The Town FilesForest Lake, Pennsylvania
Township in Susquehanna County · population 1,114 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $230,400
- Household income
- $68,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 83 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.2
Forest Lake is a township of 1,114 people in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $230,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 85% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Forest Lake 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 Forest Lake is worth $230,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $68,750, which is more affordable than 25% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $933 a month. 80.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $933 | $996 |
| Median household income | $68,750 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 22.8% | — |
Who lives in Forest Lake
| People | Forest Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.1% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Forest Lake
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 12.5°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 82.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 19, 1954 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 26, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 26, 1969.
Severe weather in Susquehanna County since 1996
Susquehanna County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County had 8,955 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,769 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Forest Lake itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Towns near Forest Lake
- Choconut, PA4.6 mi · 679 people · home $234,700
- Silver Lake, PA5.7 mi · 1,513 people · home $280,200
- Montrose, PA7.2 mi · 1,290 people · home $168,400
- Rush, PA7.6 mi · 1,133 people · home $288,900
- Bridgewater, PA8.2 mi · 2,636 people · home $272,200
- Franklin, PA8.8 mi · 833 people · home $197,500
- Pike, PA9.4 mi · 624 people · home $257,000
- Liberty, PA9.7 mi · 1,130 people · home $229,900
Forest Lake questions
Is Forest Lake, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Lake scores better for retirees than 85% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 95%. 26.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.2).
How much does a house cost in Forest Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Lake is valued at $230,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,750, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $933 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Lake?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 12.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 82.7 inches of snow.
Does Forest Lake get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 19, 1954. 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)