The Town FilesDowningtown, Pennsylvania
Borough in Chester County · population 7,892 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $353,800
- Household income
- $96,228
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 38.9
Downingtown is a borough of 7,892 people in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $353,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for young professionals than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 95% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Downingtown 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 Downingtown is worth $353,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $96,228, which is more affordable than 15% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,518 a month. 48.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Downingtown | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $353,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,518 | $996 |
| Median household income | $96,228 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 48.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Downingtown
| People | Downingtown | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.6% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Downingtown
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Downingtown since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 22, 1955 about 5.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 16, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 10, 2008.
Severe weather in Chester County since 1996
Chester County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Chester County
Chester County had 251,284 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $87,886 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Downingtown itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Downingtown
13 public schools with 9,412 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downingtown HS West Campus | 9-12 | 1,808 | 13.3 |
| Downingtown MS | 7-8 | 1,094 | 13.3 |
| Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center | 6-6 | 1,036 | 13.5 |
| Downingtown STEM Academy | 9-12 | 962 | 14.1 |
| Lionville El Sch | K-5 | 670 | 16.3 |
| West Bradford El Sch | K-5 | 624 | 16.4 |
| Bradford Hgts El Sch | K-5 | 567 | 14.2 |
| East Ward El Sch | K-5 | 557 | 15.5 |
| Uwchlan Hills El Sch | K-5 | 531 | 15.2 |
| Shamona Creek El Sch | K-5 | 515 | 14.3 |
| Beaver Creek El Sch | K-5 | 503 | 13.6 |
| Brandywine-Wallace El Sch | K-5 | 475 | 15.3 |
Towns near Downingtown
- East Caln, PA1.3 mi · 5,384 people · home $467,100
- Thorndale, PA2.7 mi · 3,669 people · home $341,900
- Caln, PA3.2 mi · 14,432 people · home $319,200
- East Brandywine, PA3.2 mi · 9,738 people · home $564,400
- West Bradford, PA3.5 mi · 14,316 people · home $487,500
- Uwchlan, PA3.5 mi · 19,161 people · home $539,700
- Exton, PA4.0 mi · 5,622 people · home $554,200
- East Bradford, PA4.3 mi · 10,339 people · home $603,700
Downingtown questions
Is Downingtown, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Downingtown scores better for retirees than 10% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 4%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Downingtown?
The median owner-occupied home in Downingtown is valued at $353,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,228, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,518 a month.
What is the weather like in Downingtown?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 30.5 inches of snow.
Does Downingtown get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Downingtown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 22, 1955. 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)