City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Media, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Media - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,868
Residents
$86,219
Median income
$398,400
Median home
$1,810
Median rent (state)

Media - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Media lands in the 68th percentile for household income and the 37th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

68th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
37th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Media, PA

Media is a small town in Pennsylvania, home to 5,868 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Media households earn a median of $86,219 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.1%. Typical homes in Media are valued around $398,400, and the median resident age is 43.0 years. About 63.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 69.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 5 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 67% from five years earlier. Media reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1793.9 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Pennsylvania scores 97.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,810 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Pennsylvania's average monthly utility costs around $260 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

5,868 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$86,219 /yr

Poverty 0.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Media compare to other US cities?

Media measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 68% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 37% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Pennsylvania and the picture shifts: Media ranks #337 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Media's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Pennsylvania, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

68thIncome percentile
37thSafety percentile

68th percentile nationally for median household income · 37th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Media's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Media's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 43 Avg. percentile National median
Media's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Media's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$398,400 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Media $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Media, PA Media, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Media, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Media, PA median $86,219/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Media, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Media, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 63.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,868
Median Income
$86,219
Median Home Value
$398,400
Median Age
43.0
Poverty Rate
0.1%
Labor force participation
69.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
63.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1793.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
205.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1588.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,800 residents5,850 residents5,900 residents5,950 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,889 residents 5,920 residents ▲ +0.5%
Media's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 0
2021 0
2022 11
2023 6
2024 5

Permit volume increased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
62.4%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
6.6%
Walk
3.7%
Work from Home
19.6%

Based on 3,692 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Media sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,810/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Stroudsburg
5,898 people
McKees Rocks
5,827 people
Enola
5,913 people
Norwood
5,915 people
Clearfield
5,918 people
Shippensburg
5,811 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Media's 5,868 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hightstown, NJ
5,869 people
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
5,869 people
Spring Grove, IL
5,866 people
East Farmingdale, NY
5,866 people
Willow Springs, IL
5,871 people
Estherville, IA
5,865 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Media's $86,219 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Burbank, WA
$86,221 median income
La Grange, KY
$86,222 median income
Nelsonia, VA
$86,228 median income
Diamondhead, MS
$86,208 median income
Anderson, AL
$86,250 median income
Galena, AK
$86,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Media, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Media, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% White 82.3% Black or African American 3.1% Asian 4.5% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 2.4% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 5.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Media compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Media (this city) 5,868 $86,219
Stroudsburg 5,898 $60,868
McKees Rocks 5,827 $33,510
Enola 5,913 $68,131
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Media, PA?

What is the population of Media, PA? +

Media, PA has a population of 5,868 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Media, PA? +

The median household income in Media is $86,219 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Media? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Media; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

Is Media, PA safe? +

Media has a total crime rate of 1793.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Media, PA? +

The median home value in Media is $398,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.