Delaware County vs Montgomery County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania versus Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Montgomery County edges out Delaware County on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Delaware County | Montgomery County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $107k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $60k |
| Home Value | $290k | $382k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $149k | $237k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.05% | 1.48% |
| Income Tax | 3.61% | 3.39% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.59% | 10.74% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.5 in | 48.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.8 in | 17.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 183 days | 225 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.9 | 96.8 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 335/100k | 318/100k |
| Property Crime | 888/100k | 1301/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 575,312 | 856,399 |
| Median Age | 39.0 | 41.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.41 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+27 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 64.4% | 73.6% |
| Black (%) | 21.7% | 9.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 11.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 24 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.9% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 4.61 | 1.80 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Delaware County or Montgomery County more affordable?
- Delaware County has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Delaware County's $53k and Montgomery County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Delaware County versus $2k in Montgomery County.
- Is Delaware County or Montgomery County safer?
- Montgomery County has the lower violent crime rate. Delaware County reports 335/100k and Montgomery County reports 318/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Delaware County or Montgomery County?
- The median home value is $290k in Delaware County and $382k in Montgomery County, so homes are more affordable in Delaware County.