Media and surrounding areas see slow growth, but experts indicate ongoing demand in Delaware County.
The latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that the population in the Media area is experiencing modest growth, with the borough and its surrounding municipalities reflecting a collective increase of less than 1% between 2023 and 2024. Notably, Middletown Township has emerged as a leading exception, contributing a significant 2% rise in its population, a trend attributed to the completion of two major housing developments.
Middletown Township added 344 residents over the period from July 2023 to July 2024, bringing its total population to 17,317. Other nearby communities also experienced slight increases: Nether Providence gained 104 residents for a total of 14,559; Upper Providence grew by 73 residents, now numbering 10,937; Swarthmore welcomed 37 new residents, reaching a total of 6,596; Media increased by 48, bringing its population to 5,938; and Rose Valley saw a modest rise of five residents, resulting in a total of 1,020.
Amid these stability trends in greater Media, the surge in Middletown Township’s population appears anomalous. The township experienced nearly 6% growth from 2020 to 2024, a contrast to the slow growth rates observed in the surrounding region. The recent housing boom in Middletown is largely rooted in the development of the Pond’s Edge community, which introduced 197 townhomes, and the Franklin Station project on the erstwhile Franklin Mint site, contributing 38 single-family homes and 229 additional townhomes.
The facilitating factors for this uptick include long-planned housing developments that have finally come to fruition, representing years of strategic planning. The area’s growth dynamics have shifted away from sprawling residential conversions to more innovative reconfigurations of existing sites, including the development of the Promenade at Granite Run.
Despite some localized post-pandemic growth, Delaware County as a whole continues to face challenges with housing supply, with the slower growth outpacing many neighboring communities. For instance, between April 2020 and July 2024, Philadelphia’s suburbs collectively gained over 60,000 residents as many fled the city due to pandemic-related changes. In contrast, Delaware County has been identified as “supply constrained,” primarily due to its comparatively lower rate of new residential developments. In 2022, Delaware County issued only 371 new residential building permits, a stark contrast to the thousands issued in neighboring counties.
The average home values in the region reflect persistent affordability issues. As of the latest data, the Zillow Home Value Index reported an average home value of approximately 4,685 in the 19063 zip code, encompassing Media and its neighbors, marking a 2.5% increase from the previous year. In contrast, Delaware County as a whole posted an average home value of 5,007, just 1.8% higher year-on-year. This landscape presents a challenge for attracting and retaining young talent, with experts indicating that unaffordable housing may deter the demographic groups essential to fostering economic vibrancy and innovation in the region.
As the demand for housing continues to rise, stakeholders in Delaware County are closely monitoring development trends in hopes of facilitating further growth and improving accessibility for prospective residents.
