Is Philadelphia a Cash-Flowing Section 8 Market?
Philadelphia is a Mixed-grade Section 8 market in our FY2026 data, which means cash flow is selective rather than automatic. Voucher demand is deep and the median 3-bed voucher sits around $1,780/mo, supporting roughly $178,000 on a 1% basis. But prices have run, so this is a screen-the-listing market, not a buy-the-block one.
The honest catch: rising prices plus Philadelphia's transfer tax have squeezed the easy spread, and at 1.4% property tax the carry adds up even though insurance is a light 0.5%. The winning deals are still here — they're just fewer and need underwriting. Screen any Philly listing free on CloseHound before you offer.
Philadelphia HUD Section 8 voucher rents by ZIP (FY2026)
Official HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents — the voucher ceiling a landlord can collect in each ZIP, by bedroom count.
| ZIP code | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4-bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19120 | $1,470/mo | $1,760/mo | $1,970/mo |
| 19121 | $1,570/mo | $1,880/mo | $2,100/mo |
| 19124 | $1,400/mo | $1,680/mo | $1,870/mo |
| 19132 | $1,420/mo | $1,700/mo | $1,900/mo |
| 19133 | $1,280/mo | $1,530/mo | $1,710/mo |
| 19134 | $1,530/mo | $1,830/mo | $2,050/mo |
| 19138 | $1,560/mo | $1,870/mo | $2,090/mo |
| 19139 | $1,500/mo | $1,800/mo | $2,010/mo |
| 19140 | $1,460/mo | $1,750/mo | $1,950/mo |
| 19142 | $1,520/mo | $1,820/mo | $2,030/mo |
Source: HUD FY2026 SAFMR. CloseHound underwrites live listings against these exact ceilings.
Strong voucher demand but prices + transfer tax have risen — selective deals only.
More Section 8 markets in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Section 8 FAQ
What's the Section 8 voucher rent for a 3-bed in Philadelphia?+
The median FY2026 3-bedroom voucher in our Philadelphia ZIPs is about $1,780/mo, with most ZIPs falling between $1,530 and $1,880/mo. The figure varies by ZIP, so screen the specific address.
Is Philadelphia a good Section 8 market for cash flow?+
We grade it Mixed — selective. Voucher demand is strong, but prices and transfer tax have risen, so cash-flowing deals exist but aren't the rule. Cherry-pick rather than carpet-screen.
What price does the Philadelphia voucher support?+
On a 1% rule basis, the $1,780/mo median voucher supports roughly $178,000. Above that, your cash-on-cash thins quickly once 1.4% property tax and the transfer tax are factored in.
How do I find cash-flowing Section 8 deals in Philadelphia?+
Run each listing through CloseHound: it pulls the ZIP-level FY2026 voucher rent and scores cash-on-cash after Philadelphia's 1.4% tax and 0.5% insurance. In a Mixed market, screening every deal is how you catch the few that work.
Screen Philadelphia deals free
See which Philadelphia listings actually cash-flow on the voucher — underwritten and ranked by Deal Score.
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