The Town FilesRutherford, Pennsylvania
Community in Dauphin County · population 5,765 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $214,200
- Household income
- $83,636
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 34.8
Rutherford is a community of 5,765 people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $214,200, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 87% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Rutherford 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 Rutherford is worth $214,200, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $83,636, which is more affordable than 64% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,155 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rutherford | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $214,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,155 | $996 |
| Median household income | $83,636 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rutherford
| People | Rutherford | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.3% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Rutherford
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 44.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.9 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rutherford since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 14, 2004 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 27, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 7, 1986.
Severe weather in Dauphin County since 1996
Dauphin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Dauphin County
Dauphin County had 190,296 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,012 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Rutherford itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Rutherford
- Lawnton, PA1.6 mi · 4,967 people · home $222,600
- Swatara, PA2.5 mi · 27,824 people · home $214,400
- Colonial Park, PA2.9 mi · 16,243 people · home $231,100
- Hummelstown, PA2.9 mi · 4,544 people · home $245,100
- Paxtonia, PA3.4 mi · 5,450 people · home $249,900
- South Hanover, PA3.5 mi · 7,209 people · home $393,400
- Lower Swatara, PA3.6 mi · 9,531 people · home $234,600
- Lower Paxton, PA3.8 mi · 53,501 people · home $284,700
Rutherford questions
Is Rutherford, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rutherford scores better for retirees than 2% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 4%. 11.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Rutherford?
The median owner-occupied home in Rutherford is valued at $214,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,636, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,155 a month.
What is the weather like in Rutherford?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.2 inches of precipitation a year and 29.9 inches of snow.
Does Rutherford get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rutherford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 14, 2004. 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)