The Town FilesGettysburg, Pennsylvania
Borough in Adams County · population 7,106 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $241,500
- Household income
- $54,365
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 22.3
Gettysburg is a borough of 7,106 people in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $241,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 98% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Gettysburg 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 Gettysburg is worth $241,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $54,365, which is more affordable than 4% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,001 a month. 46.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gettysburg | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $241,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,001 | $996 |
| Median household income | $54,365 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 46.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1942 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Gettysburg
| People | Gettysburg | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Gettysburg
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gettysburg since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 22, 1983 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 30, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 27, 2008.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 20 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Adams County
Adams County had 33,195 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,542 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Gettysburg itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Gettysburg
7 public schools with 2,970 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gettysburg Area HS | 9-12 | 1,043 | 13.5 |
| Gettysburg Area MS | 6-8 | 683 | 13.7 |
| Lincoln El Sch | K-5 | 392 | 14.5 |
| James Gettys El Sch | K-5 | 337 | 12.5 |
| Gettysburg Montessori CS (charter) | K-6 | 271 | 15.1 |
| Vida CS (charter) | K-6 | 238 | 13.2 |
| Adams County Technical Institute | 11-12 | 6 | 0.9 |
Towns near Gettysburg
- Cumberland, PA2.0 mi · 7,033 people · home $293,200
- Straban, PA4.9 mi · 4,851 people · home $318,500
- Mount Joy, PA5.2 mi · 3,789 people · home $345,000
- Mount Pleasant, PA6.7 mi · 4,666 people · home $289,400
- Butler, PA6.7 mi · 2,550 people · home $287,600
- Franklin, PA8.8 mi · 4,676 people · home $252,600
- Germany, PA9.5 mi · 2,844 people · home $338,600
- Emmitsburg, MD9.8 mi · 2,770 people · home $324,300
Gettysburg questions
Is Gettysburg, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gettysburg scores better for retirees than 18% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 2%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.3).
How much does a house cost in Gettysburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Gettysburg is valued at $241,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,365, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,001 a month.
What is the weather like in Gettysburg?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.5 inches of precipitation a year and 27.0 inches of snow.
Does Gettysburg get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gettysburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 22, 1983. 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)