The Town FilesPenn, Pennsylvania
Township in Cumberland County · population 2,874 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $237,800
- Household income
- $80,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 41.0
Penn is a township of 2,874 people in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $237,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 85% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Penn 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 Penn is worth $237,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $80,500, which is more affordable than 43% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,089 a month. 84.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penn | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $237,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,089 | $996 |
| Median household income | $80,500 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.1% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.4% | — |
Who lives in Penn
| People | Penn | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Penn
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 22.1°F. About 42.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 16, 1961 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 17, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 14, 2010.
Severe weather in Cumberland County since 1996
Cumberland County has been included in 19 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Cumberland County
Cumberland County had 137,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,149 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Penn itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Penn
- Dickinson, PA4.3 mi · 5,294 people · home $390,500
- West Pennsboro, PA5.6 mi · 5,595 people · home $282,600
- North Newton, PA6.0 mi · 2,546 people · home $255,200
- Southampton, PA7.4 mi · 7,504 people · home $265,600
- Menallen, PA8.7 mi · 3,701 people · home $262,100
- South Middleton, PA9.6 mi · 16,135 people · home $272,400
- Carlisle, PA10.0 mi · 20,118 people · home $224,100
- Shippensburg, PA10.2 mi · 5,478 people · home $177,700
Penn questions
Is Penn, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penn scores better for retirees than 29% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 50%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Penn?
The median owner-occupied home in Penn is valued at $237,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,500, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,089 a month.
What is the weather like in Penn?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 22.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.7 inches of snow.
Does Penn get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 16, 1961. 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)