The Town FilesBig Run, Pennsylvania
Borough in Jefferson County · population 647 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $107,700
- Household income
- $60,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 47.3
Big Run is a borough of 647 people in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $107,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for families than 83% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Big Run 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 Big Run is worth $107,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $60,625, which is more affordable than 93% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $825 a month. 70.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Big Run | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $107,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $825 | $996 |
| Median household income | $60,625 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 70.1% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1940 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Big Run
| People | Big Run | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Big Run
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 17.4°F. About 42.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Run since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 15 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 11, 1976.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 14 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 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 14,437 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,283 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Big Run itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Big Run
- Gaskill, PA2.3 mi · 673 people · home $172,200
- Henderson, PA2.8 mi · 1,940 people · home $138,200
- Bell, PA2.9 mi · 2,010 people · home $172,600
- Punxsutawney, PA5.4 mi · 5,769 people · home $99,000
- Rossiter, PA5.7 mi · 537 people · home $95,500
- McCalmont, PA5.9 mi · 1,137 people · home $118,700
- Winslow, PA6.1 mi · 2,546 people · home $144,800
- Sykesville, PA6.2 mi · 1,115 people · home $91,200
Big Run questions
Is Big Run, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Big Run scores better for retirees than 6% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 46%. 16.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.3).
How much does a house cost in Big Run?
The median owner-occupied home in Big Run is valued at $107,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,625, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $825 a month.
What is the weather like in Big Run?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 17.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.4 inches of precipitation a year and 50.9 inches of snow.
Does Big Run get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Big Run since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 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)