The Town FilesEmerald Lakes, Pennsylvania
Community in Monroe County · population 2,895 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $264,800
- Household income
- $103,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 42.3
Emerald Lakes is a community of 2,895 people in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $264,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 81% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Emerald Lakes 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 Emerald Lakes is worth $264,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $103,500, which is more affordable than 64% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,161 a month. 86.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Emerald Lakes | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $264,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,161 | $996 |
| Median household income | $103,500 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 25.0% | — |
Who lives in Emerald Lakes
| People | Emerald Lakes | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.2% | — |
| Work from home | 16.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 89.0% |
Weather in Emerald Lakes
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 50.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Emerald Lakes since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 13, 1972 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 56,939 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,536 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Emerald Lakes itself the ACS puts it at 11.6%.
Public schools in Emerald Lakes
1 public school with 1,486 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocono Mountain West HS | 9-12 | 1,486 | 13.5 |
Towns near Emerald Lakes
- Mount Pocono, PA3.9 mi · 3,089 people · home $241,100
- Tunkhannock, PA5.1 mi · 7,037 people · home $220,100
- Tobyhanna, PA5.7 mi · 8,315 people · home $257,900
- Pocono, PA5.9 mi · 10,884 people · home $288,300
- Jackson, PA6.1 mi · 6,578 people · home $320,500
- Sierra View, PA6.5 mi · 4,907 people · home $252,600
- Coolbaugh, PA7.3 mi · 20,805 people · home $208,400
- Paradise, PA7.3 mi · 2,899 people · home $280,500
Emerald Lakes questions
Is Emerald Lakes, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Emerald Lakes scores better for retirees than 7% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 38%. 5.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Emerald Lakes?
The median owner-occupied home in Emerald Lakes is valued at $264,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $103,500, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,161 a month.
What is the weather like in Emerald Lakes?
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.2 inches of precipitation a year and 37.6 inches of snow.
Does Emerald Lakes get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Emerald Lakes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 13, 1972. 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)