States › Pennsylvania › Swissvale

Is Swissvale, PA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 27 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,46317% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$65,078about $5,423/month · 25% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$147,00056% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 60% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $58,520 a year. That is $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Pennsylvania cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Pennsylvania. It is number 151 of 269 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Swissvale
$1,463
Pleasant Hills
$1,032
Lock Haven
$797
Lewistown
$866
Mount Joy
$1,689
Doylestown
$1,911
Brookhaven
$1,641

How much do households earn in Swissvale?

Under $25k
16.5%
$25k–50k
22.5%
$50k–100k
31.8%
$100k–150k
13.0%
$150k+
6.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Swissvale

SizeSwissvaleU.S. average
Studio$1,071$1,338
1 bedroom$875$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,283$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,546$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Swissvale overall?

Everyday prices in Pennsylvania overall are 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
109
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Swissvale, so the Pennsylvania figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Swissvale

🏛️ Property tax$2,570a year · 1.75% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$104a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Swissvale

Commute to work24.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree41.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home48.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Swissvale?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $443 a month less than renting.

Renting
$1,463
Owning
$1,020

Owning assumes a typical $147,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $14,700 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Swissvale, PA?

Renting in Swissvale costs a median of about $1,463 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Pennsylvania median is $1,367.

How much do I need to make to live in Swissvale?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $58,520 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Swissvale cheap or expensive?

Swissvale is rated OK: rent takes 27.0% of the typical household income of $65,078. It ranks 151st cheapest of 269 Pennsylvania cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Swissvale?

The median homeowner in Swissvale pays $2,570 a year in property taxes, about 1.75% of the median home value.

Is Swissvale more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Pennsylvania are 2% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Swissvale?

The median home value in Swissvale is $147,000, about 2.3 times the typical yearly household income.

8,418 people live in Swissvale. Numbers are typical (middle) values.