Pennsylvania · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Delaware County, PA

Prices around Delaware County, PA run 2.6% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $89,546 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,810 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $72,400 a year.

Delaware County, PA at a glance

Median household income

$89,546$7,462 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,810HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)102.6+2.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity21.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential PA
Population579,222Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Delaware County, PA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,810Monthly market rent
Share of gross income24.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$72,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,239At 30% of $89,546
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Delaware County, PA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Delaware County, PA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,397$16,764$55,88018.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,520$18,240$60,80020.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,810$21,720$72,40024.3%
3-Bedroom Home$2,170$26,040$86,80029.1%
4-Bedroom Home$2,423$29,076$96,92032.5%

Rent in Delaware County, PA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Delaware County, PA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $89,546 a year ($7,462 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,731/moRent ($1,810 2-BR), utilities (~$196/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,239/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,492/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $89,546 leaves after Pennsylvania taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Pennsylvania tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$89,546
$35,000$180,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$89,546
Net 77%
Fed 12%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$69,077After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,756Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,657Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,870 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$2,749 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,850 / yr

Living in Delaware County, PA: common questions

What is the median household income in Delaware County, PA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Delaware County, PA is $89,546 per year (approximately $7,462 per month).

What is the average rent in Delaware County, PA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,397 for a studio, $1,520 for one bedroom, $1,810 for two, $2,170 for three and $2,423 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Delaware County, PA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.6% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 102.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Delaware County, PA?

To keep a $1,810 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $72,400 a year, or $6,033 a month. That is 81% of what the typical household in Delaware County, PA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Delaware County, PA?

On the local median income of $89,546 ($7,462 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,731 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,239 for everything else and $1,492 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,810 takes 49% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Delaware County, PA?

Homes in Pennsylvania paid 21.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $196. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.