The Town FilesForward, Pennsylvania
Township in Butler County · population 3,164 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $450,700
- Household income
- $107,386
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 49.2
Forward is a township of 3,164 people in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $450,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 83% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 77% 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 $450,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $107,386, which is more affordable than 6% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,300 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forward | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $450,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,300 | $996 |
| Median household income | $107,386 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Forward
| People | Forward | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 25.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Forward
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 17.3°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forward since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1985 about 6.5 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 124 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on March 28, 2020.
Severe weather in Butler County since 1996
Butler County has been included in 11 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Butler County
Butler County had 88,461 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,579 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Forward itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Towns near Forward
- Jackson, PA4.4 mi · 4,883 people · home $403,300
- Adams, PA4.4 mi · 14,844 people · home $504,600
- Penn, PA5.3 mi · 4,990 people · home $297,500
- Connoquenessing, PA5.7 mi · 4,263 people · home $241,300
- Zelienople, PA5.9 mi · 3,912 people · home $294,200
- Lancaster, PA6.0 mi · 2,745 people · home $391,600
- Meridian, PA6.3 mi · 3,760 people · home $244,000
- Cranberry, PA6.4 mi · 33,096 people · home $421,300
Forward questions
Is Forward, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forward scores better for retirees than 89% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 60%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.2).
How much does a house cost in Forward?
The median owner-occupied home in Forward is valued at $450,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,386, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,300 a month.
What is the weather like in Forward?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 17.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 34.9 inches of snow.
Does Forward get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forward since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1985. 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)