What kinds of homes are in Philadelphia, PA?

Name: Types of homes in Philadelphia, PA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Philadelphia, PA has 748,270 (±241) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 5,571 homes per square mile of land.

8.5% are detached single-family houses.

14.4% are in buildings of two to four units.

21.1% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 748,270 (±241)
Detached houses: 8.5%
2–4 unit buildings: 14.4%
5+ unit buildings: 21.1%

Homes in Philadelphia by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Philadelphia	Philadelphia County	Pennsylvania	United States
Single-family, detached	8.5% (±0.3 points)	8.5%	56.6%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	55.6% (±0.5 points)	55.6%	18.8%	6.2%
2 units	7.9% (±0.3 points)	7.9%	4.3%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	6.5% (±0.3 points)	6.5%	4.0%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	3.5% (±0.2 points)	3.5%	3.1%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	2.5% (±0.2 points)	2.5%	2.6%	4.3%
20 or more units	15.1% (±0.3 points)	15.1%	7.0%	10.3%
Mobile home	0.4% (±0.1 points)	0.4%	3.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%

In Philadelphia, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is not measurably different from Philadelphia County (21.1%).

It is also higher than in Pennsylvania (12.7%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Philadelphia

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Philadelphia
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Philadelphia	—	21.1% (±0.4 points)	—
Oak Lane	3.4 mi	8.5% (±4.7 points)	Lower
Melrose Park	3.8 mi	7.0% (±6.6 points)	Lower
Cheltenham Village	4.3 mi	4.1% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Elkins Park	4.7 mi	30.7% (±6.9 points)	Higher
Cheltenham Township	4.8 mi	26.2% (±2.9 points)	Higher
Pennsauken Township	4.9 mi	10.1% (±1.8 points)	Lower
Bala Cynwyd	5.0 mi	36.6% (±5.8 points)	Higher
Palmyra Borough	5.2 mi	14.3% (±4.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Oak Lane, PA (8.5%), Melrose Park, PA (7.0%), Cheltenham Village, PA (4.1%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Elkins Park, PA (30.7%), Cheltenham Township, PA (26.2%), Bala Cynwyd, PA (36.6%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Philadelphia

How many homes are in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia, PA has an estimated 748,270 (±241) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Philadelphia houses or apartments?

8.5% are detached houses and 55.6% attached houses, while 35.5% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Philadelphia?

14.4% of homes in Philadelphia are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Philadelphia city, Pennsylvania

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Philadelphia city, Pennsylvania (place:60000, in state:42).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.