The Town FilesCoal, Pennsylvania
Township in Northumberland County · population 10,139 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $88,300
- Household income
- $51,010
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 44.4
Coal is a township of 10,139 people in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $88,300, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 71% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Coal 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 Coal is worth $88,300, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $51,010, which is more affordable than 95% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $745 a month. 79.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Coal | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $745 | $996 |
| Median household income | $51,010 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 79.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Coal
| People | Coal | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 11.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Coal
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Coal since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 12, 1953 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on May 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Northumberland County since 1996
Northumberland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Northumberland County
Northumberland County had 26,979 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,035 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Coal itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Towns near Coal
- Shamokin, PA2.2 mi · 6,942 people · home $60,400
- Kulpmont, PA2.7 mi · 2,758 people · home $84,000
- Mount Carmel, PA4.2 mi · 2,500 people · home $156,500
- Ralpho, PA5.6 mi · 4,186 people · home $243,900
- Mount Carmel, PA5.7 mi · 5,725 people · home $81,800
- Hegins, PA8.8 mi · 3,337 people · home $197,100
- Butler, PA9.9 mi · 4,906 people · home $173,100
- Danville, PA13.8 mi · 4,239 people · home $186,400
Coal questions
Is Coal, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Coal scores better for retirees than 19% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 37%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Coal?
The median owner-occupied home in Coal is valued at $88,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,010, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $745 a month.
What is the weather like in Coal?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 33.5 inches of snow.
Does Coal get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Coal since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 12, 1953. 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)