The Town FilesPalo Alto, Pennsylvania
Borough in Schuylkill County · population 970 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $91,100
- Household income
- $61,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 42.2
Palo Alto is a borough of 970 people in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $91,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 82% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto is worth $91,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $61,667, which is more affordable than 97% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $961 a month. 83.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palo Alto | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $91,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $961 | $996 |
| Median household income | $61,667 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Palo Alto
| People | Palo Alto | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Palo Alto
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 53.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palo Alto since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 27, 2024 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 22, 1979.
Severe weather in Schuylkill County since 1996
Schuylkill County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County had 50,294 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,134 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Palo Alto itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Palo Alto
- Port Carbon, PA0.8 mi · 1,806 people · home $112,000
- North Manheim, PA1.3 mi · 4,059 people · home $244,900
- East Norwegian, PA1.6 mi · 863 people · home $143,800
- Pottsville, PA2.1 mi · 13,346 people · home $100,500
- St. Clair, PA2.6 mi · 2,745 people · home $71,800
- Renningers, PA2.8 mi · 594 people · home $273,800
- Norwegian, PA2.8 mi · 2,159 people · home $204,300
- New Philadelphia, PA3.5 mi · 1,054 people · home $94,300
Palo Alto questions
Is Palo Alto, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palo Alto scores better for retirees than 18% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 31%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Palo Alto?
The median owner-occupied home in Palo Alto is valued at $91,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,667, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $961 a month.
What is the weather like in Palo Alto?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 37.5 inches of snow.
Does Palo Alto get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palo Alto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 27, 2024. 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)