The Town Files

Washington, Pennsylvania

Township in Westmoreland County · population 6,883 (2020 Census)

Map: where Washington is in PennsylvaniaWashington
Median home
$236,200
Household income
$83,587
Jan low / Jul high
20° / 83°
Snow a year
29 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
16
Median age
51.2

Washington is a township of 6,883 people in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $236,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 82% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 82% 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 townsRetirement82nd pctFamilies82nd pctQuiet62nd pctWalkability33rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals33rd pctVibrancy30th pctHip & trendy48th pctCollege town58th pctUpscale64th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit47th pctDriving45th 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 $236,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $83,587, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,020 a month. 87.8% of households own their home.

Washington vs Westmoreland County vs typical Pennsylvania townWashingtonWestmoreland CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$236,200$203,500$214,250Household income$83,587$74,109$75,278Monthly rent$1,020$879$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingWashingtonTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$236,200$214,250
Median rent$1,020$996
Median household income$83,587$75,278
Home value ÷ income2.8×2.8×
Homeownership87.8%81.5%
Median year built19741971
Seasonal / vacation homes1.5%—

Who lives in Washington

PeopleWashingtonTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age51.244.2
Age 65 and over30.0%21.1%
Under 1819.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher26.8%23.8%
Below the poverty line7.5%8.5%
Veterans10.6%—
Born outside the U.S.0.7%—
Work from home18.7%10.6%
Average commute31.6 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband88.9%89.0%

Weather in Washington

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.

Washington monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing36°20°Jan39°21°Feb48°28°Mar61°38°Apr71°48°May79°57°Jun83°61°Jul82°59°Aug76°53°Sep63°42°Oct51°33°Nov41°26°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.57.12.88.23.55.53.70.34.24.94.84.24.03.33.51.83.45.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Salina 3 W station (2.9 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 3, 1980 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Washington by decade01950s01960s21970s41980s21990s12000s22010s52020s
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 51 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 20, 2017.

Severe weather in Westmoreland County since 1996

Storm events in Westmoreland County since 1996 by typeHail249Flood84Tornado29High Wind18Lightning13Heavy Rain18Heavy Snow23Flash Flood246
NOAA Storm Events Database, Westmoreland County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Westmoreland County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
March 23, 2016SnowstormDR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
April 16, 2010SnowstormDR-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 Washington itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.

Largest industries in Westmoreland CountyHealth care & social assistan…19,201 jobs · $56,460Manufacturing17,674 jobs · $74,443Retail16,988 jobs · $37,439Hotels & restaurants12,873 jobs · $20,422Transportation & warehousing7,905 jobs · $60,029Construction6,945 jobs · $71,023
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Westmoreland County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Westmoreland 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

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 82% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 62%. 30.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.2).

How much does a house cost in Washington?

The median owner-occupied home in Washington is valued at $236,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,587, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,020 a month.

What is the weather like in Washington?

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 Washington get tornadoes?

16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Washington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 3, 1980. 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 4212981336). 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.