The Town Files

Washington, Pennsylvania

City in Washington County · population 13,176 (2020 Census)

Map: where Washington is in PennsylvaniaWashington
Median home
$128,200
Household income
$52,975
Jan low / Jul high
20° / 83°
Snow a year
32 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
13
Median age
39.0

Washington is a city of 13,176 people in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $128,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks hipper than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 92% of Pennsylvania towns.

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.

Washington lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement5th pctFamilies3rd pctQuiet6th pctWalkability95th pctFirst-time buyers62nd pctYoung professionals84th pctVibrancy92nd pctHip & trendy96th pctCollege town75th pctUpscale21st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling82nd pctTransit73rd pctDriving13th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Washington is worth $128,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $52,975, which is more affordable than 75% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $910 a month. 44.6% of households own their home.

Washington vs Washington County vs typical Pennsylvania townWashingtonWashington CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$128,200$228,500$214,250Household income$52,975$78,958$75,278Monthly rent$910$949$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingWashingtonTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$128,200$214,250
Median rent$910$996
Median household income$52,975$75,278
Home value ÷ income2.4×2.8×
Homeownership44.6%81.5%
Median year built19421971
Seasonal / vacation homes1.0%—

Who lives in Washington

PeopleWashingtonTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age39.044.2
Age 65 and over15.5%21.1%
Under 1815.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher19.0%23.8%
Below the poverty line16.8%8.5%
Veterans7.7%—
Born outside the U.S.3.1%—
Work from home9.1%10.6%
Average commute18.7 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband90.7%89.0%

Weather in Washington

July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 20.0°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.

Washington monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°20°Jan40°22°Feb49°29°Mar63°40°Apr72°49°May80°58°Jun83°62°Jul83°60°Aug76°54°Sep64°43°Oct52°33°Nov41°26°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.39.92.57.53.56.13.30.64.14.53.63.53.63.03.11.83.36.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Washington 3 Ne station (3.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 21, 2021 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Washington by decade11950s01960s11970s21980s11990s02000s22010s62020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 12, 2023.

Severe weather in Washington County since 1996

Storm events in Washington County since 1996 by typeHail139Flood72Tornado19High Wind26Ice Storm8Lightning8Heavy Snow13Flash Flood146
NOAA Storm Events Database, Washington County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Washington County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 10, 2005HurricaneEM-3235: Hurricane Katrina
September 19, 2004Severe StormDR-1555: Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

Jobs and pay in Washington County

Washington County had 87,434 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,319 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Washington itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.

Largest industries in Washington CountyHealth care & social assistan…14,527 jobs · $55,709Manufacturing9,296 jobs · $74,860Retail9,087 jobs · $38,893Hotels & restaurants6,627 jobs · $23,057Construction6,596 jobs · $82,032Administrative & support4,264 jobs · $46,924
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Washington County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Washington 3.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Washington

10 public schools with 4,906 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Trinity SHS9-121,05014.4
Washington Park El SchK-684912.7
Trinity MS6-876113.6
Trinity West El SchK-541411.5
Trinity East El SchK-539214.5
Washington HS9-1239012.6
Trinity North El SchK-537712.6
Trinity South El SchK-527110.8
Joe Walker El SchK-520412.0
Washington Junior High School7-819811.6

Towns near Washington

Washington questions

Is Washington, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Washington scores better for retirees than 5% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 6%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.0).

How much does a house cost in Washington?

The median owner-occupied home in Washington is valued at $128,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,975, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $910 a month.

What is the weather like in Washington?

July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 20.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 31.9 inches of snow.

Does Washington get tornadoes?

13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 21, 2021. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Washington's Census boundary (GEOID 4281328). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.