How Much Space Does Your Rent Dollar Get You In Montco?

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Unaffordable rent has long plagued the nation, and the affluent Philadelphia suburbs, chock full of alarming income inequality, are no exception.

The average that renters pay a month in Pennsylvania's 57 largest cities is $1,400. In some places that amount will get you a tiny studio, in other places, you might find a whole townhouse.

On average, in Pennsylvania cities, you'll get 890 square feet of living space for $1,400. That's 7 percent more space for the price than in the 100 most populous U.S. cities, according to Rent Cafe.
The last year of social distancing and staying inside way more than most of us wanted to, many renters are looking for better deals and more space, according to Rent Cafe Blog. But where exactly in Montgomery County would renters get the most bang for their buck?

Conshohocken appears to be one of the priciest deals, on average. Monthly rent of $1,400 will get you 759 square feet. Nearby, King of Prussia (767) and Elkins Park (773) aren't far behind in terms of price per square feet.

On the cheaper end, $1,400 a month will get 992 square feet in Pottstown, 902 in Norristown, and 898 in Lansdale.

The Philly metro areas that offer the least space for $1,400 are Philadelphia, where you'll get 676 square feet, Wynnewood, where you'll get 685 square feet, and Bryn Mawr, at 742 square feet.

The places across Pennsylvania that offer the most square footage for $1,400 are Greensburg where you'll get 1,540 square feet, followed by Oakdale at 1,364 square feet, and Carlisle where you'll get 1,294 square feet.

Here's a list of Philly areas, in order of rent cost, with the number of square feet $1,400 buys, according to Rent Cafe:

• Philadelphia (676)
• Wynnewood (685)
• Bryn Mawr (742)
• Conshohocken (759)
• Media (764)
• West Chester (766)
• King of Prussia (767)
• Malvern (773)
• Elkins Park (773)
• Longhorne (786)
• Doylestown (798)
• Jenkintown (801)
• Phoenixville (812)
• East Norriton (821)
• Exton (825)
• Levittown (831)
• Seccane (831)
• Willow Grove (854)
• North Wales (857)
• Plymouth Meeting (859)
• Downingtown (890)
• Bensalem (893)
• Lansdale (898)
• Feasterville Trevose (899)
• Norristown (902)
• Upper Darby (915)
• Drexel Hill (925)
• Morrisville (933)
• Horsham (957)
• Warminster (967)
• Pottstown (992)

With reporting from Patch correspondent Marlene Lang.