The Town FilesMercer, Pennsylvania
Borough in Mercer County · population 1,982 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $151,200
- Household income
- $47,054
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 38.1
Mercer is a borough of 1,982 people in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $151,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 71% 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 $151,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $47,054, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $660 a month. 51.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mercer | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $151,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $660 | $996 |
| Median household income | $47,054 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 51.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1947 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Mercer
| People | Mercer | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 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 47.3 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
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercer since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 31, 1985 about 1.8 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 86 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996
Mercer County has been included in 13 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
| September 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1555: Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances |
Jobs and pay in Mercer County
Mercer County had 43,239 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,120 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Mercer itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Mercer
4 public schools with 1,026 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer Area El Sch | K-6 | 576 | 13.1 |
| Mercer Area SHS | 9-12 | 311 | 15.6 |
| Mercer Area MS | 7-8 | 133 | 13.3 |
| Mercer County Career Center | 9-12 | 6 | 0.3 |
Towns near Mercer
- East Lackawannock, PA2.4 mi · 1,669 people · home $207,800
- Coolspring, PA3.4 mi · 2,107 people · home $225,200
- Findley, PA3.6 mi · 2,843 people · home $191,400
- Jackson, PA4.5 mi · 1,178 people · home $260,300
- Lake Latonka, PA4.6 mi · 951 people · home $392,600
- Jefferson, PA5.3 mi · 1,919 people · home $164,200
- Springfield, PA5.8 mi · 1,853 people · home $238,700
- Lackawannock, PA6.4 mi · 2,471 people · home $166,600
Mercer questions
Is Mercer, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mercer scores better for retirees than 37% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 47%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Mercer?
The median owner-occupied home in Mercer is valued at $151,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,054, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $660 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 47.3 inches of snow.
Does Mercer get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 31, 1985. 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)