The Town FilesCenter, Pennsylvania
Township in Indiana County · population 4,391 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,400
- Household income
- $70,236
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 41.2
Center is a township of 4,391 people in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $163,400, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 80% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Center 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 Center is worth $163,400, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $70,236, which is more affordable than 79% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,004 a month. 82.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Center | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,004 | $996 |
| Median household income | $70,236 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Center
| People | Center | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Center
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 28, 2002 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 4, 2025.
Severe weather in Indiana County since 1996
Indiana County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Indiana County
Indiana County had 27,793 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,756 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Center itself the ACS puts it at 16.3%.
Towns near Center
- Homer City, PA1.4 mi · 1,730 people · home $119,400
- Lucerne Mines, PA2.0 mi · 892 people · home $136,600
- Black Lick, PA4.7 mi · 1,117 people · home $181,300
- Black Lick, PA5.1 mi · 1,268 people · home $102,200
- Indiana, PA5.7 mi · 14,044 people · home $135,600
- Jacksonville, PA6.1 mi · 620 people · home $87,400
- Burrell, PA6.6 mi · 3,491 people · home $124,600
- Brush Valley, PA6.8 mi · 1,675 people · home $155,200
Center questions
Is Center, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Center scores better for retirees than 38% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 47%. 26.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Center is valued at $163,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,236, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,004 a month.
What is the weather like in Center?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 45.8 inches of snow.
Does Center get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 28, 2002. 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)