The Town FilesPenn Forest, Pennsylvania
Township in Carbon County · population 9,926 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,100
- Household income
- $67,045
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 49.5
Penn Forest is a township of 9,926 people in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $250,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 80% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Penn Forest 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 Penn Forest is worth $250,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $67,045, which is more affordable than 15% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,326 a month. 89.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penn Forest | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,326 | $996 |
| Median household income | $67,045 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 31.8% | — |
Who lives in Penn Forest
| People | Penn Forest | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 11.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 42.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Penn Forest
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 51.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn Forest since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 29, 1981 about 9.7 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 16 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 17, 2007.
Severe weather in Carbon County since 1996
Carbon County has been included in 18 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| June 30, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1649: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Carbon County
Carbon County had 16,676 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,741 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Penn Forest itself the ACS puts it at 9%.
Towns near Penn Forest
- Polk, PA6.8 mi · 7,473 people · home $262,400
- Towamensing, PA7.0 mi · 4,427 people · home $249,400
- Indian Mountain Lake, PA7.0 mi · 4,733 people · home $208,100
- Franklin, PA7.2 mi · 4,356 people · home $234,700
- Tunkhannock, PA9.1 mi · 7,037 people · home $220,100
- Lower Towamensing, PA10.0 mi · 3,046 people · home $232,400
- Lehighton, PA10.0 mi · 5,248 people · home $213,600
- Weatherly, PA10.1 mi · 2,541 people · home $163,200
Penn Forest questions
Is Penn Forest, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penn Forest scores better for retirees than 52% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 80%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.5).
How much does a house cost in Penn Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Penn Forest is valued at $250,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,045, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,326 a month.
What is the weather like in Penn Forest?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.9 inches of precipitation a year and 33.0 inches of snow.
Does Penn Forest get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 29, 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)