The Town FilesNorthampton, Pennsylvania
Borough in Northampton County · population 10,395 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $235,200
- Household income
- $90,762
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 43.0
Northampton is a borough of 10,395 people in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $235,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 86% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Northampton 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 Northampton is worth $235,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $90,762, which is more affordable than 64% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,174 a month. 70.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Northampton | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $235,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,174 | $996 |
| Median household income | $90,762 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 70.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1941 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Northampton
| People | Northampton | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Northampton
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 47.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Northampton since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 26, 1981 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 17, 2007.
Severe weather in Northampton County since 1996
Northampton County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Northampton County
Northampton County had 120,976 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,298 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Northampton itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Northampton
4 public schools with 4,341 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton Area HS | 9-12 | 1,854 | 14.8 |
| Northampton Area MS | 6-8 | 1,235 | 14.9 |
| Colonel John Siegfried El Sch | K-5 | 805 | 13.6 |
| Catasauqua SHS | 9-12 | 447 | 10.6 |
Towns near Northampton
- Coplay, PA1.3 mi · 3,348 people · home $215,800
- Allen, PA1.4 mi · 5,456 people · home $330,300
- North Catasauqua, PA1.8 mi · 2,971 people · home $254,800
- Hokendauqua, PA2.1 mi · 3,340 people · home $256,100
- Whitehall, PA2.3 mi · 29,173 people · home $262,100
- Egypt, PA2.4 mi · 2,588 people · home $343,200
- Catasauqua, PA2.8 mi · 6,518 people · home $209,900
- East Allen, PA3.5 mi · 5,013 people · home $325,600
Northampton questions
Is Northampton, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Northampton scores better for retirees than 30% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 17%. 17.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Northampton?
The median owner-occupied home in Northampton is valued at $235,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,762, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,174 a month.
What is the weather like in Northampton?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 33.1 inches of snow.
Does Northampton get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Northampton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 26, 1981. 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)