The Town FilesFord City, Pennsylvania
Borough in Armstrong County · population 2,859 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $84,400
- Household income
- $57,971
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 46.5
Ford City is a borough of 2,859 people in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $84,400, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 85% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Ford City 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 Ford City is worth $84,400, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $57,971, which is more affordable than 97% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $906 a month. 65.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ford City | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $906 | $996 |
| Median household income | $57,971 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 65.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1942 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Ford City
| People | Ford City | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Ford City
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 44.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ford City since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on March 31, 2022 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 9, 2001.
Severe weather in Armstrong County since 1996
Armstrong County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| June 30, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1649: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Armstrong County
Armstrong County had 15,650 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,796 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Ford City itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Ford City
2 public schools with 1,289 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenape El Sch | K-6 | 696 | 13.4 |
| Lenape Technical School | 9-12 | 593 | 18.0 |
Towns near Ford City
- Manor, PA1.1 mi · 4,179 people · home $177,400
- North Buffalo, PA3.9 mi · 2,699 people · home $182,900
- Kittanning, PA4.2 mi · 3,921 people · home $101,300
- South Buffalo, PA6.4 mi · 2,709 people · home $246,000
- East Franklin, PA6.9 mi · 3,816 people · home $216,000
- Winfield, PA10.8 mi · 3,361 people · home $267,100
- Buffalo, PA11.5 mi · 7,900 people · home $320,700
- Vandergrift, PA12.0 mi · 5,075 people · home $93,900
Ford City questions
Is Ford City, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ford City scores better for retirees than 18% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 15%. 25.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Ford City?
The median owner-occupied home in Ford City is valued at $84,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,971, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $906 a month.
What is the weather like in Ford City?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.3 inches of precipitation a year and 35.6 inches of snow.
Does Ford City get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ford City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on March 31, 2022. 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)