The Town FilesBanks, Pennsylvania
Township in Carbon County · population 1,164 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,700
- Household income
- $63,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 53.4
Banks is a township of 1,164 people in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $119,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, easier by car than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Banks 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 Banks is worth $119,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $63,875, which is more affordable than 91% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,444 a month. 84.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Banks | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,444 | $996 |
| Median household income | $63,875 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Banks
| People | Banks | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 1.6% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Banks
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 53.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Banks since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 15, 1992 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 26, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Carbon County since 1996
Carbon County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| June 30, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1649: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Carbon County
Carbon County had 16,676 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,741 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Banks itself the ACS puts it at 13.8%.
Towns near Banks
- Beaver Meadows, PA0.4 mi · 897 people · home $133,700
- Tresckow, PA2.5 mi · 849 people · home $158,000
- Packer, PA2.7 mi · 1,029 people · home $239,500
- Hazleton, PA3.1 mi · 29,963 people · home $151,600
- McAdoo, PA4.2 mi · 2,471 people · home $90,000
- Harleigh, PA4.8 mi · 1,050 people · home $342,000
- Lattimer, PA4.9 mi · 567 people · home $217,900
- Weatherly, PA5.3 mi · 2,541 people · home $163,200
Banks questions
Is Banks, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Banks scores better for retirees than 19% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 66%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Banks?
The median owner-occupied home in Banks is valued at $119,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,875, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,444 a month.
What is the weather like in Banks?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.
Does Banks get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Banks since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 15, 1992. 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)