United States › Pennsylvania › Swarthmore CITY
Swarthmore Pennsylvania · 6,561 residents (2025 est.) · 1.40 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Swarthmore is home to 6,550 people in Pennsylvania. 82% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Households here earn about 95% more than in Pennsylvania as a whole. The median age is 28.3, younger than the US median of 38.9. Median household income runs $152,361, well clear of the $82,259 US median. Few US cities rank higher on income.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 28.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
82% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,170 in 2000
6,561 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
4,679 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 4,377 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 6K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Swarthmore Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $152,361
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,653 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $40,482 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 65.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 8.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$633,800
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $240,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,532
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $691 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.1% in 2000
24.0% rent
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.53 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.8%(5,172)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(208)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 70%(4,582)
Hispanic / Latino 6.8%(443)
from 44 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 77.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 96.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 45.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 59.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 67.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 5.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 1.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 89.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 89.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 48.4%(1,286)
Women 15+
Never married 41.4%(1,132)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 1.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 6.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 89.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 12.7%(33)
Gulf War (1990s) 46.2%(120)
Share of the 260 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? Swarthmore, Pennsylvania has about 6,550 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania earns about $152,361 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Swarthmore, Pennsylvania expensive? In Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $633,800, and the typical rent is about $1,532 a month.
How educated are people in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? About 81.5% of adults age 25 and over in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? About 1.8% of people in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has Swarthmore, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania has grown since 1990. The population has added about 393 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
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