The Town FilesGaines, Pennsylvania
Township in Tioga County · population 608 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,500
- Household income
- $53,281
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 56.6
Gaines is a township of 608 people in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $188,500, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 75% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Gaines 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 Gaines is worth $188,500, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $53,281, which is more affordable than 21% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $592 a month. 89.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gaines | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $592 | $996 |
| Median household income | $53,281 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 58.6% | — |
Who lives in Gaines
| People | Gaines | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 8.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.7% | 89.0% |
Weather in Gaines
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 14.1°F. About 42.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gaines since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 24, 2010 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 24, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 15, 1996.
Severe weather in Tioga County since 1996
Tioga County has been included in 20 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 Tioga County
Tioga County had 12,397 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,900 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Gaines itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Gaines
- Galeton, PA4.3 mi · 990 people · home $104,500
- Shippen, PA5.7 mi · 500 people · home $217,500
- Clymer, PA6.8 mi · 623 people · home $222,000
- Chatham, PA10.7 mi · 610 people · home $210,000
- Delmar, PA10.8 mi · 2,793 people · home $247,800
- Westfield, PA11.1 mi · 988 people · home $114,200
- Westfield, PA11.8 mi · 1,112 people · home $87,300
- Ulysses, PA12.6 mi · 643 people · home $156,900
Gaines questions
Is Gaines, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gaines scores better for retirees than 73% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 93%. 31.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.6).
How much does a house cost in Gaines?
The median owner-occupied home in Gaines is valued at $188,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,281, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $592 a month.
What is the weather like in Gaines?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 14.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.3 inches of precipitation a year and 56.7 inches of snow.
Does Gaines get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gaines since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 24, 2010. 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)