The Town FilesDickinson, Pennsylvania
Township in Cumberland County · population 5,294 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $390,500
- Household income
- $104,716
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 48.8
Dickinson is a township of 5,294 people in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $390,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for families than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 89% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Dickinson 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 Dickinson is worth $390,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $104,716, which is more affordable than 15% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $790 a month. 94.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dickinson | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $390,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $790 | $996 |
| Median household income | $104,716 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dickinson
| People | Dickinson | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Dickinson
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dickinson since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 4, 2004 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 4, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 14, 2010.
Severe weather in Cumberland County since 1996
Cumberland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Cumberland County
Cumberland County had 137,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,149 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Dickinson itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Dickinson
- Penn, PA4.3 mi · 2,874 people · home $237,800
- South Middleton, PA6.0 mi · 16,135 people · home $272,400
- West Pennsboro, PA7.3 mi · 5,595 people · home $282,600
- Menallen, PA8.0 mi · 3,701 people · home $262,100
- Boiling Springs, PA8.1 mi · 3,449 people · home $379,900
- Carlisle, PA8.2 mi · 20,118 people · home $224,100
- North Newton, PA10.1 mi · 2,546 people · home $255,200
- Franklin, PA10.4 mi · 5,032 people · home $259,500
Dickinson questions
Is Dickinson, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dickinson scores better for retirees than 78% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 89%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).
How much does a house cost in Dickinson?
The median owner-occupied home in Dickinson is valued at $390,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,716, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $790 a month.
What is the weather like in Dickinson?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 30.7 inches of snow.
Does Dickinson get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dickinson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 4, 2004. 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)