The Town FilesForward, Pennsylvania
Township in Allegheny County · population 3,070 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,000
- Household income
- $67,171
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 51.9
Forward is a township of 3,070 people in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $166,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 71% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Forward 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 Forward is worth $166,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $67,171, which is more affordable than 70% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,120 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forward | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,000 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,120 | $996 |
| Median household income | $67,171 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Forward
| People | Forward | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 10.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Forward
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forward since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 3, 1963 about 6.2 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 81 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 6, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 23, 2011.
Severe weather in Allegheny County since 1996
Allegheny County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Allegheny County
Allegheny County had 670,637 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,297 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Forward itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Forward
- Monongahela, PA2.9 mi · 4,159 people · home $114,300
- Carroll, PA3.9 mi · 5,380 people · home $189,300
- Union, PA4.2 mi · 5,374 people · home $178,700
- Donora, PA4.3 mi · 4,569 people · home $62,300
- Clairton, PA4.6 mi · 6,181 people · home $66,500
- Jefferson Hills, PA4.9 mi · 12,424 people · home $315,900
- Elizabeth, PA5.3 mi · 12,982 people · home $167,000
- Monessen, PA5.7 mi · 6,876 people · home $95,900
Forward questions
Is Forward, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forward scores better for retirees than 43% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 96%. 27.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.9).
How much does a house cost in Forward?
The median owner-occupied home in Forward is valued at $166,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,171, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,120 a month.
What is the weather like in Forward?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Forward get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forward since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 3, 1963. 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)