The Town FilesRockdale, Pennsylvania
Township in Crawford County · population 1,363 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $162,500
- Household income
- $71,103
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 114 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 41.8
Rockdale is a township of 1,363 people in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $162,500, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 87% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Pennsylvania towns, better for cycling than 80% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Rockdale 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 Rockdale is worth $162,500, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $71,103, which is more affordable than 79% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,219 a month. 94.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockdale | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,219 | $996 |
| Median household income | $71,103 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.4% | — |
Who lives in Rockdale
| People | Rockdale | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Rockdale
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 49.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 114.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockdale since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 8.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 4, 2010.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 15 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 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Crawford County
Crawford County had 28,870 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,526 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Rockdale itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Rockdale
- Cambridge, PA3.1 mi · 1,439 people · home $161,400
- Cambridge Springs, PA4.8 mi · 2,590 people · home $109,600
- LeBoeuf, PA5.1 mi · 1,659 people · home $219,000
- Richmond, PA6.1 mi · 1,350 people · home $161,600
- Canadohta Lake, PA6.8 mi · 503 people · home $149,400
- Bloomfield, PA6.8 mi · 1,862 people · home $133,200
- Athens, PA7.4 mi · 636 people · home $148,400
- Venango, PA8.0 mi · 946 people · home $197,900
Rockdale questions
Is Rockdale, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockdale scores better for retirees than 45% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 43%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).
How much does a house cost in Rockdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockdale is valued at $162,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,103, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,219 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockdale?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.0 inches of precipitation a year and 114.2 inches of snow.
Does Rockdale get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockdale 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)