The Town FilesPenn State Erie (Behrend), Pennsylvania
Community in Erie County · population 1,486 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 126 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 20.1
Penn State Erie (Behrend) is a community of 1,486 people in Erie County, Pennsylvania. It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 91% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 87% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Penn State Erie (Behrend) 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
| Housing | Penn State Erie (Behrend) | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $214,250 |
| Median rent | — | $996 |
| Median household income | — | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | — | 81.5% |
| Median year built | — | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Penn State Erie (Behrend)
| People | Penn State Erie (Behrend) | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 20.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 0.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | — | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.6% | — |
| Work from home | 20.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 17.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | — | 89.0% |
Weather in Penn State Erie (Behrend)
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 43.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 125.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn State Erie (Behrend) since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 9, 2025 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 4, 2011.
Severe weather in Erie County since 1996
Erie County has been included in 11 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 Erie County
Erie County had 119,552 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,524 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Penn State Erie (Behrend) itself the ACS puts it at 10.5%.
Towns near Penn State Erie (Behrend)
- Wesleyville, PA1.9 mi · 3,222 people · home $108,600
- Northwest Harborcreek, PA2.2 mi · 8,772 people · home $225,800
- Harborcreek, PA2.7 mi · 16,635 people · home $237,000
- Lawrence Park, PA3.0 mi · 3,820 people · home $138,800
- Erie, PA4.5 mi · 94,831 people · home $115,200
- Greene, PA4.9 mi · 4,478 people · home $227,700
- Summit, PA6.0 mi · 7,342 people · home $245,000
- Millcreek, PA7.2 mi · 54,073 people · home $230,600
Penn State Erie (Behrend) questions
Is Penn State Erie (Behrend), Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penn State Erie (Behrend) scores better for retirees than 1% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 12%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 20.1).
What is the weather like in Penn State Erie (Behrend)?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.0 inches of precipitation a year and 125.7 inches of snow.
Does Penn State Erie (Behrend) get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penn State Erie (Behrend) since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 9, 2025. 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)