The Town FilesZelienople, Pennsylvania
Borough in Butler County · population 3,912 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $294,200
- Household income
- $68,110
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 41.9
Zelienople is a borough of 3,912 people in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $294,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 93% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Zelienople 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 Zelienople is worth $294,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $68,110, which is more affordable than 5% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,057 a month. 51.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Zelienople | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $294,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,057 | $996 |
| Median household income | $68,110 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 51.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Zelienople
| People | Zelienople | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Zelienople
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Zelienople since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1985 about 0.7 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 124 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 26, 1956.
Severe weather in Butler County since 1996
Butler County has been included in 11 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Butler County
Butler County had 88,461 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,579 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Zelienople itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Zelienople
1 public school with 749 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connoquenessing Valley El Sch | K-4 | 749 | 15.3 |
Towns near Zelienople
- Jackson, PA1.5 mi · 4,883 people · home $403,300
- Lancaster, PA3.7 mi · 2,745 people · home $391,600
- Franklin, PA4.2 mi · 3,882 people · home $226,500
- New Sewickley, PA5.4 mi · 7,183 people · home $256,100
- Cranberry, PA5.5 mi · 33,096 people · home $421,300
- Forward, PA5.9 mi · 3,164 people · home $450,700
- North Sewickley, PA7.2 mi · 5,495 people · home $204,000
- Daugherty, PA7.5 mi · 3,078 people · home $191,300
Zelienople questions
Is Zelienople, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Zelienople scores better for retirees than 94% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 21%. 29.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Zelienople?
The median owner-occupied home in Zelienople is valued at $294,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,110, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,057 a month.
What is the weather like in Zelienople?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 31.4 inches of snow.
Does Zelienople get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Zelienople since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1985. 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)