The Town FilesVandergrift, Pennsylvania
Borough in Westmoreland County · population 5,075 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $93,900
- Household income
- $50,901
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 36.1
Vandergrift is a borough of 5,075 people in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $93,900, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 85% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Vandergrift 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 Vandergrift is worth $93,900, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $50,901, which is more affordable than 93% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $794 a month. 54.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vandergrift | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $93,900 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $794 | $996 |
| Median household income | $50,901 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 54.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Vandergrift
| People | Vandergrift | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 19.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Vandergrift
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 45.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vandergrift since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 3, 1980 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 8, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 9, 2001.
Severe weather in Westmoreland County since 1996
Westmoreland County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County had 129,350 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,519 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Vandergrift itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Public schools in Vandergrift
3 public schools with 2,024 students, about 18.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiski Area HS | 9-12 | 1,086 | 20.9 |
| Kiski Area IHS | 7-8 | 524 | 18.7 |
| Kiski Area East Primary Sch | K-4 | 414 | 14.3 |
Towns near Vandergrift
- Allegheny, PA3.5 mi · 8,328 people · home $231,900
- Kiskiminetas, PA5.2 mi · 4,605 people · home $178,900
- Washington, PA6.0 mi · 6,883 people · home $236,200
- Lower Burrell, PA7.6 mi · 11,758 people · home $198,600
- Harrison, PA7.9 mi · 10,157 people · home $154,400
- Brackenridge, PA8.6 mi · 3,240 people · home $94,800
- South Buffalo, PA9.4 mi · 2,709 people · home $246,000
- New Kensington, PA9.5 mi · 12,170 people · home $142,000
Vandergrift questions
Is Vandergrift, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vandergrift scores better for retirees than 10% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 6%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Vandergrift?
The median owner-occupied home in Vandergrift is valued at $93,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,901, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $794 a month.
What is the weather like in Vandergrift?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.6 inches of precipitation a year and 28.6 inches of snow.
Does Vandergrift get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vandergrift since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 3, 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)