The Town Files

McElhattan, Pennsylvania

Community in Clinton County · population 1,224 (2020 Census)

Map: where McElhattan is in PennsylvaniaMcElhattan
Median home
$215,500
Household income
$71,250
Jan low / Jul high
18° / 85°
Snow a year
30 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
7
Median age
52.3

McElhattan is a community of 1,224 people in Clinton County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $215,500, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 79% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 72% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 70% of Pennsylvania towns.

How McElhattan 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.

McElhattan lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement33rd pctFamilies12th pctQuiet72nd pctWalkability34th pctFirst-time buyers59th pctYoung professionals51st pctVibrancy62nd pctHip & trendy70th pctCollege town4th pctUpscale21st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling79th pctTransitbottomDriving67th 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 McElhattan is worth $215,500, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $71,250, which is more affordable than 43% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $861 a month. 89.0% of households own their home.

McElhattan vs Clinton County vs typical Pennsylvania townMcElhattanClinton CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$215,500$175,900$214,250Household income$71,250$60,816$75,278Monthly rent$861$820$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingMcElhattanTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$215,500$214,250
Median rent$861$996
Median household income$71,250$75,278
Home value ÷ income3.0×2.8×
Homeownership89.0%81.5%
Median year built19901971
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in McElhattan

PeopleMcElhattanTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age52.344.2
Age 65 and over28.6%21.1%
Under 1812.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher22.4%23.8%
Below the poverty line12.5%8.5%
Veterans14.6%—
Born outside the U.S.4.6%—
Work from home9.4%10.6%
Average commute22.3 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband88.3%89.0%

Weather in McElhattan

July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.

McElhattan monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing35°18°Jan38°19°Feb48°27°Mar62°36°Apr73°47°May80°57°Jun85°61°Jul83°60°Aug76°53°Sep64°41°Oct51°31°Nov40°24°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.87.52.17.93.16.23.60.64.03.84.14.24.33.80.13.01.43.05.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Lock Haven Sewage Plt station (4.5 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McElhattan since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2014.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of McElhattan by decade01950s01960s11970s11980s41990s02000s12010s02020s
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 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 26, 2011.

Severe weather in Clinton County since 1996

Storm events in Clinton County since 1996 by typeHail34Flood29Drought14Tornado7High Wind28Ice Storm22Heavy Snow50Flash Flood11
NOAA Storm Events Database, Clinton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 9 deaths recorded.

Clinton County has been included in 15 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 1, 2013Severe StormDR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 8, 2011FloodEM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee

Jobs and pay in Clinton County

Clinton County had 12,630 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,458 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in McElhattan itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.

Largest industries in Clinton CountyManufacturing2,932 jobs · $72,021Retail1,801 jobs · $31,060Hotels & restaurants1,107 jobs · $19,224Construction713 jobs · $59,884Other services440 jobs · $27,046Transportation & warehousing409 jobs · $51,285
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Clinton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Clinton 4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near McElhattan

McElhattan questions

Is McElhattan, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, McElhattan scores better for retirees than 33% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 72%. 28.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.3).

How much does a house cost in McElhattan?

The median owner-occupied home in McElhattan is valued at $215,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,250, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $861 a month.

What is the weather like in McElhattan?

July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 29.6 inches of snow.

Does McElhattan get tornadoes?

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McElhattan 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 McElhattan's Census boundary (GEOID 4246112). 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.