Phoenixville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Phoenixville
Norristown
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs70 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 15%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs80 · Top 50%
Schools
68 · Top 29%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Phoenixville | Norristown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,452 | 35,893 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,138 | $66,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,408 | $27,821 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,540/sq mi | 10,211/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $369,600 | $213,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,735 | $1,422 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.1% | 42.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.9% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 88 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -54.6% | -82.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.68 | 12.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.0% | 11.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.7% | 28.1% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Phoenixville
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Norristown
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Phoenixville
77
Your Score
78
Area Score
Norristown
65
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Phoenixville, PA · Norristown, PA · How this is calculated: methodology