The Town FilesPenn, Pennsylvania
Township in York County · population 17,487 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,500
- Household income
- $85,199
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 40.1
Penn is a township of 17,487 people in York County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $240,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 80% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 79% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Penn 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 is worth $240,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $85,199, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,404 a month. 83.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penn | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,404 | $996 |
| Median household income | $85,199 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Penn
| People | Penn | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Penn
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 21.2°F. About 44.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 7, 1980 about 9.5 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 32 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 22, 2024.
Severe weather in York County since 1996
York County has been included in 21 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 |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in York County
York County had 182,614 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,427 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Penn itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Towns near Penn
- Parkville, PA1.0 mi · 8,263 people · home $222,400
- Hanover, PA1.4 mi · 16,429 people · home $212,800
- McSherrystown, PA3.0 mi · 3,077 people · home $176,100
- Heidelberg, PA3.2 mi · 3,031 people · home $312,000
- Conewago, PA3.2 mi · 7,875 people · home $239,800
- West Manheim, PA3.8 mi · 9,072 people · home $299,700
- Union, PA5.5 mi · 3,076 people · home $334,700
- Oxford, PA5.5 mi · 5,936 people · home $243,600
Penn questions
Is Penn, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penn scores better for retirees than 24% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 24%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Penn?
The median owner-occupied home in Penn is valued at $240,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,199, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,404 a month.
What is the weather like in Penn?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 21.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.1 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Penn get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 7, 1980. 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)