Colwyn, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, 2007
Colwyn’s story
328 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,226 in 1900, 2,474 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1919 and 4 maps from 1894 on.
- 1698Colwyn is settled
ColwynPA
Population
2,465
2025 Census estimate · −0.3% since 2020
Median home value
$128K
Census ACS
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
27.7
years
Jobs based here
291
A commuter town
Is Colwyn a good place to live?
Colwyn’s best subject grades are an A+ for walkability and an A− for history; its weakest is a D− for health. 21% of the land in Colwyn is conserved, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 8.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Only 130 of Pennsylvania’s 1,717 towns score lower on civic life. Colwyn has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Colwyn stand out
Where Colwyn beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns
25.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
0historic places
HistoryA−
Settled in 1698
A long history
A history going back 328 years.
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
2 better7 too close to call17 worse
| Widest gap | Colwyn | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 10.4% | 5.8% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 98% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
How Colwyn grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Colwyn is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.4 of 20; 29.5% of households have no carA+Open →HealthMercy Catholic Medical Center- Mercy Fitzgerald 1.3 miles awayD−Open →SchoolsC−Open →Jobs & income291 jobs based hereC−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $128K, 1.4 years of the Philadelphia metro’s $91K median household incomeC+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsB+Open →History1 notable person born hereA−Open →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 251 attractions →Lincoln Financial Field and 175 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Colwyn. Close and well known come first.
Big draw5 mi Stadium & arenaLincoln Financial Field
Big draw7 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
Big draw4 mi Stadium & arenaXfinity Mobile Arena
Big draw6 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a year
Big draw6 mi MuseumEastern State Penitentiary
4 mi Park & preserveSchuylkill RiverSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lincoln Financial Field: The original uploader was Betp at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Xfinity Mobile Arena: Jen Smith, CC BY 3.0 · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain · Schuylkill River: Emy111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Colwyn: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Colwyn, and how to reach them.
PowerPECO Energy18.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAqua Pa Main System1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offSanitation Convenience Center, 2 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDelaware County Bureau of ElectionsDelaware County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code1902319023 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Colwyn.
HealthD−
A larger share of adults report frequent mental distress in Colwyn than in most of Pennsylvania or the rest of the country
Only 5 of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Colwyn. Among adults here, 54% sleep under 7 hours, against 38% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns. Colwyn: just over a quarter of adults smoke cigarettes. Against the Pennsylvania average, Colwyn comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 26, and behind on 17.
2%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Colwyn | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 19% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 17% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 17% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
2 better7 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Colwyn | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.5% | 8.8% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.3% | 18.3% |
| More uninsured adults | 10.4% | 5.8% |
Mercy Catholic Medical Center- Mercy Fitzgerald
1.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC−
Public schools in Colwyn fall behind 85% of Pennsylvania districts
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to William Penn SD. Colwyn’s only public school teaches 135 students.
15%of PA districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colwyn El SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 135 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
More of Colwyn’s residents live below the poverty line than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
Colwyn’s median household income stands at $47,000. Among 1,036 Pennsylvania towns, just 8 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Colwyn. Half commute less than 7 miles. The top destinations are Philadelphia (31%), Lower Merion Township (4%) and Upper Darby Township (3%).
1%work in town
| Colwyn | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 35% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Colwyn1%
Philadelphia31%
Lower Merion Township4%
Upper Darby Township3%
Newtown Township2%
7 mi
median commute distance
291
jobs based in Colwyn
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
20.9%conserved
20.9%
conserved · 34 of 165 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bosacco Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
The climate in Colwyn brings four seasons and pleasant summers
In Colwyn, the peak summer temperature is 88°F.
23″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–44°
Spring44–64°
Summer66–85°
Fall49–67°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Apr 2
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Colwyn faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in Colwyn than in 52% of U.S. communities. The town has had 90 paid flood insurance claims since 1981. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Colwyn after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2021.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHeat waves
90
paid flood claims since 1981
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C+
Homes in Colwyn sell for about $150K
Among households in Colwyn, 45% are owner-occupiers. Its going rate for rent comes in at $1,277 a month.
$150Kmedian sale price
| Colwyn | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 45% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,277 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Colwyn
19pages on Colwyn
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
41 within 15 miles of the center of Colwyn
Walnut Hill CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Philadelphia3.8 mi$29,499 tuitionCommunity College of PhiladelphiaCommunity college · Public · Philadelphia5.8 mi$4,632 in-state tuitionTemple UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Philadelphia7 mi$23,011 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Colwyn residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Colwyn for work
Where Colwyn’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
291jobs based in Colwyn
1%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Colwyn
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Colwyn is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Colwyn had a population of 2,474.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1698
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 59 ft
Colwyn’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Colwyn.
PhiladelphiaSharon HillDarbyDarby TownshipColwyn
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colwyn | — | — | C+ | — | C− | D− |
| Philadelphia | #1011 | D | B− | D− | D | C |
| Sharon Hill | #1015 | D | C+ | C | D | D |
| Darby · Darby Township | #1032 | D− | B− | D | C− | D− |
Colwyn has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Colwyn reports no FBI crime data of its own. Darby Township and Darby are one community, graded once. Compare Colwyn with a neighbor →
Questions about Colwyn
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Colwyn, PA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $128,000, 55% below the Pennsylvania typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.