The Town FilesDauphin, Pennsylvania
Borough in Dauphin County · population 795 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $198,800
- Household income
- $45,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 33.8
Dauphin is a borough of 795 people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $198,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 87% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Dauphin 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 Dauphin is worth $198,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $45,625, which is more affordable than 4% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,136 a month. 77.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dauphin | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,136 | $996 |
| Median household income | $45,625 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1947 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Dauphin
| People | Dauphin | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 16.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Dauphin
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 21.8°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dauphin since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 5, 1977 about 9.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 5, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 3, 2023.
Severe weather in Dauphin County since 1996
Dauphin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Dauphin County
Dauphin County had 190,296 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,012 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Dauphin itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Dauphin
1 public school with 261 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Paxton El Sch | K-5 | 261 | 13.7 |
Towns near Dauphin
- Marysville, PA2.1 mi · 2,652 people · home $184,300
- Middle Paxton, PA2.7 mi · 5,048 people · home $262,700
- Susquehanna, PA4.8 mi · 26,736 people · home $227,100
- Enola, PA5.4 mi · 6,103 people · home $171,700
- Duncannon, PA5.5 mi · 1,478 people · home $155,600
- East Pennsboro, PA5.6 mi · 20,910 people · home $236,000
- Penn, PA5.7 mi · 3,098 people · home $216,400
- West Fairview, PA6.2 mi · 1,138 people · home $162,300
Dauphin questions
Is Dauphin, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dauphin scores better for retirees than 99% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 82%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Dauphin?
The median owner-occupied home in Dauphin is valued at $198,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,625, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,136 a month.
What is the weather like in Dauphin?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 21.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 23.9 inches of snow.
Does Dauphin get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dauphin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 5, 1977. 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)