Norristown receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Norristown
Chester
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 50%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Schools
25 · Bottom 17%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 34%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Norristown | Chester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,893 | 33,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,701 | $41,342 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,821 | $23,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,211/sq mi | 6,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $213,900 | $83,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,422 | $1,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.7% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 7.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.5% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 13 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -82.9% | -30.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.45 | 17.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.3% | 4.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.1% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Norristown
65
Your Score
65
Area Score
Chester
56
Your Score
55
Area Score
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Full profiles: Norristown, PA · Chester, PA · How this is calculated: methodology