The Town FilesSilver Lake, Pennsylvania
Township in Susquehanna County · population 1,513 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $280,200
- Household income
- $87,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 83 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 57.3
Silver Lake is a township of 1,513 people in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $280,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 85% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 84% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake is worth $280,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $87,083, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $978 a month. 88.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Silver Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $280,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $978 | $996 |
| Median household income | $87,083 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 32.1% | — |
Who lives in Silver Lake
| People | Silver Lake | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 12.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Silver Lake
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 12.5°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 82.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Silver Lake since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 1, 2022.
Severe weather in Susquehanna County since 1996
Susquehanna County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County had 8,955 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,769 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Silver Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Silver Lake
- Choconut, PA3.8 mi · 679 people · home $234,700
- Liberty, PA4.9 mi · 1,130 people · home $229,900
- Forest Lake, PA5.7 mi · 1,114 people · home $230,400
- Binghamton, NY6.0 mi · 4,617 people · home $222,300
- Franklin, PA6.8 mi · 833 people · home $197,500
- Vestal, NY7.8 mi · 29,313 people · home $193,500
- Conklin, NY8.2 mi · 5,008 people · home $131,500
- Montrose, PA8.8 mi · 1,290 people · home $168,400
Silver Lake questions
Is Silver Lake, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Silver Lake scores better for retirees than 80% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 85%. 25.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).
How much does a house cost in Silver Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Silver Lake is valued at $280,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,083, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $978 a month.
What is the weather like in Silver Lake?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 12.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 82.7 inches of snow.
Does Silver Lake get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Silver Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. 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)