The Town FilesWest Hanover, Pennsylvania
Township in Dauphin County · population 10,697 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $308,300
- Household income
- $89,183
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 49.6
West Hanover is a township of 10,697 people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $308,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more upscale than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 77% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 71% of Pennsylvania towns.
How West Hanover 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 West Hanover is worth $308,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $89,183, which is more affordable than 21% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,762 a month. 89.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Hanover | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $308,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,762 | $996 |
| Median household income | $89,183 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in West Hanover
| People | West Hanover | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in West Hanover
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.0°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Hanover since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 14, 2004 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 29, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 7, 1986.
Severe weather in Dauphin County since 1996
Dauphin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Dauphin County
Dauphin County had 190,296 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,012 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in West Hanover itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Towns near West Hanover
- Skyline View, PA1.8 mi · 4,410 people · home $299,600
- Linglestown, PA2.9 mi · 6,539 people · home $259,400
- Paxtonia, PA3.8 mi · 5,450 people · home $249,900
- East Hanover, PA3.9 mi · 6,019 people · home $316,700
- Lower Paxton, PA4.3 mi · 53,501 people · home $284,700
- South Hanover, PA5.1 mi · 7,209 people · home $393,400
- Colonial Park, PA5.4 mi · 16,243 people · home $231,100
- Rutherford, PA6.3 mi · 5,765 people · home $214,200
West Hanover questions
Is West Hanover, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Hanover scores better for retirees than 77% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 58%. 28.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.6).
How much does a house cost in West Hanover?
The median owner-occupied home in West Hanover is valued at $308,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,183, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,762 a month.
What is the weather like in West Hanover?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 27.6 inches of snow.
Does West Hanover get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Hanover since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 14, 2004. 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)