The Town FilesDeSales University, Pennsylvania
Community in Lehigh County · population 985 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 20.2
DeSales University is a community of 985 people in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 91% of Pennsylvania towns.
How DeSales University 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
| Housing | DeSales University | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $214,250 |
| Median rent | — | $996 |
| Median household income | — | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | — | 81.5% |
| Median year built | — | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | — | — |
Who lives in DeSales University
| People | DeSales University | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 1.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 100.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 85.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 46.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 13.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | — | 89.0% |
Weather in DeSales University
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of DeSales University since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 5, 1984 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 29, 2019.
Severe weather in Lehigh County since 1996
Lehigh County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Lehigh County
Lehigh County had 200,548 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,311 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in DeSales University itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near DeSales University
- Upper Saucon, PA1.5 mi · 16,973 people · home $461,600
- Coopersburg, PA2.1 mi · 2,447 people · home $317,000
- Hellertown, PA3.7 mi · 6,132 people · home $256,200
- Springfield, PA4.1 mi · 5,175 people · home $430,700
- Fountain Hill, PA4.6 mi · 4,832 people · home $246,700
- Salisbury, PA4.9 mi · 13,621 people · home $344,700
- Lower Saucon, PA5.3 mi · 11,094 people · home $396,200
- Richlandtown, PA5.4 mi · 1,353 people · home $314,600
DeSales University questions
Is DeSales University, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, DeSales University scores better for retirees than 75% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 25%. 1.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 20.2).
What is the weather like in DeSales University?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does DeSales University get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of DeSales University since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 5, 1984. 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)