The Town FilesSylvan Hills, Pennsylvania
Community in Blair County · population 720 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $325,500
- Household income
- $88,882
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 56.4
Sylvan Hills is a community of 720 people in Blair County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $325,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 97% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 84% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Sylvan Hills 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 Sylvan Hills is worth $325,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $88,882, which is more affordable than 15% of Pennsylvania towns. 94.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sylvan Hills | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $325,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | — | $996 |
| Median household income | $88,882 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sylvan Hills
| People | Sylvan Hills | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 8.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Sylvan Hills
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 20.4°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylvan Hills since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 19, 1996 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 19, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 3, 2023.
Severe weather in Blair County since 1996
Blair 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 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Blair County
Blair County had 58,025 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,266 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Sylvan Hills itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Sylvan Hills
- Lakemont, PA1.2 mi · 1,773 people · home $157,100
- Hollidaysburg, PA1.3 mi · 5,641 people · home $196,100
- Loop, PA1.9 mi · 1,590 people · home $245,300
- Penn Farms, PA2.7 mi · 2,307 people · home $348,900
- Duncansville, PA2.9 mi · 1,255 people · home $151,500
- Blair, PA3.7 mi · 4,783 people · home $229,400
- Eldorado, PA3.7 mi · 712 people · home $166,500
- Frankstown, PA4.2 mi · 7,399 people · home $263,600
Sylvan Hills questions
Is Sylvan Hills, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sylvan Hills scores better for retirees than 97% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 63%. 26.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.4).
How much does a house cost in Sylvan Hills?
The median owner-occupied home in Sylvan Hills is valued at $325,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,882, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sylvan Hills?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 20.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 38.0 inches of snow.
Does Sylvan Hills get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sylvan Hills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 19, 1996. 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)