The Town FilesCentre, Pennsylvania
Township in Perry County · population 2,529 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $242,200
- Household income
- $90,243
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 52.1
Centre is a township of 2,529 people in Perry County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $242,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 75% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Centre ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Centre is worth $242,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $90,243, which is more affordable than 59% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $954 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Centre | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $954 | $996 |
| Median household income | $90,243 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Centre
| People | Centre | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 35.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Centre
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 43.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Centre since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 21, 1967 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 30, 1999.
Severe weather in Perry County since 1996
Perry County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Perry County
Perry County had 7,903 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,701 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Centre itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Centre
- Carroll, PA4.9 mi · 5,238 people · home $259,700
- Saville, PA6.1 mi · 2,597 people · home $279,000
- Wheatfield, PA7.7 mi · 3,203 people · home $242,600
- North Middleton, PA10.6 mi · 12,039 people · home $253,500
- Schlusser, PA11.0 mi · 6,806 people · home $241,000
- Penn, PA11.3 mi · 3,098 people · home $216,400
- Middlesex, PA11.5 mi · 7,021 people · home $234,200
- Walker, PA11.9 mi · 2,790 people · home $206,900
Centre questions
Is Centre, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Centre scores better for retirees than 42% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 75%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.1).
How much does a house cost in Centre?
The median owner-occupied home in Centre is valued at $242,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,243, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $954 a month.
What is the weather like in Centre?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.7 inches of precipitation a year and 26.6 inches of snow.
Does Centre get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Centre since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 21, 1967. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)