United States › Pennsylvania › Swarthmore CITY · 2020 ACS
Swarthmore Pennsylvania · 6,543 residents · 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Swarthmore is home to 6,543 people in Pennsylvania. 79% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. Households here earn about 86% more than in Pennsylvania as a whole. The median age is 31.5, younger than the US median of 38.8. Median household income runs $118,182, well clear of the $66,278 US median. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $437,700.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 31.5
US median: 38.8
More educated
79% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 6K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Swarthmore Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $118,182
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,653 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $40,482 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 65.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 8.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
Education & health services 0%
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$437,700
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $240,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,165
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $691 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 72.1% in 2000
25.9% rent
from 2.53 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.8%(5,172)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(208)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 71.8%(4,701)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(367)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 77.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 96.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 45.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 59.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 67.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 1.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 1.3%(2)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.7%(25)
Share of the 159 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Swarthmore Head to head
Compare Swarthmore to nearby cities SWARTHMORE VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? Swarthmore, Pennsylvania has about 6,543 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania earns about $118,182 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 $437,700, and the typical rent is about $1,165 a month.
How educated are people in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? About 78.5% 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 6.3% 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 386 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
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