In short
The median value of owner-occupied homes is $277,600 in Pennsylvania and $253,600 in the city of Philadelphia, against $360,600 nationwide (Census ACS 2024). On the FHFA index, Pennsylvania prices up 3.9% and Philadelphia-area prices up 2.8% from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026.
What it costs: median value in 2024
| Area | Median value, 2024 | Margin of error (90%) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $360,600 | ±$618 |
| Pennsylvania | $277,600 | ±$1,517 |
| Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro area | $375,100 | ±$2,652 |
| Philadelphia County | $253,600 | ±$6,236 |
| City of Philadelphia | $253,600 | ±$6,236 |
Source: Census ACS 2024, table B25077; owners’ own estimates, not sale prices.
The city and the county show the same figure because the Census Bureau reports the same territory for both. Three points stand out:
- The Pennsylvania median is $83,000 below the national median.
- The city of Philadelphia sits $24,000 below the state median and $121,500 below the metro-area median. The metro area also includes suburbs outside the city (its Census name covers PA, NJ, DE and MD), which pull its figure up.
- The margin of error for the city (±$6,236) is wider than for the state because the sample is smaller. The true city median is very likely between about $247,400 and $259,800.
How prices have moved: the FHFA index
It includes purchase-only indexes for metro divisions such as Philadelphia, PA, the Pennsylvania part of the metro area.
| Area | 1-year change (Q2 2025 to Q2 2026) | 5-year change (Q2 2021 to Q2 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | +2.1% | +33.4% |
| Pennsylvania | +3.9% | +37.2% |
| Philadelphia, PA metro division | +2.8% | +27.0% |
Source: FHFA HPI, purchase-only, Q2 2026 (release of August 25, 2026); changes by Payotte.
Pennsylvania prices rose faster than the national index over both periods. The Philadelphia metro division grew more slowly than the state as a whole over both periods.
A worked example
A Philadelphia-area home worth $250,000 in Q2 2021 would be about $317,500 in Q2 2026 on the Philadelphia metro division index index (+27.0%); over the last year alone it would gain about $8,700 (+2.8%). One home can differ widely.
How to use these figures when buying
Related: Pennsylvania closing costs guide, buying a home in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania first-time buyer programs.
Method and dataset
ACS median value. ACS 1-Year 2024, table B25077. Geographies: United States (0100000US), Pennsylvania (0400000US42), Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro area (310M700US37980), Philadelphia County (0500000US42101), Philadelphia city (1600000US4260000). Read through the data.census.gov API on October 13, 2026, one geography per request.
FHFA index. FHFA HPI (purchase-only, seasonally adjusted), state series (Pennsylvania), metro series (Philadelphia, PA metro division, code 37964) and U.S. series. Index values used: Pennsylvania 364.21 (Q2 2025), 275.85 (Q2 2021) and 378.53 (Q2 2026); Philadelphia, PA division 416.12, 336.87 and 427.82; United States 426.58, 326.58 and 435.69. FHFA’s next quarterly release, with third-quarter 2026 data, is scheduled for November 24, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median home value in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania’s 2024 ACS median home value is $277,600 (±$1,517), against $360,600 for the nation: owners’ own estimates, not sale prices.
What is the median home value in Philadelphia?
For the city of Philadelphia, which is also Philadelphia County, the 2024 ACS median value is $253,600 (±$6,236). The Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro area is at $375,100.
Are Pennsylvania home prices going up or down?
FHFA’s purchase-only index shows Pennsylvania prices rose 3.9% over the year to Q2 2026, and the Philadelphia, PA metro division rose 2.8%. Over five years, they rose 37.2% and 27.0%.
How Pennsylvania compares with the other States
Pennsylvania ranks 35th of 50 for median home value ($277,600), 23% below the national $360,600.
The States closest in median value are New Mexico ($279,900) and Illinois ($280,700). The range runs from $170,800 in West Virginia to $875,900 in Hawaii; Pennsylvania is $61,900 below the middle of that ranking (Wyoming).
On the FHFA index, Pennsylvania prices rose 3.9% over the year to the second quarter of 2026, which places the State 13th of 50, 1.8 points ahead of the national +2.1%. Over five years the gain is +37.2% (27th of 50; nation +33.4%).
The two measures diverge: Pennsylvania is among the cheapest States by median value, yet its prices rose faster than most over the past year.
Over five years, Pennsylvania's +37.2% annualises to +6.5% a year (nation +5.9%). The latest year (+3.9%) is 2.6 points under that average, a slower pace than the five-year average.
Philadelphia, the main city, has a median of $253,600, 37th of the 49 main cities Payotte covers. That is 9% below the Pennsylvania median, a discount that ranks 37th of 49.
The one-year FHFA change runs from -1.2% in New Mexico to +8.3% in Alaska. Pennsylvania (+3.9%) is 4.4 points below the top and 5.1 above the bottom; Michigan (+3.8%) and Missouri (+3.8%) are the nearest to it.
For scale, 20% of the Pennsylvania median is $55,520, against $72,120 at the national median.
Compare with the other states: Median home price by state.
More Pennsylvania guides
- Closing costs in Pennsylvania: what buyers and sellers pay
- Pennsylvania realty transfer tax: 1% state, 4.578% in Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania property tax: rates, relief and appeals
- Pennsylvania seller disclosure: what sellers must tell buyers
- Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania foreclosure process: timeline, notices and help
- First-time buyer programs in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia
- How to verify a real estate license in Pennsylvania
Sources
- Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year 2024, table B25077 (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Census Bureau, 2025 ACS release schedule (consulted October 13, 2026)
- FHFA news release, August 25, 2026 (consulted October 13, 2026)
- FHFA HPI datasets (quarterly, purchase-only) (consulted October 13, 2026)