The Town FilesUpper Allen, Pennsylvania
Township in Cumberland County · population 23,183 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $279,800
- Household income
- $99,197
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 37.5
Upper Allen is a township of 23,183 people in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $279,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for young professionals than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 86% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 85% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Upper Allen 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 Upper Allen is worth $279,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $99,197, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,525 a month. 73.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Upper Allen | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $279,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,525 | $996 |
| Median household income | $99,197 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Upper Allen
| People | Upper Allen | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Upper Allen
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Allen since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 28, 2011 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 1, 1976.
Severe weather in Cumberland County since 1996
Cumberland County has been included in 19 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Cumberland County
Cumberland County had 137,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,149 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Upper Allen itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Towns near Upper Allen
- Messiah College, PA1.5 mi · 2,841 people · home —
- Mechanicsburg, PA2.5 mi · 9,311 people · home $241,200
- Monaghan, PA3.3 mi · 2,675 people · home $315,600
- Lower Allen, PA3.5 mi · 20,099 people · home $260,400
- Monroe, PA5.0 mi · 6,230 people · home $359,400
- Carroll, PA5.2 mi · 6,853 people · home $354,500
- Camp Hill, PA5.2 mi · 8,130 people · home $316,300
- Lower Allen, PA5.3 mi · 7,465 people · home $263,200
Upper Allen questions
Is Upper Allen, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Upper Allen scores better for retirees than 64% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 15%. 21.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Upper Allen?
The median owner-occupied home in Upper Allen is valued at $279,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,197, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,525 a month.
What is the weather like in Upper Allen?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 23.9 inches of snow.
Does Upper Allen get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Allen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 28, 2011. 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)