The Town FilesUpper Merion, Pennsylvania
Township in Montgomery County · population 33,613 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $455,300
- Household income
- $121,985
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 37.5
Upper Merion is a township of 33,613 people in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $455,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 94% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Upper Merion ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Upper Merion is worth $455,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $121,985, which is more affordable than 15% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $2,087 a month. 55.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Upper Merion | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $455,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $2,087 | $996 |
| Median household income | $121,985 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 55.1% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Upper Merion
| People | Upper Merion | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.4% | — |
| Work from home | 29.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 89.0% |
Weather in Upper Merion
July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.3 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Merion since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 22, 1955 about 5.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 1, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 3, 1967.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 505,821 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $88,412 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Upper Merion itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Towns near Upper Merion
- King of Prussia, PA0.4 mi · 24,695 people · home $436,200
- Bridgeport, PA2.2 mi · 5,015 people · home $341,100
- West Norriton, PA2.8 mi · 16,201 people · home $312,900
- Norristown, PA3.1 mi · 35,748 people · home $213,900
- Wayne, PA3.5 mi · 7,160 people · home $713,300
- St. Davids, PA3.5 mi · 3,604 people · home $1,001,600
- Audubon, PA3.8 mi · 8,688 people · home $460,900
- Tredyffrin, PA4.0 mi · 31,927 people · home $709,700
Upper Merion questions
Is Upper Merion, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Upper Merion scores better for retirees than 24% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 18%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Upper Merion?
The median owner-occupied home in Upper Merion is valued at $455,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $121,985, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $2,087 a month.
What is the weather like in Upper Merion?
July highs average 88.8°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 25.3 inches of snow.
Does Upper Merion get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Merion since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 22, 1955. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)