The Town FilesSt. Marys, Pennsylvania
City in Elk County · population 12,738 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,000
- Household income
- $67,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 51.6
St. Marys is a city of 12,738 people in Elk County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $149,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 78% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 72% of Pennsylvania towns.
How St. Marys 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 St. Marys is worth $149,000, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $67,167, which is more affordable than 82% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $762 a month. 77.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Marys | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,000 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $762 | $996 |
| Median household income | $67,167 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in St. Marys
| People | St. Marys | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.8% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in St. Marys
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 13.1°F. About 46.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 66.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Marys since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 31, 1985 about 6.6 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 4 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 9, 2009.
Severe weather in Elk County since 1996
Elk County has been included in 10 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 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235: Hurricane Katrina |
Jobs and pay in Elk County
Elk County had 13,348 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,545 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in St. Marys itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in St. Marys
3 public schools with 1,587 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Marys Area SHS | 9-12 | 576 | 14.8 |
| South St Marys Street El Sch | PK-5 | 567 | 15.8 |
| St Marys Area MS | 6-8 | 444 | 13.9 |
Towns near St. Marys
- Fox, PA10.7 mi · 3,576 people · home $170,800
- Ridgway, PA10.8 mi · 4,039 people · home $94,900
- Kane, PA20.7 mi · 3,630 people · home $73,600
- Treasure Lake, PA22.4 mi · 5,460 people · home $304,100
- Sandy, PA23.9 mi · 11,848 people · home $228,100
- Lawrence, PA25.8 mi · 7,500 people · home $154,600
- DuBois, PA26.1 mi · 7,510 people · home $123,600
- Keating, PA26.1 mi · 2,725 people · home $121,700
St. Marys questions
Is St. Marys, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Marys scores better for retirees than 78% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 72%. 26.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.6).
How much does a house cost in St. Marys?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Marys is valued at $149,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,167, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $762 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Marys?
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 13.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.4 inches of precipitation a year and 66.0 inches of snow.
Does St. Marys get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Marys since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 31, 1985. 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)