The Town Files

Highland, Pennsylvania

Township in Clarion County · population 534 (2020 Census)

Map: where Highland is in PennsylvaniaHighland
Median home
$179,900
Household income
$79,167
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 82°
Snow a year
54 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
11
Median age
52.5

Highland is a township of 534 people in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $179,900, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 90% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 77% of Pennsylvania towns.

How Highland 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.

Highland lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement70th pctFamilies90th pctQuiet77th pctWalkability7th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals16th pctVibrancy5th pctHip & trendy18th pctCollege town62nd pctUpscale73rd pctVacation homes99th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit48th pctDriving26th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Highland is worth $179,900, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $79,167, which is more affordable than 79% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $533 a month. 79.1% of households own their home.

Highland vs Clarion County vs typical Pennsylvania townHighlandClarion CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$179,900$155,700$214,250Household income$79,167$62,649$75,278Monthly rent$533$798$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingHighlandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$179,900$214,250
Median rent$533$996
Median household income$79,167$75,278
Home value ÷ income2.3×2.8×
Homeownership79.1%81.5%
Median year built19811971
Seasonal / vacation homes26.3%—

Who lives in Highland

PeopleHighlandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age52.544.2
Age 65 and over28.1%21.1%
Under 1817.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher23.6%23.8%
Below the poverty line2.1%8.5%
Veterans5.8%—
Born outside the U.S.1.7%—
Work from home11.2%10.6%
Average commute21.9 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband80.3%89.0%

Weather in Highland

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.5°F. About 46.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.

Highland monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°16°Jan36°16°Feb46°23°Mar60°33°Apr71°44°May79°53°Jun82°57°Jul81°56°Aug74°50°Sep62°38°Oct49°29°Nov38°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.616.42.710.63.58.14.01.13.94.75.34.24.03.60.23.64.03.713.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Clarion 3 Sw station (7.8 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highland since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 9.2 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 52 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 9, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Highland by decade11950s01960s11970s21980s01990s12000s52010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.

Severe weather in Clarion County since 1996

Storm events in Clarion County since 1996 by typeHail64Flood21Tornado11High Wind20Ice Storm12Heavy Rain15Heavy Snow20Flash Flood53
NOAA Storm Events Database, Clarion County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Clarion County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 10, 2005HurricaneEM-3235: Hurricane Katrina
September 19, 2004Severe StormDR-1555: Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

Jobs and pay in Clarion County

Clarion County had 12,341 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,067 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Highland itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.

Largest industries in Clarion CountyHealth care & social assistan…2,391 jobs · $48,432Manufacturing1,572 jobs · $57,099Retail1,561 jobs · $32,834Hotels & restaurants1,224 jobs · $18,136Other services639 jobs · $36,582Construction591 jobs · $65,984
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Clarion County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Clarion 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Highland

Highland questions

Is Highland, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Highland scores better for retirees than 70% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 77%. 28.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.5).

How much does a house cost in Highland?

The median owner-occupied home in Highland is valued at $179,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,167, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $533 a month.

What is the weather like in Highland?

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.9 inches of precipitation a year and 53.8 inches of snow.

Does Highland get tornadoes?

11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 31, 1985. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Highland's Census boundary (GEOID 4203134456). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.