Census tract · Philadelphia County
Census Tract 242, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 242, GEOID 42101024200, in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, entirely within Philadelphia. 5,367 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±883); the 2020 Census counted 4,113.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,367
±883 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,113
Median household income
$55,123
±$28,691 (90% margin)
Philadelphia County: $61,953
Median home value
$228,900
±$38,148 (90% margin)
Philadelphia County: $243,100
Median gross rent
$936
±$284 (90% margin)
Philadelphia County: $1,397
Where is Census Tract 242?
Census Tract 242 is one of 408 census tracts in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. It covers 0.21 square miles of land, 20,063 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42101024200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 100% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 242: Tract 240 ($61,543), Tract 241, Tract 243 ($64,066), Tract 244 ($63,125), Tract 245 ($35,025) and Tract 246 ($55,978). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 242?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 242's population at 5,367 (±883) in 2,061 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,113 residents and 1,975 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 242 | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,367±883 | 1,579,706 |
| Households | 2,061±315 | 679,428 |
| Average household size | 2.56±0.39 | 2.26 |
| Housing units | 2,183±318 | 748,270 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 242?
The median resident of Census Tract 242 is 32.4 years old; 27.6% are under 18 and 10.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 71.9%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 17.7%.
| Measure | Tract 242 | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4±5.3 | 35.3 |
| Under 18 years | 27.6%±7.5 pts | 21.2% |
| 65 years and over | 10.2%±6.2 pts | 14.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.9%±3.7 pts | 15.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 17.7%±7.2 pts | 33.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 71.9%±10.0 pts | 38.3% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.6 pts | 7.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.6 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.6 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.1%±4.4 pts | 4.1% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.6 pts | 0.8% |
| Born outside the United States | 2.6%±3.1 pts | 15.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.1%±4.4 pts | 24.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.6%±1.7 pts | 3.7% |
| With a disability | 21.6%±5.7 pts | 17.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.9%±3.6 pts | 7.1% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.3%±5.5 pts | 87.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.2%±9.1 pts | 35.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.6%±4.6 pts | 15.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.1%±8.3 pts | 86.5% |
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 Census Tract 242 earn?
Half of the 2,061 households in Census Tract 242 earn less than $55,123 a year (±$28,691), against $61,953 across Philadelphia County: 221st highest of the county's 355 tracts with a reliable estimate. 28.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 242 | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,123±$28,691 | $61,953 |
| Mean household income | $70,468±$19,484 | $90,217 |
| Per capita income | $28,186±$6,981 | $38,905 |
| People below the poverty line | 28.4%±14.0 pts | 21.4% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 34.6%±27.1 pts | 29.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 36.5%±12.2 pts | 26.2% |
| Households with a computer | 89.9%±10.0 pts | 94.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.2%±11.3 pts | 89.1% |
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 Census Tract 242?
Owners occupy 38.0% of Census Tract 242's occupied homes and renters 62.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $228,900 by its owner (±$38,148). The median renter pays $936 a month including utilities, and 47.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 242 | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $228,900±$38,148 | $243,100 |
| Median gross rent | $936±$284 | $1,397 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.6%±21.3 pts | 44.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,543±$256 | $1,620 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 38.0%±9.6 pts | 51.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 62.0%±9.6 pts | 48.2% |
| Housing units | 2,183±318 | 748,270 |
| Single-family detached homes | 4.9%±3.8 pts | 8.5% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±1.5 pts | 0.4% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±1.5 pts | 1.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.4%±0.7 pts | 5.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 37.1%±11.9 pts | 39.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 45.1%±15.1 pts | 27.9% |
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 do people in Census Tract 242 get to work?
32.8% of Census Tract 242's workers drive alone and 23.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 37.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.5%.
| Measure | Tract 242 | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.2%±8.7 pts | 63.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.5%±6.0 pts | 8.1% |
| Drove alone to work | 32.8%±11.0 pts | 46.0% |
| Carpooled | 4.9%±4.4 pts | 7.8% |
| Public transportation | 29.7%±9.1 pts | 16.7% |
| Walked | 7.6%±5.5 pts | 7.1% |
| Worked from home | 23.6%±11.8 pts | 18.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.5 min±6.8 | 31.7 min |
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
How does Census Tract 242 compare with the other tracts in Philadelphia County?
Among Philadelphia County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 242 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Philadelphia County | In Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 83rd of 389 | 83rd of 389 |
| Residents per square mile | 178th of 408 | 178th of 408 |
| Median household income | 221st of 355 | 221st of 355 |
| Per capita income | 240th of 387 | 240th of 387 |
| Median home value | 201st of 369 | 201st of 369 |
| Median gross rent | 352nd of 377 | 352nd of 377 |
| Poverty rate | 105th of 321 | 105th of 321 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 199th of 347 | 199th of 347 |
| Median age | 294th of 390 | 294th of 390 |
| Owner-occupied share | 289th of 378 | 289th of 378 |
The tracts next to it on Philadelphia County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 267 | 218th | $55,613±$16,747 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 276 | 219th | $55,149±$12,619 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 172.02 | 220th | $55,147±$15,447 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 242 | 221st | $55,123±$28,691 |
| Tract 309 | 222nd | $55,000±$10,400 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 61 | 223rd | $54,246±$12,283 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 349 | 224th | $54,144±$15,818 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 242?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 242 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections