The Town FilesMercersburg, Pennsylvania
Borough in Franklin County · population 1,507 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,700
- Household income
- $66,114
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 45.5
Mercersburg is a borough of 1,507 people in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $210,700, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 75% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Mercersburg 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 Mercersburg is worth $210,700, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $66,114, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $804 a month. 58.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mercersburg | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $804 | $996 |
| Median household income | $66,114 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1942 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mercersburg
| People | Mercersburg | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Mercersburg
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 25.3°F. About 35.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 93 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercersburg since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 19, 2019 about 5.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 20 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 60,414 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,554 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Mercersburg itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Mercersburg
5 public schools with 1,896 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Buchanan HS | 9-12 | 706 | 15.0 |
| James Buchanan MS | 6-8 | 554 | 13.5 |
| Mercersburg El Sch | K-5 | 238 | 13.2 |
| Montgomery El Sch | K-5 | 205 | 14.6 |
| Mountain View El Sch | K-5 | 193 | 12.9 |
Towns near Mercersburg
- Peters, PA3.3 mi · 4,462 people · home $232,400
- Montgomery, PA4.0 mi · 5,740 people · home $302,400
- Fort Loudon, PA6.2 mi · 895 people · home $330,200
- Ayr, PA7.5 mi · 2,036 people · home $223,700
- St. Thomas, PA8.3 mi · 5,917 people · home $211,500
- McConnellsburg, PA8.5 mi · 1,151 people · home $173,000
- Greencastle, PA9.8 mi · 4,251 people · home $264,500
- Todd, PA10.2 mi · 1,612 people · home $174,400
Mercersburg questions
Is Mercersburg, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mercersburg scores better for retirees than 60% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 75%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.5).
How much does a house cost in Mercersburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Mercersburg is valued at $210,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,114, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $804 a month.
What is the weather like in Mercersburg?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 25.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.6 inches of precipitation a year and 31.6 inches of snow.
Does Mercersburg get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mercersburg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 19, 2019. 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)