Photo: Ugen64 at English Wikipedia · Public domain76 homes sold in Swarthmore in the last year, at a typical $797K
Houses and condos split the market almost evenly. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Swarthmore homes are listed.
Every place Swarthmore homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Swarthmore.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Half of Swarthmore’s sales are condos, at $210K less than a house
33 houses and 41 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster. Condos draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 33 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $338PA $183
- Days to sell
- 43
- Sold over asking
- 45%
- Listings with a price cut
- 63%
typical sale · 41 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $444PA $261
- Days to sell
- 117
- Sold over asking
- 54%
- Listings with a price cut
- 19%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 1 sold, typical $250K
Townhouses: 3 sold, typical $544K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at twice the 2016 price
76 sales in the last year, against 83 in 2012 and a low of 56 in 2023. The typical sale went from $394K in 2016 to $797K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $800K buys in Swarthmore
Check a listing against what Swarthmore homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Swarthmore are more common than before the pandemic, but 20% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Swarthmore’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 76 sales.
If you’re buying in Swarthmore
- Shop in March. It brings about 10 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (27% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 101.9% of the list price on average; 52% paid over.
- Move fast on good ones. Half of homes are under contract within two weeks.
Spring brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
April has the most new listings (about 11 a month), but November is the most competitive: 49% of November sales close over asking. March offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (27%). December has the least competition (23%) but only about 2 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and hotter than Pennsylvania
| Swarthmore now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | PA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 52% | 16% | 51% | 30% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 53% | 34% | 64% | 45% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 101.9% | 97.4% | 101.9% | 98.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 74 | 50 | 27 | 39 |
14 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 3.8 times the 2022 low (4), 20% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2012’s 34.
Since 2019, houses are up 94%, condos 549%
A house typically sold for $928K in the year to May 2026 (33 sales), a condo for $718K (41).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Swarthmore ranks 25th of 264 busy Pennsylvania markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Swarthmore is one of the state’s hottest markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Five things worth knowing
New listings in April
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 2.
Best time to buySchools
The schools grade for Swarthmore, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in SwarthmoreTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Swarthmore.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Nether Providence Township, Folsom, Morton, Woodlyn, Ridley Park and Media sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Swarthmore, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nether Providence Township | 213 | $495K | $252 | 35% | 43 |
| Woodlyn | 94 | $340K | $242 | 38% | 36 |
| Folsom | 85 | $339K | $236 | 42% | 42 |
| Ridley Park | 82 | $362K | $208 | 53% | 27 |
| Swarthmore | 76 | $797K | $423 | 52% | 74 |
| Media | 73 | $501K | $319 | 25% | 52 |
| Morton | 22 | $339K | $201 | 33% | 43 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Swarthmore, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Swarthmore. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Swarthmore with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Swarthmore
What do homes sell for in Swarthmore, PA?
76 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $797K, $423 a square foot. Houses sold for about $928K, condos for about $718K in the year to May 2026.
Is Swarthmore a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 21 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 5 sold, about 3.7 months of supply. Buyers paid 101.9% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Swarthmore?
April brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
Where can I see homes for sale in Swarthmore?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Swarthmore’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Swarthmore.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).