Lower Merion, PA housing market
Home prices around Lower Merion have risen about 44% over the past 5 years. Builders were permitted 442 new homes in 2025.
Home values, sales, trends and how Lower Merion compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Home prices up 44% in 5 years
The federal house price index for the ZIP codes around Lower Merion rose 44% over the past 5 years, slower than across Pennsylvania (48%). Last year prices rose 5%. Carrying the Census median home value forward with that index puts the typical Lower Merion home at roughly $1,254,000 today.
Show as a table
| Year | Change that year | Since 2000 | Pennsylvania since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +5% | +170% | +164% |
| 2024 | +4.2% | +158% | +152% |
| 2023 | +9.1% | +147% | +138% |
| 2022 | +11% | +127% | +122% |
| 2021 | +9.1% | +105% | +96% |
| 2020 | +2.7% | +88% | +79% |
| 2019 | +4.6% | +83% | +72% |
| 2018 | +2.3% | +75% | +66% |
| 2017 | +3.6% | +71% | +59% |
| 2016 | +1.1% | +65% | +53% |
| 2015 | −0.1% | +63% | +49% |
| 2014 | +5.2% | +63% | +46% |
| 2013 | +1.9% | +55% | +43% |
| 2012 | +0.1% | +52% | +42% |
| 2011 | −2.8% | +52% | +45% |
| 2010 | −2.7% | +56% | +48% |
| 2009 | −3.4% | +61% | +52% |
| 2008 | +0.1% | +66% | +57% |
| 2007 | +2.8% | +66% | +59% |
| 2006 | +4.9% | +62% | +55% |
| 2005 | +11% | +54% | +44% |
| 2004 | +13% | +39% | +29% |
| 2003 | +5.8% | +23% | +17% |
| 2002 | +8.5% | +16% | +12% |
| 2001 | +6.8% | +6.8% | +6.2% |
| 2000 | — | — | — |
Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (annual, developmental) for ZIP codes 19035, 19010, 19096, 19085, 19004, 19072 and 3 more, covering 80% of Lower Merion’s land, weighted by land area. It tracks repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, so it shows how prices changed, not what homes cost. The estimated value scales the Census (ACS 2020-2024) median home value by that change.
442 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 442 new homes in Lower Merion in 2025: 12 single-family houses and 430 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $140.2 million to build. That's 6.9 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Pennsylvania (2). Over the past 10 years, Lower Merion has permitted 2,217 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Lower Merion gained 5,808 residents while 1,363 new homes were permitted: about 4.3 new residents per new home. Population grew faster than building, so existing homes filled up: a sign of tight supply. Across Pennsylvania: 1.4 new residents per new home.
How Lower Merion ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 366 | 10 | 356 | $103.4 million |
| 2025 | 442 | 12 | 430 | $140.2 million |
| 2024 | 236 | 19 | 217 | $114.8 million |
| 2023 | 69 | 14 | 55 | $35.6 million |
| 2022 | 27 | 27 | 0 | $27.7 million |
| 2021 | 17 | 17 | 0 | $18.3 million |
| 2020 | 243 | 17 | 226 | $66.3 million |
| 2019 | 291 | 26 | 265 | $61.8 million |
| 2018 | 317 | 26 | 291 | $63.1 million |
| 2017 | 275 | 34 | 241 | $49.6 million |
| 2016 | 300 | 42 | 258 | $66.5 million |
| 2015 | 27 | 27 | 0 | $12.3 million |
| 2014 | 27 | 27 | 0 | $10.6 million |
| 2013 | 41 | 41 | 0 | $18.2 million |
| 2012 | 31 | 31 | 0 | $10.8 million |
| 2011 | 28 | 28 | 0 | $7.9 million |
| 2010 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $14.5 million |
| 2009 | 21 | 21 | 0 | $14 million |
| 2008 | 32 | 22 | 10 | $21.3 million |
| 2007 | 41 | 41 | 0 | $29.2 million |
| 2006 | 64 | 64 | 0 | $27.6 million |
| 2005 | 102 | 49 | 53 | $32.5 million |
| 2004 | 53 | 53 | 0 | $32.1 million |
| 2003 | 43 | 43 | 0 | $23.2 million |
| 2002 | 37 | 37 | 0 | $19.6 million |
| 2001 | 36 | 36 | 0 | $21.3 million |
| 2000 | 62 | 48 | 14 | $23.4 million |
How Lower Merion ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Lower Merion and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Merion | — | +5%† | $2,360 | 442 | $176,512 |
| Philadelphia | $234K | +0.1% | $1,730 | 3,366 | $61,953 |
| Haverford | — | +5.2%† | $1,970 | 5 | $131,674 |
| Radnor | — | +6.5%† | $2,480 | 19 | $164,359 |
| West Conshohocken | $511K | +3.2% | $2,500 | 1 | $139,375 |
| Whitemarsh | — | +4.3%† | $2,230 | 35 | $148,970 |
| Upper Merion | — | +5.5%† | $2,490 | 266 | $121,985 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
4.6 years of income
The typical Lower Merion home costs about 4.6 years of the town's median household income, more than across Pennsylvania (3.7 years).
How Lower Merion ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $2,360
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Lower Merion is $2,360 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Lower Merion pay a median of $1,893, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 16% of the town's median household income.
Studio $1,820 · 4 bedrooms $3,160
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (19003, 19004, 19010, 19035, 19041, 19066 and 3 more; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Price trend: Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.