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Life in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore Reviews Pennsylvania Message Board
City/State
Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Swarthmore?
Jessica reports in this review:
WeatherHow much crime?What are the neighborhoods like?What are the people like?
The summer months are mild. The town sits inland off the east coast, and maintains a relatively stable humidity throughout the year. In winter months, Swarthmore is noticeably warmer than nearby Philadelphia. The town has many open spaces such as parks and gardens; sunlight isn't blocked by skyscrapers and high-rises. Plus, the wind doesn't tend to get trapped along building-encased metropolis corridors the way it does in Philadelphia or NYC.Crime is low. Swarthmore's small population of approximately 6k is comprised of upper-middle class and wealthy families. It maintains a strong intellectual and fine arts culture, mostly due to the influence of a handful of elite colleges. Most crime is drug- or alcohol-related: underaged students trying to purchase alcohol, driving while intoxicated, or using illicit drugs. Violent crime and fatality due to crime are both extremely rare.The town of Swarthmore is quite homogenous. The overwhelming majority of residents are white, upper middle class professionals. Within the colleges there is wide ethnic diversity, however class stratification remains tights. Areas to the west of Swarthmore: West Philadelphia; Chester, PA; and South Philadelphia,are home to poor or working class communities. All three of these areas have high rates of gang activity and violent crime. Since it doesn't share a public transit system with Philadelphia or Chester, Swarthmore is somewhat geographically isolated from those areas. As a consequence, residents are insulated from most of the effects of criminal activity in neighboring towns.Young , liberal middle class or upper middle class college students will feel most at home. Families with two professional working parents and school aged children also will feel quite comfortable. Hippies, activists, and others with left-leaning politics will fit in. Older people, particularly people of color or the conservative-leaning, are not likely to feel at home. Immigrants hailing from the educated elite in their native land will fit well; whereas those immigrating from resource poor communities are lovely to experience some cultural clashes.
Downtown AreaRestaurantsSchoolsSingle life
There is no downtown area in the traditional sense. There's Main Street, which serves as a kind of living museum, featuring antique shops, the original post office, and a few business services such as Kinko's FedEx. For shopping, there's Springfield mall. It's a large complex housing department stores, specialty shops, and restaurants.I prefer the restaurants along the South Street Corridor in Philadelphia. Swarthmore restaurants are almost exclusively of the "family dining" variety: Applebee's and a Ruby Tuesday and such.The public schools are good. Teachers enjoy higher than average compensation. Schools tends to offer lots of rich extracurricular activities, and much family social lifer evolves around school functions and activities.I'd be disinclined to move to Swarthmore as a single in my mid-twenties or older. In order to really feel home at Swarthmore, you need to be rooted in so,e family relationships or institutional setting. Most activity is geared toward families, couples, or students. Singles tend to prefer Philadelphia for social and recreational outlets.
Noisetown comparison vs.Best hospitalTourist attractions
Occasionally you hear planes coming in to the international airport.Philadelphia has a much more urban metropolis feel. It's got higher population density, more class and economic diversity, and better public transportation. It also has a higher crime rate, a higher cost of living, and all the noise and crowds that make city life kind of annoying. I prefer the quite openness of Swarthmore's green spaces. If you're the type of person who needs a good strong dose of "the real world," you may find Swarthmore a bit too permissive and strange.The nearest full service hospital is Riddle Memorial Hospital, located in the nearby town of Media, PA. It's a mid sized hospital known for strong support staff and good administrative support.Favored tourist attractions include the Scott Arboretum, Renato's Pizza, the Swarthmore Town Center, and historic mansions and estates.
General comments   
Swarthmore is a haven for young liberals and progressive intellectuals. It's a very permissive culture, permeated by the institutions of higher learning to which it is home. Residents are generally polite and hospitable. The grocery stores source organic, locally grown produce at premium prices. People ride bikes and walk a lot. Residents sometimes exude a sense of entitlement and pride over this cherished status as a small town. Children are well-integrated into the community: attending cultural events, present when their parents host, and familiar with their neighbors. It's a great town for young adults and/or young families.   
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania population: 6194

How many black people live in Swarthmore? How many white people?
Number of White People5113Percentage of White people82.5%
Number of Black People384Percentage of Black people6.2%
Number of Hispanic People337Percentage of Hispanic people5.5%
Number of Asian People608Percentage of Asian people9.8%
Number of American Indian People54Percentage of American Indian people0.9%

Note: Numbers may add up to >100% because some people are more than one race.

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Percent college grads: 80.9%
Percent grad school grads: 57.7%
Unemployment rate: 2.5
Median house value: 432500
Median income: 119342


How many singles in Swarthmore?

Single men ages 20-34Single women ages 20-34Ratio of single men to women age
20-34
4415890.75men for each woman
Single men ages 35-44Single women ages 35-44Ratio of single men to women age
35-44
17550.31men for each woman
Single men ages 45-54Single women ages 45-54Ratio of single men to women age
45-54
61870.7men for each woman


Crimes in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
CrimesAbsolute numbersAverage percentage chance of being a victim in
by typeof crimesOne YearFive Years
Murders00%0%
Robberies00%0%
Aggr. Assault00%0%
Burglary211%5%
Auto Theft10%0%

Weather History for Swarthmore, Pennsylvania


Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Basic Temperatue and Weather (30 year averages)
MonthNumber of Days below zero (degrees)Number of Days 0-20's (degrees)Number of Days 20's (degrees)Number of Days 30's (degrees)Number of Days 40's (degrees)Number of Days 50's (degrees)Number of Days 60's (degrees)Number of Days 70's (degrees)Number of Days 80's (degrees)Number of Days 90's+ (degrees)
January00003100000
February00002900000
March00008230000
April00000426000
May00000032800
June00000005250
July00000000310
August00000000310
September000000020100
October00000025600
November00000255000
December00003100000
Average year000099525959970
How many days and how much precipitation and snow for Swarthmore, Pennsylvania?

Number of days of rain
(.1 inch or greater)
total rainfallNumber of days of snow
(.5 inch or greater)
Total snowfall
January53.0326.5
February52.6538.8
March6312
April6300
May6300
June6300
July6400
August5300
September5300
October5300
November6200
December6313
Average year7141922
Realistic temperatures, taking into account precipitation, amount of sunlight during the day, winds during the day, and humidity during hot days.

MonthNumber of Days below zero (degrees)Number of Days 0-20's (degrees)Number of Days 20's (degrees)Number of Days 30's (degrees)Number of Days 40's (degrees)Number of Days 50's (degrees)Number of Days 60's (degrees)Number of Days 70's (degrees)Number of Days 80's (degrees)Number of Days 90's+ (degrees)
January00310000000
February00280000000
March005121400000
April000010155000
May00000028300
June00000008220
July00000000265
August000000001813
September00000039144
October000001061500
November00042420000
December00274000000
Average year009120482742358022


How many hot humid days a year does Swarthmore, Pennsylvania have?
How many cloudy days a year does Swarthmore, Pennsylvania have?
How many sunny days a year does Swarthmore, Pennsylvania have? How sunny is it?
How many windy days a year does Swarthmore, Pennsylvania have? How windy is it?
See below for the answers!
MonthNumber of hot, humid daysNumber of very windy daysNumber of windy daysNumber of somewhat windy daysNumber of calm daysNumber of clear daysNumber of moderately cloudly daysNumber of somewhat cloudy daysNumber of very cloudy days
January03100082712
February02800072611
March03100082712
April03000082711
May01516007499
June25030007497
July31027408596
August31092208596
September10028209477
October00310010378
November02370083710
December03100073712
Average year971891482801014696118


(Note: Humidity, wind, and cloudcover information is based on (a) 30 year averages and in many cases (b) a large nearby weather station. If you're in an area with a lot of "micro climates" actual conditions may vary.)


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Sources of information: Census, FBI Crime Statistics, NOAA
Disclaimer: The information presented here are for the general population, assume the same rate of crime in the future, and an evenly distributed amount of crime throughout the city in question. They are not meant to accurately predict whether one person in particular will be a victim of crime. Percentages are based on the population of the city/town in question, except for burglaries, which are based on the number of households.