VarroExplore other towns

Norristown, PA

A town of about 35,893 people in Montgomery County, part of the Philadelphia area. Resident comments and photos are about Norristown; job numbers cover the wider area.

The Philadelphia area:College town · College teaching jobs 1.6x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Norristown

View north along U.S. Route northbound from the overpass for the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
View north along U.S. Route northbound from the overpass for the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania · Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Selma Mansion
Selma Mansion · Photo: Mjedmond, CC BY-SA 4.0
Simmons Park in Norristown, Pennsylvania
Simmons Park in Norristown, Pennsylvania · Photo: Montgomery County Planning Commission, CC BY-SA 2.0
Thaddeus Lowe House
Thaddeus Lowe House · Photo: Mjedmond, CC BY-SA 4.0
More towns near Norristown
Ranks the towns around it by your budget and what you love doing.
What locals say

Loading what residents say about Norristown...

Where it is
Norristown
Norristown in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Norristown's center.

28
grocery stores
174
restaurants
27
coffee shops
98
parks
87
playgrounds
8
libraries
3
movie theaters
6
live theaters
3
museums
9
bookstores
17
gyms
21
bars
13
pharmacies
8
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Norristown.

Bike lanes and bike paths
52 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
82 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 7,471 rented homes in Norristown, 90% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 23%
$1,000 to $1,499: 40%
$1,500 to $1,999: 27%
$2,000 to $2,499: 8%
$2,500 to $2,999: 2%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Norristown rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Pennsylvania: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Pennsylvania DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Pennsylvania voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

21 public school districts in this county, with about 107,759 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Norristown Area Sd · Norristown
7,805 students · 15.4 students per teacher · 12 schools · grades K to 12
North Penn Sd · Lansdale
12,912 students · 13.5 students per teacher · 17 schools · grades K to 12
Abington Sd · Abington
8,543 students · 14.4 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades K to 12
Lower Merion Sd · Ardmore
8,523 students · 11.2 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades K to 12
Spring-Ford Area Sd · Royersford
7,953 students · 13.2 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Pennsylvania keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Pennsylvania →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

52 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Norristown. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Montgomery County Community College · Blue Bell
Public, 2-year (community college) · 8,895 students · $6,270 in-district, $16,230 out-of-state
American College of Financial Services · King of Prussia
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 4,204 students
Arcadia University · Glenside
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,142 students · $48,290 a year
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington · Abington
Public, 4-year · 3,095 students · $15,240 in-state, $25,388 out-of-state
Gwynedd Mercy University · Gwynedd Valley
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,165 students · $38,995 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$389,524
What a typical home sells for across the Philadelphia area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
29 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,529 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in PA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
8 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
15.2 per 100,000 people a year
134 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. PA average: 21 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 6.1 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 534 people without housing in the Lower Merion, Norristown, Abington/Montgomery County area: 475 in shelters and 59 outside, up from 467 in 2024. PA: 11.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$111,521
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.41% of home value a year
About $1,410 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.07%
PA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

More towns in Pennsylvania →

Did this page help you decide whether to visit Norristown, PA or cross it off?