The Town FilesMountain Top, Pennsylvania
Community in Luzerne County · population 11,489 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $297,700
- Household income
- $109,535
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 45.0
Mountain Top is a community of 11,489 people in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $297,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for families than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 78% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Mountain Top 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 Mountain Top is worth $297,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $109,535, which is more affordable than 59% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $849 a month. 89.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mountain Top | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $297,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $849 | $996 |
| Median household income | $109,535 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Mountain Top
| People | Mountain Top | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 22.1% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Mountain Top
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mountain Top since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 13, 2018 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in Luzerne County since 1996
Luzerne County has been included in 23 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Luzerne County
Luzerne County had 145,190 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,901 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Mountain Top itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Mountain Top
2 public schools with 2,133 students, about 19.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crestwood Secondary Campus | 7-12 | 1,381 | 20.0 |
| Rice El Sch | K-6 | 752 | 18.3 |
Towns near Mountain Top
- Wright, PA0.9 mi · 5,722 people · home $295,100
- Rice, PA1.9 mi · 3,632 people · home $314,000
- Fairview, PA2.8 mi · 4,703 people · home $293,400
- Hanover, PA4.9 mi · 11,445 people · home $151,900
- Ashley, PA5.4 mi · 2,596 people · home $97,200
- Nanticoke, PA6.7 mi · 10,628 people · home $108,100
- Wilkes-Barre, PA7.2 mi · 3,213 people · home $115,700
- Butler, PA7.6 mi · 9,485 people · home $252,900
Mountain Top questions
Is Mountain Top, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mountain Top scores better for retirees than 66% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 38%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Mountain Top?
The median owner-occupied home in Mountain Top is valued at $297,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,535, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $849 a month.
What is the weather like in Mountain Top?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 40.5 inches of snow.
Does Mountain Top get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mountain Top since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 13, 2018. 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)