The Town FilesPorter, Pennsylvania
Township in Lycoming County · population 1,528 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $226,500
- Household income
- $73,920
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 45.9
Porter is a township of 1,528 people in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $226,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 87% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 78% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Porter 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 Porter is worth $226,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $73,920, which is more affordable than 39% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $619 a month. 81.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Porter | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $226,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $619 | $996 |
| Median household income | $73,920 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.3% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Porter
| People | Porter | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Porter
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.3 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Porter since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 2.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 20 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Lycoming County since 1996
Lycoming County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
| December 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4292: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lycoming County
Lycoming County had 49,795 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,535 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Porter itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Towns near Porter
- Jersey Shore, PA1.2 mi · 4,166 people · home $153,000
- Avis, PA2.7 mi · 1,473 people · home $166,700
- Pine Creek, PA3.2 mi · 3,416 people · home $180,800
- Nippenose, PA3.8 mi · 661 people · home $201,000
- Piatt, PA3.9 mi · 1,047 people · home $225,700
- Watson, PA4.8 mi · 534 people · home $312,500
- Woolrich, PA5.1 mi · 932 people · home $231,100
- McElhattan, PA5.5 mi · 1,224 people · home $215,500
Porter questions
Is Porter, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Porter scores better for retirees than 29% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 23%. 25.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Porter?
The median owner-occupied home in Porter is valued at $226,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,920, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $619 a month.
What is the weather like in Porter?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 31.3 inches of snow.
Does Porter get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Porter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 31, 1985. 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)