The Town FilesSmithfield, Pennsylvania
Borough in Fayette County · population 831 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,200
- Household income
- $62,031
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 42.5
Smithfield is a borough of 831 people in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $173,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250).
How Smithfield 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 Smithfield is worth $173,200, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $62,031, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $950 a month. 72.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Smithfield | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $950 | $996 |
| Median household income | $62,031 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.5% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Smithfield
| People | Smithfield | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Smithfield
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 20.6°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smithfield since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 2, 1998 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 8, 2022.
Severe weather in Fayette County since 1996
Fayette County has been included in 18 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 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Fayette County
Fayette County had 37,892 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,069 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Smithfield itself the ACS puts it at 8.5%.
Public schools in Smithfield
1 public school with 229 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smithfield El Sch | K-5 | 229 | 14.3 |
Towns near Smithfield
- Nicholson, PA3.2 mi · 1,732 people · home $147,800
- Georges, PA3.3 mi · 6,346 people · home $148,500
- Fairchance, PA3.3 mi · 1,890 people · home $169,100
- Springhill, PA3.7 mi · 2,722 people · home $115,700
- German, PA6.2 mi · 4,669 people · home $123,200
- Masontown, PA6.2 mi · 3,276 people · home $126,300
- Leith-Hatfield, PA6.6 mi · 2,672 people · home $296,700
- South Union, PA6.6 mi · 10,890 people · home $209,300
Smithfield questions
Is Smithfield, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Smithfield scores better for retirees than 19% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 38%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Smithfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Smithfield is valued at $173,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,031, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $950 a month.
What is the weather like in Smithfield?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 20.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 18.4 inches of snow.
Does Smithfield get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smithfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 2, 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)