The Town FilesBlack, Pennsylvania
Township in Somerset County · population 905 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $147,100
- Household income
- $70,536
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 96 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 49.2
Black is a township of 905 people in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $147,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, better for cycling than 82% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Black 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 Black is worth $147,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $70,536, which is more affordable than 86% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $700 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Black | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $147,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $700 | $996 |
| Median household income | $70,536 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.4% | — |
Who lives in Black
| People | Black | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Black
July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 16.7°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 96.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Black since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 2, 1998 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 31, 1999.
Severe weather in Somerset County since 1996
Somerset County has been included in 21 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 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Somerset County
Somerset County had 23,303 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,925 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Black itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Towns near Black
- Rockwood, PA1.9 mi · 843 people · home $90,600
- Milford, PA4.7 mi · 1,490 people · home $175,900
- Summit, PA6.0 mi · 2,147 people · home $146,000
- Upper Turkeyfoot, PA7.7 mi · 1,062 people · home $156,900
- Elk Lick, PA7.9 mi · 2,263 people · home $133,300
- Meyersdale, PA8.1 mi · 2,070 people · home $103,800
- Somerset, PA8.6 mi · 6,048 people · home $163,600
- Brothersvalley, PA8.6 mi · 2,379 people · home $174,000
Black questions
Is Black, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Black scores better for retirees than 75% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 69%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.2).
How much does a house cost in Black?
The median owner-occupied home in Black is valued at $147,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,536, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $700 a month.
What is the weather like in Black?
July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 16.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 96.2 inches of snow.
Does Black get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Black since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 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)