The Town FilesHarveys Lake, Pennsylvania
Borough in Luzerne County · population 2,788 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $238,600
- Household income
- $75,510
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.6
Harveys Lake is a borough of 2,788 people in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $238,600, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 96% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Harveys 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 Harveys Lake is worth $238,600, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $75,510, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,375 a month. 78.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harveys Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $238,600 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,375 | $996 |
| Median household income | $75,510 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.1% | — |
Who lives in Harveys Lake
| People | Harveys Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Harveys Lake
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 20.3°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harveys Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 6, 1984 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 22, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in Luzerne County since 1996
Luzerne County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Luzerne County
Luzerne County had 145,190 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,901 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Harveys Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Harveys Lake
1 public school with 247 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake-Noxen El Sch | K-6 | 247 | 10.7 |
Towns near Harveys Lake
- Dallas, PA4.1 mi · 9,099 people · home $267,600
- Dallas, PA4.4 mi · 2,694 people · home $257,800
- Lehman, PA4.5 mi · 3,346 people · home $282,800
- Jackson, PA6.7 mi · 4,631 people · home $322,500
- Kingston, PA7.7 mi · 7,108 people · home $249,300
- Ross, PA8.6 mi · 2,726 people · home $218,200
- Larksville, PA9.1 mi · 4,225 people · home $146,300
- Luzerne, PA9.4 mi · 2,711 people · home $113,900
Harveys Lake questions
Is Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harveys Lake scores better for retirees than 99% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 58%. 28.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.6).
How much does a house cost in Harveys Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Harveys Lake is valued at $238,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,510, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,375 a month.
What is the weather like in Harveys Lake?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 20.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 41.2 inches of snow.
Does Harveys Lake get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harveys Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 6, 1984. 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)