Winter Home Emergency Index · 2026 edition
Philadelphia, PA: 46th of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches
Philadelphia has 13.4 typical December–February searches for furnace, frozen-pipe and emergency plumber help per 1,000 households, 1.1x the median city (12.3). That's less than its normal winter cold predicts (0.84x), 67th of 99 cities on this measure.
Winter in Philadelphia
- Search demand typically peaks in January, when it runs 2.47x the city's yearly average.
- 18% of winter searches are for urgent problems: burst or frozen pipes, no heat, emergency furnace repair.
- Emergency plumber searches add up to about 11.3 per 1,000 households a year.
- A normal December–February brings 2,605 heating degree days at Philadelphia International Airport.
Homes in Philadelphia
- The median home was built in 1949.
- 84% of homes were built before 1980.
- 70% of households heat with gas and 24% with electricity.
- 52% of households own their home.
- 669,222 households in city limits (ACS 2023).
Philadelphia ranks 84th in the Summer AC Emergency Index. See Philadelphia's summer page.
About these numbers
Search demand from Google Ads, Oct 2022 to Sep 2026, for 30 heating and plumbing terms. Each month uses the median of that calendar month across four years. "Philadelphia" is the location as Google Ads defines it; households are city limits. This measures searches, not breakdowns or claims. Full methodology.
Cite: Home Stats Data, "Philadelphia, PA ranks 46th of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches," October 24, 2026, https://homestatsdata.com/plumbing/frozen-pipe-statistics/philadelphia-pa/