The Town FilesChest, Pennsylvania
Township in Clearfield County · population 511 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $94,200
- Household income
- $44,896
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 49.5
Chest is a township of 511 people in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $94,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 84% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Chest 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 Chest is worth $94,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $44,896, which is more affordable than 86% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $792 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chest | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $94,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $792 | $996 |
| Median household income | $44,896 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.7% | — |
Who lives in Chest
| People | Chest | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Chest
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 40.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 55.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chest 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 10.0 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 45 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 2, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Clearfield County since 1996
Clearfield County has been included in 17 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 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Clearfield County
Clearfield County had 29,228 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,575 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Chest itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Towns near Chest
- Irvona, PA5.2 mi · 549 people · home $91,900
- Burnside, PA6.0 mi · 1,055 people · home $140,200
- Beccaria, PA6.7 mi · 1,774 people · home $105,400
- Elder, PA7.5 mi · 1,028 people · home $114,900
- Ferguson, PA7.7 mi · 544 people · home $167,800
- Hastings, PA8.3 mi · 1,213 people · home $112,200
- White, PA9.3 mi · 931 people · home $117,200
- Susquehanna, PA9.4 mi · 1,889 people · home $126,400
Chest questions
Is Chest, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chest scores better for retirees than 17% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 84%. 23.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.5).
How much does a house cost in Chest?
The median owner-occupied home in Chest is valued at $94,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,896, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $792 a month.
What is the weather like in Chest?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.7 inches of precipitation a year and 55.4 inches of snow.
Does Chest get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chest 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)