Borough · Pennsylvania
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Downingtown, borough, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Downingtown had 8,384 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,892 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,255 (±24). GEOID 4219752.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,384
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,892 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,255 ±24
Median household income
$96,228
±$8,481 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$353,800
±$18,133 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$1,518
±$133 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Downingtown and what county is it in?
Downingtown is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It covers 2.2 square miles of land, 3,607 residents per square mile in 2020.
Downingtown is in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Downingtown, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,384 people lived in Downingtown on July 1, 2025, up 6.6% since 2020, faster than Pennsylvania (+0.4%). The 2020 Census counted 7,892 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,255 (±24).
| Measure | Downingtown | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,255 ±24 | 547,840 | +329 |
| Households | 3,526 ±225 | 204,774 | +351 |
| Average household size | 2.31 ±0.15 | 2.60 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,697 ±234 | 212,491 | +333 |
Downingtown's population since 2000
From 7,589 in 2000 to 8,384 in 2025: up 10.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Downingtown as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Downingtown?
The median resident of Downingtown is 38.9 years old; 20.2% are under 18 and 13.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.1%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 15.3%. 16.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Downingtown | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 ±3.0 | 40.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.2% ±2.4 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.2% ±2.9 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 48.2% ±3.9 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.7% ±4.6 pts | 8.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.1% ±6.7 pts | 75.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.0% ±4.6 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 15.3% ±4.6 pts | 6.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±2.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.6% ±5.4 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.0% ±6.0 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.9% ±1.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
| With a disability | 10.3% ±2.7 pts | 9.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.5% ±2.6 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±1.3 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 49.2% ±5.6 pts | 57.1% | +13.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.0% ±4.5 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.0% ±4.1 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.6% ±2.0 pts | 1.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Downingtown earn?
Half of Downingtown's 3,526 households earn less than $96,228 a year (±$8,481), against $127,208 in Chester County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 the median was $81,650 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $14,578 after inflation. 5.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Downingtown | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $96,228 ±$8,481 | $127,208 | +$14,578 |
| Mean household income | $114,721 ±$13,023 | $168,861 | – |
| Per capita income | $50,750 ±$4,898 | $64,325 | +$8,339 |
| People below the poverty line | 5.6% ±2.9 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.3% ±7.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.7% ±3.8 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.9% ±2.1 pts | 97.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.0% ±2.4 pts | 94.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Downingtown?
Owners occupy 48.0% of Downingtown's occupied homes and renters 52.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $353,800 by its owner (±$18,133). The median renter pays $1,518 a month including utilities, and 31.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Downingtown | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $353,800 ±$18,133 | $485,600 | +$55,111 |
| Median gross rent | $1,518 ±$133 | $1,763 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.4% ±11.5 pts | 38.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,183 ±$133 | $2,660 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 48.0% ±6.6 pts | 75.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 52.0% ±6.6 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Housing units | 3,697 ±234 | 212,491 | +333 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.2% ±5.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 22.3% ±4.1 pts | 60.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 8.4% ±4.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.9% ±1.6 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.3% ±5.3 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.3% ±3.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Downingtown building?
Builders took permits for 55 new housing units in Downingtown in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 6.6 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Downingtown work and get to work?
73.3% of Downingtown's workers drive alone and 15.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.7%.
| Measure | Downingtown | Chester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 75.6% ±4.8 pts | 67.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% ±2.1 pts | 3.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 73.3% ±5.6 pts | 64.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.0% ±4.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.7% ±5.4 pts | 24.1% | +12.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.7 min ±3.0 | 26.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Downingtown?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Downingtown (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $84,700 (Tract 3041.02) to $96,941 (Tract 3041.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3041.01Chester County | 5,277 | $96,941 |
| Tract 3041.02Chester County | 2,978 | $84,700 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Downingtown) · Census block assignment files
How does Downingtown compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Downingtown is the 3,628th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 94th-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Downingtown ranks 503rd of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 94th | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 89th | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 292nd | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 503rd | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 417th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 320th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 290th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 1,260th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 264th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 1,707th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 2,041st | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 553rd | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,260th | 2,156 |
Downingtown's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare Downingtown with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Downingtown?
12 of the 57 figures for Downingtown on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Downingtown are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Downingtown.