The Town FilesBoswell, Pennsylvania
Borough in Somerset County · population 1,224 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $82,800
- Household income
- $52,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 44.0
Boswell is a borough of 1,224 people in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $82,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Boswell 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 Boswell is worth $82,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $52,500, which is more affordable than 96% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $550 a month. 73.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Boswell | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $82,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $550 | $996 |
| Median household income | $52,500 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 73.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Boswell
| People | Boswell | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Boswell
July highs average 74.5°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 56.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boswell since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 18, 2026 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 23, 2011.
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 Boswell itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Boswell
2 public schools with 726 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Star Central El Sch | PK-4 | 398 | 10.5 |
| North Star HS | 9-12 | 328 | 12.6 |
Towns near Boswell
- Jennerstown, PA1.8 mi · 678 people · home $193,600
- Jenner, PA2.1 mi · 3,710 people · home $131,300
- Jerome, PA4.4 mi · 942 people · home $180,800
- Quemahoning, PA4.9 mi · 1,840 people · home $125,000
- Hooversville, PA6.1 mi · 628 people · home $86,400
- Conemaugh, PA6.2 mi · 6,760 people · home $166,100
- Lincoln, PA6.4 mi · 1,457 people · home $174,600
- Davidsville, PA7.0 mi · 1,145 people · home $215,200
Boswell questions
Is Boswell, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Boswell scores better for retirees than 47% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 62%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Boswell?
The median owner-occupied home in Boswell is valued at $82,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,500, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $550 a month.
What is the weather like in Boswell?
July highs average 74.5°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.6 inches of precipitation a year and 64.6 inches of snow.
Does Boswell get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boswell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 18, 2026. 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)