Chestnut Hill sits at the top of Northwest Philadelphia, where Germantown Avenue reaches its highest point before crossing into Montgomery County. The architecture is a near-complete catalog of Victorian-era ambition (stone Victorians, Queen Annes, shingle-style houses on generous lots), and the commercial district along Germantown Ave operates more like a small-town main street than a city neighborhood strip.
The Wissahickon Valley runs along its western edge with access via numerous trailheads. Regional rail puts Center City about 25 minutes away. It’s one of those places where people arrive and decide to stay.
Talk to Henry| Median list price (Oct 2026) | $975,000 |
|---|---|
| Sold median (Oct 2026) | $757,500 |
| Homes listed (Oct 2026) | 11 |
| Homes sold (Oct 2026) | 16 |
| Pended (Oct 2026) | 8 |
| Listed volume (Oct 2026) | $11.8M |
| Sold volume (Oct 2026) | $13.3M |
| Listed median (Oct 2026) | $549,000 |
| Average days on market | 42 days |
| Zip code | 19118 |
| Region | Northwest Philadelphia |
Based on information from Bright MLS for 10/1/2026 through 10/31/2026; data is reliable but not guaranteed.
Boundary and reference data from OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the ODbL.
Lines are scaled to each metric’s own range to compare trend shape. Hover any month for actual values.
All Data From Bright MLS. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
| Month | Units listed | Listed volume | Listed median | Pended | Units sold | Sold volume | Sold median | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov '25 | 4 | $5.7M | $1.24M | 6 | 14 | $19.1M | $1.18M | 42 days |
| Dec '25 | 8 | $10.7M | $775k | 4 | 11 | $11.9M | $925k | 36 days |
| Jan '26 | 9 | $10.3M | $765k | 4 | 6 | $7.5M | $988k | 5 days |
| Feb '26 | 7 | $6.3M | $835k | 5 | 2 | $4.1M | $2.05M | 14 days |
| Mar '26 | 11 | $15.3M | $925k | 6 | 7 | $10.9M | $1.02M | 36 days |
| Apr '26 | 18 | $27.8M | $1.14M | 7 | 9 | $10.7M | $920k | 5 days |
| May '26 | 23 | $31.2M | $995k | 8 | 6 | $10.9M | $2.06M | 10 days |
| Jun '26 | 21 | $23.1M | $875k | 9 | 8 | $8.4M | $775k | 15 days |
| Jul '26 | 7 | $5.7M | $570k | 3 | 12 | $16.5M | $1.19M | 12 days |
| Aug '26 | 4 | $4.5M | $1.01M | 4 | 9 | $8.3M | $700k | 23 days |
| Sep '26 | 18 | $21.1M | $898k | 12 | 6 | $6.0M | $800k | 31 days |
| Oct '26 | 11 | $11.8M | $549k | 8 | 16 | $13.3M | $758k | 42 days |
Based on information from Bright MLS for 11/1/2025 through 10/31/2026; data is reliable but not guaranteed.
Germantown Avenue through Chestnut Hill is a must-visit commercial corridor. Independent boutiques, restaurants worth the drive from anywhere in the city, a year-round farmers market, and holiday decorations that brings out half the neighborhood.
Chestnut Hill has some of the most architecturally significant residential stock in Philadelphia. Stone singles and twins from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, some designed by architects whose names still carry weight. The lots are generous, the construction is heavy, and the details, slate roofs, original hardware, patterned tile, still show up in houses that have been standing for 120 years.
The neighborhood has direct access to Wissahickon Valley Park trails along its western edge. Community events throughout the year, and two regional rail lines, Chestnut Hill East and Chestnut Hill West, connect to Center City. The Wissahickon trail system runs along the western border of the neighborhood.
Chestnut Hill closed 16 sales in October at a median of $757,500, down from September’s $799,500. Sixteen closings is the most of any month in the past year, so this median rests on more sales than most, though the monthly figure has still ranged from $700,000 to $2,065,000 over 12 months. At the end of October, 27 homes were listed at a median asking price of $975,000, down from $1,295,000 a month earlier. With so few homes listed, a few high-priced listings coming or going can move that median a long way.
October closings averaged 42 days on market, up from 31 in September, and the 16 sales split between quick and slow. Six went under agreement within a week and six took 60 days or more, including one at 173. Cumulative days on market, which also counts earlier listing periods for the same home, read 48, because one of the 16 had been listed before and brought back.
September’s 12 new agreements helped fill October’s closings, and the flow into the pipeline has slowed since. Eight homes went under agreement in October, down from 12, and 11 came to market, down from 18, while inventory slipped to 27 from 30. Bright lists about 4.5 months of supply, which divides those 27 homes by September’s six closings. At October’s 16 closings the same homes would sell in about 1.7 months, so one busy month can move this figure a lot.
Based on information from Bright MLS for 10/1/2026 through 10/31/2026; data is reliable but not guaranteed.
The T3 Home Demand Index (HDI) measures buyer urgency relative to available supply, scored against each market’s 2019 activity. Bright MLS reads below 70 as limited demand; 70–89 slow; 90–109 steady; 110–129 moderate; 130 and above high. Updated monthly.
The Philadelphia metro HDI held at 78 in October 2026, which keeps it in the Slow tier. T3 revised September’s reading to 78 from 77, so the month was flat. October 2025 now stands at 84, which puts the index six points below where it was a year ago.
Under that flat number, the segments moved in opposite directions. Luxury condos rose 20 points to 110, which moved them into the Moderate tier, though that segment had only 47 sales last month. Luxury single-family homes gained six points to 67 and stayed Limited. Entry-level single-family fell four points to 76, and entry-level condos fell four points to 95. Mid-range single-family fell three points to 69, which moved it from Slow into Limited, and townhouses, the metro’s largest segment, held at 87. All six segments are below their October 2025 levels.
Mortgage rates stayed high through the month. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average peaked at 7.40 percent in mid-October, and by October 29 it had eased to 7.24 percent. A year earlier it was 6.17 percent. The Fed held its own rate on October 28, and my October market update covers what that means for mortgage rates.
Source: Bright MLS T3 Home Demand Index · homedemandindex.com · All 34 data points sourced from monthly report pages.
Chestnut Hill closed 16 sales in October 2026 at a median of $757,500. That’s down from $799,500 in September. A handful of high-end sales can swing that number hard in any month, so the active listings are a useful second gauge. Twenty-seven homes were on the market at the end of October, at a median list price of $975,000.
In October 2026, Chestnut Hill closings averaged 42 days on market, up from 31 in September. The month’s 16 sales split between quick and slow: six went under agreement within a week and six took 60 days or more. Eight homes went under agreement during the month, down from 12.
Chestnut Hill is served by two SEPTA Regional Rail lines, Chestnut Hill East and Chestnut Hill West, which connect to Center City in approximately 25 minutes. The neighborhood also has direct trail access to Wissahickon Valley Park along its western edge.
Chestnut Hill falls within the 19118 zip code in Northwest Philadelphia. It borders Mt Airy (19119) to the south and Springfield Township, Montgomery County to the north and west, with Germantown Avenue serving as its main commercial corridor.
Chestnut Hill has significant architecture, a main-street commercial corridor and direct access to the Wissahickon. The October 2026 median list price was $975,000. Six of October’s 16 sales went under agreement within a week. Whether it fits depends on what you’re after, and I’m glad to talk it through.
The two neighborhoods are next-door neighbors along Germantown Avenue but sit at different price points. Chestnut Hill skews higher, with grander stone singles, generous lots, and a more polished commercial stretch. Mt Airy is generally more accessible on price, with greater housing variety and a more eclectic feel. Buyers often weigh the two, and since I cover both, I can help you compare them directly.
Chestnut Hill has some of the most architecturally significant housing in Philadelphia. Stone Victorians, Queen Annes, shingle-style homes, and large detached singles dominate, many built between the 1880s and the early 1900s and set on generous lots. Slate roofs, original hardware, and patterned tile still show up in homes that have stood for over a century. There are also condos and smaller homes at the lower end of the range.
My brokerage office sits at 8400 Germantown Avenue, in the heart of Chestnut Hill. I’m on the Avenue nearly every day.
Chestnut Hill is a market I know in detail. If you’re considering buying or selling here, I’d be glad to talk through what you’re looking for.
