How many renters live in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania?
The County of Philadelphia County has 1,567,258 people living in 695,320 households.
There are 688,707 renters living in 341,785 renter households in this County. Renters make up 43.94 percent of the population living in Philadelphia County.
What is the rental market like in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania?
There are an estimated 757,656 housing units in the Philadelphia County area. Of these, 366,564 units are rental homes, making up 48 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Philadelphia County?
The rental vacancy rate in Philadelphia County is 5 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in Philadelphia County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Philadelphia County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35,289 | 101,328 | 101,648 | 86,452 | 12,205 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Philadelphia County
A large number of apartments in Philadelphia County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Philadelphia County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 49 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 28 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Philadelphia County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $1,303 to $2,422. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $1,303 |
| One BR | $1,451 |
| Two BR | $1,737 |
| Three BR | $2,100 |
| Four BR | $2,422 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Philadelphia County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 23,265 | 66 percent |
| One BR | 69,716 | 69 percent |
| Two BR | 59,298 | 58 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
How many affordable rental units are in Philadelphia County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 15,890 |
| Public Housing | 12,182 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 9,307 |
| Mod Rehab Project-Based Rental Assistance | 307 |
| Section 236 Rental Assistance | 16 |
| Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly | 2,394 |
| Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities | 256 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County features 24,738 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
There are 10,546 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Philadelphia County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Philadelphia County landlords $700 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Philadelphia County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,563 and $1,911.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
