The Town Files

Scotland, Pennsylvania

Community in Franklin County · population 1,353 (2020 Census)

Map: where Scotland is in PennsylvaniaScotland
Median home
$214,000
Household income
$70,096
Jan low / Jul high
23° / 85°
Snow a year
31 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
32.9

Scotland is a community of 1,353 people in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $214,000, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 83% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.

How Scotland 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.

Scotland lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement97th pctFamilies32nd pctQuiet53rd pctWalkability27th pctFirst-time buyers55th pctYoung professionals73rd pctVibrancy48th pctHip & trendy45th pctCollege town14th pctUpscale83rd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit60th pctDriving39th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Scotland is worth $214,000, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $70,096, which is more affordable than 39% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $867 a month. 76.1% of households own their home.

Scotland vs Franklin County vs typical Pennsylvania townScotlandFranklin CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$214,000$249,800$214,250Household income$70,096$77,003$75,278Monthly rent$867$1,093$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingScotlandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$214,000$214,250
Median rent$867$996
Median household income$70,096$75,278
Home value ÷ income3.1×2.8×
Homeownership76.1%81.5%
Median year built19771971
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Scotland

PeopleScotlandTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age32.944.2
Age 65 and over12.8%21.1%
Under 1831.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher19.3%23.8%
Below the poverty line14.9%8.5%
Veterans2.9%—
Born outside the U.S.4.2%—
Work from home25.8%10.6%
Average commute28.1 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband97.8%89.0%

Weather in Scotland

July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 43.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.

Scotland monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°23°Jan41°25°Feb50°32°Mar63°42°Apr73°52°May81°61°Jun85°65°Jul83°63°Aug76°56°Sep64°45°Oct52°35°Nov41°27°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.210.02.68.03.66.04.00.34.14.13.83.84.13.53.11.03.55.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Chambersburg 1 Ese station (3.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scotland since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 16, 1961 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2022.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Scotland by decade01950s11960s21970s11980s21990s12000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 29, 1976.

Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996

Storm events in Franklin County since 1996 by typeHail77Heat5Flood16Drought12Tornado9High Wind15Ice Storm6Heavy Snow31
NOAA Storm Events Database, Franklin County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Franklin County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
March 23, 2016SnowstormDR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
January 10, 2013HurricaneDR-4099: Hurricane Sandy
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy

Jobs and pay in Franklin County

Franklin County had 60,414 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,554 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Scotland itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.

Largest industries in Franklin CountyManufacturing8,715 jobs · $70,960Transportation & warehousing8,514 jobs · $59,593Health care & social assistan…8,499 jobs · $56,818Retail7,364 jobs · $33,282Hotels & restaurants4,403 jobs · $20,558Administrative & support2,581 jobs · $42,732
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Franklin County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Franklin 2.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Scotland

Scotland questions

Is Scotland, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Scotland scores better for retirees than 97% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 53%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.9).

How much does a house cost in Scotland?

The median owner-occupied home in Scotland is valued at $214,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,096, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $867 a month.

What is the weather like in Scotland?

July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.8 inches of snow.

Does Scotland get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scotland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 16, 1961. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Scotland's Census boundary (GEOID 4268376). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.