Darby receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Darby
Chester
Opportunity
61 · Top 41%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Darby | Chester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,687 | 33,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,863 | $41,342 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,888 | $23,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 12,692/sq mi | 6,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $117,900 | $83,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,308 | $1,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 7.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.8% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.0% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 4 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 40.1 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Full profiles: Darby, PA · Chester, PA · How this is calculated: methodology