The Town FilesTamaqua, Pennsylvania
Borough in Schuylkill County · population 6,916 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,700
- Household income
- $46,176
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 36.2
Tamaqua is a borough of 6,916 people in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $83,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 83% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 81% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Tamaqua 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 Tamaqua is worth $83,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $46,176, which is more affordable than 93% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $996 a month. 50.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tamaqua | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $996 | $996 |
| Median household income | $46,176 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 50.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tamaqua
| People | Tamaqua | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 28.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Tamaqua
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 53.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tamaqua since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 15, 1992 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Schuylkill County since 1996
Schuylkill County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County had 50,294 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,134 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Tamaqua itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Tamaqua
3 public schools with 1,801 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamaqua El Sch | K-5 | 680 | 16.2 |
| Tamaqua Area SHS | 9-12 | 654 | 14.9 |
| Tamaqua Area MS | 6-8 | 467 | 13.7 |
Towns near Tamaqua
- Lansford, PA3.0 mi · 4,141 people · home $55,800
- Rush, PA3.9 mi · 3,417 people · home $208,000
- Summit Hill, PA4.4 mi · 3,120 people · home $99,700
- West Penn, PA5.3 mi · 4,370 people · home $234,300
- Nesquehoning, PA7.5 mi · 3,336 people · home $122,500
- Mahoning, PA8.4 mi · 4,261 people · home $241,300
- Jim Thorpe, PA8.7 mi · 4,507 people · home $209,800
- Ryan, PA10.2 mi · 2,589 people · home $231,500
Tamaqua questions
Is Tamaqua, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tamaqua scores better for retirees than 11% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 18%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Tamaqua?
The median owner-occupied home in Tamaqua is valued at $83,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,176, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $996 a month.
What is the weather like in Tamaqua?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.6 inches of precipitation a year and 42.8 inches of snow.
Does Tamaqua get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tamaqua since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 15, 1992. 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)