Rent in Pennsylvania
The median 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pennsylvania is $1,374/mo, ranking #24 out of 51 states for highest rent. This is $124 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Pennsylvania has a population of 13.0M. About 30.7% of households rent their homes. Fair Market Rent data covers 18 areas across the state.
Highlights
All 18 Areas in Pennsylvania
| Area | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | Burden | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Pop. 6.2M | $1,397 | $1,520 | $1,810 | $2,170 | 24.3% | +4.2% |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Pop. 867K | $1,130 | $1,341 | $1,634 | $2,087 | 23.7% | +14.6% |
| Reading Pop. 430K | $1,086 | $1,237 | $1,575 | $1,937 | 24.3% | +19.3% |
| Lancaster Pop. 555K | $1,102 | $1,220 | $1,526 | $1,980 | 21.9% | +14.5% |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle Pop. 598K | $1,058 | $1,212 | $1,493 | $1,920 | 22.6% | +17.3% |
| Lebanon Pop. 144K | $1,035 | $1,112 | $1,411 | $1,797 | 22.2% | +15.2% |
| State College Pop. 158K | $1,187 | $1,194 | $1,406 | $1,760 | 23.2% | +6.8% |
| Chambersburg Pop. 157K | $1,014 | $1,119 | $1,379 | $1,825 | 22.1% | - |
| Gettysburg Pop. 105K | $1,006 | $1,099 | $1,374 | $1,834 | 20.3% | +12.1% |
| York-Hanover Pop. 459K | $925 | $1,060 | $1,335 | $1,796 | 19.5% | +11.5% |
| Pittsburgh Pop. 2.4M | $1,001 | $1,077 | $1,299 | $1,661 | 21.1% | +11.9% |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre Pop. 568K | $863 | $1,028 | $1,252 | $1,631 | 23.6% | +20.5% |
| Erie Pop. 270K | $836 | $945 | $1,212 | $1,499 | 23.7% | +23.3% |
| Williamsport Pop. 114K | $824 | $995 | $1,195 | $1,586 | 22.3% | +10.4% |
| Altoona Pop. 122K | $802 | $948 | $1,138 | $1,458 | 22.5% | +14.6% |
| Johnstown Pop. 132K | $840 | $846 | $1,035 | $1,431 | 22.1% | +19.9% |
| Lawrence County Pop. 85K | $705 | $780 | $1,023 | $1,423 | 20.2% | - |
| Armstrong County Pop. 65K | $691 | $767 | $1,002 | $1,300 | 18.7% | +7.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
The median 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Pennsylvania is $1,374 per month. Rents range from $1,002/mo in Armstrong County to $1,810/mo in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. The actual median gross rent statewide is $1,162/mo according to Census data.
Pennsylvania ranks #24 out of 51 states for highest median Fair Market Rent. The state median 2BR FMR of $1,374/mo is $124 above the national median of $1,250/mo.
The average rent burden across Pennsylvania is 22.1%, meaning a typical household would spend 22.1% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. No areas exceed HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold. The statewide median household income is $76,081.
The most affordable area in Pennsylvania is Armstrong County with a 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,002/mo. The median household income there is $64,295.
The most expensive area in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington with a 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,810/mo. The median household income there is $89,273.
Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. State-level income and demographic data comes from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year estimates. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income.