | 90 | $235K | $1,186 | $79K | 18.4% |
| Johnstown | 98 | $122K | $725 | $56K | 21.5% |
| Altoona | 91 | $157K | $837 | $54K | 16.6% |
| Williamsport | 87 | $206K | $869 | $62K | 25.0% |
| Gettysburg | 84 | $275K | $1,061 | $77K | 17.5% |
Market Trends
Homeownership Rate
69.0%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
19.0%
of gross income spent on rent
Total Households
5,324,209
Owner-Occupied
3,697,771
Renter-Occupied
1,626,438
Homelessness
Latest Count (2024)
14,088
1-Year Change
+12.2%
10-Year Trend (2015–2024)
-8.6%
15,421 → 14,088
Housing Policies
Construction Activity
Total Permits (2024)
24,810
1.8% of national total
Single-Family
16,348
66% of state permits
Multi-Family
8,462
34% of state permits
Mortgage Access
National HMDA data — mortgage denial rates by race/ethnicity
Denial Rates by Race
Top Denial Reasons
Housing Shortage
State Shortage
100,000
units needed
National Shortage
7,300,000
1.4% of national total
Affordable Units per 100 ELI Renters
35
nationally (NLIHC)
National Shortage by Unit Type
45%
Single-Family
18%
Small Multi (2-4)
22%
Medium Multi (5-49)
15%
Large Multi (50+)
Rent Burden Detail
Pennsylvania burden rates with national demographic breakdown
Cost-Burdened Renters
31.5%
paying >30% of income
Severely Burdened
15.5%
paying >50% of income
Households >30% Burden
382,299
Households >35% Burden
123,679