The Town FilesRural Valley, Pennsylvania
Borough in Armstrong County · population 826 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $145,200
- Household income
- $68,512
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 45.5
Rural Valley is a borough of 826 people in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $145,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Rural Valley 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 Rural Valley is worth $145,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $68,512, which is more affordable than 86% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $685 a month. 68.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rural Valley | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $145,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $685 | $996 |
| Median household income | $68,512 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 68.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rural Valley
| People | Rural Valley | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Rural Valley
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 45.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rural Valley since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on March 31, 2022 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 18, 2013.
Severe weather in Armstrong County since 1996
Armstrong County has been included in 17 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 |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| June 30, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1649: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Armstrong County
Armstrong County had 15,650 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,796 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Rural Valley itself the ACS puts it at 12.3%.
Public schools in Rural Valley
2 public schools with 863 students, about 11.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Shamokin JSHS | 7-12 | 527 | 10.8 |
| Shannock Valley El Sch | K-6 | 336 | 12.4 |
Towns near Rural Valley
- Cowanshannock, PA1.0 mi · 2,741 people · home $169,400
- Valley, PA5.5 mi · 656 people · home $190,400
- Plumcreek, PA5.9 mi · 2,112 people · home $161,000
- Wayne, PA6.3 mi · 1,296 people · home $204,500
- Dayton, PA6.9 mi · 549 people · home $105,400
- Kittanning, PA7.2 mi · 2,035 people · home $230,700
- Washington, PA7.6 mi · 1,649 people · home $207,100
- Boggs, PA8.1 mi · 817 people · home $169,700
Rural Valley questions
Is Rural Valley, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rural Valley scores better for retirees than 51% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 67%. 17.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.5).
How much does a house cost in Rural Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Rural Valley is valued at $145,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,512, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $685 a month.
What is the weather like in Rural Valley?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.7 inches of precipitation a year and 42.2 inches of snow.
Does Rural Valley get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rural Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on March 31, 2022. 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)