The Town FilesMercer, Pennsylvania
Township in Butler County · population 993 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,700
- Household income
- $71,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.3
Mercer is a township of 993 people in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $182,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 93% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Mercer 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 Mercer is worth $182,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $71,250, which is more affordable than 64% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,156 a month. 82.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mercer | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,156 | $996 |
| Median household income | $71,250 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mercer
| People | Mercer | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Mercer
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 16.8°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercer since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 3, 1986 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Butler County since 1996
Butler County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Butler County
Butler County had 88,461 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,579 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Mercer itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Mercer
- Harrisville, PA1.3 mi · 819 people · home $162,000
- Slippery Rock, PA3.8 mi · 6,806 people · home $273,300
- Slippery Rock University, PA3.9 mi · 2,397 people · home —
- Slippery Rock, PA4.0 mi · 3,081 people · home $255,400
- Pine, PA4.1 mi · 4,806 people · home $284,700
- Grove City, PA4.6 mi · 7,871 people · home $171,600
- Marion, PA4.6 mi · 1,167 people · home $189,600
- Liberty, PA4.6 mi · 1,405 people · home $233,200
Mercer questions
Is Mercer, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mercer scores better for retirees than 93% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 23%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Mercer?
The median owner-occupied home in Mercer is valued at $182,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,250, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,156 a month.
What is the weather like in Mercer?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 16.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 37.6 inches of snow.
Does Mercer get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 3, 1986. 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)