The Town FilesWharton, Pennsylvania
Township in Fayette County · population 3,355 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $225,200
- Household income
- $71,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 89 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 43.8
Wharton is a township of 3,355 people in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $225,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 89% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Wharton 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 Wharton is worth $225,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $71,667, which is more affordable than 39% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,206 a month. 77.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wharton | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,206 | $996 |
| Median household income | $71,667 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.9% | — |
Who lives in Wharton
| People | Wharton | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Wharton
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 15.4°F. About 55.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 88.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wharton since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 2, 1998 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 14, 1984.
Severe weather in Fayette County since 1996
Fayette County has been included in 18 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 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Fayette County
Fayette County had 37,892 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,069 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Wharton itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Wharton
- South Union, PA8.5 mi · 10,890 people · home $209,300
- Leith-Hatfield, PA9.2 mi · 2,672 people · home $296,700
- North Union, PA9.5 mi · 11,828 people · home $139,900
- Uniontown, PA10.2 mi · 9,984 people · home $87,700
- Georges, PA10.7 mi · 6,346 people · home $148,500
- Oliver, PA11.0 mi · 2,538 people · home $144,400
- Dunbar, PA12.2 mi · 6,672 people · home $166,500
- Springhill, PA12.3 mi · 2,722 people · home $115,700
Wharton questions
Is Wharton, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wharton scores better for retirees than 99% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 84%. 24.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Wharton?
The median owner-occupied home in Wharton is valued at $225,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,667, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,206 a month.
What is the weather like in Wharton?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 15.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.7 inches of precipitation a year and 88.8 inches of snow.
Does Wharton get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wharton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 2, 1998. 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)