The Town FilesEffort, Pennsylvania
Community in Monroe County · population 1,965 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $314,000
- Household income
- $110,909
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 47.4
Effort is a community of 1,965 people in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $314,000, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for families than 90% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 86% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Effort 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 Effort is worth $314,000, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $110,909, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,147 a month. 90.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Effort | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $314,000 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,147 | $996 |
| Median household income | $110,909 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.6% | — |
Who lives in Effort
| People | Effort | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 40.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Effort
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 53.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.3 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Effort since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 29, 2009 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 9, 1990.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 21 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 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 56,939 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,536 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Effort itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Towns near Effort
- Chestnuthill, PA1.3 mi · 16,723 people · home $292,400
- Brodheadsville, PA2.1 mi · 1,700 people · home $284,200
- Sun Valley, PA3.1 mi · 2,414 people · home $235,000
- Sierra View, PA3.5 mi · 4,907 people · home $252,600
- Polk, PA3.6 mi · 7,473 people · home $262,400
- Indian Mountain Lake, PA5.5 mi · 4,733 people · home $208,100
- Eldred, PA5.8 mi · 2,596 people · home $313,500
- Ross, PA5.9 mi · 5,475 people · home $279,800
Effort questions
Is Effort, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Effort scores better for retirees than 49% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 65%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in Effort?
The median owner-occupied home in Effort is valued at $314,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,909, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,147 a month.
What is the weather like in Effort?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.5 inches of precipitation a year and 33.3 inches of snow.
Does Effort get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Effort since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 29, 2009. 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)