The Town FilesLake, Pennsylvania
Township in Wayne County · population 4,850 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $198,700
- Household income
- $59,873
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 57.9
Lake is a township of 4,850 people in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $198,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 88% 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 $198,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $59,873, which is more affordable than 29% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,464 a month. 84.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,464 | $996 |
| Median household income | $59,873 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 49.3% | — |
Who lives in Lake
| People | Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 8.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 38.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lake
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 13.5°F. About 45.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 15, 2018 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 15,462 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,861 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Lake itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Towns near Lake
- The Hideout, PA2.0 mi · 2,634 people · home $205,600
- Salem, PA4.2 mi · 4,115 people · home $241,400
- Jefferson, PA6.2 mi · 3,765 people · home $274,000
- Paupack, PA6.3 mi · 3,676 people · home $345,000
- Canaan, PA8.0 mi · 3,610 people · home $276,300
- Jessup, PA8.6 mi · 4,520 people · home $169,300
- Palmyra, PA9.2 mi · 3,206 people · home $330,300
- Archbald, PA9.7 mi · 7,297 people · home $217,000
Lake questions
Is Lake, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake scores better for retirees than 20% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 93%. 34.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.9).
How much does a house cost in Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake is valued at $198,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,873, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,464 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 13.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.1 inches of precipitation a year and 50.9 inches of snow.
Does Lake get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 15, 2018. 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)