Norristown and Pottstown receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Norristown
Pottstown
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 50%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
25 · Bottom 17%
vs28 · Bottom 21%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs84 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 34%
vs49 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Norristown | Pottstown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,893 | 23,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,701 | $60,828 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,821 | $32,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,211/sq mi | 4,838/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $213,900 | $195,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,422 | $1,260 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.7% | 55.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 21.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.5% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 13 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 36.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.45 | 12.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.3% | 12.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.1% | 32.8% | 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
Pottstown
63
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Norristown, PA · Pottstown, PA · How this is calculated: methodology