The Town FilesBellefonte, Pennsylvania
Borough in Centre County · population 6,105 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,300
- Household income
- $62,540
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 42.5
Bellefonte is a borough of 6,105 people in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $240,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 97% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Bellefonte 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 Bellefonte is worth $240,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $62,540, which is more affordable than 12% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $975 a month. 50.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bellefonte | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $975 | $996 |
| Median household income | $62,540 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 50.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Bellefonte
| People | Bellefonte | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Bellefonte
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 41.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bellefonte since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 2, 2023 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 2, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 22, 2026.
Severe weather in Centre County since 1996
Centre County has been included in 15 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 |
| December 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4292: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Centre County
Centre County had 68,578 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,822 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Bellefonte itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Bellefonte
5 public schools with 2,386 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellefonte Area HS | 9-12 | 844 | 13.4 |
| Bellefonte Area MS | 6-8 | 617 | 12.9 |
| Marion-Walker El Sch | K-5 | 373 | 13.3 |
| Bellefonte El Sch | K-5 | 311 | 10.4 |
| Benner El Sch | K-5 | 241 | 12.7 |
Towns near Bellefonte
- Spring, PA2.3 mi · 7,979 people · home $273,600
- Pleasant Gap, PA3.5 mi · 2,945 people · home $240,200
- Benner, PA3.9 mi · 8,964 people · home $334,200
- Boggs, PA5.9 mi · 2,705 people · home $204,100
- College, PA7.4 mi · 10,762 people · home $404,400
- Walker, PA8.5 mi · 4,596 people · home $301,400
- Toftrees, PA8.7 mi · 3,513 people · home $434,100
- Boalsburg, PA9.4 mi · 4,577 people · home $413,000
Bellefonte questions
Is Bellefonte, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bellefonte scores better for retirees than 97% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 21%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Bellefonte?
The median owner-occupied home in Bellefonte is valued at $240,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,540, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $975 a month.
What is the weather like in Bellefonte?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.5 inches of precipitation a year and 42.7 inches of snow.
Does Bellefonte get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bellefonte since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 2, 2023. 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)