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County data shows decade-long jump in Narberth home prices; borough plans Feb. 26 open house on housing
Summary
Montgomery County staff told the Narberth Planning Commission that inflation-adjusted median sale prices rose sharply between 2014 and 2023, with a county presentation showing a 2023 Narberth median of $753,000; the commission is preparing an interactive Feb. 26 open house to review data and gather community feedback.
A Montgomery County planning staff member presented borough-level sales and affordability figures to the Narberth Planning Commission on Feb. 2, warning that small annual sample sizes make local medians volatile but that the borough has seen substantial real-dollar increases over the last decade.
The county planner said the borough’s inflation-adjusted median sales price climbed substantially between 2014 and 2023, and that "in 2023 Narberth actually had the highest median sale price in the entire county at $753,000," a result the presenter described as "very surprising." The planner also noted a roughly 32% increase in the decade-long comparison and two notable spikes around 2020–2021 and 2022–2023; the presenter cautioned the commission that fewer than 70 unit sales per year in Narberth produce year-to-year volatility.
Chair Adam Kron emphasized that the commission will use the county’s data at a public open house scheduled for Feb. 26, and said the event will be organized as an interactive drop-in session. "We want to have several different stations," he said, describing maps, data posters and sticky-note feedback so residents can both learn the facts and leave written responses. The commission asked that draft questions for outreach be ready for staff and social posts by the end of the week.
Commissioners asked the county presenter about data reliability (sample size, dollar-per-square-foot comparisons and MLS fields) and about how mortgage-interest-rate changes affect affordability. Commissioners and staff agreed to supply 2025 sales updates (including recent multifamily completions) and ACS rental statistics for the open-house materials.
What happens next: staff and Montgomery County Planning Commission will circulate draft posters and the specific public prompts before Feb. 26; the open house will run as an informational and feedback-gathering event rather than a formal public hearing.
