The Town FilesShippensburg University, Pennsylvania
Community in Cumberland County · population 1,890 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 19.8
Shippensburg University is a community of 1,890 people in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, better for cycling than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 93% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Shippensburg University 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
0.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shippensburg University | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $214,250 |
| Median rent | — | $996 |
| Median household income | — | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 0.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shippensburg University
| People | Shippensburg University | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 19.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 11.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 12.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Shippensburg University
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 22.1°F. About 42.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shippensburg University 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 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 17, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 2, 2008.
Severe weather in Cumberland County since 1996
Cumberland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Cumberland County
Cumberland County had 137,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,149 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Shippensburg University itself the ACS puts it at 14.4%.
Towns near Shippensburg University
- Shippensburg, PA0.9 mi · 5,478 people · home $177,700
- Southampton, PA2.9 mi · 8,566 people · home $229,500
- Southampton, PA3.7 mi · 7,504 people · home $265,600
- Hopewell, PA6.5 mi · 2,452 people · home $264,100
- South Newton, PA6.8 mi · 1,371 people · home $245,000
- North Newton, PA6.8 mi · 2,546 people · home $255,200
- Lurgan, PA7.1 mi · 2,207 people · home $236,700
- Scotland, PA7.1 mi · 1,353 people · home $214,000
Shippensburg University questions
Is Shippensburg University, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shippensburg University scores better for retirees than 0% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 2%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 19.8).
What is the weather like in Shippensburg University?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 22.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.5 inches of precipitation a year and 33.6 inches of snow.
Does Shippensburg University get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shippensburg University since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 16, 1961. 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)