The Town FilesSt. Thomas, Pennsylvania
Township in Franklin County · population 5,917 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $211,500
- Household income
- $73,642
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 41.2
St. Thomas is a township of 5,917 people in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $211,500, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Pennsylvania towns.
How St. Thomas 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. Thomas is worth $211,500, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $73,642, which is more affordable than 48% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,148 a month. 84.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Thomas | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $211,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,148 | $996 |
| Median household income | $73,642 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in St. Thomas
| People | St. Thomas | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in St. Thomas
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.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Thomas since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 19, 2019 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 29, 1976.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 20 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 |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-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 St. Thomas itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in St. Thomas
1 public school with 295 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Thomas El Sch | K-5 | 295 | 13.4 |
Towns near St. Thomas
- Hamilton, PA4.0 mi · 11,374 people · home $285,800
- Peters, PA5.3 mi · 4,462 people · home $232,400
- Fort Loudon, PA5.4 mi · 895 people · home $330,200
- Marion, PA7.1 mi · 851 people · home $196,600
- Chambersburg, PA7.9 mi · 21,903 people · home $215,000
- Mercersburg, PA8.3 mi · 1,507 people · home $210,700
- Metal, PA8.5 mi · 1,768 people · home $200,000
- Letterkenny, PA8.7 mi · 2,462 people · home $266,300
St. Thomas questions
Is St. Thomas, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Thomas scores better for retirees than 6% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 26%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in St. Thomas?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Thomas is valued at $211,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,642, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,148 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Thomas?
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 St. Thomas get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Thomas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 19, 2019. 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)