Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012)

This article, the seventh in a 50-state series, ranks the best places to live in Pennsylvania based on three criteria: (1) median household income (adjusted for cost of living); (2) educational attainment (% of residents 25 years and over who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher); and (3) property crime rates per 1,000 residents (burglary and automobile thefts). For purposes of these rankings, "places" are incorporated municipalities with populations greater than 2,000.

Among the twenty best places to live in Pennsylvania, eleven are Philadelphia-Wilmington, Delaware suburbs, seven are suburbs of Pittsburgh, and two are in the Philadelphia-Princeton, New Jersey area. By county, nine of the best places to live in Pennsylvania are located in Chester County, six in Allegheny County, two in Bucks County, two in Delaware County, and one in Butler County.

After reading "Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012)," return to this link to read "Largest Cities in Pennsylvania (2012)." A collection of similar articles for the remaining 49 states can be found at these links: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

For the culmination of the 50-state series, read "Best Places to Live in America (2012)."

This article may be updated as new data becomes available.

1. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Fox Chapel, PA (Allegheny County)

Population: 5,445

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $184,423
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 80.8%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 10 miles NE
Harrisburg, PA: 203 miles ESE
Morgantown, WV: 83 miles S

2. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Birmingham Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 4,302

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $154,650
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 73.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.17

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 29 miles ENE
Harrisburg, PA: 86 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 45 miles NNW
Wilmington, DE: 14 miles S

3. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Upper Uwchlan Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 11,728

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $146,383
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 68.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.11

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 35 miles ESE
Harrisburg, PA: 76 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 29 miles NNW
Wilmington, DE: 28 miles SSE

4. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Easttown Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 10,488

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $123,100
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 72.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.84

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 19 miles ESE
Harrisburg, PA: 88 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 40 miles NW
Wilmington, DE: 27 miles SSW

5. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Swarthmore, PA (Delaware County)

Population: 6,128

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $110,631
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 77.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.64

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 16 miles ENE
Harrisburg, PA: 107 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 55 miles NW
Wilmington, DE: 17 miles SSW

6. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - East Marlborough Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 7,930

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $121,799
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.12

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 36 miles ENE
Harrisburg, PA: 74 miles NW
Reading, PA: 46 miles NNW
Wilmington, DE: 16 miles SSE

7. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Franklin Park, PA (Allegheny County)

Population: 12,035

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $118,281
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 69.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.73

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 13 miles SSE
Harrisburg, PA: 216 miles ESE
Morgantown, WV: 83 miles S

8. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Upper Makefield Township, PA (Bucks County)

Population: 8,402

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $137,856
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 60.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.74

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 34 miles SSW
Harrisburg, PA: 123 miles W
Allentown, PA: 44 miles NW
Princeton, NJ: 20 miles ENE

9. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Charlestown Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 6,266

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $123,147
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 65.3%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.84

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 27 miles ENE
Harrisburg, PA: 82 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 49 miles NNW
Wilmington, DE: 11 miles S

10. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - West Pikeland Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 4,021

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $122,347
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 63.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.98

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 32 miles ESE
Harrisburg, PA: 77 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 30 miles NNW
Wilmington, DE: 29 miles S

11. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Marshall Township, PA (Allegheny County)

Population: 6,466

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $119,246
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 65.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.23

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 18 miles SSE
Harrisburg, PA: 222 miles ESE
Morgantown, WV: 87 miles S

12. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - East Bradford Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 10,157

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $129,017
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 61.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.84

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 31 miles E
Harrisburg, PA: 80 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 43 miles NW
Wilmington, DE: 18 miles S

13. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Pine Township, PA (Allegheny County)

Population: 9,890

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $119,975
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 64.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.23

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 16 miles S
Harrisburg, PA: 215 miles ESE
Morgantown, WV: 87 miles S

14. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Upper St. Clair Township, PA (Allegheny County)

Population: 18,815

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $108,356
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.3%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.69

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 11 miles NNE
Harrisburg, PA: 212 miles E
Morgantown, WV: 62 miles S

15. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Lower Makefield Township, PA (Bucks County)

Population: 32,309

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $113,063
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 60.6%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.65

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 30 miles SSW
Harrisburg, PA: 122 miles W
Allentown, PA: 57 miles NW
Princeton, NJ: 18 miles NE

16. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Seven Fields, PA (Butler County)

Population: 2,491

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $92,472
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 22 miles S
Harrisburg, PA: 220 miles ESE
Morgantown, WV: 90 miles S

17. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Tredyffrin Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 28,994

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $91,365
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 70.8%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.69

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 15 miles SE
Harrisburg, PA: 92 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 40 miles NW
Wilmington, DE: 30 miles SSW

18. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - West Vincent Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 4,339

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $103,774
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 59.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.59

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 37 miles SE
Harrisburg, PA: 81 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 26 miles NW
Wilmington, DE: 33 miles SSE

19. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Chadds Ford Township, PA (Chester County)

Population: 3,278

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $86,478
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 64.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.17

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Philadelphia, PA: 27 miles ENE
Harrisburg, PA: 82 miles WNW
Reading, PA: 49 miles NNW
Wilmington, DE: 11 miles S

20. Best Places to Live in Pennsylvania (2012) - Mount Lebanon Township, PA (Allegheny County)

Population: 30,803

Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $77,086
Bachelor's degree or higher (25 years and over): 64.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.03

Distance to Familiar Cities:

Pittsburgh, PA: 7 miles NNE
Harrisburg, PA: 208 miles E
Morgantown, WV: 63 miles S

*In some cases, municipalities either do not report their crime statistics to the FBI or they contract for services with a county law enforcement agency or the state police. For those towns, crime rates are extrapolated from state, county, or contiguous municipality data.

Source(s):

"All Cities in Pennsylvania," City-Data.com
"American Community Survey," U.S. Census Bureau
"American Fact Finder," U.S. Census Bureau
"Uniform Crime Reports - Pennsylvania," Federal Bureau of Investigation