Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Brookhaven grades B+ overall, 465th of 1032 graded towns in Pennsylvania, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $91K and residents are healthier than 80% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. It also does better than most on schools: its schools rank ahead of 75% of Pennsylvania towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $268K, 2.9 years of the Philadelphia metro’s $91K median household income. Brookhaven’s property crime rate is 20.3 per 1,000 residents, above both the Pennsylvania town median (5.7) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9). Brookhaven is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 81% of U.S. towns.
Where Brookhaven beats most towns.
Its founding year, 1682, comes before those of 97% of the Pennsylvania towns we grade with a known year.
Census counts: 1,042 in 1950, 8,300 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 6 maps from 1894 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Brookhaven is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Brookhaven. Close and well known come first.
Big draw15 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
Big draw12 mi Stadium & arenaLincoln Financial Field
Big draw12 mi Stadium & arenaXfinity Mobile Arena
Big draw14 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a year
Big draw13 mi MuseumEastern State Penitentiary
Big draw19 mi MuseumLynnewood HallUSS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Lincoln Financial Field: The original uploader was Betp at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Xfinity Mobile Arena: Jen Smith, CC BY 3.0 · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain · Lynnewood Hall: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brookhaven, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Brookhaven.
Brookhaven has less tooth loss than most of Pennsylvania and is safe by national standards but not by Pennsylvania’s.
Its widest gap with Pennsylvania is tooth loss: 7.9% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 14.5% statewide.
19% of adults binge drink in Brookhaven. Brookhaven beats the Pennsylvania average on 6 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of adults have obesity in Brookhaven.
| Brookhaven | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 19% | 19% |
| What stands out | Brookhaven | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.9% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 15.4% | 18.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by Penn-Delco SD. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coebourn El SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 319 | B |
| The Christian Academy PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 321 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Brookhaven for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs based in Brookhaven grew to 1,924 in 2023, 346 more than in 2013. 4.1% of Brookhaven residents live below the poverty line.
| Brookhaven | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
At 27.8 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 86% of Pennsylvania’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 204 to 175 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Brookhaven has chilly winters and warm summers. Brookhaven’s July high is 87°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 44% of residents (38% statewide). 33% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Pennsylvania.
| Brookhaven | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 29% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 20% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 21% | 18% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.9 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Brookhaven | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.1% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.9% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.9% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.2% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.9% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.5% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.4% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.6% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.4% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
| Brookhaven | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brookhaven Memorial Park | 0.3 mi | 7 |
| 2. Scott Park | 0.2 mi | 7 |
| 3. Eaton Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 53 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Brookhaven.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median rent in Brookhaven is $1,487 a month. The typical Brookhaven home is worth about $268,000, up 1.7% in a year, 7% below the Pennsylvania typical home.
| Brookhaven | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,487 a month | $1,114 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 85% | 78% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
33 within 15 miles of the center of Brookhaven
About 5 of every 100 Brookhaven residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
Where Brookhaven’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Brookhaven is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,300 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
9 towns share a border with Brookhaven.
Chester Township next door grades lower for schools (D to Brookhaven’s A−) and higher for cost of living (B to C).
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookhaven | #465 | B+ | C | C | A− | A− |
| Nether Providence Township | #15 | A+ | D | A | A+ | A+ |
| Middletown Township | #120 | A | D− | — | A+ | A |
| Village Green-Green Ridge | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Aston Township | #235 | A | C− | A− | A− | A− |
| Parkside | — | — | A− | — | A− | B− |
| Chester Township | #972 | C− | B | C− | D | B− |
| Upland | #988 | D | B+ | D | D | D |
Parkside has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Middletown Township and Parkside report no FBI crime data of their own. Village Green-Green Ridge isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Brookhaven with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Brookhaven grades B+ overall, better than 69% of U.S. towns and #465 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades A− for health, C for safety and A− for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
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