The Town FilesLykens, Pennsylvania
Borough in Dauphin County · population 1,873 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $107,300
- Household income
- $73,318
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 44.1
Lykens is a borough of 1,873 people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $107,300, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Pennsylvania towns, better for cycling than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Lykens 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 Lykens is worth $107,300, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $73,318, which is more affordable than 97% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $804 a month. 61.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lykens | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $107,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $804 | $996 |
| Median household income | $73,318 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 61.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lykens
| People | Lykens | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 19.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lykens
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.0°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lykens since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 12, 1953 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 2, 1998.
Severe weather in Dauphin County since 1996
Dauphin County has been included in 22 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Dauphin County
Dauphin County had 190,296 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,012 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Lykens itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Lykens
2 public schools with 706 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Dauphin Area El Sch | PK-4 | 392 | 13.5 |
| Upper Dauphin Area MS | 5-8 | 314 | 13.7 |
Towns near Lykens
- Wiconisco, PA1.0 mi · 1,159 people · home $116,700
- Wiconsico, PA1.3 mi · 844 people · home $97,400
- Gratz, PA3.1 mi · 743 people · home $147,300
- Williams, PA4.0 mi · 1,067 people · home $152,000
- Lykens, PA4.3 mi · 1,559 people · home $189,300
- Williamstown, PA4.4 mi · 1,303 people · home $100,700
- Jackson, PA4.9 mi · 1,827 people · home $239,500
- Washington, PA5.9 mi · 2,129 people · home $233,500
Lykens questions
Is Lykens, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lykens scores better for retirees than 36% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 33%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Lykens?
The median owner-occupied home in Lykens is valued at $107,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,318, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $804 a month.
What is the weather like in Lykens?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 27.6 inches of snow.
Does Lykens get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lykens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 12, 1953. 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)