The Town FilesWashington, Pennsylvania
Township in Franklin County · population 14,897 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $268,000
- Household income
- $78,477
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 44.1
Washington is a township of 14,897 people in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $268,000, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250).
How Washington 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 Washington is worth $268,000, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $78,477, which is more affordable than 25% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,107 a month. 80.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Washington | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $268,000 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,107 | $996 |
| Median household income | $78,477 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Washington
| People | Washington | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 12.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 89.0% |
Weather in Washington
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 26, 2011 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 7, 2023.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 20 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 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 60,414 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,554 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Washington itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Washington
- Wayne Heights, PA0.9 mi · 2,606 people · home $250,100
- Waynesboro, PA1.3 mi · 10,951 people · home $188,600
- Quincy, PA4.2 mi · 5,318 people · home $276,900
- Smithsburg, MD6.7 mi · 2,977 people · home $337,500
- Antrim, PA8.4 mi · 15,778 people · home $311,700
- Paramount-Long Meadow, MD8.6 mi · 2,658 people · home $374,200
- State Line, PA8.9 mi · 2,804 people · home $289,800
- Carroll Valley, PA9.1 mi · 3,940 people · home $300,500
Washington questions
Is Washington, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Washington scores better for retirees than 30% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 46%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Washington?
The median owner-occupied home in Washington is valued at $268,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,477, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,107 a month.
What is the weather like in Washington?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 33.0 inches of snow.
Does Washington get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 26, 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)