The Town FilesPunxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Borough in Jefferson County · population 5,769 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $99,000
- Household income
- $42,183
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 44.4
Punxsutawney is a borough of 5,769 people in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $99,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 89% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Punxsutawney 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 Punxsutawney is worth $99,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $42,183, which is more affordable than 79% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 52.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Punxsutawney | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $99,000 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $775 | $996 |
| Median household income | $42,183 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 52.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Punxsutawney
| People | Punxsutawney | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Punxsutawney
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 45.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Punxsutawney since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 5.5 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 55 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 2, 2025.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 14,437 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,283 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Punxsutawney itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Punxsutawney
2 public schools with 1,878 students, about 10.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punxsutawney Area El Sch | K-6 | 1,068 | 10.8 |
| Punxsutawney Area HS | 7-12 | 810 | 9.6 |
Towns near Punxsutawney
- Winslow, PA7.9 mi · 2,546 people · home $144,800
- Reynoldsville, PA11.4 mi · 2,549 people · home $95,400
- Brookville, PA16.1 mi · 3,995 people · home $133,200
- DuBois, PA16.8 mi · 7,510 people · home $123,600
- Rayne, PA17.4 mi · 2,786 people · home $217,000
- Green, PA18.0 mi · 3,414 people · home $91,100
- Sandy, PA19.0 mi · 11,848 people · home $228,100
- Cowanshannock, PA19.5 mi · 2,741 people · home $169,400
Punxsutawney questions
Is Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Punxsutawney scores better for retirees than 88% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 20%. 27.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Punxsutawney?
The median owner-occupied home in Punxsutawney is valued at $99,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,183, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Punxsutawney?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.7 inches of precipitation a year and 44.4 inches of snow.
Does Punxsutawney get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Punxsutawney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 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)