The Town FilesLawnton, Pennsylvania
Community in Dauphin County · population 4,967 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $222,600
- Household income
- $84,861
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 39.2
Lawnton is a community of 4,967 people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $222,600, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 86% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Lawnton 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 Lawnton is worth $222,600, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $84,861, which is more affordable than 64% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $999 a month. 71.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lawnton | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $222,600 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $999 | $996 |
| Median household income | $84,861 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lawnton
| People | Lawnton | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.5% | — |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lawnton
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawnton since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 31, 1985 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 27, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 1, 1976.
Severe weather in Dauphin County since 1996
Dauphin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Dauphin County
Dauphin County had 190,296 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,012 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Lawnton itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Lawnton
- Swatara, PA1.4 mi · 27,824 people · home $214,400
- Rutherford, PA1.6 mi · 5,765 people · home $214,200
- Colonial Park, PA2.4 mi · 16,243 people · home $231,100
- Progress, PA2.8 mi · 11,168 people · home $202,500
- Penbrook, PA2.8 mi · 3,274 people · home $168,100
- Steelton, PA3.1 mi · 6,263 people · home $134,800
- Paxtonia, PA3.6 mi · 5,450 people · home $249,900
- Lower Paxton, PA3.6 mi · 53,501 people · home $284,700
Lawnton questions
Is Lawnton, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lawnton scores better for retirees than 8% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 16%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Lawnton?
The median owner-occupied home in Lawnton is valued at $222,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,861, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $999 a month.
What is the weather like in Lawnton?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 23.9 inches of snow.
Does Lawnton get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawnton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 31, 1985. 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)