Signals
Bala Cynwyd
Chester
Opportunity
93 · Top 1%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Schools
98 · Top 1%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Bala Cynwyd | Chester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,227 | 33,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $150,000 | $41,342 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $92,895 | $23,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,468/sq mi | 6,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $640,400 | $83,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,886 | $1,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 7.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.7% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.1" | 44.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.95 | 17.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 69.2% | 4.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 81.3% | 14.9% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
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Bala Cynwyd
85
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—
Area Score
Chester
56
Your Score
55
Area Score
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Full profiles: Bala Cynwyd, PA · Chester, PA · How this is calculated: methodology