Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
A $558,000 home here costs
$4,616per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,869. The real number is $1,747 higher every month — 61% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Swarthmore against Delaware County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Swarthmore | Delaware County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $557,900 | $302,400 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $6,001 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.793% | 1.984% |
| Median gross rent | $1,493 | $1,315 |
| Population | 6,524 | 576,195 |
The weather behind that power bill
Swarthmore sits in Delaware County, which averages a high of 87.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.0°F in its coldest, with 44.11" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,358 cooling and 4,510 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Delaware County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Delaware County
Full Delaware County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Swarthmore?
A $558,000 home in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania costs approximately $4,616 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,869 principal and interest, $834 property tax, $186 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $465 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Swarthmore?
Swarthmore has an effective property tax rate of 1.793%, based on a median home value of $557,900 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Delaware County average of 1.984%.
What is the average home price in Swarthmore?
The median owner-occupied home value in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania is $557,900, against $302,400 across Delaware County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Swarthmore?
Median gross rent in Swarthmore is $1,493 a month, against $4,616 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Swarthmore — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Pennsylvania.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.