The Town FilesLake, Pennsylvania
Township in Luzerne County · population 1,993 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $212,100
- Household income
- $88,229
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.1
Lake is a township of 1,993 people in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $212,100, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more upscale than 77% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 70% of Pennsylvania towns.
How 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 Lake is worth $212,100, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $88,229, which is more affordable than 75% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,071 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $212,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,071 | $996 |
| Median household income | $88,229 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake
| People | Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lake
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 48.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of 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 5.3 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 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 24, 2013.
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 Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Lake
- Harveys Lake, PA2.9 mi · 2,788 people · home $238,600
- Lehman, PA4.2 mi · 3,346 people · home $282,800
- Silkworth, PA5.0 mi · 784 people · home $207,600
- Noxen, PA5.2 mi · 917 people · home $179,200
- Noxen, PA5.5 mi · 643 people · home $156,900
- Ross, PA5.7 mi · 2,726 people · home $218,200
- Dallas, PA6.4 mi · 2,694 people · home $257,800
- Misericordia University, PA6.4 mi · 1,064 people · home —
Lake questions
Is Lake, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake scores better for retirees than 49% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 70%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.1).
How much does a house cost in Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake is valued at $212,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,229, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,071 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.4 inches of precipitation a year and 40.6 inches of snow.
Does Lake get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of 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)