The Town FilesSugarloaf, Pennsylvania
Township in Luzerne County · population 3,846 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $300,500
- Household income
- $102,955
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 41.6
Sugarloaf is a township of 3,846 people in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $300,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 89% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Sugarloaf 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 Sugarloaf is worth $300,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $102,955, which is more affordable than 48% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,378 a month. 83.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sugarloaf | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $300,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,378 | $996 |
| Median household income | $102,955 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.1% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sugarloaf
| People | Sugarloaf | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Sugarloaf
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 53.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sugarloaf since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 1, 2006 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 17, 2007.
Severe weather in Luzerne County since 1996
Luzerne County has been included in 23 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Luzerne County
Luzerne County had 145,190 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,901 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Sugarloaf itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Sugarloaf
1 public school with 910 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley El/MS | K-8 | 910 | 13.6 |
Towns near Sugarloaf
- West Hazleton, PA3.9 mi · 5,163 people · home $151,800
- Hazle, PA5.0 mi · 10,160 people · home $206,000
- Butler, PA6.6 mi · 9,485 people · home $252,900
- Hazleton, PA7.1 mi · 29,963 people · home $151,600
- Salem, PA8.7 mi · 4,027 people · home $200,600
- Berwick, PA9.1 mi · 10,327 people · home $156,500
- Freeland, PA10.3 mi · 3,833 people · home $118,000
- Briar Creek, PA11.4 mi · 2,982 people · home $189,500
Sugarloaf questions
Is Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sugarloaf scores better for retirees than 64% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 30%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Sugarloaf?
The median owner-occupied home in Sugarloaf is valued at $300,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $102,955, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,378 a month.
What is the weather like in Sugarloaf?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 42.2 inches of snow.
Does Sugarloaf get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sugarloaf since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 1, 2006. 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)