The Town FilesLawson Heights, Pennsylvania
Community in Westmoreland County · population 2,090 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,200
- Household income
- $64,929
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 53.3
Lawson Heights is a community of 2,090 people in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $175,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 96% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Lawson Heights 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 Lawson Heights is worth $175,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $64,929, which is more affordable than 59% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $909 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lawson Heights | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $909 | $996 |
| Median household income | $64,929 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lawson Heights
| People | Lawson Heights | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 9.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lawson Heights
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 43.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 130 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawson Heights since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 11, 1976 about 0.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 33 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 14, 1984.
Severe weather in Westmoreland County since 1996
Westmoreland County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County had 129,350 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,519 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Lawson Heights itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Towns near Lawson Heights
- St. Vincent College, PA1.0 mi · 1,036 people · home —
- Latrobe, PA1.3 mi · 8,060 people · home $145,100
- Hostetter, PA2.1 mi · 732 people · home $214,300
- Loyalhanna, PA2.2 mi · 3,409 people · home $174,200
- Unity, PA2.2 mi · 21,606 people · home $245,400
- Derry, PA5.3 mi · 2,639 people · home $129,300
- Derry, PA6.9 mi · 13,631 people · home $180,400
- New Alexandria, PA7.1 mi · 501 people · home $184,600
Lawson Heights questions
Is Lawson Heights, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lawson Heights scores better for retirees than 98% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 16%. 29.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.3).
How much does a house cost in Lawson Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Lawson Heights is valued at $175,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,929, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $909 a month.
What is the weather like in Lawson Heights?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.9 inches of precipitation a year and 48.2 inches of snow.
Does Lawson Heights get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawson Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 11, 1976. 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)